Charting the Atlantic Coast Conference: 2022 Week 2

Week 1 Results

Thursday, September 1, 7:00 PM, ESPN

(1-0) Pittsburgh 38 vs. (0-1) West Virginia 31

A Backyard Brawl indeed, Pittsburgh emerged from this slugfest after landing one more punch than the Mountaineers in the form of a 56 yard pick six courtesy of MJ Devonshire. It wasn't pretty, and likely never was going to be, regardless of who won. That ugliness seemed to play to West Virginia's benefit for most of the night, but it ultimately cost them late.

Pittsburgh's new look offense wasn't particularly inspiring, but Kedon Slovis was able to make the most of his limited passing attempts to score enough to win. Pat Narduzzi's commitment to the run is admirable in a sense, it was not effective. Discounting Slovis and gadget plays for their wide receivers, their running backs combined for under 4 YPC on 27 attempts, which isn't going to get it done as the focus of the offense. Slovis meanwhile went for 308 through the air on just 16 completions, which is fairly explosive, and when Pitt was actually a threat.

While they gave up 404 total yards and 31 points on defense, the Panthers actually showcased why their competing to have one of the best units in the league. They were incredibly physical, though that also highlighted some discipline issues that ultimately elongated several Mountaineer drives when they should've been off the field. Surprisingly though, their fantastic front was not very stout against the run, allowing 190 yards on the ground at 5.8 YPC. It only worsened throughout the game, and they were fortunate West Virginia didn't trust it enough down the stretch. While this unit has incredible potential, they can't continue to let offenses off the hook, as its unlikely their own will be able to keep up and routinely win games where they need to score over thirrty.

Thursday, September 1, 7:30 PM, ACCN

(1-0) Wake Forest 44 vs. (0-1) VMI 10

Mitch Griffis wasn't perfect in his first start, but the Redshirt Freshman showed promise, albeit it against an outmatched opponent. News has since broken that Sam Hartman has been cleared to return to the team, but that wasn't the case on Saturday, and we're going to examine the game in that context. Mitch was poised to start for the forseeable future, and he had little issue running Wake's patented long mesh spread offense.  Wake scored on eight of his eleven drives, totalling 44 points. If there was any negative, it was the fact they had to settle for field goals three times in the red zone.

Defensively, Wake battened down the hatches pretty well, not allowing a first down on eight drives. VMI struggled to move the ball for the most part, though when they were able to get a first down they would string together a couple more. Last year, this unit was seen as the weak link, but they actually were relatively strong in their first four matchups when they were healthy. So far so good on that front, and if they are able to keep it that way, this unit could see massive gains, as their flaws only really show once you dig into their depth.

Friday, September 2, 7:00 PM, ESPNU

(1-0) Old Dominion 20 vs. (0-1) Virginia Tech 17

In what can only be termed as a Pryghtmare, the Hokies kicked off the Brent Pry era with a loss at Old Dominion. It wasn't all negative, but they certainly outweighed positives. Despite outgaining the Monarchs 333 to 249 in total yards, five turnovers and 100 yards in penalties left more than enough space for an upset. Some teams could get away with that many mistakes, but this Virginia Tech team is not one, the margins are slim for this scrapped together roster.

Pry is known for his defense, and they didn't disappoint. Anytime you can hold your opponent to a 40% completion rate for 165 yards, you should expect to win the game. And it wasn't like they were gashed on the ground, only allowing 2.5 YPC. So if there's something on the bright side, its the potential of a defense that may be asked to carry more than its fair share of the weight.

Virginia Tech has been known for special teams in the past, but Beamer Ball  did not show up against the Monarchs. Looking to take increase a 7-3 lead late in the first half, Virginia Tech's long snapper launched the snap way over the holder's head, and it was eventually scooped up and returned for a touchdown. Instead of leading 10-3, the Hokies found themselves trailing 10-7. It would be easy to blame the defeat solely on this play, but Tech regained their footing enough to take a lead late into the fourth quarter. Old Dominion's fatal blow came with 33 seconds left on a one yard touchdown run, on a drive setup by Grant Wells' third interception - his fourth would cement the loss on the following drive. While this was a disappointing, and perhaps unlucky loss, it serves as evidence to the depth this program needs to dig to in order to find its roots again.

