Week 4 ACC Football Roundup

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Scroll down for thoughts on each ACC team, recaps and picks.

ACC Player of the Week

Duke S Jeremy Cash, playing linebacker Saturday, spearheaded a win over Georgia Tech with a team-high 12 tackles, three stops for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles and four quarterback hurries.

Coastal Division As Unsettled As Ever

The ACC Atlantic Division is neat and tidy. Whoever wins the Nov. 7 meeting between Florida State and Clemson is probably going to play for a league crown in Charlotte on Dec. 5. The Coastal Division, though, is once again a jump ball.

The Coastal—the half of the Atlantic Coast Conference in which everyone is eligible to win a trophy. Technically, everyone except Virginia, which has begun to circle the drain.

Georgia Tech started the season as the prohibitive divisional favorite, returning champs, returning quarterback and all. But the Yellow Jackets have come crashing down after scoring a million points in early wins over two speed bags. First, a lethargic defeat to a Notre Dame team starting a backup quarterback. And then Saturday’s 34-20 loss to Duke.

The Blue Devils’ second straight win over the Yellow Jackets was a symbolic reminder that the other half of the ACC is there for the taking for the team that gets hot, stays healthy and weathers the rigors of do-or-die November games. It could be Duke. Or it could be any one of six teams. Just not UVa.

The Coastal race will do much more than determine a dance partner for either Florida State or Clemson. It’ll also impact the future of select coaches. Duke’s David Cutcliffe is obviously safe, as is Pitt rookie Pat Narduzzi. However, Miami’s Al Golden, Carolina’s Larry Fedora and Va Tech’s Frank Beamer can lower the temperature by navigating the division’s thick brush and winding paths over the next two months.

Duke defeated Georgia Tech, the one Coastal team that began the season with Top 25 expectations. And as the Yellow Jackets attempt to regroup, the rest of the division is looking to seize the opportunity. A Coastal title won’t likely lead to an ACC title, but it will result in a raise and improved job security for some fortunate coach who can traverse the messiest of Power Five divisions.

Boston College

W, Northern Illinois 17-14

Based on Saturday’s passing attack in the win over Northern Illinois, the Eagles might want to just go ahead and run the option the rest of the way. In its first full game with starting QB Darius Wade, BC completed 5-of-14 passes for 92 yards, a touchdown and a pick. With his stout D and unproven passers, Steve Addazio will simply saddle up backs Jon Hilliman, Jeff Smith and Tyler Rouse over the next two months.

Clemson

Bye Week

Duke

W, Georgia Tech 34-20

The Blue Devil D, sans any national fanfare, continues to play extremely well for coordinators Jim Collins and Jim Knowles. Opponents may abandon altogether attempts to throw on a ball-hawking and airtight secondary, because Duke has been that good in coverage. After Georgia Tech was stifled on Saturday afternoon, teams completed just 45% of their passes on Duke in September.

Florida State

Bye Week

Georgia Tech

L, at Duke 34-20

The vaunted Yellow Jacket offense has tanked the last two weeks in South Bend and Durham. And Thomas is at the center of the decline. He’s not only struggling as a passer, but his ground production is sinking as well. Thomas has completed just 14 of his last 45 throws, while averaging well under three yards a carry in Tech’s two losses. If the quarterback isn’t fixed, there’s no way the Jackets repeat as division champs.

Louisville

W, Samford 45-3

After opening with Auburn, Houston and Clemson, all losses, the Cardinals finally enjoyed their tune-up game with an FCS opponent, Samford. A comfortable win not only boosted Louisville’s morale, but it also afforded Bobby Petrino a much-needed chance to work with his young quarterbacks, particularly true freshman Lamar Jackson, who gave a good look to his potential as an electrifying playmaker.

Miami

Bye Week

NC State

W, South Alabama 63-13

Alright, you’ve trampled Troy, Eastern Kentucky, Old Dominion and most recently South Alabama. But do we really know you, Pack? State looks great on paper, but numbers can be deceptive, like scoring nine touchdowns, including seven rushing, on the Jaguars Saturday night. The world starts learning if the Pack is for real in the next two weeks, a visit from Louisville followed by a trip to Blacksburg to play Virginia Tech.

