Syracuse wins its first ACC football game, Clemson does Clemson things and karma is cruel to the Tar Heels. Here are your latest ACC power rankings.
This week marks the return of As the ACC Turns. On this episode, the Orange reach the pay window for the first time in conference, the Demon Deacons were exorcised by Clemson and there’s an interesting love triangle brewing in the Coastal between the Pitt Panthers, Virginia Cavaliers and the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Both Florida State and Louisville are going bowling this postseason — NC State and Duke, not so much. This and much more in the return of As the ACC Turns.
Here at headquarters as we watch them create the mold for David Cutcliffe’s statue in Durham, we aren’t completely sure about the direction of the program. Cutcliffe doesn’t want to give up any of the triple option philosophies next season. Either he has a stable of running backs who are outstanding, or no quarterback in the pipeline.
We are happy for Dino Babers in upstate New York; maybe the dome can get both its names back. Despite recent setbacks in their losses, we want Geoff Collins and the Jackets to continue to take it one day at a time.
The winner of the ACC Coastal’s fate is cannon fodder for the mighty Clemson Tigers, but they are playing like they want it. The Hokies have found their footing under Justin Fuente, Pat Narduzzi is serving Pitt Specials and it’s a wonder why Bronco Mendenhall hasn’t come up in any coaching search rumors. It’s going to be some kind of finish in the Coastal.
With all due respect to “The Rivalry that Really Ain’t” and the Textile Bowl and the realization Virginia isn’t a state but a Commonwealth — and a trophy to prove this fact — here are your ACC power rankings for Week 13.
The Yellow Jackets’ three-game losing streak since their only conference victory does not tell the story of how hard, and how well they have played. Georgia Tech was close against Virginia, and limited Pittsburgh’s offense. They looked out of gas against Virginia Tech. This game was a combination of Tech having little in the tank against a Hokie squad that has played lights out the last few weeks. But hey, keep taking it one day at a time coach; recruit well, too, because that helps when you aren’t very good.
The Wolfpack have scored 20 points in two of their last six games, and 10 points three times in that same span. That explains the 1-5 record in those six games. Their defense wasn’t awful in their 34-20 loss to Louisville, but the offense sputter in this game much like it has all season.
In their defense, the Wolfpack are inexperienced on offense. They haven’t adequately replaced Ryan Finley or Reggie Gallaspy from last year’s team. Jackobi Meyers, Kelvin Harmon and their 173 combined receptions haven’t been replaced either. All this is due to their offensive line not being very good this season.
Their slim bowl hopes are in free-fall. They have to win both their remaining games first against Georgia Tech and then upset the legend of Sam Howell and North Carolina.
Break out the Orange. They won their first conference game of the season against a Duke squad that can’t figure out the complexities of the forward pass. Whether this is Syracuse finally putting it together, or the Blue Devils being so bad doesn’t matter because the Orange Fanta will flow in upstate New York.
Oddly enough, the win against Duke puts them in position for a bowl if they can win out. With conference games left against Louisville and Wake Forest it’s highly unlikely, but at least he orange soda tasted a little bit better this week.
The Blue Devils are in a free-fall. They have scored 44 points per game during their four-game losing streak. That comes out to exactly 11 points per game. We had no idea what the problem was, so we asked the last coach who had success at Duke.
Our interns sent a message via carrier pigeon to the ‘ol ball coach. He high tailed it to headquarters — we had plenty of mint juleps — and we asked him why the Blue Devils are struggling so much offensively. He took a swig of his julep, watched some film and said with complete confidence, “They can’t throw the dang ball!”
There you have it. Duke can’t throw the dang ball. With Wake Forest and Miami left on the schedule, Duke is staring at 4-8.
Boston College is in a tough spot. They sit at 5-5 and have to of their rivals left to play. Their religious rival Notre Dame in “The Holy War East” and then Pitt for blue collar supremacy. These aren’t going to be easy games to win. Their best chance to get to a bowl might have been the Red Bandana game.
Notre Dame has hit their stride offensively, and Pitt still has a shot to win the ACC Coastal. If Boston College goes 5-7, is head coach Steve Addazio in trouble? That’s a good question — if he is, just know the Eagles might not get someone better.
We at headquarters are fans of The Good Book. The Good Book says, “what a man sows, that he will also reap.” The Tar Heels, head coach Mack Brown and the living legend Sam Howell have reaped close wins against Miami, South Carolina and Duke. Those chickens have come home to roost all season long.