Friday, September 2, 7:30 PM, ACCN

(1-0) Duke 30 vs. (0-1) Temple 0

Mike Elko's debut couldn't have gone much better, as the Blue Devils shutout the Owls. Riley Leonard completed 80% of his passes for 328 yards and 2 touchdowns, and even added led the team in rushing with 64 yards on 11 carries. Defensively, Temple was held to just 179 total yards, and while they are a team firmly in a rebuild as well, they did have play two quarterbacks who had previously started games for Virginia Tech and Georgia.

There were only a couple of real negatives, one of which was their third down efficiency, something that will become much more important down the road, they converted only one of nine chances. When they were successful on offense, they were aggressive on first downs, keeping Temple honest. Their other issue came when those third downs failed, and they had to kick. Charlie Ham had six field goal attempts, and only made three, missing from 51, 32, and 26. For a team that will likely be in tight contests, relying on their defense, Ham will need to be more accurate, at least when he's kicking from within 35 yards.

Emphasis should be placed on the positives though, this was a team a year ago who closed out the season with 8 straight conference losses where they were outscored by a combined 373 to 119. That is brutal, and it was a team that routinely felt its opponent beating them wasn't enough and jumped in to beat themselves as well. There was no evidence of that team, a program that while talented, was stripped of belief. We don't want to put the cart before the horse, but those Blue Devils have been exorcised. Mike Elko has a long road to get this program back to a spot where they're competing week in, week out in conference, but you can see evidence of the culture he's instilling and where he's planting the seeds for future success.

Saturday, September 3, 12:00 PM, ESPN

(0-1) East Carolina 20 vs. (1-0) NC State 21

Riding an offseason of hype into their opening week, the Wolfpack failed to score in the second half, and needed a missed 41 yard field goal in the final seconds to escape Greenville with a victory. Entering the game, this was billed as a hungry team with a chip on their shoulder due to the conclusion of 2021, and a quarterback who was the Preseason Player of the Year. Exiting the game, despite winning on the road against a veteran AAC team, it feels like that bubble of excitement has burst and the future is more uncertain.

While not overly impressive State built a fairly comfortable halftime lead 21-7; scoring touchdowns through the air, on the ground, and by special teams to go along with two takeaways. Dave Doeren preaches complementary football, and that's what he got, for a half. The second half is where everything came crashing down, as State's five possessions led to two punts, two turnovers, and a turnover on downs at the ECU goal line. Their lack of execution and mistakes allowed the Pirates to continue to hang around to the point where they arguably should've won.

There's a reason the mood in the postgame was subdued, this team knew they didn't play to their standard and were fortunate enough to escape with only their pride taking a hit. NC State has been on the other side of this game plenty of times, so they aren't going to apologize for winning - nor should they. All of the ingredients for an upset were there, the recipe was followed, but the final dish fell apart at the moment of truth. Maybe this result will ultimately serve as a benefit to the Pack mindset going forward, but they are going to have to get better. For a school playing up the talents of their quarterback with the Devin Leary Delivers campaign, they need to give him more of an opportunity to do so. If he's the best quarterback in the country, show him off and let him show out.

Saturday September 3, 12:00 PM, ACCN

(0-1) Boston College 21 vs. (1-0) Rutgers 22

Boston College is going to be kicking themselves when they look back at this one, and likely already are. What felt like a game they were in control of  was ultimately lost on a 22 yard touchdown run with 2:43 remaining, it capped off a five minute drive that started at their own four. They made a couple mistakes too many which allowed Rutgers to stay within a possession in the fourth quarter. After taking a nine point lead with 8:33 remaining in the third quarter, the offense would only manage two more first downs, and after going down 22-21 late, they went three and out after going backwards 15 yards.

