Nine Games. Rivalries. Upset Possibilities. And a Conference Race Taking Shape.
The ACC might be the most unpredictable conference in college football right now.
Miami has established itself as the team to beat, but behind the Hurricanes, there is a collection of teams capable of beating one another on any given Saturday.
Wake Forest has emerged as a legitimate contender. SMU is hanging around the conference championship conversation. Pittsburgh has been impressive, and Clemson is still trying to find the consistency we expected from the Tigers before the season.
This week features nine games, including seven conference matchups, and several could have significant implications for the ACC championship race.
Let’s break them down.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Florida State at No. 3 Miami
7:00 PM
This is the game everybody will be watching.
Miami enters undefeated at 5-0, including 3-0 in conference play, and has established itself as the ACC’s strongest College Football Playoff contender.
Florida State hasn’t enjoyed the same success, but records don’t always mean much when these two programs get together.
What I like about Miami is its ability to create explosive plays offensively while maintaining enough defensive discipline to keep opponents from controlling the game.
Florida State cannot afford to get into a track meet with the Hurricanes. The Seminoles need to establish a running game, shorten the contest, and avoid giving Miami additional possessions.
Miami must protect the football and avoid giving Florida State short fields. The Seminoles need to generate pressure without exposing their secondary.
I think Miami has too much offensive firepower, and eventually that talent advantage takes over.
JB’S PICK: MIAMI 38, FLORIDA STATE 20
No. 21 Wake Forest at California
10:30 PM
Don’t overlook Wake Forest.
The Demon Deacons are 5-1 and have quietly become one of the more interesting stories in the ACC.
What makes this matchup dangerous is the trip across the country.
California has already demonstrated that it can knock off quality opponents, including its recent victory over Virginia Tech.
Wake Forest needs to establish offensive balance and avoid falling behind early.
California is capable of making this uncomfortable, particularly if the Golden Bears can force Wake Forest into obvious passing situations.
I expect a competitive game, but I like the way Wake Forest has been playing.
JB’S PICK: WAKE FOREST 31, CALIFORNIA 27
Virginia at No. 24 SMU
Noon
This is one of the more intriguing matchups on the schedule.
SMU enters at 4-1, and the Mustangs have one of the more productive passing attacks in the conference.
Virginia has been inconsistent, but the Cavaliers have enough defensive talent to make this interesting.
SMU is averaging more than 34 points per game, and its passing attack produces approximately 341 yards per contest.
Virginia’s defense, however, is allowing just over 19 points per game.
That’s the matchup I’m watching.
Can Virginia disrupt SMU’s passing game and force the Mustangs to sustain longer drives?
I believe the Cavaliers can keep this competitive, but SMU’s offensive explosiveness should be the difference.
JB’S PICK: SMU 34, VIRGINIA 24
North Carolina at Duke
3:30 PM
The Battle for the Victory Bell.
North Carolina is coming off an impressive upset of Pittsburgh, while Duke is trying to rebound from its loss to Georgia Tech.
This is an interesting matchup because both teams have shown flashes of being dangerous.
Duke has a legitimate weapon in sophomore running back Nate Sheppard, who entered the week averaging nearly 149 rushing yards per game.
That kind of production can dictate the tempo of a football game.
North Carolina must prevent Duke from controlling the line of scrimmage and turning this into a physical contest.
I expect the Tar Heels to make some plays offensively, but I like Duke’s ability to control the football.
JB’S PICK: DUKE 30, NORTH CAROLINA 27
Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech
3:30 PM
This might be the most difficult game on the ACC schedule to predict.
Georgia Tech is coming off a significant victory over Duke, while Virginia Tech suffered a disappointing loss to California.
The Hokies are playing at home, and Lane Stadium can be a difficult environment for visiting teams.
But Georgia Tech has demonstrated an ability to compete physically and make plays when games are on the line.
The key will be which team controls the line of scrimmage.
Virginia Tech needs to establish its running game and avoid putting its offense into predictable passing situations.
I think Georgia Tech has a little more momentum coming into this contest.
JB’S PICK: GEORGIA TECH 27, VIRGINIA TECH 24
Pittsburgh at Boston College
Noon
Pittsburgh suffered its first loss of the season last week against North Carolina.
Now the Panthers face a Boston College team that has struggled to establish consistency.
This is a game Pittsburgh should win.
But there’s always a danger when a team suffers a disappointing loss and then travels the following week.
Pittsburgh needs to get back to playing disciplined football, establish offensive balance, and avoid the turnovers that can keep an inferior opponent in the game.
I expect the Panthers to respond.
JB’S PICK: PITTSBURGH 35, BOSTON COLLEGE 17
Louisville at Syracuse
7:30 PM
Louisville travels to Syracuse for what could be a surprisingly competitive matchup.
The Cardinals have the personnel to generate explosive plays, but playing inside the Dome presents challenges.
Syracuse needs to establish an offensive rhythm and avoid falling behind early.
Louisville should have an advantage in overall athleticism, particularly if the Cardinals can create favorable matchups in the passing game.
I expect Syracuse to compete early before Louisville begins pulling away.
JB’S PICK: LOUISVILLE 34, SYRACUSE 21
Charleston Southern at Clemson
Noon
Let’s be clear about something.
Clemson should dominate this football game.
The Tigers have been one of the more disappointing teams in the country relative to preseason expectations, and beating Charleston Southern isn’t going to change that perception.
What Clemson needs is improvement.
I want to see better execution offensively, more consistency from the quarterback position, and a defense that plays with the physicality we’ve come to expect from the Tigers.
Charleston Southern is coming off an impressive victory over South Carolina State, so the Buccaneers shouldn’t be completely dismissed.
But Clemson has an overwhelming talent advantage.
Anything short of a convincing victory will raise additional questions about this football team.
JB’S PICK: CLEMSON 45, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 10
Elon at Stanford
7:30 PM
Stanford gets an opportunity to build some confidence against Elon.
The Cardinal should have advantages in size, depth, and overall athletic ability.
The biggest concern would be allowing Elon to hang around through turnovers and mistakes.
Stanford needs to establish control early and use this opportunity to develop some offensive consistency.
JB’S PICK: STANFORD 38, ELON 14
JB’S THREE THINGS TO WATCH
1. Is Miami Really a National Championship Contender?
I’ve been impressed with the Hurricanes, but we’re reaching the point in the season where championship contenders must begin separating themselves from everybody else.
Miami has the talent. Now it’s about maintaining that level of performance every week.
2. Is Wake Forest the Biggest Surprise in the ACC?
I don’t think many people expected Wake Forest to be sitting at 5-1 and ranked nationally at this point.
A victory on the West Coast would strengthen the Demon Deacons’ position in the conference race.
3. Can Clemson Salvage Its Season?
Clemson has an opportunity to build momentum, but beating Charleston Southern doesn’t answer the larger questions.
The Tigers need to demonstrate improvement against ACC competition before I’m ready to believe they’ve turned things around.
JB’S FINAL TAKE
Miami is clearly the class of the ACC right now.
But I wouldn’t automatically pencil the Hurricanes into the conference championship game just yet.
Wake Forest, SMU, Pittsburgh, and several others are capable of making this race interesting.
The ACC has already produced some unexpected results, and I suspect we haven’t seen the last of them.
My upset watch this week is Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech. My closest game is North Carolina at Duke. And my statement-game opportunity belongs to Miami.
If the Hurricanes are as good as I believe they are, Saturday night is another opportunity to prove it.
That’s your ACC Forecast.
JB Talking Sports | College Football Coverage
