No. 4 Florida State at Clemson and No. 17 North Carolina at Pitt headline Week 4 in ACC
Here are things to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference in Week 4:
GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 4 Florida State (3-0, 1-0 ACC) at Clemson (2-1, 0-1).
The Seminoles have perhaps the young season's best win in defeating LSU in their opener and now look to end just about all hope Clemson has at contending for titles this season. Florida State has not beaten Clemson since 2014, a string of seven losses and watched the Tigers take control of the league with seven ACC titles in the past eight years.
Clemson was picked this summer as favorites to win the crown again, but Florida State can stamp itself as the league favorite with its first victory in Death Valley since 2013 when Jameis Winston led the program to its last national title. Jordan Travis has experience and talent at quarterback for the Seminoles and is surrounded by dynamic playmakers.
Clemson has worked to steady its flustered, mistake-prone offense from its opening loss at Duke under sophomore passer Cade Klubnik, who is making his fifth college start this week.
BEST MATCHUP
No. 17 North Carolina offense vs. Pitt defense.
The Tar Heels (3-0) open ACC play at the Panthers (1-2) as one of the highest-scoring teams in the conference. Led by quarterback Drake Maye, North Carolina has put up 34 points a game in defeating South Carolina, Appalachian State and Minnesota. Maye is second in the ACC at 297 yards per game with four touchdowns and four interceptions.
IPitt won the ACC just two years ago but has struggled so far with losses to its two Power Five opponents (Cincinnati, West Virginia). Still, Pitt leads the league in fewest yards allowed at 236 per game and is second in fewest points at 17.
LONG SHOT
Georgia Tech hopes to avoid its first 0-2 start in the ACC since 2019 when it plays at Wake Forest (3-0).
The Yellow Jackets, despite winning just nine league games the past four seasons, have been able to avoid dropping their two opening ACC games the previous three years. The Demon Deacons, though, have shown some resolve on the way to a perfect early start. Wake Forest trailed 17-0 at Old Dominion a week ago before rallying in the second half to a 27-24 victory.
These teams haven't played since 2017, the last of Georgia Tech's three straight series victories.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
No. 18 Duke goes on the road for the first time this season, playing at UConn for the chance at its first 4-0 start since 2018. Five years ago, the Blue Devils went 4-5 the rest of the way including a victory over Temple in the Independence Bowl. Duke didn't return to the postseason until last year. This season's opening win over Clemson got Duke into the national rankings for the first time in five seasons and it now has its highest position since November 1994.
Mike Elko is 12-4 with the Blue Devils, the best 16-game start in school history.
IMPACT PLAYER
Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is in total control for No. 20 Miami. The fourth-year junior leads the ACC in passing efficiency and has been the offensive catalyst to the Hurricanes' undefeated start.
He's completed 57 of 75 throws (76%) with only one interception and eight touchdowns going into this week's game vs. Temple. Van Dyke is averaging 274 yards passing per game, fourth best in the ACC.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
