This week in the ACC had a little bit of everything. You want comebacks? We have those. You want the coolest onside kick that didn’t count? We have that as well. You want ugly performances offensively? No shortage of those in this conference. Record-breaking individual performances? Absolutely. While it may not have always been the prettiest, a lot happened in this beautiful conference, so let’s jump right in. 

Louisville 34, Virginia 17

In what ended up being an entertaining week for the conference all around, it was rather disappointing that this was the stand-alone game in the noon slot to start the day. Despite Malik Cunningham being out for the Cardinals, Louisville was still able to put up points against an improved Virginia defense, with Brock Domann taking a while to heat up but eventually playing a good game. On the other side of the ball, mistakes at essentially all of the positions offensively for the Cavaliers stagnated yet another game in what remains a remarkable turn of events in Tony Elliott’s first year. Wins may be hard to come by in the rest of the season for Virginia.

Pitt 45, Virginia Tech 29

Israel Abanikanda, have yourself an afternoon! The Pitt running back helped lead the Panthers to a bounce-back win with an absolutely insane statline of 320 rushing yards and six touchdowns. This was a close game at halftime, but Pitt came out firing on all cylinders in the third quarter, opening up a 15-point lead after three drives. Virginia Tech made the game interesting with a blocked punt touchdown early in the fourth, but a missed field goal ultimately put the nail in the coffin for the Hokies, who struggled once again with turnovers and penalties. The main thing to know in this game, though, is that Abanikanda is arguably the best running back both in the conference and the country.

Georgia Tech 23, Duke 20 (OT)

How about them Yellow Jackets?! Brent Pry remains undefeated in his stint as interim head coach. Georgia Tech was in control for much of the game, but the Blue Devils clawed their way back, scoring a game-tying touchdown in the waning seconds to force overtime. The Yellow Jackets started the extra period off with a field goal, opening up the opportunity for Duke to win the game, but it missed its own kick, resulting in elation on the home team’s sideline. From a yardage perspective, Georgia Tech dominated the game, but winning is above all else, so it’s fantastic the Yellow Jackets were able to get that statistic as well.

North Carolina 27, Miami 24

This game arguably said more about the Tar Heels’ ability to win the ACC Coastal than any high-flying shootouts they played before. On a night when their offense was decidedly firing on all cylinders, their defense stepped up and was the definition of bend-but-don’t-break. North Carolina stopped the Hurricanes on two key fourth downs and forced a turnover on another, keeping the lid on just long enough at the end of the game to come out with a win. Drake Maye wasn’t nearly as amazing as he had been all season, but the offense did just enough to win the game. If you’re Miami, though, you’re kicking yourself for not coming out of a winnable game at home with a victory. The Hurricanes have to be disappointed that they didn’t win the inaugural conference game for Mario Cristobal.

Clemson 31, Boston College 3

The Tigers played with their food a bit in Chestnut Hill to start, allowing Boston College to tie the game in a 3-3 deadlock after the first quarter. But in the second half, the Clemson defense was just too overwhelming for the Eagles to overcome. The lack of any rushing attack whatsoever forced Phil Jurkovec into constant third-and-longs, with the team rushing for only 34 yards total in the game. Offensively, it wasn’t a spectacular night for Clemson, but again, it didn’t need to be, and the Tigers remain unbeaten halfway through the season.

Wake Forest 45, Army 10

ACC fans remember the last time these two teams faced off, with the Demon Deacons winning an outrageous 70-56 game. The 2022 version of this matchup unfortunately didn’t quite live up to the excitement of last year, with the Black Knights having taken a step back in talent this season. Wake Forest easily took care of Army at home, jumping out to a 21-0 lead at halftime and never looking back. Sam Hartman threw for nearly 13 yards per attempt, and the game was ultimately never competitive, instead serving as the beginning of the easier portion of Wake’s schedule, with a bye and Boston College coming after. 

NC State 19, Florida State 17

The Seminoles seemed to be in complete control at halftime of this game, using a dominant second quarter to build a 17-3 lead at the break. Florida State used its strong rushing attack to gash the vaunted Wolfpack front, and explosive players put the team in scoring position. But in the second half of the game, the story completely flipped. NC State led methodical drive after methodical drive, and despite scoring just one touchdown all game and Devin Leary leaving the game with injury, the team held a two-point lead heading into Florida State’s final drive. Conversely, the Seminoles were shut out for the entire second half, and when the team was comfortable in field goal range, Jordan Travis threw an interception to seal the game for the Wolfpack. Ultimately, this is a killer loss for the Seminoles, who had the best remaining chance to go to the ACC Championship Game besides Clemson, but two conference losses seemed to seal the deal.