Continue reading »]]>

The three biggest ACC football questions of the week. Here we go for Week 9

Can Miami overcome loss of Malachi Toney against Notre Dame?

What bad luck for Miami to lose Malachi Toney before their biggest game of the year. Toney was a security blanket for the Miami offense. If they needed a 3rd down conversion or a big play, Toney was there. I liked Miami going to Notre Dame before the injury, but now I’m not sure. I haven’t cared for the Canes inconsistency on defense, and now their biggest offensive weapon is gone. Miami is still top 10 good, but coming out of South Bend seems like too big a task unless QB Darian Mensah plays a great game.

Does SMU or Virginia Tech stay alive in the ACC race? 

While Miami and Wake Forest seem to be on an ACC Title collision course, SMU, Virginia, and possibly Louisville are trying to crash the party. The loser is definitely out. With SMU at home, I feel like the Mustangs have a big game in them. Kevin Jennings is the type of quarterback that can attack the suspect Virginia Tech secondary. SMU stays alive, but Virginia Tech still ends up with a solid foundation for the season.

Can Clemson get on a roll? 

We may not want to forget that Clemson only has 2 ACC losses. Was last week’s win over Florida State a chance for the Tigers to finish the season strong? Clemson’s defense all year has been solid against non-playoff-caliber teams, but we’ve been waiting for the offense to catch up. It might have started last week. QB Tait Reynolds finally pushed the ball downfield and showed real mobility. Syracuse on the road won’t be easy. The Cuse are starting to find themselves as well. Maybe with a win, Syracuse is the team that gets on a roll.

Make sure you follow the All Sports Discussion Twitter account at @AllSportsDACC and please like our Facebook Page.

Continue reading »]]>

@AllSportsDACC and I (@TalkinACCSports ) review Week 9 and preview Week 10 in a classic 1 on 1 podcast. It was fun as always!

Most Disappointing and Most Impressive teams of the week

ACC game you are looking forward to

ACC team on upset Alert

National Games to watch

Guest Open Microphone

Open Microphone

Make sure you follow the All Sports Discussion Twitter account at @AllSportsDACC and please like our Facebook Page.

Continue reading »]]>

ACC Team of the Week : Syracuse – for a 30 – 27 win over SMU

17. Georgia Tech (2-6, 1-4)

Last Week: 17

If Georgia Tech has another win in them, I don’t see it. The season has just been a complete embarrassment, and the effects may be felt for years. Louisville is this week.

16. Stanford (4-5, 2-3)

Last Week: 14

Despite the 52-24 loss to Louisville, Stanford has shown signs of life this year. The Cards are off this week.

15. California (3-5, 2-4)

Last Week: 13

Cal got thumped by NC State 31 – 10. They get a week off to try and salvage something out of the season.

14. Boston College (4-4, 2-3)

Last Week: 12

Boston College’s momentum was stuffed in a 47-2 loss to Duke. Their bowl chances aren’t dead, though. They do face a FSU team that just fired their coach.

13. Virginia (4-5, 2-4)

Last Week: 10

Virginia’s season has totally gone off the rails. They were humiliated by Wake Forest 51-7. They do go on a BYE to try and correct things. QB Beau Pribula has been a total bust.

12. Florida State (3-5, 1-4)

Last Week: 9

A listless performance against Clemson turned out to be Mike Norvell’s last game at Florida State. The Noles head to Boston College

11. NC State (4-4, 2-3)

Last Week: 16

NC State fired their coach, and then played one of their best games of the year in a 3 TD win over Cal. The game with Duke will be crucial to the Wolfpack’s bowl hopes.

10. Syracuse (4-4, 2-4)

Last Week: 15

Syracuse has come alive and is playing spoiler. They knocked off SMU this past week, and now they get Clemson at home.

9. Pitt (6-3, 3-3)

Last Week: 11

I’m not sure how well Pitt really played this weekend, but it was Georgia Tech, so they didn’t need their best effort. They do get a BYE week to enjoy the win.

