Eleven ACC teams won games on Week 2 of the season, but the conference barely moved the needle, if at all.
That’s because the losses might have been just as damaging. There was Louisville’s home loss to Houston along with Virginia, which was within a couple of plays of a home upset to Notre Dame, suffering another setback.
The other ACC team to lose was Wake Forest, which lost in the conference opener to Syracuse. No damage there in a game between teams expected to have their share of challenges this year.
For a handful of ACC teams, there were non-competitive victories against lower-division teams. Namely, that list includes Boston College, Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Virginia Tech.
BOSTON COLLEGE (2-0, 0-0)
Game: Boston College 76, Howard 0. It was a day to pull out the record books as RB Tyler Rouse and back up QB Jeff Smith each ran for three touchdowns in the home romp. It had been 66 years since the Eagles won by such a margin, with QB Troy Flutie, the nephew of Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie, joining the act with a touchdown pass.
Takeaway: The Eagles haven’t been tested much against a pair of Football Championship Subdivision programs. So it will be a steep change in competition with nationally ranked Florida State arrives for the next game.
That might be the biggest part of the task for the Eagles, who’ll have to adjust to a more rigorous challenge in terms of both physicality and speed. There might not have been much gained from the game against Howard in that regard.
Even the second half was reduced to a pair of 10-minute quarters because the Eagles had flown out to a 41-0 advantage after one quarter and led 62-0 at halftime.
Boston College did get numerous players into game action and there’s value in that. But many of those players won’t be the core unit needed to contend with Florida State.
Next: vs. Florida State, Sept. 18
CLEMSON (2-0, 0-0)
Game: Clemson 41, Appalachian State 10. QB Deshaun Watson threw for three touchdowns as the Tigers won another home game. It was 31-0 at halftime, so it was a much easier route than many had expected against an Appalachian State team in its second season on the Football Bowl Subdivision level.
Takeaway: The Tigers have shown the ability to put up points against teams that it has clearly held and advantage on in terms of talent. The competition level will be heightened with the start of ACC play.
Clemson will be dealing with a wounded Louisville team that will be desperate to avoid an 0-3 start to the season. The Tigers have played a pair of teams that were definitely a step down from what they’ll experience against Louisville, which has tangled with Auburn and Houston. This means Clemson might have to adjust to the speed of the game, not to mention it will be its first road game of the season.
The Tigers took care of some concerns in the whipping of Appalachian State by demonstrating that there are plenty of weapons at their disposal. They played without WR Mike Williams, whose injuries in the season opener could put him out of the lineup for the rest of the season.
The good thing for Clemson is that WR Charone Peake caught two touchdown passes and might be ready to pick up some of the slack.
Next: at Louisville, Sept. 17
DUKE (2-0, 0-0)
Game: Duke 55, North Carolina Central 0. RB Shaun Wilson scored two touchdowns and QB Thomas Sirk looked smooth again by threw for 315 yards and rushing for 86 more. The Blue Devils posted 655 yards of total offense, the most ever yielded by Football Championship Subdivision member N.C. Central, which shares the same city as Duke.
Takeaway: The Blue Devils weren’t challenged much in their second game of the season, but the tests should become more daunting with a matchup with visiting Northwestern, which is nationally ranked after a pair of victories, next on the docket.
The good thing for Duke was that it was better in the second half of the rout of N.C. Central than it was in the first half. That type of improvement is encouraging to coach David Cutcliffe, who likes the way there have been numerous key contributors through two weeks.
The Blue Devils have come through two weeks of the season without many injury issues and that’s another comforting element for Duke.
A major renovation to Wallace Wade Stadium was much-discussed prior to and after the home opener, though the fix-up project is still a year from completion. In the meantime, those off-field topics can probably take a backseat with a Big Ten team arriving for the next game.
Next: vs. Northwestern, Sept. 19
FLORIDA STATE (2-0, 0-0)
Game: Florida State 34, South Florida 14. RB Dalvin Cook ran for 266 yards on 30 carries for the second-biggest rushing total in school history as the Seminoles won at home. Still, Florida State was locked in a halftime tie before scoring on every possession in the third quarter.
