No. 2 Florida State (9-0, 6-0) – Despite more ball security issues from quarterback Jameis Winston, the ‘Noles won their 25th consecutive game in a 34-20 victory against Virginia Saturday. Winston himself said his interceptions have been hurting the team, but the sophomore once again overcame them to lead his team to yet another victory as FSU makes a serious push to get to the national championship once again.
No. 18 Clemson (7-2, 6-1) – The Tigers had a surprisingly hard time against a weak Wake Forest team in a 34-20 victory Thursday night. However, they were able to pull away late behind big plays from freshman wide receiver Artavis Scott and freshman running back Wayne Gallman. The Tigers hope that QB Deshaun Watson can return from injury for what will be a much tougher matchup against No. 24 Georgia Tech.
Louisville (7-3, 5-3) – Fueled by wide receiver Devante Parker’s third straight 100-yard game since returning from injury and three interceptions from safety Gerod Holliman. The Cardinals overcame a slow start to close a 38-19 victory over Boston College Saturday. They get this week off in preparation for the nationally-televised game against No. 10 Notre Dame next Saturday.
Boston College (6-4, 3-3) – The Eagles lost to Louisville after running out of gas late Saturday in what was the battle for third place in the Atlantic division. Quarterback Tyler Murphy easily had his worst game so far this season, throwing four interceptions and failing to eclipse 50 rushing yards for the first time all season.
NC State (5-5, 1-5) – The Wolfpack gave up 56 points in an eye-gouging loss to No. 24 Georgia Tech Saturday. The defense was horrific, giving up 479 rushing yards, and two touchdowns from the Yellow Jacket defense certainly didn’t help. The Pack takes on Wake Forest in its military appreciation game Saturday with bowl aspirations on the line.
Syracuse (3-7, 1-5) – The Orange kept it unexpectedly close for most of the game, entering the fourth quarter tied to the Blue Devils until ultimately losing 27-10. Breakdowns late in the game have been the story for the Orange this year, and the loss eliminated the team from postseason play.
Wake Forest (2-7, 0-5) – The Demon Deacons also kept it close for most of the game against a ranked conference rival in Thursday night’s loss to Clemson. If they play that well and are able to maintain the play throughout the game this week against NC State, they have a decent chance to win their first conference game.
COASTAL
No. 19 Duke (8-1, 4-1) – The Blue Devils kept it uncomfortably close against a weak conference rival for the second straight week in their victory over Syracuse. They don’t play anyone with more than four wins for the remainder of the season, which is good news for them as they look to make a push deep into the postseason.
No. 24 Georgia Tech (8-2, 5-2) – The Yellow Jackets ran over the Wolfpack in a 56-23 thrashing Saturday, garnering 479 total rushing yards. The defense added two touchdowns, which was a big improvement for a unit that struggled at times this season. The Yellow Jackets will look to prove their worth in their final two games against No. 21 Clemson and No. 20 Georgia.
Miami (6-3, 3-2) – The Hurricanes are coming off their bye week after beating North Carolina in a blowout victory the week before. However, they’re waking up to what will be an unpleasant matchup against in-state rival No. 2 Florida State in a primetime game Saturday night.
North Carolina (4-5, 2-3) – With over half of this division coming off a bye week, the rankings don’t change from here on out. The Tar Heels look to rebound against Pittsburgh and take a step closer to bowl eligibility after their two-game win streak ended in Miami the week before.
Pittsburgh (4-5, 2-3) – The Panthers spent their bye week digesting a what could have been loss to Duke the week before after missing a short field goal and breaking down in overtime. They can claim fourth place in the Coastal division and get one win away from becoming bowl eligible with a win against North Carolina Saturday.
Virginia (2-6, 2-4) – The Cavs played it close, but ultimately couldn’t come away with a victory against No. 2 Florida State Saturday. Sophomore quarterback Greyson Lambert looked impressive in the loss, but the team only mustered up 37 rushing yards. The Cavs will head into their bye week preparing for their final two games of the season against Miami and Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech (4-5, 1-4) – The Hokies come off their bye week to face the leader of the division, No. 19 Duke. Lucky for them, the Blue Devils have played it close against mediocre teams over the past few weeks, so maybe that gives them a chance.
