Charting the Atlantic Coast Conference: 2022 Week 1
College football is in a constant state of uneasiness nowadays, as the times they are a changing. Its almost quaint to look back at the issues facing the sport a decade ago, compared to where we're at today. The NCAA has seen its power almost totally evaporate in the past few years, as the sport it was created to control has grown large enough to break free of the shackles they created. Conference Realignment has entered a phase where six major conferences aren't exclusive enough, and schools are clamoring to be part of just two, regardless of what it means for the health of their programs on the field. Players can be paid, officially, by boosters for NIL purposes allowing for an unprecedented level of tampering that no longer has to remain the shadows.
And in the middle, is where the ACC finds itself; somewhere between totally rudderless and the scene in Tommy Boy, where Chris Farley is on a small sailboat in the middle of a lake begging for a gust of wind to guide him to shore. A lot of this can be tied to the 2016 decision to sign a 20-year television agreement with ESPN, paving the way for the creation of the ACC Network and binding the media rights of all conference members through 2036. And while that deal is now being worn like a millstone around Jim Phillips neck as seemingly every other conference is getting richer television deals, its also perhaps the conference's saving grace. For better, worse - or just poorer; the ACC is stuck together right now and it has to try and make the most of it, beginning with turning around their on field perception.
After a long offseason, discussion can finally circle back to what its all about, games. So let's enjoy it while we can before talk to descends again into money driven madness.
WEEK 0 RESULTS
Saturday, August 27th, 5:00 PM, ACCN
Florida State 47, Duquesne 7
Mother Nature was able to delay kickoff, but nothing could stop the Seminoles from running over the Dukes once the lightning relented, scoring on their first six possessions en route to a cruise control victory. A far cry from last year's disaster against Jacksonville State, there was a commitment from the onset to a singular offensive identity. Three rushers eclipsed the century mark and the team as a whole combined for 406 yards on the ground ,though it felt like they could've named a number if needed.
The opening drive alone featured all three primary backs getting carries, and was capped off by Jordan Travis keeping a zone read for six. Treshaun Ward, Lawrance Toafili, and Trey Benson are a worthy rotation and if they're able to split carries as they did in the opener, the running game will be dangerous for four quarters. Jordan Travis proved to be the lifeblood of the offense in the second half of 2021, and while Florida State was active in the transfer portal, it addressed almost everywhere except quarterback. While that may be concerning given Jordan's health history, and the existing depth at the position, it shows just how much the staff believes Jordan is the answer for the here and now. His running ability is the key to the success of the offense, but his arm is going to ultimately decide to what degree. Will he be dangerous enough through the air to keep defenses honest? That doesn't all fall on Travis, as part of their issue last year was a dearth of dangerous receiving options. Fortunately there is hope that has been fixed for 2022, the receiver room was reinforced heavily via the portal and a number of those newcomers showed some promise in the opener. Johnny Wilson, Mycah Pittman, and Deuce Spann combined for 8 catches and 135 yards in limited action, and that doesn't even include their biggest addition, Winston Wright Jr, who is still working his way back from an offseason car accident.
Defensively, there are questions, and those will linger for another week as Duquesne seemed content to not push the envelope too far offensively. After striking gold with Jermaine Johnson last year, Jared Verse is the next portal DE hoping to make a similar impact. While its outlandish to expect the transfer from Albany to turn into the Defensive Player of the Year in the conference, he could be All-ACC caliber, and even notched his first sack in a game short on obvious pass rushing situations. While the raw numbers look good, the Dukes were held to 164 Total Yards, there weren't a ton of impact plays that showcased a dominant defensive performance, which leaves you to wonder how much they actually accomplished. Perhaps the biggest takeaway was allowing only one third down conversion on ten attempts, a situational statistic you hope can generate some belief in the unit that they will get teams off the field when given the opportunity, something they struggled to do in 2021.
Saturday, August 27th, 8:15 PM, ACCN
North Carolina 56, Florida A&M 24
While Mother Nature made an appearance in Chapel Hill as well, it was a manmade problem that almost led to this game being cancelled a day prior. Florida A&M found out on short notice that 26 players were deemed academically ineligible to play; a level of attrition that would wreak havoc on an FBS roster of up to 85 scholarship players, let alone an FCS roster that maxes out at 63 scholarships. Its hard to believe this game went on as scheduled, especially following the last two seasons where COVID and player safety concerns regularly altered schedules. Ultimately, the pesky and undermanned Rattlers pushed North Carolina for three quarters before the Tar Heels scored the final 21 points unanswered in the fourth.
