ACC Football: Three Impact Coastal Division games in week 4
Which ACC Football Coastal Division games are the biggest of the week?
As teams start to play more and more conference games, the matchups each week just keep getting better.
This Saturday the field maintains course with four top 25 games in week four. All four of those games are intra-conference and three of them take place in the SEC. In case there was any doubt the SEC is still far from dead as eight of their 14 teams rank in the AP top 25.
The other game is a Big Ten matchup between #8 Michigan State and #11 Wisconsin. Both teams are undefeated and a win for either would be huge toward making the playoffs.
Wisconsin has already knocked off a top ten this season, so the Spartans should watch out.
Also, this is the first week that no top 25 teams play FCS opponents.
Additionally, 11 of the top 25 teams play true road games this week. This includes two non-conference games as #6 Houston plays at Texas State and #13 Florida State plays at USF.
So with all that out of the way and new rankings available, let’s delve into another round of Coastal Impact games. This week starts with two teams picked by many to win the division.
Pittsburgh at North Carolina (Saturday Sept 24th @ 3:30 pm)
This is the first Coastal game of the season for both teams in 2016.
Last season this game decided the Coastal as UNC and Pitt finished 1 and 2 respectively. Pitt lost at home last season, can they return the favor? Can the Heels make their home win streak nine in a row?
Things going for the Panthers: James Connor. The running back has rushed for 281 yards and three touchdowns this season. He also has nine receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Carolina’s defense ranks 106th nationally against the run.
The Heels this season have allowed over 226 yards per game and seven touchdowns on the ground. James Madison, an FCS school, was able to rush for 209 yards and three scores against a less than vaunted Heels defense.
Things going for the Tar Heels: Mitch Trubisky. Since his opening performance against Georgia, Trubisky has been unstoppable.
He has 43 completions against just eight incompletions. During that stretch he has thrown for 697 yards and five touchdowns.
The five touchdowns have gone to four different receivers and his 43 receptions have gone to 10 different receivers.
That keeps defenses on their toes. Pitt’s passing defense ranks 124th out of 128 FBS teams. That’s something the UNC offense can exploit right away.
In their last game against Oklahoma State, the Panthers allowed 540 yards and two scores.
Each team’s defensive weakness is the other’s offensive strength. This game could be a shootout.
Since joining the ACC, Pitt is 0-3 against the Heels with all three games have been decided by a touchdown or less.
If Carolina can slow down the run, they should be able to make it four in a row. If they can’t it is possible that the Panthers walk out with the inside track to a Coastal crown.
Related Story: Gene Chizik has message for UNC defense
Clemson at Georgia Tech (Thursday Sept 22nd @ 7:30 pm)
Both teams are undefeated. Both teams are looking to legitimize their seasons. Can either team take advantage of the short week and strengthen their resume for the playoffs?
Things going for the Yellow Jackets: The running game. Georgia Tech has rushed for 772 yards so far this season. That is good for 18th in the nation. They have also rushed for 10 touchdowns on the ground. Clemson run defense has been pretty stout against the run but has been helped by their dominating win over South Carolina State.
Things going against the Yellow Jackets: The passing game. While the Jackets have been unstoppable on the ground, they have not been so good through the air. The Georgia Tech passing game ranks 114th out of 128 total FBS teams. The Clemson passing defense has been good as well, allowing only 158 yards through the air.
Is Georgia Tech for real? I mentioned in my power rankings that they haven’t beaten anyone thus far.
However, they are also the only Coastal team with two wins against Power Five schools. Is Clemson the team that walloped South Carolina State? Or are they the team that struggled in wins against Auburn and Troy?
The answers to these questions will go a long way in deciding who wins this game. Just remember last year Florida State walked into Atlanta undefeated and walked out with a loss.
Could this be déjà vu for the Tigers?
East Carolina at Virginia Tech (Saturday Sept 24th @ 12:30 pm)
East Carolina and Virginia Tech are 2-1. Both schools have wins against FCS opponents. Both schools have wins against ACC Atlantic teams at home. Which one can get the big win this week?
Things going for the Hokies: Jerod Evans. The Junior quarterback has 800 total yards on the season and 10 touchdowns. In the Hokies two wins, he has passed for nine of the ten scores. East Carolina is susceptible to the pass. Their defense 70th against the pass for 218 passing yards per game.
The Hokies passing defense also ranks number one in the country. They have allowed only 241 total passing yards this season. That’s a little over 80 yards per game. This is good as ECU’s strength is passing, ranking seventh in the nation.
Things going against the Hokies: Travon McMillian. The sophomore running back has not had a good season so far this year. He does have over 200 yards rushing and two scores.
He also is averaging over five yards a carry. However, that number is buoyed by one big run against Tennessee.
Without that run, he is only averaging 3.5 yards per carry. He has also twice this season failed to eclipse 40 rushing yards in a game.
East Carolina is 6-0 in their last six contests against ACC opponents. Virginia Tech is 0-2 in their last two contests with ECU.
That includes a home loss to the Pirates in 2014 when the Hokies were a ranked squad. If the defense that showed up last week wasn’t a fluke, the Hokies should win. However, if they can’t hold onto the ball, the Pirates are easily good enough to make it seven in a row against the ACC.
One to keep an eye on: Central Michigan at Virginia (Saturday Sept 17th @ 3:30 pm)
Virginia is 0-3 and in desperate need of a win at home. Central Michigan is 3-0 and looking to add a second road power five scalp to their resume. If the Cavaliers win, they likely keep from going 0-12 in their first season under Bronco Mendenhall.
If the Chippewas win they keep alive their claim to best non-power five school.
The only other Coastal game sees Duke trying to avoid a three-game losing streak at Notre Dame. Miami is on bye and that wraps everything up. So get off work, put the kids to bed and watch some football tonight.
The season is heating up and things are only going to get better.