No. 6 Miami's trip to Louisville headlines the ACC slate, Clemson hosts surprising Virginia
California Golden Bears linebacker Xavier Carlton (44) sacks Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) during the second quarter of their game at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. Credit: AP/JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO
Things to watch this week in the Atlantic Coast Conference:
Game of the week
No. 6 Miami at Louisville, Saturday, noon ET (ABC)
The Hurricanes (6-0, 2-0 ACC) have looked like the class of the ACC behind star quarterback Cam Ward, though they've also come off two wild finishes to edge Virginia Tech and rally past California. Miami is 3-0 on the road so far, including the cross-country trek to face the Bears before an open week.
The Cardinals (4-2, 2-1), who reached last year's ACC title game, suffered its lone league loss at home to SMU on Oct. 5 before regrouping to beat Virginia on the road last week.
The matchup pairs Miami's top-ranked attack in the Bowl Subdivision in scoring (47.7) and total offense (583.8) against a defense ranked fifth 32nd nationally by allowing 19.7 points.
The undercard
Virginia at No. 10 Clemson, Saturday, noon ET (ACC Network)
The Tigers (5-1, 4-0) have been rolling since a season-opening blowout loss to Georgia, dropping 66 points on Appalachian State, 59 on N.C. State and 49 on Wake Forest along the way. That has restored some buzz for quarterback Cade Klubnik and the Tigers, both in positioning for a trip to the ACC title game and a possible bid to the expanded College Football Playoff.
Clemson wide receiver Adam Randall (8) celebrates his touchdown against Wake Forest with quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) during the second half of an NCAA football game in Greensboro, N.C., Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. Credit: AP/Chuck Burton
Virginia (4-2, 2-1) has already surpassed its win total for the previous two seasons under Tony Elliott to put the Cavaliers in the top third of the league standings.
Impact players
QB CJ Bailey, N.C. State. Things haven't gone as planned for the Wolfpack offense with graduate transfer Grayson McCall in and out of the lineup at quarterback with concussion issues. Bailey, a true freshman who enrolled at midyear, is showing signs of growth entering Saturday's trip to California. He threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Wake Forest, then had a new season high with 329 yards and two more scores in last week's loss to Syracuse.
RB Brashard Smith, SMU. He is the league's No. 5 rusher (93.5 yards per game) while finding the end zone seven times entering the 21st-ranked Mustangs' trip to Stanford on Saturday.
Inside the numbers
The ACC has five of the nation's top 25 scoring offenses, with Clemson (12th, 41 points per game), Pittsburgh and SMU (tied for 13th, 40.8) and Louisville (23rd, 36.2) joining the Hurricanes. ... The league also has the nation's top two quarterbacks in passing offense with Ward (369.8, 20 TDs) and Syracuse's Kyle McCord (360.0, 19). ... Wake Forest's defense is struggling entering a trip to UConn, ranking 119th in FBS in scoring defense (34.0) and 127th in total defense (477.8). ... Pittsburgh's Desmond Reid is No. 2 nationally in all-purpose yardage (182.6) entering an open week.
Chasing a first
Duke is off to a 5-1 start under Manny Diaz as it comes out of an open week. Now the Blue Devils have a chance to accomplish a program first by beating Florida State on Friday night.
The Seminoles (1-5, 1-4) are 22-0 all-time against the Blue Devils, with a 17-10 win in 2017 being the only one decided by a single-digit margin. That was also the last time the teams met in Durham.
The Blue Devils are a 3-point favorite according to BetMGM College Football Odds.
