So maybe Clemson really is that good.,,
1. Clemson (last week: 59-35 W vs NC State)
The kneejerk reactions to Clemson’s season-opening loss to Georgia may have been too dramatic. The Tigers have annihilated both opponents since, scoring 13 touchdowns and a field goal in 15 first half drives in those games. This is the most impressive team in the ACC right now. Next up is a home date with Stanford before heading to Tallahassee.
2. Miami (last week: 50-15 W @ South Florida)
Much in the same way you shouldn’t let the final score of Clemson’s win over NC State fool you, Miami led South Florida by just 7 points midway through the 3rd quarter before eventually overpowering the Bulls. This is still a super strong Miami team, and USF pushed Alabama two weeks ago in a game that played out very similarly, so hard to ding the Hurricanes much there. Miami stays in the Sunshine State for the fifth straight week as they host Virginia Tech this Saturday night.
3. Louisville (last week: 31-19 W vs Georgia Tech)
While they never trailed, Louisville never quite dominated this game, either, needing a 55-yard return of a blocked field goal to pull away in the 4th quarter. Getting outgained 410-to-326 isn’t typically a recipe for victory, but it worked in this one. Even with the offense not clicking like usual, the Cardinals took care of the ball with a turnover-free effort. That was the difference. Louisville heads to Notre Dame this week.
4. Boston College (last week: 23-19 W vs Michigan State)
The Eagles’ offense did a whole lot of nothing all night against a Michigan State team that entered the game undefeated. The defense bowed up to hold the Spartans to a go-ahead 27-yard field goal with 4:12 to play. That’s when BC’s offense finally clicked, marching 75 yards in 6 plays, capped by a 42-yard TD pass from Thomas Castellanos to Lewis Bond with 1:28 to play. BC’s defense then picked off a pass on Michigan State’s last drive to seal the win. Is BC really the league’s 4th best team? Highly unlikely, but the resume has been good thus far. Western Kentucky comes to Chestnut Hill this week followed by a trip to Charlottesville.
5. SMU (last week: 66-42 W vs TCU)
Apparently the Mustangs are this year’s ACC team that’s going to swing wildly in performance week to week. Struggle in a road win at Nevada, crush Houston Christian at home. Get stymied in a home loss to BYU, blow out TCU on your home turf. The funniest thing about this game was Sonny Dykes getting ejected against the school he used to coach for. SMU hosts FSU Saturday night in their ACC debut.
6. Pittsburgh (last week: 73-17 W vs Youngstown State)
Somewhat quietly, Pitt is 4-0 heading into their bye week, just two wins shy of bowl eligibility with North Carolina the next game up for the Panthers. A pair of wins over Big 12 opponents is a nice feather in the cap, while blowing out a pair of inferior opponents is simply doing what you’re supposed to do. There’s value in that.
7. Duke (last week: 45-17 W @ Middle Tennessee State)
Like Pitt, Duke is sitting at 4-0, but with a far inferior schedule with which they’ve done it against. The win over MTSU was a nice bounce back after struggling with UConn the week prior. Duke’s defense was the star, forcing 4 turnovers and setting up 3 touchdown drives by the offense that covered less than 25 yards each. You’re going to win a lot of games with efforts like that, but there aren’t a lot of teams that are going to be in that much of a giving mood. Hopefully their next opponent (UNC) is as willing.
8. Georgia Tech (last week: 19-31 L @ Louisville)
This is a pretty good GT team that I should rank higher. On one hand, their two losses have been road contests against Syracuse and Louisville. On the other hand, their wins are against an obviously not-good FSU as well as Georgia State and VMI. The offense couldn’t get Jamal Haynes going against Georgia Tech, so the entire unit’s success fell on the shoulders of Haynes King. King did just fine, but the miscues for the group were killer, surrendering a fumble return touchdown and a blocked field goal touchdown in a 12-point loss. The Jackets are off this week before hosting Duke.
9. California (last week: 9-14 L @ Florida State)
In their first ever ACC game, the Golden Bears went into Tallahassee and outgained the Seminoles 410-to-284. They had fewer penalty yards – although more penalties – and were even in turnover margin. Still, Cal walked out with a loss. Having to settle for two short 2nd quarter field goals was ultimately the turning point. One of those was aided by the end of the half forcing the kick, but that allowed FSU to only need one more scoring drive to win the game. That’s a tough loss, but efforts like those will win the vast majority of games. Cal may only be underdogs twice more this year. This is a good team.
10. Stanford (last week: 26-24 W @ Syracuse)
The Cardinal put forth an impressive effort in their first ever ACC game, hitting the road to take a win against Syracuse with a walk-off field goal. I still don’t believe this is a top half of the conference team, but they’re passing the test so far. Next up is a real test: a road game against Clemson.
11. Syracuse (last week: 24-26 L vs Stanford)
There’s really no reason that LeQuint Allen should only have 8 carries in a game. One of the best running backs in the league needs double that in any game, especially one that went down to the wire and could have used a little more of the Orange running down the clock. Cuse hosts Holy Cross next, then hits the road to take on UNLV. They should be 4-1 entering Raleigh in three weeks, although UNLV will be a tough out.
12. Virginia (last week: 43-24 W @ Coastal Carolina)
This was UVa’s best effort of the season. The Wahoos jumped out to a 17-3 lead, then quickly responded with another two scores before halftime after Coastal cut it to a 7-point game midway through the 2nd quarter. Coastal never threatened after that. Virginia has a week off and then the sledding gets real tough with games against Boston College, Louisville, and Clemson to follow. More efforts like the one in Conway will get the Cavaliers to a bowl game, but it’s hard to see three more wins on that schedule.
13. Virginia Tech (last week: 23-26 L vs Rutgers)
After being down 23-7 entering the 4th quarter, VT made a valiant effort in coming back to tie the game at 23 with 4:35 remaining. Unfortunately, Rutgers went right down the field for a go-ahead field goal and then picked off Kyron Drones to end the game. This VT team looks good enough to compete with anyone, but with enough flaws to lose to everyone. A trip to Miami is up next, which… I think you know where that one will likely fall.
14. Florida State (last week: 14-9 W vs California)
For one brief moment, D.J. Uiagalelei looked like the QB FSU thought they were getting via the transfer portal this year. DJU’s 36-yard TD pass to Ja’Khi Douglas early in the 4th quarter was a thing of beauty, and it proved to be enough to secure a win as the Seminole’s defense kept Cal’s offense out of the end zone all night. If FSU’s offense can be half of what their defense is, they’ll win five of their last six. If.
15. Wake Forest (last week: Bye)
Can’t lose on a bye week… or so they say. The Deacs take on the Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana before heading to Raleigh the following week.
16. NC State (last week: 35-59 L @ Clemson)
There’s a rough reality settling in for the Wolfpack. In two games against teams that State should have overmatched, the games came down to the 4th quarter. In two games against teams they were expected to lose to, but at least be competitive with, the Pack was completely blown out. There are a lot of questions and very few answers right now with a schedule that continues to get tougher than originally expected. A home tilt with a Northern Illinois squad that took down Notre Dame earlier this year is on tap.
17. North Carolina (last week: 50-70 L vs James Madison)
Ha… hahahahahahaha. James Madison put up 70 on the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill, thoroughly destroying North Carolina on their home turf. It was the most points UNC has allowed in a game since East Carolina rolled into Kenan Memorial in 2014 and also hung 70 on the baby blues. Big kudos to JMU QB Alonza Barnett III who threw for 388 yards and 5 TDs while running for 99 yards and another pair of TDs.