The ACC continues to dodge bullets with #5 Miami, which found itself down to unranked Duke, 28-17, in the third quarter before closing the game out with three fourth quarter TDs on the way to a 53-31 win.
The ‘Canes (9-0, 5-0 ACC), you may remember, escaped Virginia Tech, winning 38-34 in a game that ended with the Hokies scoring an apparent game-winning touchdown on a Hail Mary, which was later overturned, though there was no good reason to overturn the call, other than, the ACC wouldn’t get anything out of a mediocre Virginia Tech team beating Miami.
A week later, Miami had to rally from a 35-10 deficit at Cal to notch a 39-38 win that included a controversial no-call on a play that could have had the ‘Canes flagged for targeting and given the Bears a chance to run out the clock with a 38-32 lead.
Cal isn’t even mediocre – the Bears are winless and 17th, dead-last, in the ACC, at this writing.
“The most important thing is that we’re undefeated,” said Xavier Restrepo, who had eight catches for 146 yards and three TDs in the win over Duke on Saturday.
Cam Ward passed for 400 yards and five touchdowns.
Ward is averaging 305.2 passing yards per game, and has 24 TDs passes, with five INTs, and a 68.0 percent completion rate in 2024.
Still to come: Clemson, Pitt, SMU in action
We’re still awaiting, at this writing, the outcome of Saturday night’s game between #11 Clemson (6-1, 5-0 ACC) and Louisville (5-3, 3-2 ACC).
The ACC would obviously love a Clemson win, to keep the Tigers on track for what would be, on paper, an epic ACC Championship Game matchup between UM and Clemson.
I say that, but then, the winner of tonight’s game between #18 Pitt (7-0, 3-0 ACC) and #20 SMU (7-1, 4-0 ACC) would like a word.
If I’m booking things, I have Pitt get the win there, because the Panthers host Clemson on Nov. 16, and wouldn’t that one be more fun with two teams with unbeaten records in the conference facing off with everything on the line?
Elsewhere: What the hell with FSU?
Remember the swagger that the FSU crew had in Charlotte at the ACC Kickoff, coming off a 13-1 season, and having the media folks picking the ‘Noles are the prohibitive ACC favorite?
The 35-11 home loss to North Carolina on Saturday has Florida State at 1-8 overall, and the ‘Noles are done in the ACC, with a 1-7 record.
How does Mike Norvell survive this?
***
Syracuse rallied twice, the second time forcing OT, then after scoring on the first possession of the OT, the Orange defense forced a Virginia Tech fumble to close out a 38-31 win.
Think back to the preseason forecasts that had Tech, under third-year coach Brent Pry, being a sleeper pick to sneak into the ACC Championship Game.
The loss on Saturday drops the Hokies to a 5-4 record, with two losable games coming up in the next two – Clemson at home next week, then at Duke on Nov. 16.
Tech closes with Virginia, so, six wins is still in the cards.
Six wins isn’t what the Tech faithful were expecting out of their coach in Year 3.
Share
Chris Graham