While it feels like there is a buzz around the personnel, coaching, and culture - the results have mostly stayed the same since Jeff Hafley took over. The biggest change has been to the offensive philosophy, as Steve Addazio's ground attack has been replaced with something closer to an air raid. When Phil Jurkovec broke onto the scene to start 2020, his arm became the focal point, and running backs like David Bailey and now Pat Garwo III were moved to the backseat. On Saturday, Jurkovec threw for 283 while the team managed a non-sack adjusted rushing total of just 29 yards on 28 attempts. The identity has changed, but has it meant anything?

This is a very bleak look at what could've been a pretty commanding win had the ball bounced differently once or twice. Phil is a good quarterback, and Zay Flowers is as good as any wide receiver in the conference, but there needs to be some semblance of balance or else they will stagnate as the year goes on. Even when you take out the quarterback from the running totals, 18 attempts for 39 yards isn't much better, and it needs to be corrected. George Takacs proved to be a good receiving option at TE as he replaces Trae Barry, but there needs to be more - he and Flowers combined for 17 of the team's 23 receptions. Defensively they did more than enough, and keeping Rutgers to 22 at home should be enough for a win, the offense needs to step up.

Saturday, September 3, 12:00 PM, ESPNU

(0-1) Appalachian State 61 vs. (2-0) North Carolina 63

Appalachian State score more points in the fourth quarter (40) than any other FBS team has in at least the last 20 years, and still lost. That says a lot about North Carolina's defensive woes, especially late in games with last year's collapse against NC State still fresh in everyone's minds, but it may say more about how prolific their offense is. Drake Maye is now up to nine passing touchdowns through two games, with zero interceptions - though he did lose a fumble this weekend in the fourth as Appalachian mounted their comeback. That is absurd for a kid making just his second start. What was originally viewed as the biggest question for this year's team may be their biggest answer.

At some point the light has to come on for a defense loaded with highly touted prospects. After allowing touchdowns on their first three drives, Carolina responded with four consecutive stops that allowed their offense time to turn a 21-7 deficit into a 41-21 lead. After intercepting Chase Brice late in the third, it felt like the game was nearing an end, and its possible the Heels let off the gas, but this unit shouldn't be letting off the gas. That's something veteran teams do, this team has too much to prove to allow four consecutive stops to go to their heads to that degree. In a quarter filled with mistakes, they did eventually stand up and make the play on App's final chance to tie the game, with Noah Taylor making a great stop on Chase Brice who tried to scramble for a two point conversion.

Its unfortunate to dwell too much on the negatives, but after allowing over 60 points, even to an admittedly good Appalachian State, its hard to focus on anything else. For now, the offense is going to have to carry the torch as they head into the last of their warmup games at Georgia State. Drake Maye is likely going to hit some sort of wall in the near future, he isn't going to put up 63 without Josh Downs every week, but for now they have to ride him as long as they can. There is still time to sort things out, but its quickly evaporating as the schedule heats up.

Saturday, September 3, 12:30 PM, ESPN3

(1-0) Virginia 34 vs. (0-1) Richmond 17

Tony Elliot's tenure got off to an interesting start against, but at the very least showcased an offense that should pose a threat to the rest of the Coastal. While they only led 28-17 entering the fourth quarter, it felt like more. Virginia showcased a variety of weapons and a scheme that wasn't so dependant on Brennan Armstrong airing it out - through one game anyways. Had they not turned it over on their first two drives of the second half, the margin likely would've been much greater, as they moved the ball successfully all game.

Defense was a weak spot last year, and part of the reason they became so dependant on Brennan to throw the ball. Through one FCS opponent, concerns will still remain about their ability to get enough stops as the competition amps up. Richmond rushed for 4.9 YPC on 35 attempts, and while they allowed Reece Udinski to complete 68% of his passes, it went for a measly 4.7 YPA. They weren't explosive but they did manage to put together several long drives. Linebacker Nick Jackson led the way with 14 tackles, and he will be the face of the defense as it looks improve.