North Carolina

W, Delaware 41-14

A week after starter Marquise Williams played his best game of the year, the senior might be in danger of losing his job. He was replaced in favor of former decorated recruit Mitch Trubisky, who promptly supercharged the Tar Heels versus Delaware. Trubisky was a revelation, bailing out his sluggish team by completing 17-of-20 for 312 yards and four touchdowns. Enjoy this week’s press conference, Coach Fedora.

Pittsburgh

Bye Week

Syracuse

L, LSU 34-24

Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer began 2015 with questionable job security. But he’s deservedly earning high marks for the way his kids have performed in the first month. The Orange plays with a ton of heart, especially on defense. And competing with LSU Saturday, with a quarterback from deep off the bench, is the kind of moral victory that’s going to benefit the future of Shafer.

Virginia

L, Boise State 56-14

QB Greyson Lambert was on the Cavalier roster earlier this year. Yup, the same Greyson Lambert who last week set an NCAA single-game record for completion percentage … as a Georgia Bulldog. Virginia was more comfortable with Matt Johns, who threw two pick-sixes in Friday night’s collapse to Boise State. The quarterback situation is a microcosm of how things are unraveling in Charlottesville.

Virginia Tech

L, at East Carolina 35-28

By many measures, the Hokies were the better team Saturday against East Carolina; more yards, fewer turnovers and significantly better time of possession. However, it didn’t matter in the end, because Virginia Tech could not contain the athleticism of backup Pirate QB James Summers. Summers rushed for 169 yards and two scores, providing a possible sub package blueprint for Tech’s future opponents.

Wake Forest

L, Indiana 31-24

The QB job in Winston-Salem belongs to John Wolford as soon as he returns form an ankle injury. But true freshman Kendall Hinton is benefitting from the reps he’s gotten in the last two games. And he’s liable to make a run for the job once he improves as a passer. Hinton sprinted for two more scores in Saturday’s loss to Indiana, but he also completed well under 50% of his pass attempts.

ACC Football Rankings After Week 4

ACC Atlantic

1. Florida State (3-0)
2. Clemson (3-0)
3. NC State (4-0)
4. Boston College (3-1)
5. Syracuse (3-1)
6. Louisville (0-3)
7. Wake Forest (2-2)

ACC Coastal

1. Miami (3-0)
2. Duke (3-1)
3. Georgia Tech (2-2)
4. North Carolina (3-1)
5. Virginia Tech (2-2)
6. Pitt (2-1)
7. Virginia (1-3)

Scores & Picks: How’d We Do?

2015 ACC Football Picks Through Week 4: Straight Up: 39-4 ATS: 19-15

Boise State 56, at Virginia 14

Line: Boise State -2.5, o/u: 49.5, Prediction: Boise State 28, Virginia 24
– Three Thing Recap & Analysis

LSU 34, at Syracuse 24

Line: LSU -24.5, o/u: 46.5, Prediction: LSU 34, Syracuse 10
– Three Thing Recap & Analysis

at Duke 34, Georgia Tech 20

Line: Georgia Tech -9, o/u: 55.5 , Prediction: Georgia Tech 31, Duke 24
– Three Thing Recap & Analysis

at North Carolina 41, Delaware 14

Line: No Line, o/u: No Line, Prediction: North Carolina 52, Delaware 13

– Three Thing Recap & Analysis

Indiana 31, at Wake Forest 24

Line: Indiana -3.5, o/u: 56, Prediction: Indiana 31, Wake Forest 21
– Three Thing Recap & Analysis

at Boston College 17, Northern Illinois 14

Line: Boston College -4, o/u: 47, Prediction: Boston College 20, Northern Illinois 17
– Three Thing Recap & Analysis

at East Carolina 35, Virginia Tech 28

Line: Virginia Tech -8, o/u: 56.5, Prediction: Virginia Tech 30, East Carolina 24

– Three Thing Recap & Analysis

at Louisville 45, Samford 3

Line: No Line, o/u: No Line, Prediction: Louisville 45, Samford 10
– Three Thing Recap & Analysis

NC State 63, at South Alabama 13

Line: NC State -16.5, o/u: 54, Prediction: NC State 37, South Alabama 21

– Three Thing Recap & Analysis

MORE: Week 4 College Football Rankings, No. 1-128