A couple of things really jumped out about the games that have been played this weekend, and there are still a few more to go, including FSU hosting Notre Dame tonight and Louisville playing Ole Miss tomorrow night.
But the ACC has had a rough weekend, which is likely to continue. The league is going to get dumped on and rightfully so. The other thing is UNC didn’t put forth the worst performance by a ranked team. The Tar Heels suffered what some will call a bad loss, but imagine if Oklahoma, Iowa State, or Oregon were in Blacksburg on Friday night instead? Based on their opening performances, they would have lost, too.
Second-ranked Oklahoma barely escaped (40-35) a Tulane team (at home) that doesn’t compare to the Hokies. Spencer Rattler threw one TD pass and two picks versus the Green Wave. Tulane had 24 first downs and was only outgained by 27 yards.
Seventh-ranked Iowa State played FCS member Northern Iowa at home and hung on to win 16-10. Brock Purdy didn’t throw a TD pass, the Cyclones scored just a field goal after halftime, and overall, ISU amassed just 335 yards against the Panthers.
Oregon, which is ranked No. 11, trailed Fresno State at home midway through the fourth quarter before scoring twice to win 31-24, getting the game-winning TD with 2:47 left to play. The Bulldogs had more first downs (23-20), more yards (373-358), but turned over the ball three times to once for the Ducks. That was the difference.
At Virginia Tech is a far more difficult assignment than those three teams had but given how the teams played, even though UNC lost its game, those other three coaching staffs are also having “uncomfortable” conversations today.
How about No. 20 Washington losing at home to FCS member Montana, 13-7. The Huskies of Chris Petersen managed just 292 total yards, allowed three sacks, were 4-for-14 on third downs, and Washington QB Dylan Morris threw no TD passes and three interceptions.
There were other poor performances by Power 5 teams, but this delivers home my point that you just don’t know what teams will do in openers. They can be so tricky. Carolina was awful on offense, and in the first half the Tar Heels weren’t good on defense. But they were all-things-considered better than the four teams noted above, even though three of them won their games.
Now, as for the ACC, good grief, the league will struggle getting a team into the CFP. What’s needed is for FSU to beat Dame tonight and Louisville to win tomorrow night, for starters.
But at least UNC’s loss was inside league play. Clemson didn’t do squat offensively last night, but it may have played the best team, or at least the best defense in the nation. The Tigers will be fine, but they can’t afford to lose again.
Miami wasn’t in the least bit competitive with Alabama. Yeah, it’s Alabama, but Miami should at least compete for a while against anyone. Manny Diaz’s last two games versus ranked teams (including UNC last December), the Hurricanes have lost by a combined score of 126-39. I’m starting to wonder if it’s going to work there under him.
Georgia Tech was horrendous and was down 14-0 before Jeff Sims got hurt. Keep in mind that Northern Illinois (which won 22-21 in Atlanta), was winless last season. I’m not a Geoff Collins guy, and that loss more than ended the honeymoon. In year three, even rebuilding that program given where it was, there is just no excuse losing that game giving up a last-minute TD and two-point conversion as the Jackets did.
It's a shame to see David Cutcliffe’s program appearing to fall apart as it is. That was a terrible loss (31-28 at Charlotte) for the Blue Devils, and it’s safe to say they are probably the worst team in the ACC this season. Cutcliffe has done an incredible job at Duke, but things are slipping fast there, and the end is nowhere in sight.
Little was learned from the ACC’s wins this weekend. Wake and State romped pitiful teams, BC beat a club (Holy Cross) it should never schedule. Pitt at least routed an FBS team (UMass) that has a few former Tar Heels on the roster. Virginia ended up clobbering William & Mary 43-0, but it took a while. The Cavaliers were getting beaten a lot at the line of scrimmage through about the mid-point of the third quarter before flexing their muscles.
Syracuse actually got a decent win, 29-9 at Ohio. It was on the road and against a MAC team that has had some success in recent year under Frank Solich, who retired after last season.
By the way, the three ACC teams that came into the weekend ranked – Clemson, UNC, and Miami – combined to score 26 points in their openers.
I guess what we learned is that highly touted teams don’t always play well in openers, so UNC has company there, and the ACC looks mediocre again. Just based on the last few days and what we knew coming in, now that Carolina has its head-scratching loss out of the way, it should win out until it faces Miami.
