All ACC Sports Teams News

All 14 teams have played two games, including plenty of twist and turns. With that in mind, let’s react (irrationally) in this week’s ACC Football Power Rankings.

1. Clemson

• Refreshed from not having to go up against Georgia’s defense, the Tigers cruised to a victory in the home opener. Clemson defeated South Carolina State 49-3. Justyn Ross caught his first touchdown pass in nearly two full years, dating back to Clemson’s 2019 ACC title game domination of Virginia.

2. Virginia Tech

• Virginia Tech continued to run the ball well in a 35-14 win over Middle Tennessee State and former NC State quarterback Bailey Hockman. Raheem Blackshear posted two rushing touchdowns.

3. Pittsburgh

• With veteran QB Kenny Pickett at the controls, Pitt’s offense load great on the road vs. Tennessee. While Pickett threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns, Tennessee split its quarterback duties between two transfers: Hendon Hooker (Virginia Tech) and the erratic Joe Milton (Michigan).

4. Tied: North Carolina, Boston College

• Playing in front of home fans and an inferior opponent, Sam Howell looked really good — posting an impressive dual-threat performance.

Sam Howell bounced back in Week 2
🏈 21/29
🏈 352 passing yards
🏈 104 rushing yards
🏈 5 total TDs#CFB pic.twitter.com/AaT6ZGysNS

— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 12, 2021

Boston College

• Boston College took care of business with a 45-28 win over UMass; however, it came with a cost, too. Zay Flowers and Phil Jurkovec, BC’s two offensive stars, both suffered injuries. Flowers returned to the game, which was encouraging. Jurkovec’s status for next week’s matchup with Temple is unclear, though.

BC head coach Jeff Hafley says that he just met with the team doctors. He says QB Phil Jurkovec (hand/wrist) got scans + X-rays, and the medical staff is supposed to get back to him this afternoon about Jurkovec's status.

"All I know is he kind of fell on it when he went down."

— Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom) September 12, 2021

6. Virginia

• Through two games, including a win over Illinois, Virginia’s offense (2-0) leads the ACC in yards per play (8.04) and yards per game (550.5).

It's past time to take notice of Brennan Armstrong. In his last seven games…

QBR (74.6)
Pass YPG (297.7)
Rush YPG (51.7)
TD resp for (24)
Team W-L (6-1)

— Bryan Ives (@awaytoworthy) September 12, 2021

7. Miami

• Given the disparity of size and athleticism, Miami’s two-point victory over Appalachian State may seem underwhelming. However, beating App State is nothing to sneeze at: you take what you can get.

8. Wake Forest

• Wake Forest trailed for a brief period before blowing the doors off Norfolk State, 41-16. Still, we’ll know more about Wake Forest after next weekend’s matchup against Florida State in Winston-Salem.

9. NC State

• NC State took its show on the road for a rather embarrassing defeat at the hands of Mississippi State. It was a disastrous offensive performance for the Pack. Quarterback Devin Leary attempted 49 passes for a total of 140 yards — an average of 2.9 yards per attempt.

10. Tied: Louisville, Duke

• Louisville breezed by Eastern Kentucky (30-3) and improved to 1-1 on the season. Duke got to .500, too, with 45-17 win over North Carolina A&T.

12. Syracuse

• Syracuse fell in a snoozer of a matchup between Power 5 programs — dropping a home game to Rutgers, 17-7.

13. Georgia Tech

• Jordan Yates had a really nice game — four touchdown passes, 11.0 yards per pass attempt — as Georgia Tech defeated Kennesaw State, 45-17.

14. Florida State

• Welp.

These poor FSU cheerleaders. pic.twitter.com/GnPkAqfnlV

— Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) September 12, 2021

Consensus Rankings