Say what you will about the ACC, but Week 3 was anything but dull. The league had shakeups at the top, ugly collapses, a couple of statement wins and more than one result that left you scratching your head. By the time the dust settled, Louisville looked a lot closer to the front of the pack than anyone else.
The Cardinals earned that spot the hard way. In an early-season showdown between two of the conference’s better teams, Louisville outlasted SMU 41-31 in a back-and-forth game that turned on the Mustangs’ three turnovers. That win gave the Cardinals a strong case as the team to beat in the ACC right now.
Miami, meanwhile, did not help its own argument on Friday. The Hurricanes came out strong against Wake Forest and looked in control in the first half, but the second half told a different story.
Wake outscored Miami 13-9 after the break, and the Hurricanes never fully put the Demon Deacons away. Miami still sits as a top-5 team, but the gap between the Hurricanes and the rest of the conference may not be as wide as some expected.
Then there was NC State, which managed to turn a win into a disaster in the final seconds against Vanderbilt. With the Wolfpack about to finish off a victory, CJ Bailey tried to kill time before taking a safety, but instead he fumbled in his own end zone. Vanderbilt recovered and stole the game, leaving NC State with one of the most brutal losses you’ll see and costing the ACC a non-conference win over an SEC team.
Florida State also came up short outside the league, though not in quite the same jaw-dropping fashion. The Seminoles couldn’t hang onto an early lead against Alabama and fell 50-36 in Tuscaloosa, but they did at least beat the spread.
Virginia’s loss was more damaging for its own ACC outlook. The Cavaliers entered the week in the top 25 and were starting to look like a real contender, but a 38-27 neutral-site defeat to West Virginia cooled that buzz quickly.
Virginia Tech provided the conference with a brighter note, with James Franklin’s team beating Maryland 35-26.
Clemson also gave its supporters something to hold onto. The Tigers trailed North Carolina 17-3 and had to sit through a weather delay that lasted more than two hours, but they came back to win 28-20. Clemson outscored the Tar Heels 22-3 after halftime, and while the performance hardly screamed dominance, it was the kind of result the Tigers needed with Cal and Miami still ahead.
The ACC’s lighter lift this week came against FCS opponents, and there were a few different levels of comfort. Georgia Tech handled Mercer 44-11, and Cal rolled past Wagner 49-7.
Boston College, though, nearly made things messy before escaping Maine 22-16. That final score stands out all the more because Maine had already been thumped by Appalachian State 55-3 two weeks earlier and lost to Merrimack last week.
The conference also had its academic heavyweight matchup on Thursday night, when Stanford met Duke. Syracuse’s loss to Pitt had already set the tone for the week’s ACC action, and Duke kept things tidy by beating Stanford 35-7. The Blue Devils, still the reigning conference champs, made sure the Cardinal’s rough start continued, and Stanford now looks like it’s trying to challenge Boston College for the bottom spot in the league.
In Other News...
Syracuse's Quarterback Situation Just Got A Lot More Uncomfortable
Syracuses quarterback picture took another uneasy turn in the loss to Pittsburgh, when Steve Angeli was pulled late after a rough fourth quarter. Angeli had looked steadier early, completing 11 of 18 passes for 155 yards in the first half, but the offense lost its rhythm after halftime as his production dried up and the mistakes started to mount.
Fran Brown turned to Amari Odom after Angelis second interception, a move that only sharpened the attention on how the Orange handle the position going forward. With the offense sputtering and the late-game decision-making under the microscope, Syracuse now has a much less comfortable answer under center than it did a few hours earlier. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Recruiting Battle Will Heat Up At One Must-Watch December Event
Decembers City of Palms Classic is shaping up to be a useful checkpoint for Syracuses recruiting staff, with several targets from the 2027 and 2028 classes expected to be in the field. The tournament has long been a place where college coaches can get an extended look at high-end talent, and this years edition should give the Orange another chance to track a group of prospects they have already identified through offers and recent scouting trips.
The list includes players spread across different high school programs and development paths, from those with Syracuse scholarship offers to others who have already drawn attention from the staff. Some have official visits on the calendar, others have seen plans change, and a few are coming out of leagues such as Overtime Elite, which only adds to the intrigue around how the Orange will prioritize the board once the event begins. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Just Made An Early Impression In A Recruitment That Matters
Marques Harris is still early in his recruitment, but Syracuse has already done enough to make itself part of a conversation that figures to get crowded fast. The 2028 prospect from Baltimores Milford Mill Academy has picked up offers from Tennessee, Maryland, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Syracuse, and he recently got a closer look at the Orange by visiting campus for a game and spending time with the coaching staff.
For Syracuse, the contact mattered because Harris is the kind of defensive piece programs chase early and often. He plays both wide receiver and defensive back in high school, but sees himself as a versatile hybrid defender at the next level, and his meeting with defensive backs coach Perry Eliano gave the Orange a chance to make a strong first impression before the race for his commitment really takes shape. [Read more 🡒]