8. North Carolina (4-4, 2-3)

Last Week: 8

UNC has now taken Notre Dame and Miami into the 4th quarter. This is an improved team trying to get to a bowl. They can’t afford to slip up against UConn.

7. Clemson (5-3, 3-2)

Last Week: 7

Clemson QB Tait Reynolds played his most complete game of the season. If Clemson beats Syracuse, a 9-3 season is still possible.

6. SMU (6-2, 4-2)

Last Week: 3

SMU has been playing with fire all year, and Syracuse finally burned them. If they aren’t ready, it could be 2 losses in a row with Virginia Tech next.

5. Duke (6-2, 3-2)

Last Week: 6

One of the great mysteries of the ACC Season will be how Georgia Tech beat a fringe top 25 Duke team. Duke heads to NC State this week.

4. Virginia Tech (6-2, 3-2)

Last Week: 5

Virginia Tech and SMU is an elimination game for the ACC Title game. The winner is a top 25 team.

3. Louisville (5-3, 4-2)

Last Week: 4

Louisville can stay in the ACC race if they take care of business at reeling Georgia Tech.

2. Wake Forest (7-1, 5-1)

Last Week: 2

Wake Forest destroyed Virginia this past week. Merrimack will give them a chance to get some players rested and healthy for the stretch run to the ACC Title game and the playoffs.

1. Miami (8-0, 6-0)

Last Week: 1

Miami is 8-0 and #1, but barely survived North Carolina. That defense has got to get better if they are going to win at Notre Dame in what might be the college football game of the year.

Make sure you follow the All Sports Discussion Twitter account at @AllSportsDACC and please like our Facebook Page

Continue reading »]]>

The decline of the Clemson program has been well documented. They are merely an OK football team. Searching for anything that might suggest Clemson can get back into the upper echelon of the ACC has been hard to find. There might be something positive to point to now.

The Clemson coaching seemed very risk-averse to freshman QB Tait Reynolds throwing downfield. Maybe it was because of his early turnover issues; maybe they didn’t trust him with the playbook. Whatever it was, it was handcuffing the Clemson offense. There was no vertical threat. At some point, you have to try something, even it Reynolds makes mistakes.

Against Florida State, Clemson didn’t exactly air it out, but they did let Reynolds throw 32 passes. He completed 18 of them for nearly 200 yards and 2 TDs without any turnovers. That created more balance in the offense, as Reynolds had 14 rushes for 85 yards, including a game-clinching 79-yard run.

Clemson’s offense had a balanced 350 yards total and put up 36 points. That was the most from Clemson against any P4 team this season. Now we don’t want to make this more than it is. Florida State has been the ACC’s worst program over the last 3 years, but they’ve had some credible moments over the years. Clemson’s offense couldn’t move the ball on anyone this season with any consistency, so this was a step forward.

If Tait Reynolds can build on this performance through Clemson’s last 4 games, then where Reynolds truly turned the corner and gained the trust of the Clemson coaching staff came in the Tigers win over Florida State.

Make sure you follow the All Sports Discussion Twitter account at @AllSportsDACC and please like our Facebook Page.

Continue reading »]]>

Florida State’s floor and ceiling are as wide as any team in the ACC. When the Noles are good, they can look like a top 15 team. They sure did against Miami and for a half against Alabama. When they hit their floor, they can look as bad as anyone in the conference. More often than not, though, the Noles are hitting that floor.

Saturday night against an offensively challenged Clemson team, the Tigers had their best offensive output against P4 opponent all year, putting up 36 points.

For Mike Norvell it’s not about Saturday night, though. The ACC record is astonishingly bad. Since the start of the 2024 season, it is a mind-blowing 4-17. There is no program in the country in any league where that flies. It’s an ACC worst. You can argue about NIL, resources, AD changes, anything; none of it makes it on any level acceptable.

At 3-5 (1-4), is there a hope that Florida State makes a bowl or wins out with a victory over Florida? That would seem to be more wishful thinking than anything.

So it becomes a matter of not if, but when, for Florida State. When will Mike Norvell be fired at Florida State? He can’t possibly be back next year, could he?

