The biggest weekend of the ACC football schedule is here. How do the teams stack up heading into it?
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Clemson Tigers (7-0, 6-0)
Last game: win 34-28 vs. BC. This week: at ND
It comes to this. Can DJ Uiagalelei do enough to carry Clemson over the Irish to maintain their unblemished years long ACC record?
2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-0, 5-0)
Last game: win 31-13 at GT. This week: vs. Clemson
After a weird 12-7 win over Louisville, the Irish have won their last two games by a combined 76-16 score.
3. Miami-Florida Hurricanes (5-1, 4-1)
Last game: win 19-14 vs. UVA. This week: at NC State
Hopefully the bye week allowed Miami to shake some rust off after two fairly close calls against UVA and Pitt.
4. Virginia Tech Hokies (4-2, 4-2)
Last game: win 42-35 at Louisville. This week: vs. Liberty
Two close games against Wake and Louisville doesn’t bode well against a Liberty team that is probably better than both of them. Still, we should probably cheer for the Hokies this weekend.
5. North Carolina Tar Heels (4-2, 4-2)
Last game: loss 44-41 at UVA. This week: at Duke
That defense is rough. Sam Howell still pretty good through the air though.
6. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-2, 3-2)
Last game: win 38-14 at Syracuse. This week: BYE
Wake is on a four game roll and gets a bye to prepare for their in-state dash against UNC next week and Duke the following.
7. Boston College Eagles (4-3, 3-3)
Last game: loss 34-28 at Clemson. This week: at Syracuse
Credit to BC for keeping it close, but go back and look at their first three scores. It probably should not have been that close.
8. N.C. State Wolfpack (4-2, 4-2)
Last game: loss 48-21 at UNC. This week: vs. Miami
Lose their QB and the losses are probably going to start piling up. 4-1 over the first 5 is going to feel like decades ago.
9. Virginia Cavaliers (2-4, 2-4)
Last game: win 44-41 vs. UNC. This week: BYE (thanks to Louisville)
Similar to UNC: that defense (secondary) is rough. Brennan Armstrong pretty good though.
10. Pittsburgh Panthers (3-4, 2-4)
Last game: loss 45-3 vs. ND. This week: at FSU
I think we can take the Panthers off the “might challenge for the ACC” list.
11. Louisville Cardinals (2-5, 1-5)
Last game: loss 42-35 vs. VT. This week: BYE (grumble grumble)
Dug themselves a 21-0 hole that was just barely too big to dig out of.
12. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-5, 2-4)
Last game: loss 31-13 vs. ND. This week: BYE
Been a rough few weeks for the Yellow Jackets but this is still year 0 for Geoff Collins.
13. Florida State Seminoles (2-4, 1-4)
Last game: loss 48-16 at Louisville. This week: vs. Pitt
It’s crazy that FSU might only be favored one time over their final five games (at Duke). Might even be an underdog there too.
14. Duke Blue Devils (2-5, 1-5)
Last game: win 53-19 vs. Charlotte. This week: vs. UNC
Has the luck run out for Cutcliffe? Maybe. Should Duke fire him? Probably not.
15. Syracuse Orange (1-6, 1-5)
Last game: loss 38-14 vs. Wake. This week: vs. BC
Dino Babers had never been a head coach at one place longer than 2 years. He’s in his fourth year at Cuse and has one winning season. The Orange might look for another coach after next year.