Around the ACC: Week 4

Week four of college football is typically the start of conference play and the ACC gave us the biggest rivalry game of the season to open up their slate.

In 2021, the Kenny Pickett-led Pitt team won the ACC. Aside from that, the ACC champion has either been wearing Tiger orange or Seminole maroon and gold every year since 2011. It has been a two-team battle for most of the last decade and a half.

The two ACC powerhouses faced off in their annual rivalry game on Saturday, with Florida State’s return to national relevancy making the game more impactful than previous years.

Clemson entered Saturday’s game riding a seven-game winning streak over its rivals down south, but Florida State was ranked fourth in the nation, its highest ranking since 2017 when it was third in the preseason poll.

Clemson jumped out to a 10-0 lead by the end of the first quarter but the Seminoles quickly matched that as the teams traded blows throughout the game. After a couple of big plays by both teams in the fourth quarter (and a missed chip shot field goal by Clemson’s kicker), the two teams were locked in a stalemate and needed overtime to decide a winner.

Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis threw a beautiful touchdown pass to receiver Keon Coleman on the second play of overtime. In the following possession, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik’s fourth-down pass was batted down, sealing Florida State’s first win over the Tigers since 2014.

Clemson drops to 0-2 in ACC play after its week one loss to Duke, essentially eliminating them from conference contention barring unexpected chaos. Florida State, meanwhile, appears to be the favorite to win its first ACC title since 2014 and contend for a playoff spot.

In other ACC news, No. 17 ranked North Carolina took care of business against Pitt, with Drake Maye contributing 296 passing yards and a highlight-worthy left-handed touchdown pass.

Other ranked ACC teams No. 18 Duke and No. 20 Miami easily handled out-of-conference opponents UConn and Temple, respectively.

The most impressive performance may have come from Jack Plummer and Louisville, as they doubled up Boston College 56-28. Plummer threw for more touchdowns (five) than incompletions (three) while adding 388 passing yards to help keep the Cardinals undefeated.

Louisville takes on a tough NC State team next Friday as it tries to keep its undefeated season alive but that is far from the most enticing game on the ACC week five slate.

Clemson’s schedule doesn’t get any easier, as it needs to quickly shrug off the emotional loss to the Seminoles to prepare to travel to the Dome to take on the undefeated Syracuse Orange.

The ranked battle between No. 11 Notre Dame visiting No. 17 Duke is the ACC matchup of the week. Notre Dame comes off a heartbreaking last-second loss to Ohio State and needs a strong showing in order to remain in the national championship conversation they were expected to be in.

Duke will not be a pushover. After taking home ACC Coach of the Year honors last season, Duke head coach Mike Elko has his Blue Devils flying high after following up their season-opening win against Clemson with three blowout victories.

The Blue Devils look to keep their success going by upsetting the Fighting Irish in prime time on a day when College Gameday visits Durham, NC for the first time.

Alex Perez is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email app5877@psu.edu.