Their last two losses have been by one possession; just as all their losses this season. The Mercer game shouldn’t come down to one possession; neither should their game against North Carolina State, but these are the Tar Heels. They might make them both close because they want to entertain the fans.
The Seminoles have won their last two games, and find themselves bowl eligible for the first time in two years. James Blackman has firmly established himself as the QB1 in Tallahassee. We’ll see just how far along they are when they play the Florida Gators in an important interstate rivalry.
Here at headquarters we are wondering though, couldn’t Willie Taggart have gotten these two wins? More importantly, is this a large enough sample size for Odell Haggins to at least get an interview to be the head coach of the ‘Noles if he wants a crack at the job? Talk about a guy who bleeds garnet and gold.
The Hurricanes were off this week as they look to finish their season in fine fashion. Although they are on the outside looking in at the Coastal division race, if the top three falter, the only team the Hurricanes don’t own a tie-breaker against is the Virginia Tech Hokies. They need to win out, and get a bit of help from Pitt, Virginia Tech and Virginia and this weekend.
Here at headquarters on Tobacco Road, we value frank, no holds barred honesty. Here it is: We love Dave Clawson and Wake Forest. We love “The” Bronco Mendenhall and the Cavaliers. Heck, we want a David Cutcliffe statue outside of Wallace Wade. However, the ACC won’t get the respect it wants until the Tomahawk Chop strikes fear in the hearts of road teams in Doak Campbell Stadium and we refer to Miami as “The U.”
The entire staff of interns want a Miami/Clemson championship game just to see how far Miami has to go to compete with the Tigers.
Now that’s no disrespect to the Hokies. Legendary head coach Frank Beamer made the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University football program what it is. It’s the job of current head coach Justin Fuente to maintain and expand what coach Beamer started.
That said, the Hokies are playing their best ball under Fuente since he’s been there, or at very least since his first year there. The Hokies are the fourth brand that make the ACC what it is. Imagine an ACC where the Tigers and the ‘Noles are battling in the Atlantic and the Hokies and ‘Canes are duking it out in the Coastal.
Now that’s when the ACC one of the best football conferences in college football. The Hokies have risen from uncertainty to an opportunity to win the Coastal. They have Pitt this week, and the Commonwealth Cup against the Wahoos could be for the Coastal division title.
We don’t want to sound the alarm in Winston-Salem, but with Sage Surratt out it’s going to be tough sledding for the Demon Deacons the rest of the way. Wake Forest is 2-3 in their last five games. In their three losses they’ve given up 50 points per game. Wait, they play Syracuse and Duke to end their season. They should still find nine wins, my bad.
When this season is over, that might not be the biggest concern for the Deacons. Wake might find themselves asking their coach what will it take to stay on Tobacco Road.
The Cardinal redemption tour will have a postseason. The Cardinals got win No. 6 this weekend after their victory against NC State. It hasn’t been perfect, but first year head coach Scott Satterfield could not have imagined a better start to his career as Louisville’s head coach. The only thing better than a bowl win this post season? Beating Kentucky to end the regular season.
Pitt, along with Virginia and Virginia Tech, are in this love triangle to determine the ACC Coastal champion. Miami wants to make it a fatal four-way, but they need help. Pitt played the most Pitt game it could play when quarterback Kenny Pickett “out-legended” Sam Howell last Thursday night against North Carolina. The Panthers have a must-win against Virginia Tech this weekend, and they end their season with Boston College. In this race to play for the ACC Championship, Virginia Tech has the advantage because they play both the Panthers and the Cavaliers.
Speaking of the V-men, the Cavaliers were off last week after Bryce Perkins put on yet another impressive performance against Georgia Tech. He’s put on great performances twice in a row. As fantastic as Perkins has been, will Virginia have enough against Virginia Tech.
We’ve already mentioned the advantage the Hokies have by playing both the Panthers and the Cavaliers. Perkins must have a career performance to beat the Hokies, and he’ll need some help. Where will he find it?
The Tigers have scored 50 points in four consecutive games; just in case you forgot who they were. Since giving up 20 to the Tar Heels, Clemson has allowed under 10 points per game while scoring 52.5 points per game in the same span.
As we mentioned earlier, we value frank honesty. We also admit when we are wrong. We calculated the Tigers to be four touchdowns better than everyone in their conference. According to the metrics done by our math interns here at head quarters that we “borrowed” from Duke, the Clemson Tigers are six touchdowns better than everyone in the ACC.
The Tigers have their sights set on the playoff, and they want to repeat. We need the committee to do one thing right: Death Valley vs. Death Valley winner take all.