Takeaway: Cook’s offseason legal issues seem clearly in the past and he has become a go-to back much like was expected of him after periods of excellence a year ago. His three touchdown runs in the South Florida game were indicators that he can be a big-play option as well because each of those runs covered more than 22 yards.
So much attention falls on Florida State quarterbacks that having a running back to distract defenses is only going to help the overall production for the Seminoles. In fact, Florida State was rather pedestrian in the passing attack against South Florida.
The good thing for the Seminoles is that the defense was mostly stout, holding South Florida to 274 yards of total offense — and 71 of those came on one fourth-quarter pass play.
Venturing on the road in the next game for an ACC opener at Boston College could be a challenge. The Seminoles might be fortunate to make the trip north prior to fall, so there might not be an extreme change in playing conditions compared to what they’re used to.
Next: at Boston College, Sept. 18
GEORGIA TECH (2-0, 0-0)
Game: Georgia Tech 65, Tulane 10. QB Justin Thomas played less than three quarters, but that was enough time to throw two touchdown passes and run for a touchdown in the home rout. The Yellow Jackets were up 28-7 at halftime and added 16 more points in the first seven minutes of the second half.
Takeaway: More playing time for starters is bound to be required for the game at Notre Dame. So look at how the endurance factor figures into the next game for Georgia Tech after a couple of blowout victories at home.
The good thing for the Yellow Jackets is that they haven’t had to give many glimpses into their playbook. There’s the notion that there’s not a lot to disguise with Georgia Tech’s run-oriented attack but there are all sorts of deviations that the Yellow Jackets will use throughout the season.
Georgia Tech attempted only 10 passes against Tulane, so it simply toyed with the passing attack. The Yellow Jackets are fortunate to have experienced in QB Justin Thomas, allowing them to ease into aspects of the playbook.
A matchup against another ranked opponent should be enough to attract the Yellow Jackets’ attention and put behind them the fact that they’ve dominated their first two games.
Next: at Notre Dame, Sept. 19
LOUISVILLE (0-2, 0-0)
Game: Houston 34, Louisville 31. The Cardinals committed four turnovers in a loss in their home opener, which ended in defeat after Houston’s go-ahead touchdown with 3:09 remaining. The defense didn’t do much to shut down Houston, which racked up 462 yards of total offense and returned a kickoff for a touchdown.
Takeaway: The Cardinals were expected to be one of the bright spots in the ACC, but it has been a rude opening stretch of the season for the league’s newest member.
The second year in the conference is already troublesome in terms of a pair of losses. Next up comes a visit from Clemson in a nationally televised game.
Louisville might have more questions than answers after the latest game. The Cardinals went into the opener with all sorts of possibilities for the quarterback position, then, declared that QB Lamar Jackson would be the starter for the second game.
By the fourth quarter against Houston, it was QB Kyle Bolin leading scoring drives.
There have been some good offensive numbers for the Cardinals, but a good chunk of those have come in second-half situations when a level of desperation has been present. The Cardinals are in need of consistency on offense and with such uncertainty about the quarterbacks that might be difficult to detect.
The amount of pressure riding on the Cardinals is bound too balloon going into their ACC opener with Clemson visiting. It will be the second nationally ranked opponent across the first three weeks of the season for Louisville, which lost in the opener to Auburn.
Next: vs. Clemson, Sept. 17
MIAMI (2-0, 0-0)
Game: Miami 44, Florida Atlantic 20. Three touchdown runs for RB Mark Walton and 243 yards of total offense form RB Joe Yearby gave the Hurricanes a road victory in nearby Boca Raton, Fla. Miami pulled away from a 20-20 tie in the third quarter.
Takeaway: The Hurricanes have to like the versatility that has been displayed on offense and that’s bound to take some pressure off QB Brad Kaaya.
With Yearby, there’s a player who has shown that he can be a play maker whenever he gets his hands on the ball.
The Hurricanes will have serious questions about their defense and the ability to become dominant. They yielded 292 first-half yards to Florida Atlantic. The response was better in the second half when Florida Atlantic failed to crack the 100-yard mark.