Saturday, September 3, 3:30 PM, ACCN

(1-0) Miami 70 vs. (0-1) Bethune-Cookman 13

By far the splashiest coaching hire of the four new ACC coaches, Mario Cristobal's debut was also probably the least informative. Miami turned things around to close 2021, and he walked into a program that had some toys to play with. Despite Bethune-Cookman scoring first, Miami turned on the gas and seized control with a 28 point second quarter. Tyler Van Dyke was asked to do very little, but he looked good in his limited action. A lot of Hurricanes saw action and got touches. While it wasn't particularly interesting, it was what a good program does to a bad opponent. It will be interesting to see if Josh Gattis continues to emphasize the running attack as the schedule toughens, knowing he has incredibly gifted quarterback that can sling it all over the yard if allowed.

Saturday, September 3, 8:00 PM, ACCN

(1-0) Syracuse 31 vs. (0-1) Louisville 7

A year ago Malik Cunningham demolished Syracuse, but the Orange have hardened in that time, totally reversing that result in perhaps the most stunning result of the weekend for any ACC team. When Syracuse turned the offense over to Garrett Shrader last year, it was done because it felt like there were no other options. Tommy DeVito's time was up, and Shrader felt like a square peg in a round hole in that air raid. They would eventually break the offense down to better suit his running ability, but it still felt incredibly limited. In a three game stretch last year, he failed to break 70 yards passing. But Dino clearly felt there was potential, and brought in Robert Anae from Virginia to try and capitalize on it.

Brennan Armstrong is not your prototypical quarterback, but Anae turned him into a dangerous dual threat over the last two years at Virginia, and Shrader might be his next success story. There felt like a cohesive vision, and an offseason to figure it out helps as opposed to figuring it out on the fly, which they were forced to do last year. Pair his improvement with what may be the best running back in the conference, and suddenly you're juicing. This team won't be confused with the Eric Dungey led team of 2018, but there's more than one way to peel an orange.

Flipping to the other side of the ball, with an offense that now might have found itself, Tony White's stingy 3-3-5 might become more of a well known product. Taking over in 2020, his unit has seen positive strides, but the team's limited success in that timeframe has overshadowed their progress. That being said, perhaps his worst game as coordinator came last year against Louisville, and it seems he and his defense took that personally.

After scoring a touchdown on the second drive to cut the score to 10-7, the Cardinals never scored again; they were stopped on downs twice, had three turnovers, and two punts.

Syracuse took a 17-7 lead with 10:25 remaining in the second quarter, but failed to build upon it until their defense's second interception set them up deep in Louisville territory at the end of the third quarter. Four plays later, Shrader found Oronde Gadsden II unaccounted for in the left corner of the endzone to take a 24-7 lead with 13:02 remaining in the game. If it wasn't over then, on the ensuing Louisville drive, Cunningham was strip sacked on the second play and the Orange recovered, allowing their offense to nail the coffin shut. If Tony White's defense can continue to turn in performances like that, he won't be in New York much longer.

Its hard to say where it all went wrong for the Cardinals, though a good starting point might have been their failure to convert on fourth and goal from the two late in the first half. They also had two turnovers that led directly to 14 points, and a third that ended a drive on the verge of the red zone. In some ways, the scoreline feels overly harsh, but Syracuse did win every statistical category outside of penalties. Weeks from now this opener may be looked at in a totally different light, but for now its definitely a disappointing start to a critical 2022.

Sunday, September 4, 7:30 PM, ABC | New Orleans Superdome

(0-1) LSU 23 vs. (1-0) Florida State 24

The Allstate Louisiana Kickoff was like a low country boil, it had everything, and while it wasn't always pretty, the end result was a delicious victory for Mike Norvell's Seminoles. Coming off two distressing seasons where they failed to make a bowl, Florida State looks well on their way in 2022 after bouncing LSU in New Orleans.

