3 games to watch in the ACC: Clemson faces true test in Notre Dame
With five conference games on the schedule for this weekend, ACC football is now getting into full swing. After this week only two teams (Miami and Virginia) will have not played an ACC opponent. This week's games could go a long way in deciding who plays for an ACC title in December, and even who plays in the College Football Playoff come New Year's Eve.
No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 12 Clemson
Saturday, Oct. 3, 8:00 p.m. ET (ABC)
Two teams with College Football Playoff hopes will meet Saturday night in what is arguably the biggest game in the nation this week, not just the ACC. Notre Dame comes into the game off a 62-27 win over Massachusetts where all of its playmakers were on display.
C.J. Prosise ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns on the day, bringing his season total to 600 yards rushing (the fourth highest in the nation). As a team, Notre Dame is 12th in the country in rushing with 294.9 yards per game, but the Irish will face a Clemson defense which is allowing only 2.9 yards per carry.
Deshone Kizer has been impressive since replacing Malik Zaire, but both of his starts have been in South Bend. Now, he'll have to get a win in Death Valley. The Clemson defense is 11th in the nation with 12.3 points allowed per game, and will look to put pressure on Kizer from the start. Clemson has started 3-0 in four of the last five seasons, but had yet to put together a championship-contending season. A win against Notre Dame on Saturday in the national spotlight could be a big first step. The key to a Clemson win will be whether or not the Tigers are able to stop the Notre Dame playmakers such as Prosise and Kizer.
North Carolina at Georgia Tech
Saturday, Oct. 3, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
With its second loss in as many games, Georgia Tech was taken out of the College Football Playoff conversation last weekend. The ACC Coastal division, however, is still up for grabs, and the Yellow Jackets play one of their biggest competitors for that title on Saturday.
North Carolina has the offense to run with any team in the country, and the defense is looking better than it has in a long time. After having the worst defense in the ACC in 2014, the Tar Heels are allowing only 14.8 points per game this year, which is good for 16th in the nation. Marquise Williams will reportedly start for North Carolina, but Mitch Trubisky has caused drama throughout the week after replacing Williams in the second half of North Carolina's game against Delaware and throwing for over 300 yards and four touchdowns.
The passing will not be what decides the game, however. In each of its two losses Georgia Tech’s leading rusher was held to less than 80 yards, which is huge when facing a team that relies on the run as much as the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech is sixth in the nation at 326 yards per game, and it will be up to Gene Chizik’s defense to contain the running game. Georgia Tech hasn’t been able to do anything when it hasn't been able to run, and how Georgia Tech fares on the ground will decide the game.
Boston College at Duke
Saturday, Oct. 3, 3:30 p.m. ET
If you are looking for a shootout this weekend, Boston College and Duke probably isn't the game for you.
Both teams are among the top ten in the nation in points allowed per game. The Eagles are allowing only 7.8 points per game which is the second-best mark in the country, while the Blue Devils' 11.5 points allowed is seventh in the nation. The defenses will also have the benefit of struggling quarterbacks. Against Northern Illinois last week, Boston College's Troy Flutie completed five passes. The Eagles ran the ball 63 times against the Huskies compared to only 14 passes.
The entire offense was miserable for Boston College with the exception of Jon Hilliman, who ran for 119 yards and a touchdown, but he's out indefinitely with a broken foot. Thomas Sirk had a better week against Georgia Tech, but his 114 yards passing and pair of touchdowns is still nothing to write home about. The point is neither of these teams are expected to score a lot of points, but both are quality ACC teams who could make some noise once the offenses are in check.