Around the ACC: Week 6

Story posted October 8, 2021 in CommRadio, Sports by Logan Bourandas

It’s a light week in the ACC with only five games set to kick off during the weekend.

After Clemson’s close win over Boston College on Saturday, only two teams from the ACC are ranked headed into week six of the season.

The big surprise this season has been the No. 19 Wake Forest Demon Deacons. They are the only undefeated team remaining in the ACC with a 5-0 record after a close 37-34 win over Louisville.

For the Demon Deacons, that Louisville win was the only one-possession game they have played in this season as they won on a 29-yard field goal from Nick Sciba.

That undefeated start will be put to the test this weekend as the Demon Deacons face the Syracuse Orange in the Carrier Dome.

Along with Wake Forest, the No. 23 NC State Wolfpack have been hot to start the season as they currently enter their bye week with a 4-1 record.

Their lone loss came at the hands of Mississippi State but the Wolfpack have bounced back with big wins over Clemson in double overtime and most recently a seven-point win against Louisiana Tech.

Elsewhere around the conference, the Virginia Tech Hokies will face off against one of the top teams in the country in the No. 14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The Hokies have only lost one game this season which came against West Virginia. Their last game was a 21-10 win over Richmond where the Hokies defense only allowed 77 passing yards.

Two 3-2 teams will face off as the Virginia Cavaliers play the Louisville Cardinals. The Cavaliers were able to barely hold off the Miami Hurricanes as they pulled off a 30-28 win at the “U’ while the Cardinals lost a close one to Wake Forest.

Teams looking to rebound after blowout losses will meet up as the Duke Blue Devils and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. In a rivalry game, the Blue Devils lost 38-7 against the North Carolina Tar Heels while the Pit Panthers flexed their muscles against the Yellow Jackets in a 52-21 victory.

Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett had a career day throwing for 389 yards and four touchdowns on the Yellow Jackets defense.

Finally, the previously mentioned Tar Heels open up as 17.5 point favorites against a struggling Florida State Seminoles team. The Seminoles were able to record their first win of the season defeating Syracuse 33-30 on a game-winning 34-yard field goal from Ryan Fitzgerald with one second left.

Despite the lack of action this weekend in the ACC, the race between teams such as Wake Forest and NC State makes things that much more exciting for the rest of the season.

What’s even better is no one would’ve believed that at the start of the season.

Logan Bourandas is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email lxb5412@psu.edu.