Jordan Travis was tremendous, making several plays through the air that helped lead to the upset. After the transfer wide receivers grabbed all of the headlines, it was returning wide receiver Pokey Wilson who was the biggest outlet for Travis, hauling in two long touchdown passes, with a defender draped on him both times. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the success of the run game dipped against an SEC front seven, but they did manage several longer runs that were often enough to at least keep the offense on schedule.

Monday, September, 8:00 PM, ESPN

(0-1) Georgia Tech 10 vs. (1-0) Clemson 41

Questions surrounding Clemson's quarterback situation have been answered: there will continue to be questions, especially after Cade Klubnik's touchdown drive in mop-up time.  It's almost a miracle it took that long for Cade to get in the game, as the offense looked terrible in their first four drives, managing only one first down before that drive was ended by a Uiagalelei fumble. Fortunately Clemson's special teams may have provided the situations needed for the offense to gain any traction. Twice they blocked punts to allow the offense to start in the red zone, and they cashed both of those in for touchdowns.

While the game ultimately looked like a blow out, it would be a disservice to the fight Georgia Tech displayed for over three quarters. It wasn't until Georgia Tech failed to convert on fourth down from their own 42 with 10:59 remaining that the game totally swung in Clemson's favor. They would add on 17 points in that final stretch to turn a tight game into a blowout. While the Tigers' offense struggled again, the defense proved to be as good as advertised. Jeff Sims was admirable, but everything they did was a grind, for example they had a ten play drive in the first half that ended up only gaining five yards.

Cade Klubnik's only drive of the game, against mostly backups, spanned 66 yards, ending with his first career touchdown pass to Will Taylor. A largely pro-Clemson crowd in Atlanta was still mostly on-hand to witness it, and you could feel the energy through the tv when he took over.  There was a buzz that seemed to carry through the whole team that wasn't present when DJ was in the game. Dabo knows this is a delicate balancing act, but its hard to imagine Cade not receiving a lot of snaps during the Furman game regardless of how DJ plays. If the clock wasn't ticking before, it sure feels like it is now. DJ will really need to up his game going forward, or its going to be hard for Dabo to keep Cade off the field as pressure mounts.

Week 2 Previews

Friday, September 9, 7:30 PM, ESPN2

(1-0) UCF vs (0-1) Louisville

Louisville suddenly finds themselves backed into a corner after only one game. They were favored to win at Syracuse, only to lose by 24, and now head on the road again to face a tough UCF. While its unlikely the Knights defense will be as challenging, they are at least as talented as that Syracuse team, and "The Bounce House" will be eager to see the wounded Cardinals. Gus Malzahn's first season wasn't perfect, but he did manage to take Louisville to the wire early in 2021, and you can bet he's looking to close it out this time at home.

Defensively, Louisville looked like they were caught off guard Saturday night, and perhaps rightfully so. Outside of focusing on the run, Syracuse's scheme under Anae was a major question. After allowing scores on their first three drives though, they found their footing with four straight scoreless possessions. It wasn't until Louisville's offense turned it over twice and gave Syracuse starting field position in the red zone both times that Syracuse added on their insurance touchdowns. UCF is a more known commodity, and will look to do exactly what the Orange did on Saturday.  John Rhys Plumlee is a good dual threat quarterback who fits Malzahn's scheme like a glove. While the Cardinals defense seemed to adjust to the Orange as the game wore on, they will need to be ready from the onset against the Knights. They need to try and prevent a similar situation from unfolding, where the offense has to dig itself out of an early deficit.

Suddenly the road ahead looks a lot more daunting if the offense can't sort itself out, which would raise a lot of questions about Scott Satterfield's place in a program and fan base that is willing to invest for success. This team will go as far as Malik Cunningham can carry them, but maybe that won't be very far if they can't find him any support. Satterfield needs to find answers, and quick, or things could potentially spiral out of control.

