Week 8 ACC Picks: FSU-Notre Dame and More

The Week 8 ACC picks feature Florida State and Notre Dame, a game head and shoulders above the rest.

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Not to say that there are not other watchable ACC games in the stack this week, but some are meh, some are important, and that one is OMG.

Every week, we select the Atlantic Coast Conference games both straight-up and against the spread. Who will take these ACC-themed games?

Week 8 ACC Picks: Virginia Tech (-1.5) at Pittsburgh

Thursday, 7:30pm ET (ESPN)

This is an important game for both teams, as one win or loss could be the difference for them in the wild ACC Coastal. For Pittsburgh, some added urgency as they have lost three in a row.

Bud Foster’s run defense will stop James Conner and the Panthers just long enough to get the Hokies on track. Virginia Tech | VT -1.5

Week 8 ACC Picks: Syracuse (-4.5) at Wake Forest

Saturday, 12pm ET (ESPN3)

Here’s an unfortunate matchup between two ACC bottom-feeders. It should tell you something that Wake is an underdog at home against the second-worst team in the conference.

There is not much to like about either team right now, but at least Syracuse has shown slight football competency in recent times. The Demon Deacons were barely average offensively against Gardner-Webb and Army. Wake might well be headed to 2-10. Syracuse | Syracuse -4.5

Week 8 ACC Picks: Virginia at Duke (-2.5)

Saturday, 12:30pm ET (ESPN3)

First place in the ACC Coastal rests on this one. Give the Cavaliers and Mike London a great deal of credit for having a bounce-back season that few expected. That said, are they going to go into Duke and win?

Probably not, as the Blue Devils are a battle-tested team, and Virginia might not be ready for the big time just yet. Duke | Duke -2.5

Week 8 ACC Picks: Clemson (-7) at Boston College

Saturday, 3:30pm ET (ESPNU)

You’re going to get this pick tomorrow and you’re going to like it.

Week 8 ACC Picks: NC State at Louisville (-17)

Saturday, 3:30pm ET (ESPN3)

NC State has to prevent a four-game losing streak by going to Louisville and beating the Cardinals. The same Cardinals team that came one yard from beating Clemson at Death Valley last week, and was ranked at some point this season.

This is more a question of point spread than anything else. NC State seems like it is about to unravel and their offense does not look like right now like it can stand up to the Cardinals. Louisville | Louisville -17

Week 8 ACC Picks: Georgia Tech (-2.5) at North Carolina

Saturday, 7pm ET (ESPNU)

North Carolina acquitted itself decently against Notre Dame last week, when few expected that they would, while Georgia Tech had a chance to really stake a claim in the ACC Coastal but could not do it.

Tech’s triple option will probably cut the Tar Heels apart in what should be a high-scoring game. Georgia Tech | GT -2.5

Week 8 ACC Picks: Notre Dame at Florida State (-12)

Saturday, 8pm ET (ABC)

We go from a slate of okay-at-best ACC games to this one, a marquee matchup with major national implications.

A possible trip to the College Football Playoff is on the line here already in Week 8, and it might have a bit of the feel of the 1993 “Game of the Century,” despite the fact that this is not the second-to-last game of the season and the teams are not first and second. Finally, Boston College is not going to be available this year to ruin Notre Dame’s season.

Notre Dame could absolutely win, but do you think you’re going to come to a Boston College website to see us pick them? In a bit of good news for ND, that spread is way too big and this does not look or feel in any way like a Seminoles blowout win. Florida State | ND +12