Is the ACC slipping back into its old mediocrity?
This had to be one of the ugliest days in the recent history of ACC football. When all you have to brag about is Carolina’s defenseless 59-39 victory over previously unbeaten Virginia, the conference is looking more like a basketball league after only four weeks. Let’s get the non-conference games out of the way first.
The biggest win was Louisville beating Central Florida Friday night in a battle of 2-1 teams. The Cardinals outscored the Knights, who had previously beaten Boise State and Bethune-Cookman, in the second quarter of the 42-35 victory. The other three periods were dead even.
Then you’ve got Duke’s 30-23 win over what must be dreadful 1-2 Northwestern, whose one “W” has been over Indiana State. The 2-1 Blue Devils have also beaten NC A&T after losing to UNC-Charlotte.
The other non-conference wins of the weekend were 3-0 Boston College over 1-2 Temple, 2-1 N.C. State over 2-1 Furman and 2-1 Syracuse over 0-3 Albany by a combined score of 135-34. Not a Power 5 win among those three teams.
Miami, Pitt and Virginia Tech might still vie for the ACC Coastal Division crown, but they will have to play hard to stay or get ranked after losing, respectively, to 3-0 Michigan State, 2-1 Western Michigan and 2-1 West Virginia.
Now, for the league:
Clemson, 2-1, was on a breathalyzer in Death Valley before holding off 1-2 Georgia Tech, whose only win to date is over powerhouse Kennesaw State. Without Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence, the 2-1 Tigers look like just about any other team.
When was the last time Wake Forest started 3-0 and Florida State 0-3? Try never. The Deacons plastered the Seminoles 35-14 in Winston-Salem, where Wake is always tough. But FSU is in crisis mode after failing to rebound better from the shocking loss to Jackson State. ‘Noles coach Mike Norvell said last week, “It’s on me.” This week, he might try “my bad.”
Carolina’s win over Virginia was the ACC’s best game of the weekend, but both defenses were bad. And that’s not good.
(featured image via AP Photo/Phil Sears)
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