ACC Football News and Notes: Conference Still Strong in AP Poll

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Week two of the conference season has been played. Teams that did not kick off their seasons a week ago, did so this past weekend. For the second straight week, the Atlantic Coast Conference can boast seven teams in the AP Top 25 poll. The main event of the weekend was a match-up of two teams that were ranked coming into their game. #17 Miami took on #18 Louisville in an early-season test for both teams. Here how that game and others in the conference went as the ACC rolls on.

For the second straight week, Miami Hurricanes (2-0, 1-0 in the ACC) QB, D’eriq King, put on a show. The freshman signal-caller was 18-of-30 for 325 yards and three touchdowns in Miami’s 47-34 conference-opening win over the Cardinals (0-1, 0-1 in the ACC). The road win was aided by special teams as place-kicker Jose Borregates knocked home four field goals, including one from 57 yards out that broke a Cardinal Stadium record for longest kick by an opponent. The Canes offense was able to move the ball in week two to the tune of 485 yards to improve to 2-0 on the young year. The defense may still be a work in progress as they allowed 516 yards of offense. Louisville quarterback, Micale Cunningham, threw for 307 yards and three scores while running back, Javian Hawkins, ran for 164 yards on 27 carries and a score. Both teams will have another stiff test to deal as Miami will take on Florida State, still smarting from their season-opening loss to Georgia Tech. Louisville will take on another Top 25 team in Pittsburgh.

Both the #1 team, Clemson, and the #7 team, Notre Dame, played their only non-conference games of this season. To no one’s surprise, they were lopsided wins. For Clemson (2-0, 2-0 in the ACC), it was a 49-0 win over the Citadel in which most of the starters were done by halftime. Trevor Lawrence only tossed nine passes but completed eight of them for 168 yards and three scores. He also added one score on the ground. The Tigers defense was sharp as it held the Bulldogs offense to only 86 yards on the ground. It was Clemson’s first shutout in almost four years. The Fighting Irish (2-0, 1-0), won their 20th straight home game, 52-0 over the South Florida Bulls. QB Ian Book ran for three first-half touchdowns to lead the way. When not running the ball, Book was pretty good throwing the ball going 12-of-19 for 143 yards. He becomes the first Irish QB in the modern era to run for three first-half touchdowns. For the second year in a row, ND defeated a non-conference foe by a 52-0 score.

One of those teams that got their year started in week two was the Boston College Eagles (1-0, 1-0 in the ACC). They made the trip down to Durham N.C. to take on Duke. The Jeff Hafley era has begun on the Heights and if the first game is any indication, things are looking pretty good for BC. Transfer quarterback, Phil Jurkovec, threw for 300 yards in his debut as an Eagle. Zay Flowers had 162 receiving yards, including a 61-yard touchdown catch and run against a blown Duke coverage. It led to a 26-6 win for coach Hafley and his team. Duke (0-2, 0-2 in the ACC) hurt themselves with red-zone turnovers despite gaining 351 yards on offense. QB Chase Brice was 23-of-42 for 217 yards, but his two INT’s happened in the red zone. That took potential points off the board for the Blue Devils. BC plays their only non-conference game of the season next week at home vs Texas State while Duke looks for win number one against Virginia Tech on the road.

The #25 Pittsburgh Panthers (2-0, 1-0 in the ACC) jumped into league play with a 21-10 win over a Syracuse (0-2, 0-2 in the ACC) team that could be in for a long season. QB Kenny Pickett threw for two scores and ran for one as he was in on all of the Panthers scoring in this one. The Pittsburgh defense was not to be outdone as they held the Orange to 171 yards of total offense and sacked a pair of quarterbacks seven times. If there was a downside to Pitt’s win, it would be three miss field goals. Special teams will get worked on this week for sure.

In a wild one, backup QB Baliey Hockman passed for 236 yards and a touchdown, and Ricky Person Jr. ran it in from three yards out for the go-ahead score as North Carolina State (1-0, 1-0 in the ACC) defeated Wake Forest (0-2, 0-2 in the ACC), 45-42. On the day, Person ran for 99 yards and two scores and threw for one as well. Running back mate, Zonovan Knight, ran for 97 yards and a TD to help the Wolfpack get off to a good start in conference play. For the Demon Deacons, they did get a big day on the ground from Kenneth Walker III who ran for 131 yards and three touchdowns. But, it would not be enough to give Wake the win.

Next week we will ahve more news and notes from the ACC.