Unlike some of the other leagues, the ACC football schedule has a number of exciting games in week 2. Here is a list of burning questions that what we should get an answer to this weekend.
1. Will Virginia Tech take a step forward under Justin Fuente?
Unfortunately, last weekend’s contest didn’t exactly answer that question. Sure, the Hokies beat Liberty convincingly, but they also struggled at times and actually trailed 13-10 in the second quarter. Despite the lopsided final score, you had to wonder how things would have turned out had Tech faced a tougher opponent.
It will on Saturday night. Tennessee comes into this contest with a lot to prove after nearly losing to Appalachian State to open the season. Even though the Volunteers almost lost that contest, there were plenty of positives to build off of. The UT defense was actually pretty solid against the Mountaineers, holding them to just 4.42 yards per play. And while the offense struggled at times, it finally found its groove in the second half, so much so that the App State coaching staff made it a point to make sure that the Vols wouldn’t have the opportunity to get the ball back in regulation.
In other words: Virginia Tech has a formidable challenge in front of it on Saturday night. How the Hokies fare in this contest should help determine where the they are at right now, and whether they’ll take a step forward this season.
2. Is Syracuse a contender in the Atlantic Division?
Coming into the season, I didn’t think I’d be asking this question. However, the Orange offense looked impressive in the season opener against Colgate, completing 40 of 46 passes (87%) for 437 yards with an impressive 9.5 yards per attempt. It’s tough enough to post those numbers against air, let alone a Raider defense that led its team to the FCS quarterfinals last season.
Will this improved offense be enough to help Syracuse compete for the Atlantic Division crown this fall?
We’ll find out on Friday night when the Orange host the Louisville. While everyone knows about how explosive the Lamar Jackson and the Cardinal offense is, it’s worth noting that the defense was one of most disruptive units in the conference last year, finishing third in the league in tackles and second in sacks. It also had one of the best secondaries in the country, ranking 14th nationally with 17 interceptions.
Keep an eye on this Friday night matchup… it’ll be one of the better games on the schedule this weekend.
3. Exactly how good is Daniel Jones?
Jones took over as the Blue Devils’ starting quarterback after Thomas Sirk reinjured his Achilles’ tendon in fall camp. We know that he’s a talented signal caller, because he earned the starting gig over last year’s backup, Parker Boehme. Remember, Boehme played well in limited opportunities last fall, and almost rallied Duke back from a 22-point deficit against Virginia. The fact that Jones won the job speaks volumes about how well he played in fall camp.
Can the talented freshman lead the Blue Devils to ACC Coastal Division championship?
That’s tough to say. Jones turned in a solid effort against North Carolina Central, completing 10 of 15 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing twice for 28 yards and a touchdown in limited action.
He’ll face a much stiffer test against Wake Forest this weekend. The Demon Deacon D was one of the better units in the country in the red zone last year, keeping preventing opponents from scoring touchdowns 48.48% of the time, which ranked 30th nationally. Wake’s defense picked up right where it left off last season, keeping Tulane off the scoreboard in two red zone opportunities last Thursday.
It’ll be interesting to see how Jones plays, especially once the Devils get inside the Wake 20-yard line.
4. Will North Carolina rebound from its loss against Georgia?
Let’s be honest: this is a classic scenario for a letdown game. The Tar Heels played well enough to beat the Bulldogs, and might have done so if not for a couple of questionable penalty calls that swung the momentum in Georgia’s favor. Given the heartbreaking way that everything fell apart, no one would fault UNC for being disappointed.
That begs the question: how will the team respond to this loss?
Saturday’s game should answer that question. Illinois is a much tougher team than people realize. Yes, North Carolina destroyed the Illini last year. However, Illinois upgraded its coaching staff in the offseason, hiring former Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith to lead the team. Under his guidance, the Illini will be a much tougher team to beat this season.
Simply put: the Tar Heels have to bring their “A” game to beat Illinois. Considering how UNC responded to its season opening loss against South Carolina last year, the odds are quite good that they’ll take care of business on Saturday.
