Miami and Wake Forest have separated themselves at the top of the ACC, and Week 9 only sharpened that picture.
The Hurricanes stayed unbeaten by surviving North Carolina, the Demon Deacons kept rolling with a lopsided win over Virginia, and SMU took a damaging upset loss at Syracuse. That left Duke, SMU and Virginia Tech clustered behind the league’s top two as the conference heads into Week 10.
If there was still any lingering debate about the ACC’s hierarchy entering November, last weekend answered it. Miami handled a tough road test in Chapel Hill, Wake Forest kept flattening opponents, and SMU’s playoff path took a major hit. The title race still has some moving parts, but the Hurricanes and Demon Deacons are clearly steering toward a conference championship showdown, with teams like Duke hoping for a stumble along the way.
Here’s how the league stacks up heading into Week 10:
- Miami (8-0, 6-0 ACC)
North Carolina gave Miami a fight on Saturday. This weekend’s trip to Notre Dame could end up looking like a College Football Playoff preview.
- Wake Forest (7-1, 5-1)
The Demon Deacons keep steamrolling teams while staying out of the spotlight. I’m certain Jake Dickert prefers it that way.
- Duke (6-2, 3-2) The Blue Devils looked complete in their 47-2 rout of Boston College, which makes their losses to Georgia Tech and UNC look even more puzzling.
- SMU (6-2, 4-2) The Mustangs saw their playoff hopes take a major blow with the upset loss at Syracuse.
- Virginia Tech (6-2, 3-2)
Did the Hokies get the best out of the James Franklin/Matt Campbell situation? Right now, it sure looks that way.
- Louisville (5-3, 4-2) The Cardinals are still alive in the ACC title race, but they can’t afford another misstep.
- Clemson (5-3, 3-2) Until Clemson beats somebody worth talking about, I’m going to keep calling this season mediocre.
- Pittsburgh (6-3, 3-3) After three straight losses, the Panthers bounced back with a beatdown of Georgia Tech.
- North Carolina (4-4, 2-3) There’s no shame in a three-point loss to Miami.
- NC State (4-4, 2-3)
The Wolfpack picked up their first win under interim coach Todd Goebbel. Are they really going to hire Philip Rivers?
- Virginia (4-5, 2-4) Three straight losses, capped by Saturday’s 51-7 defeat at Wake Forest, have Cavaliers fans asking what is going on.
- Boston College (4-4, 2-3) The Eagles remain a Jekyll-and-Hyde team, following a 49-point outburst against Georgia Tech with a two-point showing against Duke, aided by a returned blocked extra-point attempt.
- Syracuse (4-4, 2-4) A gritty home win over SMU keeps the Orange in the mix for bowl eligibility over the final four games.
- Stanford (4-5, 2-4) The Cardinal head to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech this week before the Battle for the Axe.
- California (3-6, 2-4) The Golden Bears have dropped five of their last six, but November still brings three winnable games: at UVA, Stanford and Pittsburgh.
- Florida State (3-5, 1-4)
The Seminoles finally moved on from Mike Norvell after more than six seasons. Now comes the harder part: finding someone to rebuild the program.
- Georgia Tech (2-6, 1-4) Duke’s loss to the Yellow Jackets keeps looking stranger by the week.
In Other News...
Duke Won Big But This Didnt Look Like A Title Threat
Duke opened its season with a lopsided win over Army, but the performance came with enough rough edges to keep the early optimism in check. The Blue Devils leaned on defense to create separation, as Armys zone slowed the offense and made the game look far less comfortable than the final margin suggested. Dame Sarr led the way with 16 points, while Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje gave Duke a useful debut with 15 points and 7 rebounds.
What stood out most was how uneven the offense looked against a team that was content to pack things in and make Duke work for every clean look. The Blue Devils struggled from three-point range, and John Blackwells quiet debut added to the sense that this was more a reminder of unfinished business than a statement win. For a roster with bigger goals, the defense was encouraging, but the attack still has to prove it can look sharper when opponents start making the game ugly. [Read more 🡒]
Manny Diaz Sees Dukes NC State Trip As Part Of A Bigger Problem
The ripple effects of N.C. States midseason coaching change reached Durham quickly, and Manny Diaz did not hide how much it bothered him. With the Wolfpack now under interim coach Todd Goebbel, Diaz framed the situation as part of a larger strain on college football, one where financial pressures keep rising and the sports competitive balance looks nothing like the NFLs more stable structure.
For Duke, the immediate task is still the same: prepare for a conference game against an opponent trying to steady itself in the middle of a turbulent season. But Diazs comments also served as a reminder that these matchups are increasingly being shaped by more than the scoreboard, with program expectations and player availability now carrying as much weight as the coaching change itself. [Read more 🡒]
Former Blue Devil Rodney Hood Is Back Around Duke Basketball
Rodney Hood is back around Duke basketball in a new role, with Jon Scheyer confirming during a press conference that the former Blue Devil and NBA veteran has joined the program as a coaching intern. It is another notable addition to a staff that continues to blend the programs past with its present, and it gives Hood a chance to start the next phase of his basketball career inside the same environment where he once played.
Duke is coming off a home win over Army and now turns to a stretch that includes Coastal Carolina and Michigan State, so Hoods timing puts him back in the middle of a team with immediate work ahead. For a program that has always valued connections to its former players, his return adds another familiar face to the sideline as the Blue Devils keep building toward the next challenge. [Read more 🡒]