ACC Rooting Guide: Week 5

We have a light slate this week with four ACC teams on their bye. #18 Miami Hurricanes, #5 Florida State, #15 North Carolina, and Wake Forest are all off this coming Saturday. Let’s get to the six games left and do some rooting.

Louisville @ NC State - 9/29 at 7:00 PM EST, TV - ESPN

Louisville is flying under the radar so far this season. They are 4-0 with two conference wins in their pocket already. Pretty impressive. A road win against NC State would make next week’s matchup with #11 Notre Dame that much bigger. I also think the Cardinals would make it into the AP Top 25 if they improve to 5-0. NC State is probably the team this season that beats lesser opponents and loses to better ones. Let’s go Louisville.

Clemson @ Syracuse - 9/30 at 12:00 PM EST, TV - ABC

Syracuse is undefeated and playing some great football so far in 2023. Clemson lost a heartbreaker to FSU last Saturday. At least they didn’t lose due to putting the game in the hands of a kicker that came in off the street with no game experience whatsoever. What’s that? That scenario is exactly what happened? Hmm. I think Dabo should break his stance on using the transfer portal if only to bring in a reliable kicker. I predict the Tigers are going to take their frustrations out on the Orange in their beloved Carrier Dome. Let’s go Clemson.

Virginia @ Boston College - 9/30 at 2:00 PM EST, TV - CW Network

This game is downright depressing. Virginia can’t score and is staring a winless season in the face if they can’t get past William & Mary next Saturday. Meanwhile, BC barely lost to FSU, then proceeded to get slaughtered by Louisville at home last week, giving up 42 points in the first half. So much for momentum. This could be one of the most boring ACC games all season. Let’s go Boston College.

Bowling Green @ Georgia Tech - 9/30 at 3:30 PM EST, TV - ACC Network

GT is coming off a big road win at Wake Forest that not many people saw coming. Bowling Green lost to #2 Michigan by 25 points two weeks ago, then fell to Ohio by 31 points last week. Not good. The Yellow Jackets should take care of business before heading down to South Florida for a whooping next Saturday night. Let’s go Georgia Tech.

Matchup of the Week

#11 Notre Dame @ #17 Duke - 9/30 at 7:30 PM EST, TV - ABC

Duke football fans haven’t been this excited since Steve Spurrier was in charge back in the late 80s. The Blue Devils are blowing teams out this season; they’ve won every game by more than 20 points. Damn. Notre Dame somehow only had ten defenders on the field for the last play of the game on their goal line against that team from the state of Ohio last Saturday night. That’s inexcusable. Making it worse was Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman’s explanation. It was stupefying. To paraphrase, he didn’t want to take a penalty..on the 1-yard line. Let’s go Duke.

Photo by Michael Berg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Pittsburgh @ Virginia Tech - 9/30 at 8:00 PM EST, TV - ACC Network

A normally important ACC matchup between two consistent programs is now an afterthought in 2023. Each team is 1-3 and coming off three straight losses. Something’s got to give! To make it worse for Tech, Pitt is a 2.5 point favorite on the road according to DraftKings. That has to sting. Picking between these teams is like picking between your two least favorite foods, you can’t win. Let’s go Virginia Tech.