Saturday, September 10, 12:00 PM, ACCN

(1-0) Miami vs (0-1) Southern Miss

Toughness has long been a question for the Hurricanes during what their near perpetual rebuild. Southern Miss is going to test that, and will do so primarily through Frank Gore Jr. The son of Miami legend, Frank Gore, leads an offense that runs like a the service academy, despite not running the option. They are going to run it, run it, and run it some more, forcing Miami to stack the box and make tackles. Gore Jr has proven to be a bellcow for the Eagles, and conceded late in 2021 that their best chance as an offense was to just turn it into a Wildcat offense. In last weeks loss to Liberty, they threw for 137 yards on 13 attempts, with 3 interceptions. So while they will try and find an explosive pass every now and then, this game hinges on Miami's run defense.

Saturday, September 10, 12:00 PM, SECN

(2-0) Vanderbilt vs (1-0) Wake Forest

Sam Hartman is back, roughly a month after announcing he would be out indefinitely due to a non football related medical issue - and the timing couldn't be better as the Deacs head to Nashville. Vanderbilt figures to be little more than an afterthought in the grand scheme of the SEC, but they are 2-0, and have looked dangerous on offense. While the Wake defense won't be mistaken for the '85 Bears, they will certainly pose a larger threat than Hawaii or Elon did.

While Mitch Grifis handled the offense with no problem against VMI, there's no question that Hartman should take over, regardless of how much he's been able to practice. This is a tougher game than it appeared a month ago, and Wake can't afford to take it for granted. There will certainly be some rust to shake off, but once Wake gets into a flow, will the Commdores be able to disrupt them? Typically doing so has required a stout pass rush that can collapse the pocket on their own with little blitz help. Vanderbilt, thus far, has struggled to do just that, and will have to answer the call to give them a chance at the upset.

Mike Wright, Vandy's starting quarterback, is a dual threat quarterback who is a serious running threat. Wake has struggled to defend this in the past, and it will be interesting to see if Brad Lambert can provide an answer to deal with Wright. He has been their offense through two games, and stopping him will be the key to winning, as he shouldn't have enough help to keep up in what is expected to be a shootout. Wake was still favored before Hartman even announced his return, and that line only increased by a touchdown or more in some places in the time since. The Demon Deacons should win, but if they aren't careful, or Sam Hartman isn't as sharp as expected, the Commdores do have enough to keep this one interesting.

Saturday, September 10, 12:00 PM, FS1

(1-0) Northwestern vs (1-0) Duke

After a season opener where the Blue Devils looked better than expected, they look to showcase just how much they've improved with a road trip to Evanston. Northwestern is an overwhelming favorite after defeating Nebraska in Week 0. The Cornhuskers offered them a life vest when it felt like hope was slipping away, and they took full advantage of the offer - something Pat Fitzgerald teams specialize in.

That isn't to say Northwestern was lucky to win, they looked much improved on both sides of the ball after a disappointing 2021, but it does say something about their style of play - they aren't going to jump out and beat you. Ryan Hilinksi was one of the worst quarterbacks in the Power 5 last year, but he went for over 300 yards passing with two touchdowns and no turnovers in that opener. On the other side of the ball, their defense forced three turnovers and and didn't allow a score on the final six drives of the game.

Duke was impressive against Temple, but its going to take a little more than that for them to start getting respect to the extent you can forget about the past three seasons. In time its likely Mike Elko sees Northwestern as what he wants his own program to become, and what better way to start that journey by beating them. This will be a game won by the team that makes the fewest mistakes. While cliche, this is is about as old-school a game as you can expect to see between power conference opponents in 2022.