Drake Maye, making his first start at quarterback, made about as smooth a transition as possible for a kid replacing a three year starter and NFL draft pick in Sam Howell. Competition not withstanding, 294 yards and five touchdowns is an incredible debut for the the highly touted legacy prospect. What stood out the most, especially in comparison to Sam, was his ability to see the field. Drake completed 29 of 37 passes to ten different receivers, and while Josh Downs still had more than double the amount of catches any other receiver got with nine, it was not because he was the sole focus of his quarterback. That wasn't the only new part of the offense though, as a group of running backs
If Drake was the biggest takeaway in a positive sense, the defense as a whole would be the biggest in a negative sense. A blue chip loaded defensive line once again failed to impact the game going against a severely thin FCS offensive line. Florida A&M took them out of the game to a degree by primarily attacking the perimeter with a quick passing game, but even against the run they failed to stop the run to the level expected.
An already thin secondary saw its biggest name, Tony Grimes, go down on the second series of the game and he didn't return, and his unit was picked on in his stead. Linebacker Power Echols was the biggest standout, showcasing a level of intensity that will hopefully rub off on his teammates in time. It wasn't all bad though, they did force two turnovers at crucial points in the game that led to 14 points. If there's a lesson to be learned from 2021, its that your defense doesn't have to be great if they can force turnovers. Wake Forest tied for fifth nationally with 29 takeaways and rode that to the ACC Championship Game despite a defense that ranked 91st in Total Defense.
WEEK 1 PREVIEWS
Thursday, September 1, 7:00 PM, ESPN
Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia
Kedon Slovis will make his first start for Pittsburgh in the renewal of the Backyard Brawl, which hasn't been played since 2011. While things have changed considerably since then, the animosity between fanbases remains the same. An overflow crowd is expected at newly renamed Acrisure Stadium complete with an atmosphere that should remind all who watch what makes college football so special. Fittingly for a 2022 reboot, both schools feature transfer signal callers from USC, as JT Daniels will lead the Mountaineers against his former backup.
Pat Narduzzi looks to build off his breakthrough 2021 campaign, and in doing so is relying on a rebuilt offensive system, replacing what won the ACC last season for something he hopes is more capable on the ground. Despite having a Heisman finalist, and an offense that ranked 3rd nationally in scoring, Pat never seemed totally on board with the direction. A defensive coordinator, and an old school football coach at heart, its clear he yearns to get back to an offense that can dominate on the ground as his early teams had. Whether this is wise or not, is another question, but he clearly sees it as something that held them back from reaching their full potential last year.
What hasn't changed though is the defensive approach. Longtime stalwarts like Calijah Kancey, Habakkuk Baldonado, and Sirvocea Dennis are back to lead one of the conference's strongest units. Now paired with an offense seemingly destined to be less explosive than last season, their responsibility is going to increase. Kenny Pickett won't be here to bail them out of high scoring games. If all goes according to plan they won't be on the field as much allowing their production to increase. Its a gamble in modern football to rely too heavily on your defense, but Pat has full confidence in his returning pieces, and they should validate that faith against West Virginia.
Thursday, September 1, 7:30 PM, ACCN
Wake Forest vs. VMI
Mitch Griffis will make his first start in place of Sam Hartman, who is out as he recovers from an unspecified medical issue. A month ago this was going to be a chance for Mitch to log some reps on the backend of a blowout, but now it will serve as a dress rehearsal with a trip to Vanderbilt coming next week. Fortunately, he'll have some help as Wake returns a good portion of its offensive line and one of the most talented groups of receivers in the conference.
All eyes will be on Griffis, but it will be worth keeping tabs on the defense as well. Brad Lambert has returned to become defensive coordinator once again, as he looks to polish up a defense that was the weak link in 2021. When they weren't forcing turnovers, a league best 29 last year, they were routinely gashed by opposing offenses, finishing in the bottom third of the conference in most categories. With Hartman out, and an offense suddenly on shakier ground, they will need to improve quickly to help pick up the slack and aid their young quarterback as he learns on the fly.