The one thing that normally perks up the Hurricanes is a major challenge and they should encounter that with Nebraska visiting. It’s a key game for numerous reasons, not to mention that many of the Miami supporters are getting antsy about not seeing enough notable victories with coach Al Golden running the show. This is a chance to start to turn that around.
Next: vs. Nebraska, Sept. 19
NORTH CAROLINA (1-1, 0-0)
Game: North Carolina 53, North Carolina A&T 14. QB Marquise Williams responded from a miserable opening game by throwing for two touchdowns and running for another as the Tar Heels overwhelmed an in-state foe at home. RB Elijah Hood and TE Brandon Fritts also scored two touchdowns for North Carolina, which had eight players with multiple carries on offense.
Takeaway: The Tar Heels needed something good to happen after more than a week of criticism focused on the late-game malfunctions in the season opener.
There were few problems for North Carolina in its second game, but there was a noticeable difference in the level of competition.
There could be a little bit more variety in the quarterback duties from what was suggested at the beginning of the season. Williams’ three interceptions in the opener didn’t cost him the starting position, but Larry Fedora put together a plan to make sure QB Mitch Trubisky played by the third series.
It doesn’t look like a rotation at this point, but there certainly seems like there might be a willingness to turn over more snaps to Trubisky if Williams encounters more rough patches. Williams completed 15 of 20 passes without an interception, perhaps a sign that he received a message about ball protection.
The Tar Heels were strong on defense, holding a shutout until 69 seconds remained in the third quarter. Considering their problems on defense a year ago, that was a long stretch without yielding a point.
Next: vs. Illinois, Sept. 19
N.C. STATE (2-0, 0-0)
Game: N.C. State 35, Eastern Kentucky 0. RB Matt Dayes scored on three second-half touchdown runs as the host Wolfpack pulled away from a 14-0 halftime lead. QB Jacoby Brissett turned in another strong game by complete 17 of 22 passes for one touchdown without an interception.
Takeaway: Not everything went smoothly for N.C. State, but there was enough positive reaction from some of the sometimes-stalling offense that there might have been quite a bit to take away from the game with Eastern Kentucky.
The tricky part for the Wolfpack might be determining how best to work RB Shadrach Thornton back into the game plan after he sat out the first two games because of a team-imposed suspension. He was the leading rusher on the team last year and an All-ACC preseason selection.
But Dayes has been so steady and efficient in the backfield as the primary tailback that the Wolfpack won’t want to lose his production. Dayes is a key component in the passing attack so that provides N.C. State with another sources of offense.
There’s regular praise for Brissett’s leadership qualities and those could be put to good use as the offense undergoes some tweaks with another member of the backfield available for game action.
The next two N.C. State games are on the road. Old Dominion had some success on offense against the Wolfpack a year ago, so defensively will be an area where the Wolfpack will look to show progress.
The shutout of Eastern Kentucky marks shutouts in back-to-back seasons for N.C. State against Football Championship Subdivision opponents. A goal-line stand late in the first half was needed to help preserve this blanking.
The Wolfpack will take a five-game winning streak overall into the next game.
Next: at Old Dominion, Sept. 19
PITTSBURGH (2-0, 0-0)
Game: Pittsburgh 24, Akron 7. The Panthers turned to freshman RB Qadree Ollison for 81 yards on the ground and a touchdown in the road victory. Wet conditions might have limited the offenses, but at least the Panthers were strong on defense.
Takeaway: The Panthers might feel they’re already ahead of schedule after avenging a 2014 loss by defeating Akron.
But they’ll need more development from key players as they move on after the stunning news after the opener that standout RB James Conner is out for the season.
QB Nate Peterman, a redshirt junior, threw for his first touchdown pass in the game against Akron. With that, it’s clear how many unproven players the Panthers will be counting on in the coming weeks.
Peterman is a transfer from Tennessee, so he has worked his way into the quarterback mix alongside incumbent QB Chad Voytik. This could be a bit of a risky maneuver by first-year coach Pat Narduzzi, who is pointing toward a two-quarterback system for the time being.