Should is the operative word.
But the ACC has had a rough weekend, which is likely to continue. The league is going to get dumped on and rightfully so. The other thing is UNC didn’t put forth the worst performance by a ranked team. The Tar Heels suffered what some will call a bad loss, but imagine if Oklahoma, Iowa State, or Oregon were in Blacksburg on Friday night instead? Based on their opening performances, they would have lost, too.
Second-ranked Oklahoma barely escaped (40-35) a Tulane team (at home) that doesn’t compare to the Hokies. Spencer Rattler threw one TD pass and two picks versus the Green Wave. Tulane had 24 first downs and was only outgained by 27 yards.
Seventh-ranked Iowa State played FCS member Northern Iowa at home and hung on to win 16-10. Brock Purdy didn’t throw a TD pass, the Cyclones scored just a field goal after halftime, and overall, ISU amassed just 335 yards against the Panthers.
Oregon, which is ranked No. 11, trailed Fresno State at home midway through the fourth quarter before scoring twice to win 31-24, getting the game-winning TD with 2:47 left to play. The Bulldogs had more first downs (23-20), more yards (373-358), but turned over the ball three times to once for the Ducks. That was the difference.
At Virginia Tech is a far more difficult assignment than those three teams had but given how the teams played, even though UNC lost its game, those other three coaching staffs are also having “uncomfortable” conversations today.
How about No. 20 Washington losing at home to FCS member Montana, 13-7. The Huskies of Chris Petersen managed just 292 total yards, allowed three sacks, were 4-for-14 on third downs, and Washington QB Dylan Morris threw no TD passes and three interceptions.
There were other poor performances by Power 5 teams, but this delivers home my point that you just don’t know what teams will do in openers. They can be so tricky. Carolina was awful on offense, and in the first half the Tar Heels weren’t good on defense. But they were all-things-considered better than the four teams noted above, even though three of them won their games.
Now, as for the ACC, good grief, the league will struggle getting a team into the CFP. What’s needed is for FSU to beat Dame tonight and Louisville to win tomorrow night, for starters.
But at least UNC’s loss was inside league play. Clemson didn’t do squat offensively last night, but it may have played the best team, or at least the best defense in the nation. The Tigers will be fine, but they can’t afford to lose again.
Miami wasn’t in the least bit competitive with Alabama. Yeah, it’s Alabama, but Miami should at least compete for a while against anyone. Manny Diaz’s last two games versus ranked teams (including UNC last December), the Hurricanes have lost by a combined score of 126-39. I’m starting to wonder if it’s going to work there under him.
Georgia Tech was horrendous and was down 14-0 before Jeff Sims got hurt. Keep in mind that Northern Illinois (which won 22-21 in Atlanta), was winless last season. I’m not a Geoff Collins guy, and that loss more than ended the honeymoon. In year three, even rebuilding that program given where it was, there is just no excuse losing that game giving up a last-minute TD and two-point conversion as the Jackets did.
It's a shame to see David Cutcliffe’s program appearing to fall apart as it is. That was a terrible loss (31-28 at Charlotte) for the Blue Devils, and it’s safe to say they are probably the worst team in the ACC this season. Cutcliffe has done an incredible job at Duke, but things are slipping fast there, and the end is nowhere in sight.
Little was learned from the ACC’s wins this weekend. Wake and State romped pitiful teams, BC beat a club (Holy Cross) it should never schedule. Pitt at least routed an FBS team (UMass) that has a few former Tar Heels on the roster. Virginia ended up clobbering William & Mary 43-0, but it took a while. The Cavaliers were getting beaten a lot at the line of scrimmage through about the mid-point of the third quarter before flexing their muscles.
Syracuse actually got a decent win, 29-9 at Ohio. It was on the road and against a MAC team that has had some success in recent year under Frank Solich, who retired after last season.
By the way, the three ACC teams that came into the weekend ranked – Clemson, UNC, and Miami – combined to score 26 points in their openers.
I guess what we learned is that highly touted teams don’t always play well in openers, so UNC has company there, and the ACC looks mediocre again. Just based on the last few days and what we knew coming in, now that Carolina has its head-scratching loss out of the way, it should win out until it faces Miami.
Should is the operative word.
