Around the ACC: Week 2

The ACC disappointed in college football's opening week.

While Florida State welcomes Jacksonville State to Doak Campbell Stadium Saturday evening, there are a slew of other ACC games for Seminole fans to keep an eye out for during the day.

Here is the rest of the schedule and a quick game preview.

Atlantic:

Wake Forest (1-0) vs. Norfolk State (0-1) - Saturday, Noon

Wake Forest hopes to extend its win streak to two after last week’s 42-10 win over Old Dominion. Defensive lineman Jasheen Davis finished with nine tackles and 1.5 sacks during the victory, and could be a difference-maker on that side of the ball.

Norfolk State fell to Toledo 49-10 last Saturday. They will have their hands full with quarterback Sam Hartman leading the Demon Deacons offense.

Syracuse (1-0) vs. Rutgers (1-0) - Saturday, 2 p.m.

Sean Tucker rushed for 181 yards on 25 attempts and one touchdown. Rutgers is a step up in competition, so it will be interesting to see how the Orange look against another Power Five program.

The Scarlet Knights poured 61 points on Temple last Saturday but will face a tougher challenge in a steady Orange defense. Similar to Syracuse, Rutgers placed an emphasis on rushing in seek 1. If they can sustain that Saturday, they could be 2-0.

Boston College (1-0) @ UMass (0-1) - Saturday, 3:30 p.m

The Eagles' offense looked as advertised in their 51-0 win against Colgate. Junior quarterback Phil Jurkovec threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns, with the majority going to junior wide receiver Zay Flowers (seven receptions, 135 yards and one touchdown) That tandem should keep putting up gaudy numbers through non-conference play.

UMass stays in the ACC after falling to Pittsburgh 51-7 opening Saturday. Sophomore Kay’Ron Adams managed just 2.9 yards per carry in the loss.

Clemson (0-1) vs. South Carolina State (0-1) - Saturday, 5 p.m.

After a dominating performance from Georgia’s defense, Clemson will have an easier opponent Saturday in Death Valley. DJ Uiagalelei should get in a groove early and put the skepticism around the Tigers’ offense to bed by halftime.

South Carolina State will struggle against a talented Tigers defense, who, in their own right, held the Georgia offense to zero touchdowns.

NC State (1-0) @ Mississippi State (1-0) - Saturday, 7 p.m

The Wolfpack face their first real challenge of the season after their 45-0 victory over South Florida. Running backs Zonovan Knight and Ricky Person combined for 268 yards, and could play a crucial role against a relatively weak Bulldogs run defense.

After narrowly escaping Louisiana Tech (35-34), Mike Leach has a little bit of pressure with NC State coming to town. The Bulldogs air raid offense will rely heavily on quarterback Will Rogers, who threw 370 yards and three touchdowns last week.

Louisville vs. Eastern Kentucky (1-0) - Saturday, 7 p.m.

Eastern Kentucky narrowly escaped Western Carolina (31-28) in its season opener. They will have an uphill climb going into Cardinal Stadium and pulling off the upset.

Coastal:

North Carolina (0-1) vs Georgia State (0-1) - Friday, 7:30 p.m

Head coach Mack Brown will attempt to get the Tar Heels back on the right track after falling to Virginia Tech. This game should not be much of a contest, but it's definitely a matchup to keep an eye on if North Carolina fails to establish its presence early and lets Georgia State hang around.

Virginia (1-0) vs. Illinois (1-1) - Saturday, 11 a.m.

The Cavaliers looked solid in their 43-0 win against William & Mary, but things will begin to ramp up with the Illini coming to town. Junior quarterback Brennan Armstrong threw for 339 yards and two touchdowns a week ago, while junior linebacker Nick Jackson recorded 12 tackles to lead the defense.

Illinois enters Week 2 with an additional game under its belt, but not the record they were hoping for. UTSA pulled off a 37-30 win in Champaign last weekend, and the Illini defense struggled mightily. The Cavaliers rushing attack should be worrisome for an Illinois defense who allowed 217 yards last week.

Pittsburgh (1-0) @ Tennessee (1-0) - Saturday, Noon

As mentioned earlier, the Panthers had no trouble in their 51-7 win over UMass. Quarterback Kenny Pickett looked solid (272 passing yards, two touchdowns), but will face a tougher challenge in Knoxville. The defense will have to be prepared for a heavy dose of runs from the Volunteers offense.

Despite a slow start, Tennessee rolled over Bowling Green 38-6. Joe Milton showed flashes on the ground (14 rushes, 44 yards, two touchdowns), but his passing ability remains a question. Their secondary could be an issue against a Panthers offense that’s not afraid to take deep shots The Vols should benefit from a great atmosphere, but that doesn’t guarantee their issues on the field magically go away.

Georgia Tech (0-1) vs Kennesaw State (1-0) - Saturday, Noon

Northern Illinois pulled off one of the best week 1 upsets in its 22-21 victory over the Yellow Jackets. Sophomore quarterback Jeff Sims left the game with an injury, and will likely be unavailable for an extended period of time. Freshman quarterback Jordan Yates will likely fill in.

Kennesaw State defeated Reinhardt 35-25 in its season opener. They will have their hands full with a motivated Georgia Tech team, led by sophomore running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

Virginia Tech (1-0) vs. Middle Tennessee (1-0) - Saturday, 2 p.m.

After Friday night’s upset of North Carolina, head coach Justin Fuente and the Hokies are riding high. Don’t expect that to stop Saturday when they host Middle Tennessee.

The Blue Raiders have a small opportunity to walk out of Blacksburg with a win. Former Florida State and NC State quarterback Bailey Hockman finished 17-22 for 215 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s 50-15 victory against Monmouth.

Duke (0-1) vs. North Carolina A&T (0-1) - Friday, 8 p.m.

Duke was shocked last week in a 31-28 loss to Charlotte. Senior tailback Mataeo Durant (29 rushes, 255 yards, three touchdowns) was a lone bright spot for the offense in the loss. The Blue Devils should bounce back this week in the comfort of their own stadium against a relatively easy opponent.

For the Aggies, there isn’t much of a chance to pull off the upset. Duke should be extra prepared under head coach David Cutcliffe after an embarrassing Week 1 loss.

Miami (0-1) vs. Appalachian State (1-0) - Saturday, 8 p.m.

The Crimson Tide demolished the Hurricanes 44-13 in front of a national audience Saturday afternoon. Quarterback D’Eriq King registered just 179 yards through the air, but should produce more explosive plays against a lesser defense this week. Unfortunately for Miami, the opponent is not a walk in the park.

Appalachian State won last Thursday against East Carolina (33-19). The Mountaineers have the talent to hang with the Hurricanes, so do not be surprised if this game is still up for grabs into the second half.