Saturday, September 10, 12:00 PM, ESPNU

(0-1) Georgia State vs (2-0) North Carolina

If it weren't for Special Teams Georgia State may have upset South Carolina last weekend, something that should capture the minds of every Tar Heel. For a second consecutive week they head on the road to take on a tough G5 opponent, and aim to come out with their perfect record still in tact.

Georgia State gave the Gamecocks fits defensively, but will that translate against a North Carolina  offense that is scorching hot in its first two games. Drake Maye has done almost nothing wrong in his first two starts, and if he's able to keep it going, the Tar Heels should come out victorious.

While the Panthers' defense was enough to keep them in the game last week, their offense didn't fare as well, something that will have to be rectified if they hope to spring the upset on UNC. Carolina's defense is full of question marks, but its hard to imagine Georgia State will be able to rush themselves to a victory. Quarterback Darren Grainger was only 7 of 29 against the Gamecocks for 111 yards, hardly the explosive numbers he'll need if he wants to replicate what Chase Brice did last week in Boone. If North Carolina wants to turn this into a special season, the defense is going to have to shape up, and this is their last warm up before playing Notre Dame.

Saturday, September 10, 12:30 PM, ESPN3/Bally

(1-0) NC State vs (0-1) Charleston Southern

After a narrow escape last week, the Wolfpack look to fend off another seafaring opponent in the Buccaneers of Charleston Southern. After losing their road opener last year to Mississippi State, a performance that strongly mirrors last week's win at East Carolina, NC State returned home to jump all over Furman. They righted the wrongs of the previous week, and put their foot on the throat of the opponent early, coasting to a 38-0 halftime lead, ultimately winning 45-7. Expect something similar this week, as the offense will not sputter for a second consecutive game. With Texas Tech on the horizon, the goal will be to put together a strong first half before allowing the starters to rest, and allowing the backup units to get some precious work.

Saturday, September 10, 3:30 PM, ACCN

(1-0) Clemson vs (1-0) Furman

DJ Uiagalelei will continue to be the question for Clemson until he isn't, by either silencing the doubters, or ultimately giving way to Cade Klubnik. Either way, Cade will see a lot of playing time as the game should never be in doubt much beyond the first quarter. That isn't to say there aren't other issues the Tigers need to address from their opening night win. Their right tackle was beaten early and often, the wide receivers need to continue to grow, and the running game as a whole failed to gain much traction. A lot of players will see action, but all eyes will be on the quarterbacks as the Tigers' back to back games against Wake Forest and NC State draw closer.

Saturday, September 10, 3:30 PM, ABC

(1-0) Pittsburgh vs (1-0) Tennessee

A year ago in the Johnny Majors Classic, Pitt won a shootout in Neyland Stadium on the strength of Kenny Pickett's arm. That game saw the Volunteers begin to turnover the offense to Hendon Hooker, and they've been a different team since. He has flourished in Josh Heupel's up-tempo offense, and will be an exciting test for a Pittsburgh defense that, while incredibly talented, wasn't as sharp as they had hoped in their opening week victory.

Will Pittsburgh be able to get their ground game on track? If it is going to be the face of the offense moving forward, they're going to have to play better. The offensive line struggled against the Mountaineer defensive front, and they were never able to consistently run as they had hoped. That will surely be a point of emphasis for improvement, but Kedon Slovis showed he can throw the ball if needed.

Whether Pittsburgh's defense can hold up against the onslaught of Tennessee's offense is likely going to be where this game is decided. The Panthers are going to do all they can to eat clock while on offense to limit possessions, and buy their defense time to rest, but will it be enough? This will be one of the best games of  Week 2, and a big test for the Panthers, who look to continue to build off of 2021.

Saturday, September 10, 4:00 PM, ESPNU

(1-1) Illinois vs (1-0) Virginia

Don't be deceived by Illinois 1-1 record, they narrowly lost last week to Indiana, and Wyoming was fortunate to only lose by 32. This isn't the same Fighting Illini the Cavaliers beat handily in Charlottesville a year ago. This will be the first true test for Tony Elliott and could serve as a launching point for his program.

