Week Three ACC Power Rankings: Georgia Tech Trending Down After 0-2 Start
Georgia Tech’s rough opening has already pushed the Yellow Jackets into uncomfortable territory in the ACC race. Picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll, they now look like a team that could wind up well below that if the play on both sides of the ball doesn’t sharpen fast.
The Jackets are still expected to get their first win this Saturday against Mercer, but that doesn’t erase the bigger picture. They’re trying to avoid slipping farther from the kind of season that would lead to a fourth straight bowl appearance, and right now the path looks steep.
At the top of the league, Miami still stands out as the team that looks most capable of making a national championship run. The Hurricanes rolled past an overmatched FAMU team last Thursday, and now they face a tricky Friday night road game against Wake Forest. Miami has the edge in talent, but that kind of setup can still make things interesting.
Wake Forest, meanwhile, earned one of the more hard-fought wins of the weekend. The Demon Deacons didn’t have everything going their way against Purdue, but they kept battling and pulled it out in double overtime.
Jake Dickert’s team has offense, and the defensive line brings real disruption. Now comes a massive test Friday against Miami.
Duke also made a serious statement. The Blue Devils went on the road and beat Illinois, which stood out as the most impressive win of the weekend in the league.
Manny Diaz deserves credit for the way Duke has opened the season, especially considering everything that happened this offseason. Duke goes for 3-0 this weekend when Stanford comes to town.
Pittsburgh is also off to a 2-0 start after surviving a weather-filled battle with UCF. The Panthers now open ACC play Thursday night against Syracuse.
Syracuse had chances against Cal but couldn’t close it out, letting the Golden Bears leave with the win. That has to sting for Fran Brown. The Orange get another shot Thursday night against Pittsburgh.
Cal, for its part, deserves credit for bouncing back from the UCLA loss and crossing the country to beat Syracuse, even if the performance was messy. The Golden Bears have talent, but the consistency just hasn’t been there yet on either side of the ball. They host Wagner this weekend and should move to 2-1.
Louisville had a short week after losing to Ole Miss, then answered by blowing out Villanova. That sets up what might be the biggest ACC game of the season: a matchup with No. 17 SMU this weekend.
SMU handled UC Davis on a short week to get its second win, and the stakes are clear now. The winner of SMU-Louisville should have a strong road to Charlotte for the ACC Championship.
NC State picked up its first win by blowing out Richmond, but a trip to Vanderbilt this weekend is a much tougher assignment. If the Wolfpack want to steady things and put together a real season, Saturday feels important.
Florida State was off this weekend and returns to action at Alabama.
Virginia also came off a layoff and had no trouble with Norfolk State on Friday night. The Cavaliers now get an interesting challenge this weekend in Charlotte against West Virginia.
Virginia Tech has looked strong early in the James Franklin era, though the level of competition hasn’t exactly been elite. The Hokies jumped out to a 34-3 lead against ODU and then allowed late points that made the final margin look closer than it was. Their first real test comes Saturday night at Maryland.
Boston College picked up its first win of the year, though Rutgers having already lost to UMass took some shine off that result. The Eagles should be 2-1 after facing Maine this weekend, but there’s still plenty to prove.
Clemson got the win over Georgia Southern, but the way it happened didn’t inspire much confidence. The Tigers’ offense still looked stuck in the mud, and the only touchdown came after the Eagles muffed a punt and handed Clemson prime field position. North Carolina comes next at home.
North Carolina handled ETSU and collected its second win of the season. A win over Clemson would be a strong statement for Bill Belichick and could show the Tar Heels can hang in the conference this year.
Stanford was idle last weekend and returns to action on the road against Duke.
And Georgia Tech sits near the bottom after that 0-2 start. The offense has managed only two touchdowns in two games, matching the number scored by the special teams, and the defense has had no answer against the run. Mercer is up next, then Stanford to open ACC play next Saturday.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Offense Is Running Out Of Time To Find Answers
Georgia Techs latest loss only sharpened the concern around an offense that has not found its footing. The Yellow Jackets fell 45-24 to No. 18 Tennessee, their fifth straight defeat and their worst start since 1989, with quarterback Alberto Mendoza enduring a rough afternoon that included two interceptions and four sacks. The ground game never gave the offense much help, either, as the rushing attack finished under 100 yards for the second game in a row.
What has stood out most during this slide is how often Georgia Tech has beaten itself with execution issues and a lack of cohesion. There is still time to steady things before the next stretch of games, but the margin for error is shrinking fast. If the Yellow Jackets are going to change the tone of this season, the fixes on offense have to come quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Has No Room For Another Letdown Against Mercer
Georgia Tech heads into its week three meeting with Mercer still searching for its first win, and the margin for error is already gone. Through two games, the Yellow Jackets have had trouble on both sides of the ball, especially against the run on defense and in getting enough done offensively, where the scoring has been limited to just two touchdowns.
Brent Key pointed to some encouraging offensive adjustments from the last outing even as turnovers kept the results from turning in Georgia Techs favor, and that is the part the staff will try to build on now. With momentum hard to find and the slow start already lingering, this matchup is the kind of game the Yellow Jackets need to use as a reset before the schedule tightens again. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Needs More Than A Win Against Mercer Right Now
Georgia Tech heads into its matchup with Mercer still looking for its first win of the season, and the timing of this one matters as much as the opponent. At 0-2, the Yellow Jackets have at least shown some signs of offensive improvement in their last outing, but the record leaves little room for patience as they get ready to host a game they are expected to control.
The broader issue is whether that progress can turn into something more tangible before the schedule gets any harder. Georgia Techs staff has already pointed to the need for cleaner offense and stronger play in the trenches, which makes this more than just a tune-up game. A win would settle the obvious part, but the larger test is whether the Yellow Jackets can finally look like a team starting to solve its early-season problems. [Read more 🡒]