Friday, September 2, 7:00 PM, ESPNU
Old Dominion vs. Virginia Tech
Brent Pry kicks off his tenure as coach in the spot his predecessor suffered his most humiliating defeat, which kicked off a slide Virginia Tech is still looking to recover from. There aren't many holdovers from that 2018 team that would remember what happened, but it would be safe to assume everyone knows what this return to Norfolk represents for a program getting back to its roots. Grant Wells, a two year starter at Marshall, won a quarterback competition this offseason to lead the Hokie reformation.
Tyler Bowen is the new offensive coordinator, who Pry is worked with during his time at Penn State, and exactly what his offense will look like remains a question. He doesn't have a long track record, and his last stint as Co-OC for Penn State in 2020 lasted only a season as the Nittany Lions struggled during the COVID season and he was relieved of his duties. Unfortunately there isn't a ton to work with, as the program bled talent in the twilight of the Fuente era. This will be a work in progress, and Wells will bear the brunt of the burden in the early going.
Part of the justification for hiring Pry was to fix the defense that was for a long time the face of the program. He was a grad assistant for Bud Foster in the early 90's, and is intent on restoring the unit to its former glory. He's even gone as far as reintroducing the lunch pail, and while that could easily ring hollow, there is a sincerity in its coming back to due his relationship with Bud. The question is, how long will that process take? Scheme can cover up for talent deficiencies, but how much is reasonable to expect in a first season for a first time head coach remains to be seen.
Friday, September 2, 7:30 PM, ACCN
Duke vs. Temple
Mike Elko has taken on the task of rebuilding Duke, as the gradual decline over the last three seasons reached a point where David Cutcliffe stepped down. After narrowly missing out on a third consecutive bowl game in 2019, the Blue Devils fell to 1-17 in conference play the past two seasons. Bad play calling and an inability to stop turning the ball over eroded what was once viewed as a well coached team that doesn't make mistakes. He had achieved what Dave Clawson is currently doing at Wake Forest but could keep it going no longer.
As a result, in comes Mike Elko who happened to be part of what Dave built at Wake before becoming the DC at Notre Dame and Texas A&M. He knows he has a project, but fortunately he's going to be afforded time to build properly. While difficult, this is a program in recent years that was able to regularly go to bowls, it isn't a dream to think it can achieve that status once again.
Riley Leonard saw action in seven games as a freshman last season and has been named as the starting quarterback for 2022. There is some returning experience, but a lot of production has left, and the names brought into replace them lack the punch that other schools were able to get through the portal. Shaka Heyward and DeWayne Carter will lead the defense that has had some talent the past few years, but were too often left in bad situations thanks to the offense. Temple is a perfect opening opponent as they too are ushering in a new coach after cratering in 2021.
Saturday, September 3, 12:00 PM, ESPN
East Carolina vs. NC State
Devin Leary and the Wolfpack are poised for a breakthrough 2022 after a bitter end to 2021 left a veteran team hungry for more, and another shot at capturing the school's first ACC championship since 1979. That potential legacy is what drove sixth year seniors like Grant Gibson and Isaiah Moore to utilize their extra year of eligibility provided by COVID. They aren't alone as those sentiments were echoed throughout the locker room, as very few players who could return chose to forego the opportunity. There is a sense this season could be special, but the path is arduous, and starts with an opponent that has been a thorn in the paw for past teams.
Despite not making any of the three All-ACC teams at the conclusion of 2021, Devin Leary enters 2022 as the Preseason Conference Player of the Year - and for good reason. He eclipsed Philip Rivers school single season record of 34 passing touchdowns with 35 and had only five interceptions - two of which came on Hail Mary's. His accuracy and decision making has earned the full trust of Dave Doeren and Tim Beck, and he will enter this season as the face of the offense. While a ton of talent is returning, there are notable losses on offense in Ikem Ekwonu, Emeka Emezie, Zonovan Knight, and Ricky Person that leaves some room for concern. Fortunately for Leary, he's not reliant on any one target and will have plenty of weapons who have been itching to make themselves known.
Defensively, the Pack returns almost every impact player from a year ago, a unit that was Top 15 in scoring defense nationally. They were not top heavy either, as every position group saw injuries and replacements that were able to prevent any significant drop off. While injuries happen every year, they have hit State hard the last three years, and those pains have allowed State to build their deepest defense in school history. If State has anything to solve, its whether they have a dominant pass rusher; fortunately a lot of that responsibility comes from the Linebackers in the 3-3-5 and the return of a fully healthy Payton Wilson will be a huge piece of that puzzle.
