ACC Football News & Notes: League Defined by Offense and Upset

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The calendar has flipped to October, and in the world of college football, that means the pretenders are being separated from the contenders. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the ACC, a league that has spent the first month of the season shattering expectations and staking its claim as a haven for explosive offensive talent.

While much of the offseason focus centered on the traditional powers, it is the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (5-0) and the Miami Hurricanes (4-0) who stand as the ACC’s only unbeaten teams. The Yellow Jackets, in particular, are making a thunderous statement, standing as one of just four undefeated teams nationally with three impressive wins over Power Four opponents.

The narrative of the league has been recalibrated.

October Showdowns and a Shuffled Top-25

As the conference season kicks into high gear, three ACC teams find themselves in the AP Top-25, and the biggest matchup of the week is a testament to the league’s unpredictability.

Miami (#3) is riding high, but they face a hostile environment this Saturday night as they travel to Tallahassee to meet an angry Florida State (#18) squad. This is a crucial pivot point for both programs, with the Hurricanes looking to validate their elite ranking and the Seminoles desperate to bounce back after a stunning home loss.
That FSU upset—a Friday night thriller against Virginia—catapulted the Cavaliers into the national rankings for the first time this season. Virginia’s reward? A challenging road trip to face Louisville this weekend.

With seven league games on the docket this Saturday, the tightly contested nature of the ACC promises more drama.

The Most Explosive Quarterback Conference in the Nation

The defining characteristic of the ACC’s first month has been its sheer offensive firepower, particularly under center. Forget defensive struggles; this is a conference of elite quarterbacks.

The evidence is staggering:

Quarterback Depth: Nine different ACC quarterbacks, representing nine different teams, have already thrown eight or more touchdown passes, which is tied for the most in college football.
A League of 250-Yard Passers: ACC quarterbacks boast eight individuals ranked among the nation’s passing leaders, collectively averaging over 250 passing yards per game—the most of any conference.
Total Production: All told, the league’s quarterbacks have combined for over 19,300 passing yards, also the most of any FBS conference.

The passing game isn’t the only strength. The ground game is equally formidable, with 18 different players rushing for over 100 yards in September. Leading the charge are NC State’s Hollywood Smothers and Haynes King, who have both eclipsed the century mark three times already.

This offensive explosion extends to the pass catchers, too. The ACC has 21 different receivers with at least one 100-yard game, and critically, the league boasts six receivers ranked in the top-30 nationally in total receiving yards—again, the most of any FBS conference.

Stat Leaders and Game-Wreckers

Beyond the bulk stats, the ACC is home to some of the nation’s top individual performers:

Category	Player (Team)	Stat Line	National Rank
Punt Returner	Caulin Lacy (Louisville)	2 Punt Return TDs	Sole FBS Leader
Passes Defended	Hezekiah Masses (California)	11 Passes Defended; 4 Interceptions	Tied for National Lead
Rushing Yards	Hollywood Smothers (NC State)	570 Rushing Yards (114.0 YPG)	4th in Total Yards
Receptions/Game	Lewis Bond (Boston College)	9.0 Receptions/Game (36 total)	2nd in Receptions/Game
Sacks/Game	Vincent Anthony (Duke)	1.0 Sacks/Game	Top-30

On the defensive side, the star is Cal DB Hezekiah Masses, who is tied for the nation’s lead with four interceptions and outright leads the country in passes defended with 11.

The cumulative effect of this talent is evident in the highlight reel. ACC teams have combined for 296 plays of 20 or more yards through the first month—the most of any conference. Even more remarkably, the league has produced 36 rushing touchdowns of at least 25 yards, a figure that tops all other FBS leagues.

The ACC is proving that close games—six of 12 league matchups were decided by one score or less in September—are simply a result of exceptional, evenly-distributed talent. The unpredictable, high-scoring, and upset-laden first month has set a phenomenal stage. As October arrives, the ACC looks less like a rebuilding conference and more like the most exciting, must-watch league in college football.