Here are some of my observations from Week 4 in the ACC.
Thursday night, we saw the Miami team the ACC expected to get when the league voted to expand in 2003. The Hurricanes trampled a tough Texas A&M club. The Canes ran the ball and threw it. Their special teams dominated. Miami has begun to look like a BCS contender. Now, if Florida State could just learn to play offense again...
Saturday, Clemson looked like the ACC's best team, although N.C. State might have had something to do with that. The Tigers have the league's best running game, and the emergence of Cullen Harper at quarterback makes them very difficult to stop -- certainly N.C. State couldn't get off the field. Clemson's run-stopping capabilities appear similar to those of unbeaten Boston College. However, the Tigers do a better job of defending the pass.
Boston College is ranked one notch higher than Clemson in the polls. The Eagles' offense is certainly on par with Clemson's although much different. B.C. spreads the ball around more effectively in the passing game than Clemson. Plus, the Eagles' running game is good enough to make defenses forget that, oh yeah, Steve Logan and Matt Ryan like to throw it deep several times a game. Pass defense could hurt the Eagles in the big games.
Virginia Tech seems to find the most ways to score. Saturday, the Hokies tallied once on a punt return and once on an interception return. New quarterback Tyrod Taylor didn't have a big day in the passing game, but the Tech offense still scored four touchdowns. Look for VT to battle Miami for the Coastal Division title.
Most of the teams in the ACC are reeling at this point. North Carolina, N.C. State, and Duke all suffered disappointing weekends. All three teams are 1-3.
Two league darkhorses seem to be emerging to join Clemson, B.C., Miami, and Virginia Tech. Wake Forest's win over Maryland – a dramatic 28 point turnaround – shows the Deacons have grasped some of the intangibles that propelled them to last year's ACC Title. Plus, quarterback Riley Skinner is healthy again. Virginia, after a dismal start on offense, has now won three straight. The Cavaliers scored 28 points against a pretty solid Georgia Tech defense. Although I was among those who wrote the Cavaliers off, but that may have been a mistake.
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