Although there were a couple of disappointing losses in non-conference play, week 2 was a very positive one for the ACC. Here is a list of 5 things we learned about the conference in week 2.
5. Pittsburgh’s ground game is solid
Heading into the season, it looked like this would be the case. Yet, after the run game sputtered a bit against Villanova, some people were concerned about the Pittsburgh running game.
No one – except for opposing coordinators – is worried about the Panther ground attack now. Pittsburgh’s offensive line turned in a brilliant performance against the Penn State front seven, opening huge holes that allowed the running backs to gain 341 yards on 56 carries.
What stands out the most about this stellar showing is that it wasn’t just the James Conner show. Sure, Conner ran for 114 yards, but offensive coordinator Matt Canada did a great job of mixing things up, using quarterbacks, receivers, and fullbacks in the ground game to keep the Nittany Lion defense off guard.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Panthers fare this week against the Oklahoma State defense, which ranks 19th nationally against the run, allowing just 2.14 yards per carry.
4. Wake Forest’s defense is pretty good
After holding Tulane to just three points to preserve a win in week one, the Demon Deacon D turned in another solid performance in week two, leading the team to a 2-0 record.
Don’t let the total yardage numbers fool you: this was an excellent outing by the Wake defense. The Deacon front seven controlled the line of scrimmage for most of the game, limiting Duke to just 37 yards on 30 carries. It also played extremely well in crucial spots, holding the Devils to just 5 of 16 on third down conversions.
Simply put: this is one of the most underrated defenses in the conference. Sure, it might give up a few yards, but Wake Forest’s defense will make the plays when needed. Through two games, the Demon Deacons rank fifth in nationally in red zone defense, preventing opponents from scoring points 60% of the time.
With numbers like that, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in a bowl game this season.
3. But, Miami’s is better
As well as Wake defense has played, Miami’s has done even better. The Hurricane defense consistently made plays in the Florida Atlantic backfield, recording 13 tackles for loss and 7 sacks. It also held the Owl ground game to just 47 yards on 34 carries, with 38 of those yards coming on a touchdown run by Greg Howell in the third quarter.
Not bad for a unit that starts three freshmen at linebacker and lost a few of its top players in the offseason.
While it’s tough to know exactly how good this year’s defense will be, it’s very clear after week two’s performance that the Hurricane defense is already better than it was last year.
2. The Hokies MUST avoid turnovers if they’re going to challenge for the ACC Coastal Crown
Virginia Tech needs to do a better job of holding onto the football.
I’m sure you’re immediate thought when reading that sentence is, “Thank you, Captain Obvious. Who would you say is buried in Grant’s Tomb?”
All kidding aside, turnovers are killing the Hokies this season. It’s easy to dismiss Tech’s four fumbles against Liberty as opening day jitters. However, after fumbling five times against Tennessee on Saturday, it’s officially become a problem. It’s tough win games when you turn the ball over in your own territory and give the other team excellent field position. Even a defense as a good as Virginia Tech’s – which ranks 19th nationally in yards per game – is going to give up points when that happens.
Look for Tech to work on this in practice all week long. I’ll be absolutely shocked if the Hokies put the ball on the ground against Boston College on Saturday.
1. Lamar Jackson is REALLY tough to defend
Make no mistake about it: everyone already knew Jackson was a great player heading into the year. After all, he finished second in the league in plays longer than 10 yards last season, and completed 38 of 63 passes for 490 yards and four touchdowns versus ranked opponents in 2015.
However, he proved on Friday night that he’s an absolute nightmare to defend. Playing against a solid Syracuse defense, Jackson threw for 411 yards, averaging over 10.5 yards per attempt. He was equally dangerous as a runner, rushing 21 times for 199 yards and four touchdowns.
In all, Jackson racked up 610 yards of total offense with an average of 10.17 yards per play. He also accounted for five touchdowns, which gives him 13 after just two games (and remember, he sat out the second half against Charlotte). That’s more than 113 teams have scored this season.
Of course, what makes Jackson such a special player is his ability to turn a routine play into a big gain. Just ask the Syracuse defender in the clip above, who thought he had Jackson stopped before he hurdled him and headed to the end zone.
Make sure that your schedule is clear this Saturday at noon to watch Florida State – Louisville. The quarterback duel between Jackson and Deondre Francois will be one of the best you’ll see all season.