Saturday September 3, 12:00 PM, ACCN
Boston College vs. Rutgers
Phil Jurkovec returns after a hand injury derailed a promising 2021, and while he was able to return later in the year, he was clearly not the same. Instead, what was billed as a breakout season last year has been moved to 2022. But with every team in the Atlantic returning their starting quarterback, its unclear just how much of a breakout will be enough to signify real progress.
Jeff Hafley has been praised in his first two seasons, though you wouldn't know it by his results on the field, as his 12-11 record is right in line with what Steve Addazio accomplished in his seven seasons before being fired. That praise comes from every other aspect that comes with being a head coach, from the culture he's building, to his interactions with the media, and his recruiting. He brought in a transfer quarterback that's been the face of the program, and turned what was a smashmouth offense into something that thrives on the pass, capitalizing on his star QB. He was able to keep Zay Flowers despite overtures from other programs trying to lure him away with NIL promises. As a former defensive coordinator himself, he brought in Tem Lukabu to coordinate the Eagles defense and is seen as a rising star as well.
That energy and enthusiasm can only last so long without actual results though, or the message and buzz starts to ring hollow. They're on the cusp though, and one of a few schools that took Clemson to the wire each of the past two seasons. If Jeff can land a hallmark win against a Clemson or Notre Dame this year, the hype might really begin to takeoff. Until then the focus shifts to Rutgers, where Greg Schiano enters his third year as well. Fortunately Boston College didn't have quite as far to rebuild and already have a star quarterback that should give them the advantage in a big home opener.
Saturday, September 3, 12:00 PM, ESPNU
Appalachian State vs. North Carolina (1-0)
In their first trip to Boone, North Carolina faces a hungry Mountaineers team who is loaded with experience, and a crowd anticipated to be the largest in the history of Kidd Brewer Stadium. Carolina was able to sleepwalk a little bit through their Week 0 win, but will have to show much more this week to escape with a win.
Chase Brice will face the Tar Heels for the third time, at three different schools as he begins his final season in collegiate football. They were able to have their way with him in 2020 when he started at Duke, but they can't assume that will be the same quarterback they face in 2022, as he has a lot more to work with at Appalachian, leading them to 10 wins a year ago.
Can Carolina find a way to win the trenches? After struggling to do so against Florida A&M, it will be paramount this week. This is an old school football team and Carolina will need to match their toughness. There's no better week for the young pups on the defensive line to finally show their teeth. While the secondary already has some health concerns, they aren't likely going to be picked apart through the air, but they will be called upon to contribute heavily in run support.
Drake Maye showed a willingness to spread the ball around in his first start, he will need to continue to do so in a pressure environment. There are playmakers outside of Josh Downs, and Drake needs to continue to show an ability to seek them out when they have advantages, especially early. Its well known Downs was the offense last year, and App is going to force anyone else to beat them early on. Find a way to do so, and the game will open up.
Saturday, September 3, 12:30 PM, ESPN3
Virginia vs. Richmond
Brennan Armstrong could've easily left once Bronco Mendenhall abruptly retired at the conclusion of 2021, but he chose to stay and ease the transition for new coach Tony Elliott. Having waited out numerous opportunities over the last five years, it will be interesting to see if Virginia was truly the job Tony was looking for or if he just felt tired of the pressure he faced at Clemson during a draining 2021 and left for bigger job while he still could, and there is plenty to work with in Charlottesville.
While Bronco was a defensive head coach, his last season saw a defense that fell apart, and an offense that was tasked with throwing the ball nearly all the time. The constant shootouts felt foreign and his decision to step away leaves a lot of questions about the situation he left Elliott. Virginia's receivers have a valid argument for being the best corps in the league, but their offensive line and runningbacks are far from settled. Des Kitchings is the new OC, and he's an interesting hire as his two previous stints as an OC only lasted a year a piece at Vanderbilt and NC State. He's an excellent recruiter, but Tony will likely need to help when it comes to scheming.
