Wake Forest and Pitt maintained the top spots in both divisions of the ACC, inching closer to a showdown in Charlotte – albeit by much different means.
In West Point, it was a track meet as the Demon Deacons outlasted Army, 70-56. The saying goes “statistics don’t lie,” but check this one out: Wake had the ball for a mere 17 minutes, 17 seconds against the Black Knights.
Pitt, meanwhile, won a slugfest against Clemson, 27-17. Panther quarterback Kenny Pickett made the most of his Heisman Trophy showcase, throwing for 302 yards and two touchdowns.
The loss by the Tigers moved Clemson a bit closer to seeing its run of ACC domination ending. A frustrated Dabo Swinney said afterward: “Offensively, it’s there. Sooner or later, we’ve got to grow up and make those plays.”
Considering Saturday’s results, I’d say “later.” Maybe “next season” later.
Atlantic Division
- Wake Forest (4-0, 7-0) Sevens were wild for Wake on Saturday at West Point. The Deacons scored 70 points on 17 minutes and 17 seconds of possession time.
- NC State (2-1, 5-2) Despite their first ACC loss, NC State mostly controls its own destiny in its race with Wake Forest for the Atlantic crown. The Pack is 5-2 after seven games, and Pittsburgh did the Wolfpack a favor in the Steel City, knocking off Clemson. State travels to Winston-Salem for a showdown with the Demon Deacons next month.
- Clemson (3-2, 4-3) The Tigers are all but out of contention for the division title with the loss to Pittsburgh Saturday. Clemson’s offense is lost in the desert. How dire are things in Death Valley? The last time Clemson lost three games in a season was 2014. The 2014 team did find a way to win 10 regular season games.
- Louisville (2-2, 4-3) The Cardinals broke a two-game losing streak with a 28-14 win over Boston College. With a tough schedule ahead, it was a game the Cardinals had to win to crack the six-win barrier.
- Florida State (2-2, 3-4) FSU did what everyone expected, destroying overmatched UMass, 59-3. Not exactly sure what the Seminoles gained from this game.
- Syracuse (1-3, 4-4) The Orange came up from the basement for the first time in a while with a dramatic late rally to beat Virginia Tech, 41-36. Syracuse won the game on a late touchdown pass after trailing the Hokies by nine with five minutes left.
- Boston College (0-3,4-3) BC arrived in Louisville hoping to see its offense get untracked, having scored 20 points in its previous two games. Louisville entered Week 8 ranked dead last in numerous ACC defensive categories. It didn’t go the way the Eagles had planned. The BC offense sputtered once again and dropped a 28-14 decision.
Coastal Division
- Pitt (3-0, 6-1) The Panthers mauled Clemson, 27-17, Saturday. Not really a surprise, the better team just took care of business. The game against the Tigers wasn’t the kind of game where Pitt needed a herculean effort. Pitt came in as a three-point favorite, a better quarterback and momentum.
- Virginia (4-2, 6-2) Currently it’s a two-team race in the Coastal. Virginia survived a late-game meltdown on special teams that tainted an otherwise dominating effort by its offense led by QB Brennan Armstrong. The Cavaliers erased an early 13-0 deficit and had the game in hand, seemingly, until the special teams allowed Georgia Tech to recover two onside kicks in the final 1:16. Virginia needed a batted-down pass in the endzone to preserve a 48-40 win.
- North Carolina (3-3, 4-3) UNC enjoyed a bye week. OK, considering what the Tar Heels are facing the remainder of the season, maybe “enjoyed” is a stretch. North Carolina is all but eliminated from the division race, and they are still two wins away from bowl eligibility. The Tar Heels’ final slate includes road games at Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and NC State, and just for good measure they will host undefeated Wake Forest.
- Georgia Tech (2-3, 3-4) Despite losing to Virginia, the Yellow Jackets held ground in the division power rankings. GT had over 500 total yards of offense against the Cavaliers, and fought to the end, nearly pulling off a remarkable comeback from a late 21-point deficit.
- Miami (1-2, 3-4) The Hurricanes surprised NC State, 31-30, Saturday evening in Hard Rock Stadium. The win may have temporarily taken head coach Manny Diaz off the hot seat.
- Virginia Tech (1-2, 3-4) Another late-game meltdown by VPI. The Hokies are finding ways to lose games, and no coaching hot seat is hotter than the one in Blacksburg.
- Duke (0-3, 3-4) Duke was idle last week; some would say the Blue Devils have been idle for longer than that. With what looms on the Duke schedule, it may be 2022 before the Blue Devils taste victory again.
Story by Scott German
Share