The offense will need to be more productive. Without Conner, there might be new avenues explored because the Panthers have been underwhelming despite picking up a pair of victories.
Next: at Iowa, Sept. 19
SYRACUSE (2-0, 1-0)
Game: Syracuse 30, Wake Forest 17. Syracuse pitched a second-half shutout and received two second-half touchdown passes from freshman QB Eric Dungey on the way to winning the ACC opener. The Orange intercepted Wake Forest QB John Wolford three times, including DE Donnie Simmons’ 41-yard return for a second-quarter touchdown.
Takeaway: The Orange is counting on Dungey in his first season with the program and it took him time before he produced in his first collegiate start.
There were signs that Dungey was becoming more comfortable during the game with Wake Forest. A couple of second-half plays that turned into game-changers provided some of the optimism for the Orange.
Dungey will need to develop in a hurry because he has been given the reins to the offense after QB Terrel Hunt’s season-ending Achilles injury suffered in the season opener against Rhode Island.
Syracuse won its first ACC game for the first time in its three seasons as a member of the conference. That could go a long way is building some more support for the Orange, though it came against an opponent that it shared last place with in the Atlantic Division last season.
Next: vs. Central Michigan, Sept. 19
VIRGINIA (0-2, 0-0)
Game: Notre Dame 34, Virginia 27. Notre Dame backup QB DeShone Kizer through a 40-yard touchdown pass to WR Will Fuller with 12 seconds left to allow the Fighting Irish to escape with a road victory. Virginia held a 27-26 lead after RB Albert Reid’s 1-yard run with 1:54 left.
Takeaway: The Cavaliers showed that they can contend with some of the elite programs, but the mounting losses are troublesome nonetheless.
Virginia wiped out a 26-14 deficit with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns against Notre Dame. That might build some confidence for QB Matt Johns, who completed 26 of 38 throws without an interception.
The Cavaliers are counting on Johns to lead the offense and the success in that area has been sporadic at best.
Virginia won several statistical categories in the game against Notre Dame so there is some promise. But certainly the pressure will be growing on coach Mike London to show some progress in the win-loss column against a difficult schedule.
That means the Cavaliers can’t afford a letdown against FCS opponent William & Mary.
Coming off the loss to Notre Dame, days will pass with the Cavaliers expressing how much the defeat stung. So putting together a proper response will be paramount.
Next: vs. William & Mary, Sept. 19
VIRGINIA TECH (1-1, 0-0)
Game: Virginia Tech 42, Furman 3. QB Brenden Motley threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as the host Hokies won five days after losing to top-ranked Ohio State. Virginia Tech had the support of a stingy defense before the offense became untracked to extend a 14-0 halftime lead with three third-quarter touchdowns.
Takeaway: The Hokies found the right tonic after a tough second half of the opener against Ohio State, which pulled away for a victory and knocked Virginia Tech QB Michael Brewer out with a broken collarbone that could mean he sits out for a couple of months.
Virginia Tech’s defense proved to be solid enough to handle a Furman team from the Southern Conference, which competes at the Football Championship Subdivision.
Furman was held to 17 first downs and 254 yards of total offense. The Hokies benefitted from three Furman turnovers.
Motley was put in some good places while running the offense and that might not always be so easy for the Hokies. Building an efficient rushing attack is bound to be one of the priorities to assist Motley.
There were signs of that with RB Travon McMillan picking up 98 yards on the ground as part of the Hokies’ 299 total rushing yards. Virginia Tech avoided sacks, so that might be a boost for the offensive line as well.
Next: at Purdue, Sept. 19
WAKE FOREST (1-1, 0-1)
Game: Syracuse 30, Wake Forest 17. The Demon Deacons failed to score in the second half and it cost them in their ACC opener. QB John Wolford rushed for a touchdown for Wake Forest, but he also threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown.
Takeaway: The Demon Deacons lost a crucial game given that the matchup with Syracuse pitted teams projected to be at the bottom of the ACC’s Atlantic Division. Wake Forest fell to 0-3 all-time in conference games against the Orange.
Wake Forest’s offense showed signs of improvement despite the defeat, but the inability to produce any second-half points certainly had to conjure the disappointing memories from a year earlier when offensive doldrums were reason for ongoing concerns.
