ACC Football Week 4: How We Did

Sep 20, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback

(5) who returned to the field after warming up in pads cheers on his teammates during pre game before their game against the Clemson Tigers at Doak Campbell Stadium. Winston was suspended for Saturday’s game against Clemson pending an investigation into some alleged lewd comments he made on campus. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

ACC Football Week 4: (In)Famous Jameis

Jameis Winston did not even play in Florida State’s game against Clemson, but it gets its own subheading because of how bizarre the situation was in Tallahassee on Saturday.

Despite his suspension being extended to a full game, he still showed up for warm-ups in full pads. This was Jimbo Fisher’s reaction:

Word to the wise for Mr. Winston: Don’t show up your coach. What Jameis did to get suspended was dumb and not a big deal at the end of the day, but his coach punished him and yet he showed some serious onions going out there as though nothing had happened. Good for Fisher sticking with principle even as the Seminoles played a huge game.

ACC Football Week 4: As For The Game…

Florida State 23, Clemson 17 (OT). What was a defensive-guided, turnover-happy game that featured not one but two back-up quarterbacks in prominent roles came down to overtime with the game at 17-17. On 4th & 1, if even a full yard, Clemson goes out of the shotgun and the ball carrier never makes it back to the line of scrimmage. They had to go for it, because their kicker couldn’t find the inside of the uprights if they were ten feet away and ground level. That hideous playcall doomed Clemson, who lost a few plays later.

ACC Football Week 4: Out-Of-Conference Fail

Nebraska 41, Miami 31. Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah made Miami look silly all night, rushing for 229 yards in a game that got a little chippy. Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya would have had a good night if not for a pair of interceptions, but the back-breaker for the Hurricanes was a Duke Johnson fumble late in the third, scooped and scored on by Nebraska to put the Huskers up ten.

Iowa 24, Pittsburgh 20. It is slightly satisfying to see Pitt lose after what they did to us at Alumni Stadium, but not good for the conference. The Panthers had a 17-7 lead at the half and a 20-17 lead mid-way through the fourth quarter, only to lose. James Conner had 155 more rushing yards, which seems low for him.

Maryland 34, Syracuse 20. Syracuse somehow managed to have almost 600 yards of total offense and lose by two touchdowns. A pick-six and some short fields for the Terps can help do that, but still.

ACC Football Week 4: Out-Of-Conference Fail Averted

Wake Forest 24, Army 21. The poor Black Knights have not won a road game since 2010, and they came close against the abominable Demon Deacons. Wake needed a late field goal and touchdown to take the lead for good in what was an uninteresting close game.

ACC Football Week 4: In-Conference Fail

Georgia Tech 27, Virginia Tech 24. The fail belonged to Virginia Tech, who had a 24-17 lead at home with less than three minutes to go. Following a Hokies three-and-out, Georgia Tech took the ball and went 67 yards in nine plays, capped by a Justin Thomas touchdown pass to DeAndre Smelter.

On the ensuing Virginia Tech drive with about two minutes remaining in a 24-24 contest, Michael Brewer was intercepted on the first play, with the Jackets taking over at the VT 40. Georgia Tech kicks a short field goal as the clock hits all zeros and that Ohio State game feels miles and miles away now for the Hokies.

ACC Football Week 4: Out-Of-Conference Non-Fail

NC State 42, Presbyterian 0. The Wolfpack are 4-0. We may have to re-evaluate how easy or difficult that game in Raleigh will be in a few weeks.

Duke 47, Tulane 13. Duke had two pick-sixes off of Tulane’s Tanner Lee, both of which were in the fourth quarter and deep in Green Wave territory. In fact, they were on consecutive drives. That has to be a punch in the gut. Meanwhile, Duke is on the cusp of being ranked again, if they aren’t already by Sunday afternoon.

Louisville 34, FIU 3. The Panthers have no offense whatsoever, which makes it easy for teams like Louisville (or anyone for that matter).