Florida State suffered another stunning loss this time to Pittsburgh and the Seminoles already having three losses in ACC play has blown the race for the ACC Championship wide open. Every team is now jockeying to compete for the presumed chance to face the Miami Hurricanes and it's going to be thrilling to watch.
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The North Carolina Tar Heels continue to dominate the headlines for all the wrong reasons, as the results on the field have been as bad as the reports off the field. Despite being on the bye this week, the drama continued to the point where UNC had to release a statement shutting down rumors of a parting of ways. The rest of the season is only going to get messier as this team isn't talented enough to quiet the outside noise.
Boston College got dominated again this weekend, this time at the hands of the Clemson Tigers. This team is going to be at a talent disadvantage in every game they play but, they're going to need to find a way to start competing in these games as the blowouts are starting to get concerning.
Georgia Tech was always going to knock off Virginia Tech, as the result this weekend isn't the least bit surprising given the current state of the Hokies. For the fans looking for a reason to be encouraged, this team has had plenty of opt-outs for the Transfer Portal, but the guys who have stuck around aren't quitting on this program.
The Stanford Cardinal suffered another loss this weekend, and it's a good thing that the Cardinal already has a win in league play, as they're going to have a tough time winning the rest of the way. The offense couldn't get anything going in the running game, and SMU took advantage when they needed to pass, sacking Ben Gulbranson 6 times. After everything that unfolded this offseason, it was always going to be a tough task for this team to compete.
The Syracuse Orange spent the weekend on the bye, and they needed it as they've lost back-to-back games in league play. After losing quarterback Steve Angeli to injury, the offense has been a mess, and the extra week to work through everything should go a long way for this team. The next five games are daunting as Syracuse has to face Georgia Tech, Miami, and Notre Dame, which is a gauntlet.
Wake Forest was tasked with playing with their backup quarterback, and Deshawn Purdie looked good enough to potentially be the starter, throwing for 4 touchdowns in the win over Oregon State. This team is in the first season under a new regime but, they've been promising enough that it's clear this team is only going to get better.
NC State ran into a team they just couldn't beat this weekend as they made the trip to South Bend to take on Notre Dame. In the first half, the Wolfpack did a great job making this a close game but, the talent advantage Notre Dame has kicked in down the stretch. CJ Bailey has given this team an exciting offense and he'll need to bounce back from the loss in this game as the Wolfpack return to league play
The Florida State Seminoles started the season with so much promise, jumping out to a 3-0 start with a win over Alabama. The last three weeks have been shocking as the Seminoles are now 3-3 with a 0-3 record in league play after losses to Virginia, Miami, and now Pitt. This team has a ton of talent, but, like last season, it's clear that there's some issue that's keeping this team from playing to its talent level.
Cal spent this weekend on the bye, coming off of their first loss in ACC play to the Duke Blue Devils. True Freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has given this team a ton to be excited about, and they'll be a fun team to watch in ACC play as they could end up shocking some teams.
The SMU Mustangs have clearly taken a step back but, they're starting to show signs of improvement and are off to a 2-0 start in ACC play. This weekend, the Mustangs got just what they needed to work out some of their flaws as they faced a Stanford team that's among the worst teams in the Power 4. This team had a rough start to the season but, they're still alive in the race for the Playoff but, it'll have to be by winning the ACC.
The Pittsburgh Panthers are now 2-0 after turning the offense over to true freshman Mason Heintschel. The Panthers' offense made some mistakes, which kept this game closer than it could've been, as Heintschel had two picks along with his two touchdowns. The defense was stellar in the second half, keeping Florida State out of the endzone until the Seminoles' final drive to bring home the win.
The Duke Blue Devils spent the weekend on the bye, and while they've already lost two games, this team has been impressive. Duke's best chance to make the College Football Playoff was always going to be by winning the ACC Championship, and at 3-0 in league play, that dream is alive. Games against Georgia Tech and Virginia mean that Duke controls its own destiny the rest of the way.
The Clemson Tigers were able to beat up on another ACC bottom-feeder as they dominated Boston College. The offense was able to get whatever they wanted against Boston College, and even with a Cade Klubnik injury scare they were good on offense. The defense was always going to dominate with their talent edge, especially in the trenches, as they racked up 5 sacks. This team still has more talent than almost every team in the ACC, which gives them a great chance to claw their way back into contention.
After suffering their first loss of the season last weekend, the Louisville Cardinals spent the weekend on the bye. This team needs all the extra time they can get as they're tasked with facing the Miami Hurricanes next weekend. This team has all the talent to go on a run in this wide-open conference, but suffering a loss before the Miami game was a massive setback.
The Virginia Cavaliers were one of the many teams on the bye this weekend, but they're in a great spot at 5-1 on the season with a 3-0 record in league play. The win over Florida State got less impressive after their stunning loss, but the remaining schedule is weak enough to the point where they could end league play unbeaten.
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have a great chance to compete for the ACC Championship with the way things have played out, and they finally looked the part on Saturday. The rushing attack took care of business, picking up 268 yards and 3 touchdowns while Haynes King passed for a score. This team has an easy schedule the rest of the way, and if they can keep picking up wins, this team has a shot at the College Football Playoff.
The Miami Hurricanes spent the weekend on the bye after their stellar showing against Florida State last week. The Hurricanes don't just look like the best team in the ACC, but they look like one of, if not the best team in the Country. The main task for Mario Cristobal is keeping his team focused as the Hurricanes should cruise in all of their remaining games.
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