Week 4 of the ACC season brought the kind of chaos that starts sorting the contenders from the teams just trying to hang on, and Louisville made the loudest statement of all. The Cardinals beat SMU in one of the weekend’s biggest games, a result that gives them a clear path to Charlotte and puts them in the conversation as Miami’s biggest threat in the league.
Miami, meanwhile, escaped a real scare. The Hurricanes were pushed by Wake Forest before holding on to move to 3-0, though the injury list is starting to grow with Mark Fletcher, Malachi Toney, and three defensive backs all going down.
Even so, this remains the most talented roster in the conference, and games like this can serve as useful lessons for a team still learning how to play together. Miami hosts Central Michigan next week.
Wake Forest deserves credit for making that one uncomfortable. The Demon Deacons trailed 31-7 on Friday night, then fought back to cut it to 31-20 and had chances to make things even tighter.
Their defense shut down Miami in the second half, and Gio Lopez turned in a strong night against a depleted Hurricanes secondary. Next up is a chance at a major upset against Louisville.
Louisville’s win over SMU was the kind that changes the conversation. It was a significant loss for the Mustangs, who now lose the tiebreaker to the Cardinals, and Louisville’s remaining ACC schedule looks very manageable.
Jeff Brohm is also 2-1 against Mario Cristobal and beat the Hurricanes last year, which only adds to the intrigue around the Cardinals’ place in the league. The question now is whether they can avoid a letdown at home against Wake Forest next week.
Georgia Tech, coming off a bye, got its first win of the 2026 season with a victory over Mercer. It was not flawless, but Alberto Mendoza had a solid day, Justice Haynes ran for more than 140 yards, and the defense forced two turnovers while sacking the quarterback three times. The Yellow Jackets open ACC play on the road at Stanford next weekend.
Stanford, on the other hand, came out of its bye and got blown out by Duke in a game that never felt competitive. The Cardinal were underdogs, but that still made for a rough showing for Tavita Pritchard’s team. Stanford hosts Georgia Tech next Saturday.
Duke keeps looking more dangerous by the week. After beating Illinois, the Blue Devils followed it up with a blowout win over Stanford, and Nate Sheppard continues to play like one of the best players in the country, not just one of the top running backs. Duke should be 4-0 after hosting William & Mary next week.
Clemson opened ACC play with a win over North Carolina, rallying after the Tar Heels had built a big early lead and appeared to be on their way to a 3-0 start under Bill Belichick. It was another ugly offensive game for the Tigers, but the defense held up and may be good enough to carry them in this league. Clemson heads west next Friday to California with a chance to move to 3-1.
North Carolina let a big opportunity slip away. The Tar Heels had Clemson on the ropes early, then failed to finish the job and missed a chance to make a statement against a conference opponent. They are off next week before facing Notre Dame.
Virginia had one of the weekend’s worst surprises, losing in Charlotte as a heavy favorite against West Virginia. The Cavaliers’ defense couldn’t slow down the Mountaineers’ high-powered attack, and this may end up being a wake-up call for UVA. They return home next weekend to face Delaware.
Pitt took care of Syracuse at home on Thursday night, even with an off night from Mason Heintschel. The defense forced Syracuse into mistakes and the Panthers capitalized in a comfortable win. Pitt should be 4-0 after next week’s game against Bucknell.
Syracuse’s start to conference play has been rough. The Orange have not gotten the same kind of production from Steve Angeli that they had early last season, and the offense has struggled to find much of anything. They get an early bye next week and will hope to reset before October.
Boston College’s win over Maine came with very little comfort. The Eagles had to grind through a six-point victory that did not do much to inspire confidence about what comes next. They open ACC play at home next Saturday against Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech also had a strong weekend, even if the defense was not at its sharpest. The Hokies beat their opponent, and James Franklin has reason to feel good about the start: Ethan Grunkemeyer looks like an NFL type of quarterback, the running game has been excellent, and Luke Reynolds is one of the best tight ends in the country. Virginia Tech begins ACC play on the road next week at Boston College.
Florida State showed more fight against Alabama than most people expected, but the Seminoles still came away with a loss, and the defensive issues remain impossible to ignore. The pressure on Mike Norvell is still there, though next week should bring a win against Central Arkansas.
NC State’s loss was as ugly as it gets. The Wolfpack appeared to have a solid road win at Vanderbilt before a brutal mistake handed the game to the Commodores and dropped NC State to 1-2. They host App State next weekend.
Cal also came away with a win, cruising past Wagner to move to 2-1 in the Tosh Lupoi era. Jaron-Keawe Sagopulutele had a strong day and looked more comfortable in the offense. The Golden Bears host Clemson next Friday night.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Heads To Stanford With One Big Concern Still Unsettled
Georgia Tech heads west for its first ACC game at Stanford carrying some momentum from its win over Mercer, but not nearly enough comfort for Brent Keys liking. The Yellow Jackets got into the win column, and they are favored by 5.5 points at FanDuel Sportsbook, yet the performance still left plenty for the staff to clean up before league play really starts to matter.
Key made it clear after the Mercer game that the run defense remains a concern, even with the victory in hand. That is the kind of issue that can travel with a team if it is not addressed quickly, and with Stanford next up in conference play, Georgia Tech is heading into a new stretch with one nagging question still hanging over the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Still Found A Georgia Problem After Another Blowout
Georgia kept rolling with a 45-17 win over Arkansas, but Kirby Smart still came away talking about the kind of details that tend to matter later in the season. The Bulldogs were efficient enough on offense to keep the game under control, with Gunner Stockton completing 10 of 13 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown while adding 97 rushing yards, and the performance fit the bigger picture of a team that has won plenty while still hearing its coach push for cleaner stretches.
There was also the brief concern around Nate Frazier, who left in the third quarter with an injury but could have returned if needed. Even in a comfortable blowout, those moments can linger for Georgia, especially when the staff is tracking both the health of key pieces and the sharper edges Smart still wants sanded down before the games get bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Is Already Fixing A Problem Georgia Tech Fans Know Too Well
Georgias 45-17 win over Arkansas did more than open SEC play on a strong note. During a late TV timeout, the Bulldogs defensive line stayed busy with individual drills on the field, a detail ESPN analyst Dusty Dvoracek caught in real time and one that speaks to how Kirby Smart handles the little things even in a lopsided game. Smart said the work was about making sure those players got enough reps, a reminder that practice habits still matter when the scoreboard has already tilted in your favor.
For Georgia Tech fans, the part worth watching is the part Smart circled after the game: pass rushing still has room to improve. Georgias defense was good enough to control Arkansas comfortably, but the coach didnt sound interested in letting a solid performance hide the edge work that still needs sharpening. It is the kind of detail that can separate a good front from a disruptive one, and it is exactly the sort of problem the Yellow Jackets have spent plenty of time trying to solve on their own side. [Read more 🡒]