The Panthers got an extra week to stew over their missed opportunity at Notre Dame. Hopefully, they put the time to good use. Next week they host Duke in what is going to be a really important ACC contest for both sides. Look for Pittsburgh to try to dominate the Blue Devils on the ground and force Daniel Jones into mistakes. They’ll study tape of Virginia’s win at Duke Saturday in great detail.
Georgia Tech needed a bye to get healthy ahead of a massive trip to Virginia Tech on Thursday night. If Paul Johnson’s team has any chance to pull off the upset they’ll need to run the football early and often. They’ll also need to avoid putting the ball on the ground. The Yellow Jackets will need to play a perfect game to leave Lane Stadium with a victory.
The Cavaliers made a pretty interesting decision against Duke that really caused David Cutcliffe’s offense fits. They clearly made a choice to make Daniel Jones beat them through the air. Limiting Duke to just 58 yards rushing was crucial for Virginia in their big win. On the offensive side of the ball, it was business as usual. Bryce Perkins continued to shoulder a heavy load and he did just enough to get his team a win. This wasn’t a work of art, but it was a big win for the Virginia program.
The ‘Noles didn’t look good early against Wake, but they ended up winning this game comfortably. That represents solid progress for Willie Taggart and his coaching staff. The most important takeaway from Florida State is just how good Deondre Francois can be when he’s protected. He lit the Deacons’ secondary up for 353 yards and two touchdowns. He looked like an NFL quarterback in this game. It’s amazing what a little bit of protection can do.