Around the ACC: Week 3

Duke dropped its second straight game, and the most highly anticipated game of the season to date in the ACC quickly turned into a rout.

Northwestern 24, Duke 13

In a game of unfortunate events and miscues for the Blue Devils (1-2), the Wildcats prevailed. Although Duke had a few bright moments, its loss to Northwestern showed how much work the team has to do if it hopes to contend when it returns to ACC play later this season. 

The Blue Devils racked up 396 total yards—only 10 less than the Wildcats—but were plagued by an inability to finish off drives and put points on the board. This included a failed fourth down attempt off of a fake punt which left tight end Erich Schneider wide open but saw him slip and fall before the pass arrived. This was one of many missed opportunities for Duke's offense and special teams, including a missed field goal, a missed extra point, an interception and a botched punt which led to a turnover on downs. The Blue Devils' first scoring drive was a diamond in the rough and amounted to a 99-yard, 12-play charge capped off by a four-yard run by Jela Duncan.

Northwestern earned its first win of the season Saturday after losing to Western Michigan of the MAC and FCS heavyweight Illinois State. Duke was the Wildcats’ first Power-5 opponent of the season. Quarterback Clayton Thorson and the Wildcat offense had just enough poise under the pressure of a blitz-happy Duke defense to keep the game out of the reach of the Blue Devils.

No. 10 Louisville 63, No. 2 Florida State 20

Touted as a clash of heavyweights, Louisville (3-0, 2-0 ACC) turned this top-10 matchup into a clinical dismantling of Florida State on both sides of the ball. The 43-point margin is tied for the third-worst loss by a second-ranked team in college football history and, if not for the 10 points the Seminoles (2-1, 0-1 ACC) put up in garbage time, this would have marked the worst loss in school history.

Almost every aspect of the Cardinals' play was spectacular, but quarterback and early Heisman frontrunner Lamar Jackson stood above the rest. He connected for one touchdown strike through the air and sliced through the Seminoles defense for four more scores on the ground. Louisville totaled 530 yards to Florida State’s 284.

The Hurricanes took care of business against notoriously upset-minded Appalachian State in front of a packed house of Mountaineer fans in Boone, N.C. This was an important road win for Miami (3-0) and solidifies the Hurricanes as an ACC contender as they approach conference play. Miami put up 549 total yards of offense and struck early and often. The Hurricanes sprung to a 24-0 lead in the second quarter, but quarterback Brad Kaaya was picked off in the third and Appalachian State cut the lead to 24-10 on the ensuing drive. Miami regained control after that, though, and never let up, going on a 21-0 run the rest of the game.

UNC 56, JMU 28

In its home opener, North Carolina (2-1) pulled away from James Madison to win handily, but not without resistance. Tar Heel quarterback Mitch Trubisky finished with a career-high 432 yards passing and set a school record with 18 straight completions to end the game. He connected for three touchdown passes and led the up-tempo offense to 635 total yards. James Madison hung in the game in the first quarter and actually took the lead at 21-14 with 2:03 left in the quarter, but North Carolina outscored the Dukes 42-7 the rest of the way. Although the Tar Heels had some issues on defense, the offensive outburst was more than enough to get the win and prove why they were the preseason favorite to win the ACC's Coastal Division.

Georgia Tech 38, Vanderbilt 7

The Yellow Jackets took care of business against an SEC opponent in Vanderbilt. The complete team effort has Georgia Tech (3-0) looking dangerous in the ACC with a solid offense and a stifling defense that held the Commodores scoreless for the last three quarters. Meanwhile, the Yellow Jackets ran all over their home turf and created 511 total yards of offense. Running back Dedrick Mills had a standout game, finding the end zone three times. The Yellow Jackets now look ahead to an increasingly interesting showdown with Clemson Thursday night.

Oklahoma State 45, Pittsburgh 38

In a back-and-forth shootout with Oklahoma State, the Panthers' defense was unable to get the stops it needed, overshadowing a very productive offensive day. PIttsburgh's defense looked porous from the first play of the game, a 91-yard touchdown reception for the Cowboys' James Washington, who finished with 296 receiving yards. This trend continued for the entire game, as Oklahoma State avenged its controversial loss to Central Michigan last week. The Panthers (2-1) showed resilience, taking a brief lead in the first quarter and climbing back to even the score twice in the second half, but they could not find the extra gear to win the game.

Virginia Tech 49, Boston College 0

Hokie quarterback Jerod Evans threw for five touchdowns, tying a school record and leading Virginia Tech (2-1, 1-0 ACC) to a dominant win against Boston College (1-2, 0-2 ACC). The Hokies controlled every facet of the game, including a wide time of possession margin and a 476-124 advantage in total offense. This is the type of result that Virginia Tech's supporters are looking for as the program looks to return to its former status as a perennial ACC title contender.

Wake Forest 38, Delaware 21

After winning three in a row to start the season, the Demon Deacons (3-0) have already matched their win total from last year and look to keep up their momentum. Although the outcome against Delaware was never in much doubt, Wake Forest’s top two offensive options were both sidelined by the time it was official. Freshman running back Cade Carney sat out with a knee injury, and shortly into the first quarter, quarterback Kendall Hinton joined him on the sidelines with a knee sprain. But backup quarterback John Wolford and running back Matt Colburn helped the Demon Deacons rack up 481 yards of offense to put the Blue Hens away. Wake Forest's held Delaware to just 94 total yards.

NC State 49, Old Dominion 22

With help from backup quarterback Jalan McClendon, N.C. State (2-1) defeated Old Dominion handily. McClendon, typically only used in short yardage situations, accounted for three touchdowns. This was a solid showing for a Wolfpack side which lost 33-30 to East Carolina in Week 2. N.C. State's defense was much better in this game, holding the Monarchs to just three first-half points.

South Florida 45, Syracuse 20

Syracuse built a 17-0 lead by the end of the first quarter, but South Florida quickly rallied to take a 28-17 halftime lead, outscoring the Orange (1-2) 45-3 the rest of the way. Syracuse outgained South Florida 549-454 and earned 30 first downs to the Bulls’ 20, but the Orange hurt themselves with three turnovers and 10 penalties, and big plays from South Florida turned the game into a lopsided affair. Syracuse tied the ACC record and set a school record for plays in a single game with 105.

Connecticut 13, Virginia 10

Virginia (0-3) snatched defeat from the jaws of victory Saturday afternoon when kicker Alex Furbank missed a 20-yard field goal as time expired which would have sent the game to overtime. Despite outgaining UConn 381-277 in total yards, Virginia failed to secure its first win of the season and is the only remaining ACC team without a win. Things looked bright for the Cavaliers to get the victory, as they built a 10-0 lead in the second quarter. But the Huskies slowly got into a groove offensively and finally knocked in the winning field goal with 1:33 remaining after tying the game with a touchdown with fewer than eight minutes left.

Virginia continues its hunt for its first win next week against Central Michigan, a team that recently defeated Oklahoma State.