Davis Warren’s rise back into the ACC quarterback conversation was the headliner of Week 8, and the Stanford passer did it in style. Under the Friday night lights on the West Coast, Warren went toe-to-toe with CJ Bailey and came away with the sharper performance, powering Stanford to a 31-28 win over NC State.
That game mattered for more than just the quarterback duel. Warren’s performance helped the Cardinal pick up its second ACC win of the season, while NC State’s loss brought an end to the Dave Doeren era for the Wolf Pack.
The rest of the weekend came with a mix of lopsided results and one eye-opening comeback. Darian Mensah and Kevin Jennings both piloted easy home wins, and Boston College buried Georgia Tech with a second-half surge in a 49-27 victory. But the most striking quarterback showing might have come in Kenan Stadium, where Steve Angeli - benched just over a month earlier - threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns in Syracuse’s 31-30 overtime escape at North Carolina.
Now the calendar turns to Week 9, and the best ACC quarterback matchups are lined up early. Jennings and SMU head to Syracuse in the noon window, while Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and California travel east to face Bailey and NC State in a game between teams looking for an ACC breakthrough. Later in the day, the most intriguing afternoon matchup belongs to Stanford and Louisville at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, where Warren will try to keep the momentum rolling against a Cardinals team coming off a bye.
Warren’s return to this list is well earned. His 303-yard, four-touchdown outing against NC State was the kind of response that changes the conversation fast. He had struggled badly against Stanford’s three ranked opponents, but when the pocket stays clean, his work has been among the best in the league.
Stanford now heads east to Louisville to close out October at 3:15 p.m. EDT on ACC Network. Louisville has not held a Power Four offense under 20 points through seven games, which gives Warren a clear opening to keep building on last week’s breakout.
Bailey still made his mark even in a losing effort. NC State spotted Stanford an early lead, but Bailey kept the Wolf Pack within reach with touchdown throws to Deandre Desinor and Keenan Jackson, and he also led the team on the ground with 59 yards. NC State returns home this week for a noon kickoff against California on ACC Network, and the Golden Bears arrive after a rough stretch on defense, having given up 100 combined points to Wake Forest and SMU over the last two weeks.
SMU’s Jennings was part of one of the weekend’s most lopsided wins, but his day still carried plenty of substance. In the Mustangs’ 59-20 demolition of California, he threw for 223 yards and three touchdowns, including a wheel-route strike to Kendrick Raphael for the first score and contested catches to Derrick McFall and Jalen Hale for the other two.
SMU now goes to Syracuse in its first road game in more than a month, with kickoff set for noon EDT on ESPN2. Syracuse survived North Carolina last week, though Billy Edwards Jr. still managed a season-high 271 passing yards against the Orange.
The rankings also keep plenty of attention on Florida State, Miami, Wake Forest and Louisville, all of whom are coming out of bye weeks. Florida State’s Tommy Castellanos has put up 1,618 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions through the first seven games, along with 354 rushing yards and 11 more scores, five coming in the win over Virginia.
The Seminoles host Clemson at 7 p.m. EDT on ACC Network in a meeting of 2010s ACC powers, and Darian Mensah remains the only ACC quarterback to top 200 passing yards against the Clemson defense.
Louisville’s Lincoln Kienholz enters his matchup with Stanford after accounting for 1,844 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions, plus 251 rushing yards and 10 more touchdowns in the Cardinals’ first seven games. Wake Forest’s Lopez has been just as productive, throwing for 1,947 yards, 17 touchdowns and one interception while adding 253 rushing yards and six scores.
The Demon Deacons face Virginia at 3:45 p.m. EDT on ESPN2, and the Cavaliers have already had trouble with dual-threat quarterbacks in losses to West Virginia, Florida State and SMU.
At Miami, Mensah looked like his early-season self again in a 52-23 rout of Pittsburgh. He completed 31 of 37 passes for 387 yards and four touchdowns, with Malachi Toney accounting for more than half those yards and three of the scores.
The Hurricanes leave Hard Rock Stadium for the first time in nearly a month this week to visit North Carolina at 7:30 p.m. EDT on ABC, and the Tar Heels are coming off one of their roughest defensive outings in that overtime loss to Syracuse.
Rounding out the group, Grunkemeyer may not have posted the flashiest stat line in Virginia Tech’s 20-16 win at Clemson, but he delivered the moment that defined the game. On fourth-and-1 with 1:44 left, he threaded a five-yard touchdown pass to Luke Reynolds in a crowded pocket for the go-ahead score. Virginia Tech is off this week and will open November at SMU next Friday night.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Is Suddenly Playing For More Than A Bowl Bid
Virginia Tech is already bowl eligible at 6-2, but the conversation around the Hokies has shifted well beyond simply getting to a postseason game. With four games left, they are still mathematically alive in the ACC Championship race, and that alone gives the rest of the season a different feel. In a year defined by parity and a steady stream of upsets among highly ranked teams, the Hokies have positioned themselves to keep playing for something bigger than the usual late-fall bowl calculus.
The next stretch will tell whether that opportunity turns into something more meaningful, because the path ahead comes with a chance to reshape both their league standing and their postseason ceiling. A strong finish would not only improve Virginia Techs case for a higher-tier bowl, it could keep the door open to the ACC title picture, which is a far different place to be than simply trying to lock in a sixth win. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Keeps Starting Fast But One Problem Wont Go Away
Virginia Tech keeps putting itself in position to win in ACC play, carrying a halftime lead in all five conference games. The trouble has come after the break, when the Hokies have struggled to match that early pace and have had to live with the same frustrating pattern repeating itself week after week. Even with the encouraging starts, the inconsistency has shown up in other areas too, especially with a secondary that has had its own issues and an offensive line that has been dealing with injury concerns.
The bye week gives coach James Franklin and defensive coordinator Brent Pry a chance to reset before the next stretch, and there is plenty to sort through. Virginia Tech needs more complete play across four quarters, but it also has to get healthier up front and find a way to stop the game from slipping away in the third quarter. Until those pieces come together, the Hokies will keep carrying the same uneasy question into each Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Techs Bye Week Snapshot Shows One Clear Concern Before SMU
Virginia Tech heads into its bye week at 6-2 with a chance to reset before a big one against No. 19 SMU, and the Pro Football Focus grades offer a useful snapshot of where the Hokies have held up well. Luke Reynolds has emerged as one of the more efficient pieces on offense, with Que'Sean Brown and Ethan Grunkemeyer also drawing solid marks, giving the staff some encouraging signs as it fine-tunes the back half of the season.
The defensive line has done its part, too, with Aycen Stevens and Kemari Copeland grading out well and helping set the tone up front. The concern is behind them, where the numbers point to a more uneven story in the secondary and a spot that will be under even more pressure once Virginia Tech comes out of the break and starts chasing a ranked opponent. [Read more 🡒]