Louisville loses in hilarious fashion; SMU remains unbeaten in ACC play
1. SMU (last week: 38-28 W vs Boston College)
For a while, it looked like SMU was going to trip over themselves and get knocked off at home by a BC squad that just made a QB change. Instead, the Mustangs outscored the Eagles 18-7 down the stretch to pick up the win. Giving up 417 yards to BC isn’t a good look, but the last time SMU was challenged to this extent this season they responded with their best effort of the year. Watch out, Virginia. By the way, SMU needs just one more win to secure a spot in the ACC title game.
2. Georgia Tech (last week: Bye)
Who knows which GT team you’re going to get in a given week, but with a healthy Haynes King, this Jackets squad is dangerous. Coming off a bye, there’s no reason to drop them below Miami… and no reason to put anyone other than SMU higher. The Yellow Jackets host NC State on Thursday night.
3. Miami (last week: Bye)
Mario Cristobal’s group can’t afford another slip up with Clemson having finished their conference record at 7-1. The good news for the Canes is that Wake and Syracuse are all that remain between them and a spot opposite SMU in the ACC title game (or opposite Clemson should SMU drop off a cliff).
4. Clemson (last week: 24-20 W @ Pittsburgh)
A 50-yard TD run by Cade Klubnik with 1:16 left in the game saved the Tigers from a loss after Clemson surrendered 13 points in the 4th quarter to the Panthers. Despite being outgained 438-to-346, Clemson was able to pull out the victory, and it keeps their hopes of an ACC title game appearance alive. This is a flawed Clemson team, but heck I’d be pretty happy to be 8-2 (7-1) right now. The Citadel is up next before a home game against and surging South Carolina team.
5. Duke (last week: Bye)
At 7-3, the Blue Devils have a pretty clear path to a 9-3 regular season. They’ll host VT this weekend and head to Wake the following.
6. Pittsburgh (last week: 20-24 L vs Clemson)
Oh, man… the Panthers did just about everything right until a late breakdown allowed Clemson to snatch away that victory. Nate Yarnell threw for 350 yards and a TD while Desmond Reid accounted for 176 yards from scrimmage. After getting blown out by SMU, it’s been back-to-back tough losses for Pitt, and this has ended up being a season of “could have been”. Still a remarkable bounce back from last year’s train wreck. Road trips to Louisville and Boston College remain.
7. Boston College (last week: 28-38 L @ SMU)
It was there for the taking following a solid effort, but the Eagles couldn’t finish the job against the Mustangs. The loss drops BC to 2-4 in ACC play, but they’re still just a single win shy of bowl eligibility. A home tilt against North Carolina is up next to make that happen. QB Grayson James did fine in his debut as the lead of the Eagles offense, but he’ll need to up that production if BC is to top the Tar Heels.
8. Louisville (last week: 35-38 L @ Stanford)
If you didn’t watch how the Cardinals lost to Stanford, you should go back and watch it. Louisville had the ball at the Stanford 45 yard line with 19 seconds to go in a tie game, and without throwing an interception or fumbling the ball, somehow managed to lose. Pretty hilarious, but an epic meltdown at the end. I’ve said all year that Louisville was good enough to beat anybody but also bad enough to lose to anybody in this conference. Apparently they felt really strongly about that.
9. Syracuse (last week: 33-25 W @ California)
Syracuse jumped out to a 27-7 halftime lead and then held on for dear life as they were outscored 18-6 the rest of the way. The Orange racked up 471 yards with Kyle McCord throwing for 323 and LeQuint Allen rushing for 109 and 2 TDs. The defense was really the issue here and those that side of the ball has to improve. This has been a remarkable first season for Fran Brown and he’ll have an opportunity to hit 8 wins for the first time in 6 years (and just the second time in 12 years) as the team hosts UConn this weekend.
10. California (last week: 25-33 L vs Syracuse)
At this point, I don’t even know what to tell Cal fans. It’s a good thing they have a solid sense of humor, because it’s certainly a brand of comedy to be 1-5 in conference games with all five losses being by a single possession. That 1-5 mark also happens to be the team’s record in one-score games. The good news is Stanford rolls into town this weekend with bowl eligibility on the line. The bad news is that if they lose that one, they’ll have to knock off SMU to make it to a bowl.
11. North Carolina (last week: 31-24 W vs Wake Forest)
This Tar Heels team without Omarion Hampton would be hilarious inept. Hampton ran for 244 yards and a TD while hauling in 5 passes for 16 yards. He’s now at 1,422 yards rushing and 14 TDs (with 281 yards receiving and 1 TD), with his two-year total being at 2,926 yards and 29 TDs (plus 503 yards receiving and 2 TDs). Power Echols had the play of the game with a 42-yard interception return for a TD. UNC plays at BC this weekend before hosting NC State to end the regular season.
12. Virginia Tech (last week: Bye)
The Hokies sit 5-5 with a road trip to Duke up this weekend, followed by the rivalry game against Virginia. VT’s played much better than their record this year, but we’ll see if that’s good enough to buy Brent Pry another year in Blacksburg.
13. Virginia (last week: 14-35 L @ Notre Dame)
The Wahoos got completely destroyed by the Irish. Anthony Colandrea continues to start despite tossing 1 TD and 7 INT over his last three games. Tony Muskett may not be the answer, but the senior would give the team a better chance at winning right now. With two games to go and a win shy of bowl eligibility, maybe that’s something the Cavs should look into. Maybe they should also look into not turning the ball over five times in the game. Just a thought.
14. Wake Forest (last week: 24-31 L @ North Carolina)
If not for a 3rd quarter pick 6, the Deacs might have pulled off the win here, but instead that play put them two scores down and they had to play from behind the rest of the way. It really was the turnover differential that made the… err… difference in this one, with Wake finishing -2 in that department. Wake now sits needing wins against both Miami and Duke to avoid missing a bowl game for the second straight year.
15. NC State (last week: Bye)
16. Stanford (last week: 38-35 W vs Louisville)
Kudos to Stanford for ending the 6-game losing streak and doing so in hilariously entertaining fashion. This is still not a good team. They’ll take on rival Cal this weekend on the road.
17. Florida State (last week: Bye)
The Noles will get a chance for win #2 of the year as they host Charleston Southern this weekend, then they’ll take on Florida in FSU’s season finale.