ACC Football Power Rankings 2017: Week 2 edition

Year two with Lamar Jackson at quarterback went without a hitch in the Louisville Cardinals season opener against the Purdue Boilermakers. First-year head coach Jeff Brohm kept the pressure on the Cardinals for all four quarters but Jackson never faltered.

He finished the game 30-for-36 passing (65.2 percent) with 378 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. On the ground, he had 21 carries for 107 rushing yards.

It was a much more subtle performance than his 2016 season opener, when he scored eight touchdowns and the team put up 70 points.

Turnovers kept the Boilermakers in the game. The Louisville Cardinals had three fumbles in the game but when it was time to win the game, Jackson went 3-for-5 with 63 passing yards and 12 rushing yards.

It was a 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick that put the Cardinals up for good in the fourth quarter. A late 30-yard field goal put them up 35-28 and an interception by safety Chucky Williams on the ensuing drive all but sealed the victory.

Three turnovers kept this game closer than what it should have been but the Cardinals offense kept its poise under Jackson’s leadership.

Week 2 gets a whole lot more interesting as they travel to Chapel Hill to face the North Carolina Tar Heels. We’ll see how North Carolina responds after losing to California.

The Cardinals become the biggest threat to win the ACC Atlantic with the injury to Francois. They’ve got Clemson on September 16 so stay tuned.