Here’s your overview of scores with commentary for this week’s ACC football action...

Saturday, Oct. 17th, 2020

Early Games

#1 Clemson Tigers 73 at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 7

Clemson got in the end zone first, but GT roared back to tie the score... then the Tigers scored another touchdown, a field goal, and eight more unanswered touchdowns. Yet three AP voters don’t think Clemson is the best team in the country?

Next up for Clemson: Syracuse

Next up for Georgia Tech: at BC

__________

Pittsburgh Panthers 19 at #13 Miami Hurricanes 31

Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett missed the game with an ankle injury, and just like that the Panthers offense was all but done (the defense returned an interception to the Miami one yard line to set up an easy score - otherwise it might have been 31-12 or worse).

Next up for Pitt: Notre Dame

Next up for Miami: Virginia

__________

Liberty Flames 38 at Syracuse Orange 21

What can I say? This year the Orange are not that good. The jury’s still out on Liberty.

Next up for Syracuse: at Clemson

__________

Mid-Afternoon Games

Louisville Cardinals 7 at #4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 12

I’m not sure what got into the Louisville defense, but whatever it was they better bottle it up and start selling it! In their previous games this season, the Cardinals had given up 21 (to Western Kentucky), 47 (Miami), 23 (Pitt), and 46 (Georgia Tech) - yet they held the Fighting Irish to just 12 points! Too bad for Louisville that their offense, which had been lighting up opponents to the tune of 29.0 points per game (35, 34, 20 and 27 points) picked Saturday to put on a punting exhibition. To their credit, Notre Dame had a bad day but still found a way to win.

Next up for Louisville: FSU

Next up for Notre Dame: at Pitt

__________

Duke Blue Devils 20 at NC State Wolfpack 31

When the Blue Devils blocked a punt for the game’s first touchdown, it was obvious that Duke came prepared to play. Not to be outdone, the Wolfpack also blocked a punt for a touchdown. Statically, this was a close game, but NC State found a way to score twice as many touchdowns.

Next up for Duke: BYE

Next up for NC State: at UNC

__________

Virginia Cavaliers 23 at Wake Forest Demon Deacons 40

Virginia had more rushing yards and nearly as many total yards as Wake Forest, but the story of this game was turnovers: three for the Cavaliers, none for the Deacons.

Next up for Wake Forest: Virginia Tech

Next up for UVA: at Miami

__________

Prime Time Game

#5 North Carolina Tar Heels 28 at Florida State Seminoles 31

FSU blocked a punt, got a pick six, and played their best half of offensive football maybe this season in building a 31-7 halftime lead - then held on for dear life in the second half.

Next up for UNC: NC State

Next up for FSU: at Louisville

__________

Boston College Eagles 14 at #23 Virginia Tech Hokies 40

The Virginia Tech defense turned over BC five times while the Hokies’ offense rushed for 350 yards on 41 carries (8.5 yards per attempt).

Next up for BC: Georgia Tech

Next up for Virginia Tech: at Wake Forest

__________

For coverage of which teams helped the ACC football cause by losing, check out my post “Biggest Losers Week 7, 2020” on ACC Football Rx. It won’t make your favorite team any better, but it will make you feel better about your team, or no money back.