A chaotic season continued for teams in the ACC in Week 4 of the college football season.
North Carolina State upset Clemson while Wake Forest and Boston College remained undefeated and finally cracked the Top-25. Georgia Tech also gained momentum and knocked off North Carolina at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Each week The Clemson Insider ranks every team in the ACC 1-14 based off their performance from the previous week of competition. Here are TCI’s ACC power rankings after four weeks of the 2021 season.
- Wake Forest – The Demon Deacons dominated Virginia 37-17 this past week in Charlottesville, Va. to remain undefeated. Quarterback Sam Hartman completed 17-of-29 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns while the Wake Forest defense held strong for the victory. Wake hosts Louisville on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
- NC State – The Wolfpack stunned Clemson on Saturday for their first Textile Bowl win since 2011 with a 27-21 overtime win. NC State positioned itself well in the race for an Atlantic Division title, it hosts Louisiana Tech on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. at Carter-Finley Stadium.
- Clemson – The Tigers’ offensive woes continued in the loss at NC State, and they lost key players due to injury in the contest. Clemson hopes to rebound and move over .500 as it hosts Boston College on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.
- Boston College – The Eagles fought hard for their first win over an SEC opponent since 2001 as they outlasted Missouri 41-34 on Saturday to remain unbeaten. Boston College relied on a steady rushing attack led by Pat Garwo who rushed 25 times for 175 yards and two touchdowns.
- Virginia Tech – The Hokies bounced back after a disappointing road loss at West Virginia with a 21-10 win over Richmond on Saturday. Tre Turner went off on the Spiders with six catches for 102 yards and one touchdown. Virginia Tech has the week off before it hosts Notre Dame on October 9.
- Georgia Tech – The Yellow Jackets seized momentum it gained from a close loss at Clemson and walloped North Carolina 45-22 on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. Quarterback Jeff Simms returned and completed 10-of-13 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown while adding 10 rushes for 128 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Georgia Tech hosts Pitt on Saturday at noon.
- Pitt – The Panthers responded to adversity from their loss to Western Michigan with a 77-7 win over New Hampshire last week. Kenny Pickett looked outstanding completing 24-of-28 passes for 403 yards and five touchdowns in the win. Pitt travels to Georgia Tech on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.
- Louisville – The Cardinals continued their winning ways with a 31-23 win at Florida State behind outstanding play by Micale Cunningham. Louisville faces a stiff test at undefeated Wake Forest on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
- North Carolina – The Tar Heels looked helpless at Georgia Tech this past week in a lopsided loss. North Carolina looked like a completely different team than the group that bested Virginia one week prior. It hosts rival Duke on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. in the Tobacco Road Rivalry.
- Miami – The Hurricanes overwhelmed an inferior opponent 69-0 in a win over Central Connecticut. But Miami looked solid behind Tyler Van Dyke who completed 10-of-11 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns in the absence of D’Eriq King. They open their ACC slate with Virginia on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
- Syracuse – The Orange eked out a 24-21 win over Liberty in the Carrier Dome on Friday thanks to a last second field goal. Syracuse travels to Florida State on Saturday with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m.
- Virginia – The Cavaliers fell short again despite another solid performance by quarterback Brennan Armstrong in a 37-17 loss to Wake Forest last Friday night. Virginia’s defense struggled to slow down the Demon Deacons and the offense failed to capitalize on opportunities in the red zone. The Cavaliers travel to Miami on Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
- Duke – The Blue Devils won their third straight contest in a 52-33 win over Kansas at Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday. Duke showed marked improvement for the third straight week but needs to bring its A-game as it travels down the road to face North Carolina on Saturday.
- Florida State – The Seminoles’ woes continued as they fell to 0-4 in a 31-23 loss to Louisville. Florida State scored 10 unanswered points in the second half but failed to mount a substantial comeback. It looks for its first win on Saturday as Syracuse comes to town with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!