Wolford was knocked out of last year’s game with Syracuse, but this time he was around to throw for 373 yards. That helped the Demon Deacons to a 23-15 advantage in first downs against Syracuse.
Three interceptions thrown by Wolford were part of the problem.
On defense, there were also some coverage issues and those were bound to surface given the veteran nature of the secondary last season giving way to far less experienced cornerbacks. Two long touchdown pass plays for Syracuse in the second half proved to be the difference.
The inability to move the ball on the ground is also a recurring shortcoming. The Demon Deacons were credited with 46 rushing yards, albeit against a defense that might turn out to be rather stingy.
Next: at Army, Sept. 19
NOTES, QUOTES
–There were new ways to handle adversity for ACC teams losing players. The targeting penalties popped up, particularly for Florida State.
The Seminoles played most of their game with South Florida without S Lamarcus Brutus, whose targeting infraction resulted in his first-quarter ejection.
Later, S Nate Andrews of Florida State was flagged for targeting, but that penalty was overturned on video review so the Seminoles won’t have play parts of their next game without Andrews.
But what this did show teams, and in this case highly regarded Florida State, that losing players can come in forms other than injuries and the impact can be immediate.
“Those are big calls,” Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. “You’re talking about guys sitting out a game.”
The emphasis is on safety, and that’s something that coaches seem to have accepted.
–There are only so many big games against non-conference opponents that ACC teams will have and so far the conference hasn’t fared well in those matchups.
So while Georgia Tech tries to crack the code at Notre Dame, another of the potential giant killers turns out to be Duke.
The Blue Devils have a home matchup against nationally ranked Northwestern in the third game of the season. With Northwestern moving into the polls, it’s an opportunity for Duke.
“It adds a nice touch to “the game,” Duke coach David Cutcliffe said. “This will be a huge test for our football program.
Winning some of these games against ranked opponents will be crucial in order for the ACC to gain more respect nationally. ACC teams don’t want to have to count on conquering their Southeastern Conference in regular-season finales in order to gain credibility, but there’s still some time to bolster reputations in September.
–Already there have been players unexpectedly thrust into starting quarterback roles in the ACC.
First-time starters Brenden Motley of Virginia Tech and Eric Dungey of Syracuse turned in winning performances.
Both played at home and both teams could have been expected to win. Yet there were encouraging aspects of those respective outings.
Motley, a redshirt junior, directed the Hokies past Furman less than a week after he was called upon for a relief effort when Michael Brewer sustained a broken collarbone.
“He never flinched,” Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said of Motely. “He was very much in control.”
For Dungey, a true freshman, it was a more pressing situation because the Orange was matched up against Wake Forest in the ACC opener. He was required to help in a second-half comeback.
“I was just trying to have a level head,” Dungey said.
Dungey’s role expanded in the first week of the season when starting quarterback Terrel Hunt went out with a season-ending Achilles injury in the first quarter of the opener.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I know that everybody wants it to be 65-7 or 65-0, but we learned a lot about our team.” — Coach Al Golden of Miami, which went on the road to face an area school and needed a strong second half for a 44-20 victory at Florida Atlantic. Seven other ACC teams posted larger margins of victory in Week 2.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
FIVE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 2 IN THE ACC:
1. Georgia Tech is unleashing an array of offensive weapons, yet the Yellow Jackets haven’t had to use their starters for full games yet. That should change in their next game at Notre Dame.
2. Louisville was expected to provide another reason to praise the Atlantic Division, but unless the Cardinals can knock off Clemson they’ll begin their second season as an ACC member with an 0-3 record.
3. Virginia Tech had the right kind of matchup after a tussle with No. 1 Ohio State that resulted in loss of players due to injury. The Hokies can at least feel better after battering Furman on short rest.
4. Pittsburgh could struggle on offense without the expected lineup, particularly with the loss of RB James Conner for the rest of the season.
5. Syracuse will occupy a spot atop the Atlantic Division standings for the rest of the month. While it won’t likely be permanent, the Orange should enjoy the vantage point while it lasts.