SEMINOLE PREDICTION DERBY RESULTS, WEEK IX: FSU @ NORTH CAROLINA

POS ATHLETIC ORACLE                                PROPHECY       DIFFER
=== ============================================== ============== ======
 1. <BirdManBob#AOL.com>                           FSU 28, UNC 17   5.00
 2. Thurston Long <Machupo#Best.com>               FSU 31, UNC 18   6.71
 3. James Gantt <Gantt#EMail.UNC.edu>              FSU 34, UNC 17   7.81
 4. Kevin Delgado <KDelgado#FreeNet.SCRI.FSU.edu>  FSU 30, UNC 20   8.25
 5. <GGK#Gate.net>                                 FSU 38, UNC 17  11.18
 6. Mike Sukhadwala <MSukhadw#Garnet.ACNS.FSU.edu> FSU 42, UNC 13  14.04
 7. Michael vanPelt <US005330#InterRamp.com>       FSU 42, UNC 14  14.14
 8. Lew Saphar <LSaphar#RBDC.RBDC.com>             FSU 42, UNC 16  14.56
 9. Matthew Grice <MPG2438#EMail.UNC.edu>          FSU 42, UNC 18  15.23
10. Herb Wills <HWills#FreeNet.TLH.FL.US>          FSU 42, UNC 21  16.64
11. Eric Lyman <EJLyman#AOL.com>                   FSU 45, UNC 12  17.00
12. Lee Bodnar <LBodnar#Plains.NoDak.edu>          FSU 45, UNC 17  17.72
13. Paul Barkowitz <Paul_Barkowitz#TransArc.com>   FSU 44, UNC 20  17.89
14. Todd Brannon <JMB3715#Mailer.FSU.edu>          FSU 38, UNC 27  18.03
15. Travis Vaughan <TVaugha#Milhost.TCS.Tulane.edu>FSU 47, UNC  8  19.10
16. Adam J <AJS3q#faraday.clas.Virginia.edu>       FSU 45, UNC 24  20.81
17. <Martin#SCRI.FSU.edu>                          FSU 49, UNC  9  21.21
18. Chris M O'Brian <FLHP44B#Prodigy.com>          FSU 49, UNC 17  21.59
19. R. L. Bynum <RL#Mercury.interPath.com>         FSU 47, UNC 23  21.95
20. TANK <KAS2928#Gold.ACNS.FSU.edu>               FSU 48, UNC 24  23.32
21. <Grue#Prism.U-Net.com>                         FSU 51, UNC 16  23.35
22. Rick Workman <RickW267#AOL.com>                FSU 38, UNC 34  24.17
23. Julio Felipe <CLH1#ACPub.Duke.edu>             FSU 49, UNC 24  24.19
24. <Nole32294#AOL.com>                            FSU 52, UNC 17  24.52
24. John Ryan <Ryan#XI.CS.FSU.edu>                 FSU 52, UNC 17  24.52
26. Gary Hodges <Hodges#MIE.Met.FSU.edu>           FSU 52, UNC 24  26.83
27. <TRoper#NandO.net>                             FSU 55, UNC 14  27.07
27. Ryan Jones <RJones#CS.UMD.edu>                 FSU 55, UNC 10  27.07
29. <Pshu#AOL.com>                                 FSU 55, UNC 17  27.46
30. <FSUOne#AOL.com>                               FSU 56, UNC 14  28.07
30. C. R. Ridley <CRidley#NandO.net>               FSU 56, UNC 14  28.07
32. <NoleAnimal#AOL.com>                           FSU 56, UNC 17  28.44
33. Robert Taylor <RATaylor14#AOL.com>             FSU 56, UNC 21  29.41
34. Jason Martin <JDM6y#Kelvin.seas.Virginia.edu>  FSU 56, UNC 28  30.46
35. Blake Claydon <BClaydon#chat.Carleton.CA>      FSU 63, UNC  7  35.36
36. <ScootM#AOL.com>                               FSU 64, UNC 13  36.01
37. Chris Schmitt <CSchmitt#Gauss.Math.FSU.edu>    FSU 65, UNC 10  37.05
38. Jim Davis <JFD1#NandO.net>                     FSU 65, UNC 24  38.90
39. <ZDKC11#Access.East-Tenn-St.edu>               FSU 72, UNC 14  44.05
40. <DJRogers#EOS.NCSU.edu>                        FSU 73, UNC 16  45.18
41. Andrew Meehan <Moriarty#EMail.UNC.edu>         UNC 28, FSU 24 -16.49
42. Darcy Miller <DMiller#EMail.UNC.edu>           UNC 27, FSU 21 -16.55

The actual score was Florida State 28, North Carolina 12.

Was it not enough respect for the Seminole defense? Not enough respect for the Tarheel defense? The weather? Whatever the reason, the prediction crew had a tough time with this game. Nevertheless, four forecasters did call the score within a difference of 10.00. BirdManBob@AOL.com was this week's winner with a difference of 5.00. The Birdman is our fifth champion from America On-Line this season, which must be significant. If you know what it means, e-mail me. Also cracking the 10.00 barrier of respectability was runner-up Thurston Long (6.71), James Gantt (7.81), and long-time prognosticator Kevin Delgado (8.25).

Two former champs made it into the top ten -- Mike Sukhadwala was sixth at 14.04, and Lew Saphar was eighth. Other former champs didn't fare nearly as well. Rick Workman finished in 22nd (24.17) and Robert Taylor was back in 33rd (29.41). Three past winners declined to enter this week; probably yellow in the belly.

Around the ACC. Top finisher from an ACC domain was James Gantt from North Carolina (7.81) who edged out Kevin Delgado from Florida State (8.25). Adam J. (20.81) was the top forecaster from a Virginia domain, Julio Felipe (24.19) topped the entries from Duke, Ryan Jones (27.17) was best from Maryland, and D.J. Rogers (45.18) sent the closest pick from N. C. State. No one from Clemson or Wake Forest domains sent in an entry this week, and Georgia Tech has yet to produce a forecaster -- I guess the students in Atlanta are still trying to figure out how to put a postage stamp on e-mail.

Only one last ACC contest remains in the Prediction Derby, and that's FSU vs. Maryland. Kickoff is at noon on Saturday, November 18, which doesn't leave you that much time to get in an entry. E-mail your predictions to:

HWILLS@FREENET.TLH.FL.US

And include something like "FSU vs Md" in the subject line so I know it's not new directions on how to "Make Money Fast!" You can also try entering by form on the WWWeb at:

http://freenet3.scri.fsu.edu:81/users/schmittc/fsupoll.html

This is the official Prediction Derby page on the WWWeb, maintained by Chris Schmitt, and you can also find past results and other indignities stored there.

Thanks to everyone for playing, and I'm looking forward to seeing your entries for Week X.

Herb Wills, HWills@FreeNet.TLH.FL.US