By: Nate Murphy (@bigmurph23)
Path to the Crown STILL Runs Through Clemson
This headline stirred up some emotions in League Chat last week. I mentioned that Clemson was one of the three teams that started 1-0 in conference play, and they had control of their destiny. It was only one game into conference play. It was a statement made to show the Tigers had made big strides and had themselves in a position to compete in the ACC, and that may have surprised some. Well, those of you who were a little wound up after last week’s article…here we are again.
Clemson took care of one of the other teams that came in 1-0, the Virginia Tech Hokies. This game was never in doubt. Clemson was up 10-0 at the end of the first and never looked back. The Tiger defense forced Tech into third down after third down and rarely let them convert. They turned the Hokies over twice and gave up a mere 13 points. Offensively, the Tigers were balanced, efficient, and explosive. They racked up 509 total yards of offense and 47 points. So here we are, two games into conference play, and the only team left to truly control their destiny is still the Clemson Tigers. They hit the road next week to take on the Miami Hurricanes. A win down in South Beach would for sure have to quiet the doubters…right?
Tar (Heeled) and Feathered
The University of North Carolina Tar Heels survived a 21-point second quarter from the Miami Hurricanes and did enough in the second half to win on the road. Miami, the defending national champions, came into the matchup 4-0 (1-0) and were looking to remain at the top of the ACC standings. After the first half of play, the ‘Canes held a 21-16 lead. But the game will always be four quarters.
The Tar Heels were able to regroup in the locker room and come away with a seven-point win on the road, forcing what is now a four-way tie in second place in the ACC. North Carolina had the football seemingly all night, holding a nine-minute edge in time of possession. They moved the football at will, amassing 525 yards of total offense. And when the rubber met the road on the big money down, they converted and kept moving. The Heels were 14 for 21 on third down, which is a staggering 66% conversion rate. Add it all up, and it equaled a big road victory for UNC.
Dr. Hokie and Mr. Hyde (your eyes)
The Virginia Tech Hokies have shown a bit of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personality this season. They will look surgical and dominate one week. And in others, they look unsure. We know that the Hokies have the roster to compete and beat anyone in the league and in the ACC. We have seen dominant wins against Texas and Florida State, and a shootout victory in OT over Ohio State. But on the flip side, well, look at the Auburn and Clemson games. Yes, these are two high-quality, top-tier teams. But the way in which they were handled in both games raised some eyebrows. After this Week 5 loss to Clemson, they better find Dr. Hokie and wake him up.
Notre Dame is next on their schedule, and while the Hokies should be able to handle business at Lane Stadium, it is what lies beyond that that is concerning. They need to lock in and find consistency because they still have games against both Miami and North Carolina. Those two games will probably be the deciding factor in whether the Hokies are an automatic qualifier, a team vote, or worse, watching the playoffs from their couches.
ACC Results Week 5
North Carolina defeats Miami 36-29
Clemson defeats Virginia Tech 47-13
Florida State defeats Notre Dame 51-7
ACC Week 6 Schedule
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Clemson at Miami (6:30 CST on Twitch)
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Florida State at North Carolina (8:30 CST on Twitch)
Thursday, June 12, 2025
Notre Dame at Virginia Tech (8:30 CST on YouTube)
Potential ACC Game of the Week
Florida State on the road against North Carolina is a HUGE game. FSU is trying to climb back to the top of the ACC and is part of that lump of teams at 1-1 in conference play. So are the Tar Heels. The winner will push themselves towards the top while the loser slips towards the bottom and will have a large hill to climb in the final two weeks. BUT, as important as the game in Chapel Hill is on Wednesday night, it is the Monday Night game that takes top billing for me. The Miami Hurricanes are coming in off a home loss and will be hosting the team leading the conference in the Clemson Tigers. If you are not on the Clemson coaching staff or roster and you told me at the start of the season that you thought Clemson would be visiting Miami in Week 6 while leading the ACC, well, I would think you a liar. But here we are, and that is exactly what is happening. And the Tigers are looking to once again prove that they belong. I have mentioned their progression in almost every article this season, and for good reason. I love what Logan Wetzel has going on in Clemson, South Carolina. This would be potentially a program win and a stepping stone to a conference title for them. Miami isn’t going to roll over for them, though. This should be a four-quarter, full 36-minute slugfest in South Beach. I am so happy to be on the call for this one!
