ACC Football Power Rankings, Week 4: Virginia on top of Coastal division

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – SEPTEMBER 14: Noah Taylor #14 of the Virginia Cavaliers sacks James Blackman #1 of the Florida State Seminoles in the second half during a game at Scott Stadium on September 14, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /

Last Week: 12. player. Scouting Report. 1-2, 0-1. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. 14. 880. Pick Analysis

Karma, lady luck, kismet or whatever you want to call it happened to the Yellow Jackets this past weekend in Atlanta when the Citadel Bulldogs upset the Wramblin’ Wreck in overtime 27-24. For those of you that might not know this, the Citadel play option football. The ghost of Paul Johnson reared its flexbone head.

It could have very well been the eight penalties, some of which caused drives to sputter, or the 320 yards rushing they gave up to the Citadel as well that was the root cause of this loss. The Yellow Jackets were without a 100-yard passer again this season.

You know what, that’s too boring; I’m going with karma and bad juju. Yup, Jackets, you reap what you sow.

Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 1-2, 0-1. Last Week: 13. player. Florida State Seminoles. 13. 804

This should have been an encouraging effort by Florida State in their 31-24 loss to Virginia. When you have a kid selling lemonade to contribute to Willie Taggart’s buyout shows you how encouraged the ‘Noles faithful are. Florida State quarterback James Blackmon outplayed Bryce Perkins despite being sacked three times. The Seminoles didn’t turn the ball other either; they just couldn’t close the game.

Taggart didn’t compensate for the toll playing tempo would take on his defense. They’ve looked gassed by the fourth quarter in every game they’ve played this season. The only logical conclusion is this defense isn’t built for playing alongside an offensive system that plays tempo, or they just aren’t very good.

Last Week: 14. Syracuse Orange. 12. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 1-2, 0-1. 827. player

This one was inevitable after what happened to the Orange last week at the hands of the Terrapins. If you bough Syracuse stock this season — lord knows I did — sell it now. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Syracuse, it’s that they aren’t good enough to replace the amount of talent they lost from last season’s 10-win team.

The Orange had to know that Clemson wanted to put this “rivalry” to bed as well. When you are the defending national champions, you have to find something to coach up against an inferior opponent. This week it was the fact that Trevor Lawrence didn’t finish last season’s game, and Syracuse has played them close the last two years defeating them their last trip to the Carrier Dome.

Pitt is lucky they aren’t on the schedule this year.

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