ATLANTIC
No. 2 Florida State (6-0, 4-0) – In a rare case of a No. 1 seed losing its top spot without losing, Mississippi State has overtaken the Seminoles as the best team in the nation. Despite dominating conference opponents the past two weeks, Florida State’s wins have not been as impressive. The ‘Noles will have an opportunity to reclaim the No. 1 seed when No. 5 Notre Dame travels to Tallahassee this Saturday.
No. 24 Clemson (4-2, 3-1) – The Tigers clawed their way back into the top 25 with a close win over Louisville on Saturday. The Clemson defense came up big for the team, holding the Cardinals to 1-for-17 on third down and forcing two fumbles, one of which was returned for a touchdown. However, the team suffered a big loss when standout freshman QB Deshaun Watson was sidelined with a fracture in his throwing hand.
Louisville (5-2, 3-2) – Once again, the Cardinals’ defense was spectacular, holding its opponent to no offensive touchdowns for the fourth straight week. Louisville now ranks third in the nation in opponents’ points per game. However, the offense and special teams failed Louisville on Saturday, as two fumbles and a punt return sealed the Cardinals’ fate.
Boston College (4-2, 1-1) – The Eagles brought their best in their Saturday matchup with NC State. Senior QB Tyler Murphy continued his dominance as a runner, rushing for 132 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was 47 yards. Boston College’s ground attack now ranks fifth in the nation, averaging 315.7 yards per game.
NC State (4-3, 0-3) – Things are falling apart in Raleigh. After a strong 4-0 start, the Wolfpack impressed by dropping 41 on then-top-ranked Florida State. However, in the following two weeks, State has been historically shut out at Clemson and embarrassed in its home stadium by Boston College. Now seven players, including two defensive starters, have been suspended for Saturday’s matchup with Louisville.
Syracuse (2-4, 0-2) – A loss was to be expected for the Orange when No. 1 Florida State rolled into town, but Syracuse did a decent job of hanging around with the former champs. Still, four straight losses for the Orange do not bode well for postseason hopes. ‘Cuse will have a chance to turn its season around with a win at Wake Forest on Saturday.
Wake Forest (2-4, 0-2) – Following a bye week, the Demon Deacons have a chance to salvage their season with two winnable games against Syracuse and Boston College ahead on the schedule. Before the team thinks about earning its first conference win, Wake must address its offense, which currently ranks dead last in rushing yards per game.
COASTAL
Virginia (4-2, 2-0) – The Cavaliers needed to make the most of their bye week, as the final six games of their season are all difficult. Virginia will travel to Durham Saturday to face a Duke team fresh off a win over No. 22 Georgia Tech. From there, the Cavs will look forward to road matchups with No. 2 Florida State, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech.
Duke (5-1, 1-1) – The Duke team that took down nationally-ranked Georgia Tech on Saturday was a completely different squad than the group that fell to Miami two weeks ago. The Blue Devils looked composed in Atlanta, scoring at least seven points in each quarter. Duke will look to carry its momentum into its matchup with Coastal leader Virginia on Saturday.
Georgia Tech (5-1, 2-1) – The Yellow Jackets saw the hopes of an undefeated season circle down the drain on Saturday, as Duke dropped 31 on the Tech squad in Atlanta. Despite out-gaining the Blue Devils by over 100 yards, three Georgia Tech turnovers and eight penalties for 69 yards doomed the squad.
Virginia Tech (4-2, 1-1) – The Hokies had their bye week just as the team was returning to form. Virginia Tech will have a chance to move one step closer to bowl eligibility on Saturday, as the team travels to Pittsburgh for a conference showdown.
Miami (4-3, 1-2) – It’s been hard to get a read on the Hurricanes this season, as the past five weeks have held alternating results for Miami. Most recently, the ‘Canes hosted Cincinnati and proceeded to stomp the Bearcats by a score of 55-34. Miami will head into a bye week before taking on Virginia Tech in a Thursday night showdown.
Pittsburgh (3-3, 1-1) – The Panthers got their bye week at the right time, as the team is in the midst of a three-game losing streak. Pitt will look to end its skid against Virginia Tech on Saturday. The following weeks won’t get any easier for the Panthers, as Georgia Tech and Duke will head up north.
UNC-Chapel Hill (2-4, 0-2) – The Tar Heel offense was on fire Saturday against Notre Dame. Junior QB Marquise Williams played very well, throwing for 303 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for over 100 more and another score. However, the Carolina defense had another weak showing, allowing 50 points and essentially losing the game for the Heels. Currently, UNC-CH ranks second-to-last in the nation in opponents points per game.
