ACC Power Rankings 2016: Lamar Jackson show continues at Louisville
By Jason Parker
It’s tough to not punish a team for a loss, but in the case of the Panthers, there is going to be a pass for their one-point defeat at the hands of Coastal Division foe North Carolina. It’s not excusable, but it wasn’t the end of the world since it was Pitt’s first conference loss.
One positive thing was getting a big day our of running back Quadree Henderson, who ran for over 100 yards on just nine carries. Having that option opens up the run game and doesn’t put all the pressure on James Conner.
If you had said at the start of the season that the Demon Deacons – everyone’s homecoming opponent of late – would be one of the undefeated teams left in the Atlantic Division, you would have been called crazy.
Indeed, Wake Forest hasn’t played anyone that will be battling for a national title, but the Deacs have done their job so far in 2016 – including a win over Big Ten member Indiana this past weekend. It will all go away in the coming weeks, but bowl season has become a valid option.
It was a close, last-second win over the Panthers this past weekend, but North Carolina went out and did what they had to: get a Coastal Division win in a season where that division is going to be a crap shoot for who wants to win it.
The bright spot has to be the play of quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who went for over 450 yards and five scores in the game. The bad news? The team rushed for a total for 18 yards the whole day. That can not happen if the Tar Heels expect to get back to the ACC title game.