Things to watch this week in the Atlantic Coast Conference:
Game of the week
No. 24 Boston College (2-0) at No. 6 Missouri (2-0), 12:45 p.m., Saturday (SEC Network). In a week without an Atlantic Coast Conference game on the schedule, many eyes will be on the Eagles and Tigers, where points could be hard to come by. Boston College has won its first two game s under first-year coach Bill O’Brien and got into the rankings for the first time since the 2018 season. The Eagles have relied on a strong defense and quarterback Thomas Castellanos in their perfect start. Boston College is tied for second in the ACC in overall defense, allowing 214 yards per game. That included holding Florida State to just 21 yards rushing in a 28-13 victory two weeks ago. Castellanos has accounted for seven touchdowns in two games. Missouri of the Southeastern Conference has shutout its first two opponents.
Power 4 showdowns
West Virginia (1-1) and Pitt (2-0) renew the Backyard Brawl in the 107th meeting of a series that dates to 1895. The Panthers have won their first two games for the first time since they won the ACC championship in 2021. Alabama transfer quarterback Eli Holstein is off to a fast start, averaging 319 passing yards a game with six touchdowns. Tailback Desmond Reid leads the ACC with 146 yards a game rushing.
No. 5 Ole Miss (2-0) plays at Wake Forest (1-1) with the Rebels looking for their first win over the Demon Deacons (0-2). It’s the first time these teams have played since 2008. Mississippi, of the SEC, has won 16 of 18 nonconference games under coach Lane Kiffin. Wake Forest rusher Demond Claiborne has averaged 110 yards a game this season.
Impact player
Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord, the Ohio State transfer, has the Orange off to a 2-0 start including a 31-28 win over then-No. 23 Georgia Tech last week. McCord threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns in beating the Yellow Jackets and as named the ACC’s quarterback of the week. McCord leads the country with eight TDs and is second nationally with nearly 30 completions a game.
Inside the numbers
The ACC has five of the top 10 quarterbacks in passing yards this season. Syracuse’s McCord is third nationally with Miami’s Cam Ward fifth. Georgia Tech’s Haynes King is seventh, Wake Forest’s Hank Bachmaier is ninth and Virginia’s Anthony Colandrea is 10th. … Clemson passer Cade Klubnik accounted for seven touchdowns, five passing and two rushing in a 66-20 win over Appalachian State. … Pitt’s Desmond Reid became the first in school history to rush for more than 100 yards and go for more than 100 in receiving yards. … Miami defensive lineman Tyler Baron needed just 27 snaps to get three sacks, becoming just the eighth Hurricane player to do that in the past 20 years.
Surprise starts
Nine of the 17 ACC teams are off to 2-0 starts, including Boston College and Virginia, who were both picked to struggle this season. The Eagles were chosen to finish 14th in the expanded conference while the Cavaliers were 16th. The other perfect ACC teams are No. 11 Miami, No. 22 Louisville, Duke, Pitt, Syracuse, North Carolina and Cal. The only 0-2 team in the league is Florida State, the defending ACC champion that was favored before the season to repeat.
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