Illinois is now helmed by former Syracuse quarterback, Tommy DeVito. His time with the Orange seemed to be cursed, but he has been solid through two games this year, in a new system. Chase Brown is one of the best running back's in the country who you probably haven't seen. If Virginia's defense has improved, this would be a good time to prove it.

Brennan Armstrong and company were able to move the ball against Richmond, but they wren't quite as explosive as they were a year ago. Illinois has made leaps and bounds defensively dating back tot he second half of last year, and they're going to provide a nice challenge for an offense who is still trying to figure out what it is.

Saturday, September 10, 7:00 PM, CBSSN

(1-1) UCONN vs (1-0) Syracuse

Was Syracuse's beatdown of Louisville a mirage, or a sign of what's to come? Beating UCONN would hardly validate the Orange, but a loss would certainly indicate they haven't grown as much as they showed in their opener. Not that losing at UCONN would be embarrassing, as Jim Mora Jr clearly has the Huskies on the upswing. Even with their backup quarterback, they hung tough against Utah State, before dismantling Central Connecticut State last week.

Its wise to never take what happens in Week 1 as gospel for how teams will perform every week. What Syracuse did to Louisville was jarring from a national perspective. An offense that had looked moribund for the past three seasons finally had something it could punch back with. While Shrader and Tucker showed last season they could be a very good running duo, the passing attack failed them. Robert Anae may have found a salve for that though, as Shrader looked comfortable with what he was asked to do through the air, showcasing something akin to what made him a four star recruit in high school.

If Syracuse can keep Louisville's rushing attack in check, it seems safe to assume they have a good chance at stopping the Huskies. UCONN has struggled to throw with their starter out, and the offense has relied on its running game led by Nathan Carter. If the Orange can continue to clamp down on the run, it should be enough to keep the Huskies from scoring too much, and allow their own offense to operate at their preferred pace.

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Saturday, September 10, 7:00 PM, ESPN+/ACCNX

(0-1) Georgia Tech vs (1-0) Western Carolina

Geoff Collins heads into this matchup against his alma mater in need of a big win. Last week's loss against Clemson was closer than the score indicated, but his coaching decisions and strategy were heavily scrutinized. Teams have typically faired poorly after playing the Tigers, and this was on a short week. Western Carolina may be frisky by FCS standards, but the Yellow Jackets should have enough fire power pull out the victory. It doesn't have to be pretty, but it needs to be a win, as Tech's schedule only heats up afterward, and this is their best chance to grab some momentum.

Saturday, September 10, 8:00 PM, ACCN

(0-1) Virginia Tech vs (0-1) Boston College

The ACC's two most disappointing teams from Week 1 meet in Lane Stadium to see who can avoid becoming 0-2. Both teams made too many mistakes against inferior opponents and lost as a result. In such a situation, the game location could play a huge factor, as the Tech crowd should be pumped up for their first home opener under Brent Pry, regardless of how last week went.

Virginia Tech was undisciplined at Old Dominion, and need to find a way to fix that. Five turnovers and 15 penalties are almost always going to cost you, and a repeat will surely see another loss. This reclamation project has a long way to go, and they need to try and play within themselves and let the crowd and environment do some of the heavy lifting. Even with all of those mistakes in Week 1, the defense almost did enough to save the day. They will be fired up for a game under the lights, and should be seeing red in an offensively challenged BC.

Until proven otherwise, Phil Jurkovic and Zay Flowers are going to have to try and drag the Eagles to victory. Their offensive line was often manhandled by Rutgers, to the point where they had to totally rely on the passing game. While Jurkovec is capable of airing it out, there aren't enough weapons to sustain that system for an entire game. They have to figure out their line situation, so they can allow Pat Garwo III to chip in with some runs. Until then, there may be a lot more games like their opener. These schools are like mirror images right now, who will be able to hurt themselves the least, and whose offense will improve more?