How Notre Dame’s ACC Opponents Fared Saturday And A Look At Their Seasons
Whenever Notre Dame plays its next game, it’ll be at worst tied atop the ACC standings with a 1.000 win percentage. The Irish are 1-0, and did not play at Wake Forest Saturday, leaving their next scheduled game against Florida State on Oct. 10.
As of now, they’re tied with seven other teams who have yet to lose an ACC game. Here’s a look at how their past and future ACC opponents fared Saturday and how their seasons have transpired.
Pitt (3-0, 2-0 ACC)
The Panthers’ defense has delivered consecutive games with seven sacks and looks like the force it was advertised to be, even without preseason All-American and possible first-round pick Jaylen Twyman. Their offense doesn’t appear to be potent, but it’s sentient and did enough to beat Louisville 23-20 Saturday.
Boston College (2-0, 1-0 ACC)
A horrific home loss to Texas State evaporated in a 71-second span. The Eagles trailed 21-14 with 3:14 to go and sneaked out with a 24-21 win. Quarterback Phil Jurkovec was 12-14 for 89 yards on the final two drives. A horrid defense a year ago has allowed 27 points in two games. They have an upset chance next weekend when North Carolina visits next.
Clemson (2-0, 1-0)
The Tigers did not play Saturday. So far, they have handled Wake Forest 37-13 and dismissed FCS program The Citadel 49-0, as expected for the nation’s No. 1 team. They’ll host Virginia next, but the Oct. 10 home game with 3-0 Miami has a lot more intrigue than it did a month ago.
North Carolina (1-0, 1-0)
Like Notre Dame, the Tar Heels will go three weeks between games. They have not played since defeating Syracuse 31-6 in the season opener. Saturday was a scheduled off week, and the Sept. 19 game against Charlotte was canceled due to COVID-19 issues with the 49ers.
Georgia Tech (1-2, 1-1)
True freshman quarterback Jeff Sims is intriguing, but this year will be an up and down ride. Saturday was a valley. He tossed four interceptions in a 37-20 loss at Syracuse. At least the Yellow Jackets have kept him upright, allowing two sacks in three games against two ACC teams and UCF. He’s also averaging 5.1 yards per carry. They did not have All-ACC running back Jordan Mason on Saturday.
Syracuse (1-2, 1-2)
The Orange should feel good about the defensive strides they have made under coordinator Tony White and his shape-shifting 3-3-5 base he took from his years under Rocky Long at San Diego State. Syracuse confused UNC quarterback Sam Howell for three quarters. They lulled Sims and Georgia Tech into those four interceptions. They held Pitt to 4.3 yards per play and forced two turnovers in a 21-10 loss.
Syracuse fielded a woeful defense that ranked 115th in yards per game and 94th in yards per play in 2019. It has forced a nation-best 10 turnovers and improved to 34th in YPP. Saturday was the offense’s first game averaging more than 2.9 yards per play, though.
Louisville (1-2, 0-2 ACC)
A 23-20 loss to Pitt ended with a scary and unlucky scene. Quarterback Micale Cunningham was carted off the field after he was injured on Louisville’s last offensive play. He was a critical piece in their offensive turnaround a year ago. The Cardinals are 0-2 in the ACC, first allowing 47 points in a loss to Miami and then not scoring enough to beat Pitt in a low-scoring game. They’re averaging only 4.01 yards per carry, down from 4.87 a year ago.
Florida State (0-2, 0-2)
Maybe these bizarre first few weeks aren’t the fairest way to judge the hiring of Mike Norvell, but it’s hard to imagine a worse start. His team lost to predicted last-place finisher Georgia Tech 16-13 earlier this year and took a 52-10 loss to Miami on Saturday. He has COVID-19 and didn’t coach Saturday. Urban Meyer is on national TV saying Norvell is “in quicksand.” Offseason player unrest popped up multiple times. And once again, FSU’s offense is a disjoined mess.
The Seminoles’ season is one collective woof. It’s hard to see Notre Dame having much trouble with them in two weeks, if the game is played as scheduled.
Wake Forest (0-2, 0-2)
The Demon Deacons didn’t get their shot at Notre Dame this weekend, and they’ll next play Campbell on Friday. It’ll be hard to learn much from that game. The defensive concerns stemming from a 45-42 loss to N.C. State might not be fairly re-evaluated until Oct. 17 against Virginia.
Duke (0-3, 0-3)
The Blue Devils lost 38-20 to Virginia, a team with a new starter at quarterback and several significant personnel losses from last year. They’re not getting enough stops on defense. They’re going backward on offense. In the latest loss, Quarterback Chase Brice tossed four interceptions and the team averaged 1.5 yards per rush. Top-25 opponent Virginia Tech and Syracuse’s aforementioned defense loom next.
Bonus: Miami (3-0, 2-0)
It sure seems the Hurricanes have the offense they so clearly lacked a year ago. They hung 97 combined points on their two ACC opponents, Louisville and Florida State. The most recent was that 52-10 dusting of Florida State’s defense with a few potential high draft picks.
Quarterback D’Eriq King, a grad transfer from Houston, has thrown for 736 yards and six touchdowns while completing 67 percent of his passes. He’s averaging 7.2 yards per rush, excluding sacks.
Most importantly, the ‘Canes have so far rid themselves of two 2019 bugaboos. King has committed zero turnovers and Miami has allowed only three sacks. It looks like we’re missing out on a potentially fun Miami-Notre Dame game.
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