Barring a major comeback, Florida State will lose its eighth consecutive rivalry game (Florida/Clemson/Miami)

— Matt Baker (@MattBakerCFB) November 1, 2026

There was no comeback, and announced Sunday there’s no more Mike Norvell at Florida State.

Make sure you follow the All Sports Discussion Twitter account at @AllSportsDACC and please like our Facebook Page.

Continue reading »]]>

I’m not saying Wake Forest is a national title contender, but you can’t tell me they aren’t starting to remind you of 2024 Indiana.

You know, a non-traditional football school, putting together a remarkable season not based on pure talent, but based on executing and coaching better than your opponent.

Wake Forest moved 7-1 after absolutly annihilating Virginia 51-7, in a game that was 44-0 in the 3rd quarter. Wake Forest next plays Merrimack, and they’ll be 8-1 when they go to SMU.

Some of the numbers that Wake Forest is putting together are mind-boggling.

Deacs have won their last 4 by combined 187-31 – all by 24+.

In playoff era, only 8 teams have longer streaks of 24+ vs P4/5. All made the playoff, 7 played for a natty, 3 won.

Only ACC teams w/4 straight in playoff era:
2019 Clemson (7)
2014 Clemson (4)
2026 Wake Forest (4)

— (@ADavidHaleJoint) November 1, 2026

Wake beats down Virginia and has now outscored its last four opponents 187-31. Top 12 worthy I would say.

— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) October 31, 2026

What more can you say about this Wake Forest that hasn’t already been said? Don’t let the logo on the helmet skew your thinking. Watch Wake Forest and tell me that isn’t a playoff-caliber team. Jake Dickert might be doing the finest coaching in the whole country.

Make sure you follow the All Sports Discussion Twitter account at @AllSportsDACC and please like our Facebook Page.

Continue reading »]]>

If you’re a Miami fan, you’ll like how the Heisman race is going. Two Miami players Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney are among the top 3 contenders.

Ranking the Heisman Favorites Going Into Week 9

https://t.co/zTms9qvWUo

— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 29, 2026

Make sure you follow the All Sports Discussion Twitter account at @AllSportsDACC and please like our Facebook Page.

Continue reading »]]>

ACCPerscription uses real game results to say the Big 10 is the country’s worst conference this year. 

RubbingtheRock says Dabo Swinney has lost all credibility over his handling of the QB position. 

FromtheRumbleSeat says things are circling the drain for Georgia Tech football. 

BloggersSoDear talks about Wake Forest getting into the top 15. Enjoy it, Deac fans, it’s a special time. 

StateoftheU was thrilled with the win over Pitt, but notes some areas of concern. 

FightingGobbler asks what is going right and what is going wrong for Virginia Tech football so far this year.

Make sure you follow the All Sports Discussion Twitter account at @AllSportsDACC and please like our Facebook Page.

Continue reading »]]>

The three biggest ACC football questions of the week. Here we go for Week 9

Does Wake Forest continue their run against Virginia? 

Wake Forest’s run to Charlotte and a possible playoff bid continues with a home game against Virginia. Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert has a week off to prep for a struggling Virginia team. I think Wake Forest keeps moving forward, setting up for their game with SMU in the not-too-distant future. This is a very good team; that’s not sneaking up on anyone, but I believe they are ready for it.

How concerned should SMU be with a trip to Syracuse? 

SMU better bring their A Game to Syracuse, because this is a very dangerous game for the Mustangs. I like how SMU, especially in the second half against Cal, really played some good football. If SMU brings that to Syracuse, they should be fine. I would like to see SMU bring that consistently. Syracuse is coming off a big win at UNC, and they are a handful of points from being 6-1 or 5-2. Their QB Steve Angeli showed flashes of the QB he was before his injury in that UNC game. SMU needs to be on high alert.

What’s at stake between FSU and Clemson? 

