ACC Football Power Rankings 2017: Louisville trending up in Week 3
The Pittsburgh Panthers drop a bit in the ACC football power rankings after losing on the road to the fifth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions, 33-14.
Penn State head coach compared the Panthers to the Akron Zips in the postgame presser and with good reason. The Panthers didn’t score their first touchdown of the game until the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Max Browne doesn’t seem to be the answer at all for this offense and it’s showing. Browne finished the game with 138 passing yards and two interceptions. He threw an interception on the team’s first drive of the game.
This Week: No. 9 Oklahoma State
Another week, another ranked opponent for the Pittsburgh Panthers. They face the Oklahoma State Cowboys in their final nonconference game before ACC football play begins. Mason Rudolph could throw for 400 yards here.
Losing respectably takes you places in the ACC football power rankings. At least, that’s the case for the North Carolina Tar Heels this week.
Although they are 0-2, it was the heroics of Lamar Jackson that stole the show and their first taste of victory in Week 2.
The Tar Heels were competitive, but no match in the end for the dynamic playmaking ability of Jackson and that’s okay on my end. They let him score six touchdowns and only lost by 12 points. That puts them up a notch in my book.
Related Story: 3 takeaways from North Carolina's loss to Louisville
This Week: at Old Dominion
Things get a little easier for the North Carolina Tar Heels this week as they travel to Old Dominion. It will be a good confidence boost for them heading into the ACC football schedule. They are going to need it.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are 2-0 and 1-0 in ACC play. Wake Forest put away Boston College convincingly on the road, 34-10. They are headed in the right direction under head coach Dave Clawson.
Their offense looks much improved this year under the direction of quarterback John Wolford. Wolford had 151 passing yards, 92 rushing yards, a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown to lead the way for the Demon Deacons offense.
The Wake Forest defense only allowed 10 points and forced four turnovers (3 interceptions, one fumble). They are showing that changes in the coaching staff haven’t changed their aggression on defense.
This Week: Utah State
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons have a chance to continue improving the offense this week against the Utah State Aggies. There are a few more nonconference games on the slate for them before they face the 11th-ranked Florida State Seminoles on Sept. 30.