Things to watch this week in the Atlantic Coast Conference:
Game of the week
No. 24 N.C. State vs. No. 14 Tennessee, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
This is a neutral-site matchup in Charlotte, a valuable recruiting market for both the home-state Wolfpack and neighboring-state Volunteers. It’s also the kind of nonconference matchup that could factor into the chase for a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff.
The Vols (1-0) beat Chattanooga 69-3 for their biggest season-opening margin of victory since 1915 while rolling up 718 total yards behind redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Things were tougher for the Wolfpack (1-0), who trailed 21-17 entering the final quarter in a mistake-filled slog against Western Carolina before scoring the final 21 points.
The undercard
No. 23 Georgia Tech at Syracuse. Brent Key’s Yellow Jackets (2-0, 1-0 ACC) cracked this week’s AP Top 25 after a season-opening takedown of Florida State in Ireland, the program’s first ranking since the 2015 season. A win against the Orange would mark Georgia Tech’s first 2-0 start in league play since 2017.
Syracuse (1-0) opened the Fran Brown era by beating Ohio behind Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord throwing for 354 yards and four touchdowns.
Impact players
Thomas Castellanos, Boston College. The quarterback threw for 106 yards and two scores to go with 73 yards and a rushing score in the Eagles’ win at FSU on Labor Day to open Bill O’Brien’s tenure. The Eagles host Duquesne on Saturday with Power Four nonconference games against Missouri and Michigan State looming.
Cam Ward, Miami. The preseason pick for ACC player of the year was terrific in the season-opening win at Florida, throwing for 385 yards and three scores. The Washington State transfer is poised for another big performance as the No. 12 Hurricanes host Florida A&M on Saturday.
Inside the numbers
Duke didn’t have an accepted penalty against it in the season-opening win against Elon, its first game under new coach Manny Diaz. Kansas State was the only Bowl Subdivision teams to avoid a Week 1 penalty. … Pittsburgh redshirt freshman Eli Holstein, a transfer from Alabama, threw for 336 yards and three scores in the season-opening win against Kent State. That ranked 17th in the FBS ranks for players that have played just once so far and third among ACC passers, trailing only Ward and McCord. Coach Pat Narduzzi is sticking with him as the starter for this weekend’s game against Cincinnati. … The two ACC teams (Clemson and FSU) to file lawsuits against the league seeking potential exits elsewhere are 0-3. The league’s other 15 teams have combined to lose twice.
New leader
North Carolina third-year sophomore Conner Harrell is taking over at quarterback after opening-night starter Max Johnson went down with a season-ending injury at Minnesota.
Harrell is due to make his second career start against Charlotte on Saturday for the Tar Heels (1-0), who are replacing the No. 3 overall NFL draft pick Drake Maye.
“Our goal is to build the offense around his strengths,” offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey said of Harrell, pointing to “a big arm” and Harrell’s mobility.
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