FSU and Clemson should be playing for ACC Title Appearances, playoff bids, or more. Instead, FSU and Clemson are fighting for bowl eligibility. That is not where these programs should be at. FSU head coach Mike Norvell is on the hot seat. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney isn’t there yet, but his fanbase isn’t too thrilled with him. It is not even November, and there are 7 combined losses between the two, but the winner might be able to salvage something out of the season, and for two programs not anywhere near the top of the ACC, that could be big. You have to like FSU at home, and after that strong performance against Miami. The Noles have definitely proven to have a higher ceiling than Clemson.

Make sure you follow the All Sports Discussion Twitter account at @AllSportsDACC and please like our Facebook Page.

Continue reading »]]>

ACC Team of the Week : Virginia Tech – for a 20 – 16  win over Clemson

17. Georgia Tech (2-5, 1-3)

Last Week: 16

Georgia Tech is back at the bottom of the ACC power rankings after an embarrassing 49-27 home loss to Boston College. It’s just about indescribable how bad this team is defensively. Injuries or not, DC Jason Semore may not last the season. Georgia Tech goes on the road to face Pitt Saturday.

16. NC State (3-4, 1-3)

Last Week: 13

Dave Doeren couldn’t afford a loss to Stanford. The Wolfpack lost, and he was fired. NC State gets Cal this week.

15. Syracuse (3-4, 1-4)

Last Week: 17

Where did Syracuse come up with that win at UNC? They could be a team to watch down the stretch. SMU needs to be paying attention.

14. Stanford (4-4, 2-2)

Last Week: 15

Stanford has had their ups and downs this year, but after beating NC State, a bowl game is not out of the question, which would be quite a nice season for the Cardinals.

13. California (3-5, 2-3)

Last Week: 11

Cal has been a disappointment this year. They were blown out by SMU, and now they face a struggling NC State team.

12. Boston College (4-3, 2-2)

Last Week: 14

Boston College has been a nice surprise in the ACC this year. They went to Georgia Tech and trounced the Jackets. Boston College could cause some problems at Duke.

11. Pitt (5-3, 2-3)

Last Week: 8

If Pitt is ever going to get their offense right, it would be against defensively toothless Georgia Tech this week.

10. Virginia (4-4, 2-3)

Last Week: 7

Virginia’s season is starting to slip away from them. Wake Forest is not where you want to try and get better.

9. Florida State (3-4, 1-3)

Last Week: 12

Florida State is probably better than their record, and they’ve had a week to get ready for a Clemson team that can’t move the ball on offense at all.

8. North Carolina (4-3, 2-2)

Last Week: 6

UNC was in position to make a run at the ACC Title, but face-planted at home against Syracuse. Now they get the #1 team in the country, Miami.

7. Clemson (4-3, 2-2)

Last Week: 5

Clemson’s offense continues to be one of the worst in the country. The season couldn’t totally derail with a loss at Florida State.

6. Duke (5-2, 2-2)

Last Week: 10

Duke gets a now suddenly dangerous Boston College team this Saturday. With a win, Duke gets bowl-eligible.

5. Virginia Tech (6-2, 3-2)

Last Week: 9

Virginia Tech went on the road and won at Clemson, as the Hokies continue marching towards a solid season. A game at SMU is very intriguing in a couple of weeks.

4. Louisville (4-3, 3-2)

Last Week: 4

Louisville still has an outside shot at getting to Charlotte. They play Stanford this week, and can’t afford any slip-ups.

3. SMU (6-1, 4-1)

Last Week: 3

SMU finally looked the part of a top 25 team, blowing out Cal this past week. A game at Syracuse better not be overlooked.

2. Wake Forest (6-1, 4-1)

Last Week: 2

Wake Forest sets up the second half of the season thinking about getting to Charlotte and the playoffs. Virginia is who is standing in the way of Wake Forest’s dream season this week.

1. Miami (7-0, 5-0)

Last Week: 1

After a scare against FSU, Miami looked locked in against Pitt. Malachi Toney looks like a Heisman frontrunner. UNC is going to have to play near-perfect to make their matchup a game.

Make sure you follow the All Sports Discussion Twitter account at @AllSportsDACC and please like our Facebook Page