Defensively is where the real questions begin as John Rudzinski comes in at DC after spending most of his football life at Air Force. Targeting a defensive coordinator from a service academy is an interesting choice. Mack Brown did the same when he returned to Chapel Hill in 2019, hiring Jay Bateman from Army. It was a move that was praised at the time, but he was ultimately fired after three years at Carolina despite a talented roster. Point being, what works defensively at a school who runs the option, may not for an ACC school. It should be an interesting season as Virginia is placing a lot of faith and investment in their first time head coach.
Saturday, September 3, 3:30 PM, ACCN
Miami vs. Bethune-Cookman
Mario Cristobal's return to Miami is certainly provided a lot of excitement. What was once viewed as a long shot hire; the Hurricanes have totally revamped their image and dedication to winning in the last year. Dan Radakovich has come in from Clemson to serve as Athletic Director, where he oversaw the Tigers' transformation into a juggernaut. Booster John Ruiz has committed millions to help with NIL, recruiting, coaches, and potentially even a stadium in the future. Miami has been on a rollercoaster for the better part of two decades now, but now there's hope they can just focus on climbing.
One of the few positives to come out of a failed 2021 season, was the emergence of Tyler Van Dyke at quarterback. Forced into action due to injuries to D'Eriq King, he took his lumps but ultimately salvaged a 5-3 conference record that included Top 25 wins over NC State and Pittsburgh. He has all the arm talent and swagger you could want, but how will he factor into Josh Gattis' plans? While TVD's viewed as a gunslinger, his new coaches are more conservative, and a lot of his receivers are no longer with him. With Texas A&M on the horizon, its critical they iron out the kinks while they can because fairly or not, there's a lot riding on that trip to College Station and the need to be ready.
Despite Manny Diaz being a defensive head coach, it was ultimately what may have cost him his job. This roster has talent and ability, but they were often too soft. Whether Fuente can fix that quickly or not is an age old question of 'how do you teach toughness?', but there are pieces to work with. Long time veterans Charlie Strong and Kevin Steele will be tasked with figuring that out. Much like the offense, they have a couple of weeks to figure it out.
Saturday, September 3, 8:00 PM, ACCN
Syracuse vs. Louisville
This is perhaps the sneakiest matchup of the week in the conference, as a run reliant Syracuse hosts Malik Cunningham and the Cardinals. While this matchup doesn't have the same history in the league as others, there is a lasting image likely stuck in your head of one such game from the Dome. Lamar Jackson's famous hurdle in 2016's matchup kickstarted his Heisman campaign as Lousiville won going away. Malik is not Lamar, but he is shaped from the same clay, and is libel to take a game over if needed, and will be the player to watch. Both coaches need this game, so it will be a treat to have a game of early importance played, and in an era where games last forever, this one should fly by.
Syracuse, now a run reliant offense behind Garrett Shrader and Sean Tucker will look to keep him off the field as long as possible. Its rare you see a coach in Dino Babers, known for high flying passing attacks, totally adjust his scheme to better fit the talent. Finding a quarterback to replace Eric Dungey proved more difficult than expected, and after two and half seasons of rough quarterback play, Dino swallowed his pride and switched over to a ground and pound scheme - and its not too bad. While Shrader is not a remarkable passing quarterback, he is a tougher and faster runner than one may expect, able to break off long runs. Add in Sean Tucker, who is another in a long history of great Syracuse running backs, and you have an offense that can present some problems with its rushing threats. It may not be as dangerous a ground attack as what Louisville or Florida State offers, but its something. Pair them with a tough 3-3-5 front, and Syracuse will be a tough out, looking to grind down opponents. Unfortunately for Louisville, they were susceptible to just that kind of thing in 2021, often wilting late in contests.
Louisville will go as far Malik Cunningham carries them, but he won't have to go it alone. Jalen Mitchell, Trevion Cooley, and Tiyon Evans are primed to lead a stable of good backs who will lessen the burden on designed runs for the quarterback in an effort to preserve him for the his passing ability. If Malik can focus on throwing, and run primarily out of broken plays, it will be a good sign for the offense. Unfortunately, there were a few defections at receiver meaning there are a lot of open catches for someone to step up and receive, but who will earn them is a big question. Security blanket Marshon Ford returns at TE after catching 15 touchdowns over the past three seasons. For Louisville to make a leap, that responsibility falls on the defense that failed in late game situations in 2021. If they can, Louisville was only a few plays away from 9-3 last year, and could be in that neighborhood again in 2022.
