The No. 20 Pitt Panthers have a simple, straightforward path to the ACC Championship game. They have to defeat the Virginia Cavaliers this weekend. If Pitt runs the table, they have a 10-win season. Their game this weekend against the Cavaliers promises to be fun.
This weekend’s game could also be a statement game for Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett. No player has run away with the Heisman Trophy candidacy, and Pickett is right in the thick of things. If Pickett can out-duel Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong, he could stand out in the Heisman race.
The Demon Deacons are two games ahead in the loss column on North Carolina State and Clemson. Wake Forest also holds the win against the Wolfpack. A defeat of the Tigers would be a big deal in Winston-Salem, though Clemson has been decimated by injuries and plagued by mediocre play.
The question for Wake Forest is if they can score on what had been a consistently ornery Clemson defense. The Tigers have gotten healthy along their defensive front and look to pressure Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman.
Though the Deacons’ defense does not have the numbers their counterparts from Clemson has, they have been opportunistic and played well when they needed to this year. This game could be one of the games of the year in the ACC.