ACC coaches can't seem to stop talking, and we're all the better for it.
Some pre-game sniping -- unintentional or not -- always leads to more entertainment value in a week that has some intriguing matchups, but there might be more fun going on off the field than on it. David Cutcliffe and Paul Johnson going at it, Bobby Petrino "insulting" the Clemson crowd, two Florida transfer quarterbacks facing off and the Syracuse staff sniping at each other?
Along with plenty of off-field drama, the ACC has a busy weekend ahead.
Before the season, the Clemson-Louisville on paper looked like it could be a powerful Bobby Petrino-led Louisville offense going up against one of the best defenses in the country in Clemson. Half of that is true, actually -- Clemson's defense, after a rough start, has proven itself over the past four weeks to be one of the nation's best. But Louisville's offense has been anything but high-powered so far. And even though Clemson's defense has turned into a great one, Louisville's defense -- numerically, anyway -- is even better.
The Cardinals lead the nation in total defense and have been stout against the run, too. Clemson's offensive line has been a bit iffy at times, particularly when it comes to establishing the run, but Louisville is going to have to score to keep pace with Clemson at some point. Oh, and Petrino (perhaps unintentionally) insulted the Death Valley crowd, so that will make for a fun first trip.
Get your popcorn: Something's Gotta Give. More about the title, really. Because with Louisville's defense and Clemson's improving offense, something does, indeed, have to give. But it's also about getting an older gentleman to admit he's finally found love and settle down. I'll just leave that there.
Before the season started, Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said that you should make your Coastal Division predictions by predicting how you think logic dictates the teams will finish, then flipping it upside down. "Except Virginia," we all said to ourselves, and maybe even Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets got just one first-place vote in the Coastal, and Virginia was the only team to not get any.
Well here we are and Virginia and Georgia Tech are tied for the Division lead. If the dream of every Coastal team finishing 4-4 is still alive, then Duke would probably need to win this game. But that dream looks more and more distant each day. If Duke wants to keep its hopes alive to repeat as Coastal Division champs, though, they need to start their turnaround soon, and it might have to start this weekend. For Georgia Tech, a win would mean an even more solid foothold on first place, or at least a tie for first (Virginia is off this week). Because it wouldn't be the Coastal without a tie.
Get your popcorn: Seeing as Cutcliffe and Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson have been sniping back and forth this week, Bring It On seems appropriate. We love this stuff! More of this sniping!
If you like Florida schadenfreude, then this is the game for you. When Boston College travels to NC State this weekend, former Florida quarterbacks (and friends to this day) Jacoby Brissett of NC State and Tyler Murphy of Boston College will face off against each other, foes for the first time. Both have found redemption at their new schools, while Florida's quarterback situation gets more and more dire each week, seemingly. Think the Gators could have used either of these guys?
Either way, both of their teams are reeling a bit after Boston College lost to Colorado State at home two weeks ago (just two weeks removed from the win over USC) while NC State's disappointing follow-up to its competitive game against FSU was a 41-0 loss at Clemson. Both teams could really use a win -- not only for a shot of confidence, but also for a little bit of bowl eligibility-insurance. Steve Addazio at least has a bowl game from his first season -- Dave Doeren has yet to win an ACC game in Year 2 at NC State. Big game for both, really.
Get your popcorn: Two ex-Florida quarterbacks, cast-offs, who have found a new happy home and self-empowerment? First Wives Club. Of course. Neither Brissett nor Murphy want revenge on their former school anymore -- at least, they won't say it publicly -- but they have to enjoy what their absence has wrought in Gainesville.
If North Carolina, which fell below .500 last weekend in a lackluster loss to Virginia Tech at home, can manage to win this game, it's going to be the ultimate underdog story. North Carolina is a 17-point underdog at No. 6 Notre Dame, and the Tar Heels haven't been this big of an underdog in over five seasons. UNC, in spite of its success during periods of the Butch Davis era, hasn't beaten a top-10 team since 2004. And even that was at home.
The Tar Heels enjoyed a better defensive performance last week, and by "better" I mean "competent." But Notre Dame's offense is a different animal than Virginia Tech's. QB Everett Golson is on a tear right now, and UNC's secondary hasn't been faced with a quarterback this hot since it faced ECU's Shane Carden and Clemson's Deshaun Watson in back-to-back weeks. And that ended with 120 points allowed. So, yeah. All in all, not looking great for the Tar Heels.
Get your popcorn: Rudy. Because the Tar Heels are going to need to have all of Ruettiger's will if they want to win this one. Also, Rudy always dreamed of playing in a game at South Bend. I'm sure a lot of UNC's players did, too. If this game goes the way it's expected, they'll have as big of an impact on the final score as Rudy's (spoiler alert) climactic sack at the end. But hey, at least they can say that they played there.
Florida State's defense looked a lot more like Florida State's defense last weekend as it held Wake Forest to just three points in a 43-3 win. The No. 1 Seminoles have some injury problems, but Syracuse doesn't want to hear about problems right now. Mostly because Syracuse quarterback Terrel Hunt fractured his fibula in last Friday's loss to Louisville and will miss 6-8 weeks, and head coach Scott Shafer stripped offensive coordinator George McDonald of his play-calling duties. McDonald wasn't happy. So a brand-new (freshman) quarterback in Austin Wilson and a newly-promoted play-caller (Tim Lester) will try to jump-start an already-struggling offense against Florida State's defense. Something tells me that will not go well.
Get your popcorn: Apocalypse Now. "The horror...the horror..."