Sunday, September 4, 7:30 PM, ABC
LSU vs. Florida State (1-0)
What a stage for Mike Norvell, who after two rough seasons in Tallahassee has a chance to really hit the accelerator on the rebuild if the can take down the Tigers in the Superdome on Sunday night. Flashback to last year, and how well the Noles performed in a similar game against Notre Dame, only to lose and fall completely on their face in the following weeks by turning a good effort into an 0-4 start. Brian Kelly will once again be on the sidelines for the opposition, now at LSU after 12 seasons at Notre Dame. He has a capable roster, but he was hired for a reason; the Tigers went from winning the 2019 National Championship to letting Ed Orgeron go just 17 games later.
Florida State showed about as much as you could ask for in their Week 0 victory, and they're primed to build upon it in New Orleans. LSU just has too many questions right now to legitimately judge how far this roster has come since Kelly has taken over. There has been serious attrition, and a lot of names added through the transfer portal, but will they come out of the gate strong against a program that has been building toward this for years now? Mel Tucker's Michigan State team last year is proof that it can be done, but it is far from a given.
The biggest question mark, is what will LSU do at quarterback? Kelly is known to rotate quarterbacks, and he has no allegiance to either Jayden Daniels or Garrett Nussmeier. It would seem safe to assume Jayden will get the first chance, but neither are great enough to cause too much concern, but that will ultimately come down to the Seminoles secondary. LSU has as talented a wide receiver room as anyone in the country, and FSU has struggled to slow down legitimate passing attacks. Jordan Travis is not a question for Florida State, and he has a chance to showcase himself as the difference maker for a national audience.
Monday, September 5, 8:00 PM, ESPN
Georgia Tech vs. Clemson
What a difference a year makes for the Clemson Tigers. While still favored to win the conference, their dynasty come under immense scrutiny after "only" managing to go 10-3. DJ Uiagalelei was a trendy pick this time last year to be a potential Heisman finalist, but now finds himself looking over his shoulder to keep his starting spot. In what's anticipated to be a tight race in the Atlantic, an offense that struggled last year will need to be ready from the onset against a conference opponent. If it isn't, how long can they afford to kick the can down the road before allowing true freshman Cade Klubnik an opportunity? This exact situation played out in 2018, when Trevor Lawrence replaced Kelly Bryant as the starter in Week 5 before ultimately leading the Tigers to a National Championship. That might be setting the bar a bit high, but it will absolutely be playing in the minds of everyone if DJ struggles early.
While this series has been lopsided as of late, last year's contest was much shockingly close. When DJ struggled against Georgia in Week 1 it was understandable, but it was this game in Week 3 last year where cracks in the dam really started to show. Clemson's defense was able to prevail in a soggy slugfest in Death Valley, but the 14-8 scoreline gave way to a lot of questions about the direction of both schools. This year's edition will take place in Mercedes Benz Stadium, as Georgia Tech has optioned to play a home game there each year between 2020 and 2024. Despite having one of the most scenic venues in the ACC in Bobby Dodd Stadium, they are playing a premier opponent in a venue that will surely lessen their chances of having a heavy home field advantage. This was questioned last year as well, but the Jackets silenced the naysayers by having their best game of the season in a 23 point beatdown of a ranked North Carolina. With Clemson on the shakiest ground its been in a decade, and Geoff Collins backed into a corner, this could get spicy.
Georgia Tech will be led by Jeff Sims at quarterback, who fended off Jordan Yates in 2021, and is now the unquestioned face of the program. Chip Long comes in from Tulane as the new offensive coordinator, and he has an uphill battle in maki. Sims is a playmaker in the same vein of a Malik Cunningham, but there aren't as many pieces to play with. Famously, star running back Jahmyr Gibbs transferred after last year, and is now starting at Alabama. That's a tough loss to absorb for Tech at this stage in their rebuild from the triple option. Couple that with the general concern of the direction of the program, and there's a lot riding on the quarterback to make things work - especially in Week 1 where Clemson's defensive line is healthy, and looking to stake their claim as the best line in school history. Brent Venables won't be there to coach them anymore, but they will be called upon once again this year to carry the flag for Clemson, and to expect a steep drop off would be unwise.
PICKS OF THE WEEK
NC State -11.5
Boston College -7.0
Louisville -4.5