There’s a lot to chew on after a mostly uneasy opening week of ACC football. To catch you up on anything you may have missed, plus get you ready for Week 2 with a look at the spread, here’s the ACC Football Weekly Update.
Power Rankings, ICYMI
Here’s the link to this week’s ACC Football Power Rankings (Sept. 7). Take a look at how things shook out, 1-14.
Players of the Week
McKenzie Milton, Florida State, QB
It’s impossible to find a better story for the star of the season than Milton. After coming on late in Florida State’s opener against Notre Dame — with FSU trailing by 10 points — Milton nearly led an improbable comeback.
This was fitting: FSU’s comeback was framed by the larger comeback of Milton, who returned to the field for the first time in over 1,000 days due to a knee injury in the 2018 season. Milton completed 5-of-7 passes for 48 yards; he also record three carries. Three of Milton’s five completions went for first downs. He also connected on two throws of 15+ yards.
Florida State reeled off 18 straight points and forced overtime. Notre Dame pulled it out in OT; however, Milton’s late-game spark was an incredible highlight.
Amare Barno, Virginia Tech, DL
Barno moved from linebacker to the defensive line last season; he immediately played the best ball of his college career. Barno led the ACC with 16 tackles for loss. Virginia Tech’s staff, however, believed the 6-foot-6 end had another gear. If his performance vs. UNC is any indication, then the staff’s suspicion will prove correct, rather quickly.
During VT’s win, Barno dominated and was a key cog shutting down the much-hyped Tar Heels. Barno recorded 1.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.
Zay Flowers, Boston College, WR
In Boston College’s 51-0 romping of Colgate, quarterback Phil Jurkovec completed 16 of his 24 passes for 303 yards. Seven of those completions went to preseason All-ACC receiver Zay Flowers, including a flashy touchdown catch. He finished with 135 receiving yards and even carried the ball once
ZAY FLOWERS IS A PLAYMAKER 😤 @BCFootball pic.twitter.com/PtiQiPmLXZ
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) September 4, 2021
Stat(s) of the Week
During the first 1.5 weeks of the college football season, only three players have run for two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass in the same game.
- Ricky Person Jr., NC State
- Leddie Brown, West Virginia
- Jo’quavious Marks, Mississippi State
Of this group, Person is the only one who eclipsed 100 rushing yards in the same game, too. The two-headed monster of Person and Bam Knight combined for 327 yards from scrimmage (8.84 yards per touch) and four touchdowns in NC State’s blowout win over South Florida.
Also, up in Blacksburg:
The 10 points scored tonight are the fewest by a Mack Brown-coached North Carolina team since the 20-3 loss against Florida State in 1997.
Also known as Judgment Day
— Bryan Ives (@awaytoworthy) September 4, 2021
Scoville Scale: ACC Coaches On The Hot Seat
For the 2021 season, we’ll use the Scoville Scale — which measures the pungency/spiciness of peppers — as a means to signify how hot the seats are for certain ACC head football coaches. (SHU: Scoville Heat Units)
Jalapeno Division
- 2,500-8,000 SHU: David Cutcliffe (Duke)
Cayenne Division
- 30,000-50,000 SHU: Geoff Collins (Georgia Tech), Scott Satterfield (Louisville)
Week 2 Lines
North Carolina A&T at Duke
- No available odds
Illinois at Virginia
- Virginia -11
- Over/Under: 55
Pitt at Tennessee
- Pitt -3.5
- Over/Under: 55
Kennesaw State at Georgia Tech
- No available odds
Norfolk State at Wake Forest
- No available odds
Rutgers at Syracuse
- Syracuse +2
- Over/Under: 52
Middle Tennessee at Virginia Tech
- Virginia Tech -19.5
- Over/Under: 54
Toledo at Notre Dame
- Notre Dame -16.5
- Over/Under: 54
Boston College at UMass
- Boston College -37.5
- Over/Under: 59
South Carolina State at Clemson
- No available odds
NC State at Mississippi State
- NC State -2.5
- Over/Under: 55
Eastern Kentucky at Louisville
- No available odds
Appalachian State at Miami
- Miami -8
- Over/Under: 53.5
Georgia State at North Carolina
- UNC -25.5
- Over/Under: 64.5
As you can see, some of these lines have already jumped around since Sunday morning.
Some lines have moved from open. Here’s where they stand now pic.twitter.com/R6EJ1Ms0HL
— Josh Goodson (@joshwgoodson) September 5, 2021