Syracuse’s climb in the ACC picture has been one of the league’s sharper recent swings. After sitting at the bottom of these rankings for two straight weeks in October, the Orange have pushed their way up to No. 8 after back-to-back conference wins over North Carolina and SMU.
That surge has Syracuse sitting at 4-4 and very much in the conversation for a bowl berth. It also sets up another important test this weekend, when the Orange host Clemson as a 2.5-point underdog.
At the top of the ACC, Miami remains in the No. 1 spot and, according to the AP Poll and the latest College Football Playoff Ranking, the Hurricanes are also the top-ranked team in the country. Their biggest matchup this week comes against Notre Dame, and the key question heading into Saturday is the status of wide receiver Malachi Toney. Anthony Aguirre of HurricanesRoundtable reported that Toney’s status is still uncertain for the game against the Fighting Irish.
Wake Forest holds down the No. 2 position and still controls its own path to Charlotte. If the Demon Deacons win out, their only ACC loss - to Miami - would still leave them in position for the conference title game.
Wake Forest has a non-conference date with Merrimack before turning to SMU on Nov. 14.
Louisville checks in at No. 3, and the Cardinals are riding an offense that has been rolling. Over their last three games, they’ve piled up 130 points.
They may also be the team that benefits most from SMU’s loss to Syracuse last Saturday. Louisville faces Georgia Tech on Saturday night and still has a shot at reaching Charlotte in December.
The most consequential game in the middle of the rankings comes Friday night, when SMU and Virginia Tech meet in what looks like an elimination game for the ACC title race. Both teams should still end up with winning records and bowl invitations, but the loser will have three conference losses. With Miami projected to keep winning and Wake Forest sitting on just one league loss, that would leave the loser effectively out of the race for Charlotte.
Behind Syracuse in the “best of the rest” group are Virginia at No. 9, North Carolina at No.
10, North Carolina State at No. 11, Boston College at No.
12, Florida State at No. 13, Pittsburgh at No.
14, Stanford at No. 15, Georgia Tech at No. 16 and California at No.
- Duke is No. 6, and Clemson is No.
This weekend’s ACC slate is light on league matchups, but it still carries some weight. Virginia Tech and SMU open the action Friday night on ESPN at 7:00 p.m.
ET. Saturday’s noon window includes Syracuse-Clemson and Boston College at Florida State, while Duke visits NC State for a 12:30 p.m.
ET kickoff. Louisville and Georgia Tech meet Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.
ET.
Notre Dame, while an ACC member in other sports, remains independent in football. The Fighting Irish will face Miami in a non-conference game on NBC at 7:30 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Syracuse's Costly Clemson Confusion Came Down To One Crucial Rule
A late-half clock management lesson turned into a costly moment for Syracuse during its game with Clemson, when quarterback Steve Angeli ran a play with two seconds left instead of spiking the ball. The confusion stemmed from a little-known rule that prevents spikes with less than three seconds remaining, a detail that even the broadcast team and some players appeared not to have fully grasped in the moment.
For the Orange, it was the kind of sequence that can swing a half because the margin for error is so small. The takeaway is straightforward but unforgiving: after a first down, players need to get down immediately if they want any chance of preserving time for another snap, because once the clock gets that low, the spike is no longer an option. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Let Clemson Hang Around Until One Brutal Mistake Changed Everything
Syracuse had the kind of game at the JMA Wireless Dome where every possession felt magnified, and for long stretches the Orange did enough defensively to keep Clemson within reach. The atmosphere was lively before kickoff too, with the ACC Networks ACC Huddle setting up on Syracuses Shaw Quadrangle, but once the game settled in it turned into the sort of tight, physical ACC fight that often comes down to who makes the fewest mistakes.
Steve Angeli and the Syracuse offense never found much rhythm through the air, and the turnovers eventually became too costly to survive in an 18-13 loss. The critical turning point came on a backward pass that Clemson turned into a defensive touchdown, a brutal swing in a game where Syracuse had spent so much time hanging around and giving itself a chance. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Turns Clemson Visit Into A Huge Recruiting Test
Hosting Clemson is always a measuring-stick moment, but Syracuse is also turning the matchup into a recruiting showcase. A large group of prospects will be on campus, giving the Orange a chance to sell the program in person while the spotlight is brightest. Several visitors have already come away with positive impressions of the facilities, the coaching staff and the culture around the program, which is exactly the kind of early momentum Syracuse wants when it is trying to make a strong impression.
Quarterbacks Twigg and Davis, along with athlete Shuford, are among the recruits who have been in contact with Syracuse coaches throughout the process, and those conversations have helped shape their view of the program. The visit gives the Orange a chance to build on that interest, but the bigger question is how much traction Syracuse can turn from a high-profile weekend like this one, especially with so many prospects watching the same stage. [Read more 🡒]