ACC Week Three Preview
Florida State (2-0, 0-0 ACC) welcomes Wake Forest (2-0, 1-0 ACC) to Tallahassee this weekend as 24-point underdogs. The Demon Deacons, however, have won four of the last six against the Seminoles, including last year’s 35-30 upset in Winston-Salem.
Georgia Tech (1-1, 0-1 ACC) looks to avoid its first 0-2 ACC start in five years when the Yellow Jackets host Virginia (2-0, 0-0 ACC) at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mike London and the Cavaliers survived a one-point thriller with Penn State last week to remain undefeated.
Virginia Tech (2-0, 1-0 ACC) travels to Pittsburgh (0-2, 0-1 Big East) for its first road game of the season. The Hokies have won their last 13 true road games, the longest active streak in the country.
Maryland (2-0, 0-0 ACC) faces Connecticut (1-1, 0-0 Big East) Saturday for just the second time in history. It will be the first time Terrapins’ head coach Randy Edsall has faced his old team since taking over at Maryland last season.
Boston College (1-1, 0-1 ACC) and Northwestern meet for a second-consecutive season, as the Eagles try to avenge last year’s 24-17 loss in Chestnut Hill. The last time BC traveled to Evanston was in 1993, when NU coach Pat Fitzgerald was playing his freshman season for the Wildcats.
NC State (1-1, 0-0 ACC) opened the season with two games away from Carter-Finley Stadium for the first time since 1997 and square off with South Alabama in this weekend’s home opener. Last Saturday’s win over UConn marked State’s first victory over a BCS team away from home since a 2002 win at Texas Tech.
Clemson (2-0, 0-0 ACC) welcomes back star receiver Sammy Watkins against Furman in week three, adding an explosive weapon to Dabo Swinney’s offense. The Tiger’s will try to shore up a rushing defense that allowed 252 yards to Ball State last week.
Miami (1-1, 0-1 Big East) hosts FCS opponent Bethune-Cookman in the schools’ second-ever meeting. The Hurricanes blasted the Wildcats 45-14 last season in Miami Gardens. The ‘Canes are searching for consistency after beating Boston College in week one but then losing by 39 at Kansas State last weekend.
Duke (1-1, 0-0 ACC) hosts the Bull City Classic this weekend when the Blue Devils welcome cross-town rival NC Central to Wallace Wade Stadium. Duke WR Connor Vernon needs 74 yards to move into the top-five on the ACC career receiving list.