Was there any BCS conference more in need of some quality wins this past weekend than the ACC? Miami had already lost to Okahoma 51-13, Virginia Tech was dumped by LSU 48-7, defending ACC champion Wake Forest blew a home game against a mediocre Nebraska team and Virginia got thumped at Wyoming 23-3 in the first four weeks of the season.
The ACC was just 13-10 against I-A opponents before one of the best weekends the league has had in a long time. Florida State edged Alabama on a neutral field in Jacksonville (just in case you fell asleep watching the national TV game), Maryland upset No. 10 Rutgers 34-24, and Virginia plastered Pitt by 30 points.
After going a combined 3-10 against the Big East the last season two seasons, the ACC was 2-1 against the league it raided in 2005, with Louisville breaking its two-game skid at woeful N.C. State the only blemish.
While it was a good day out of the ACC, it was also another eye-opening Saturday within the conference. Only one team -- Boston College -- is undefeated heading into October, that after Clemson was error-prone in its 13-3 loss to Ga. Tech in Atlanta. That means the ACC won't be smelling a title game matchup for the eighth straight season. I can't see B.C. getting a shot at the title even if the 5-0 Eagles run the table and go undefeated. Just too much ground to make up in the polls and nobody of real note left on the schedule. Wins in the coming weeks over Bowling Green or Notre Dame aren't going to get B.C. much juice from the pollsters.
The most disappointing team in my opinion, even through they are 4-1, is the Virginia Tech Hokies. Take out the win over Bill & Mary and the Hokies have scored 17, 7, 28 and 17 points against I-A teams. And a brutal schedule awaits. So a team that appeared to be the overwhelming pick to take the ACC title in J-ville is no more than an OK team in a conference filled with up-and-down performances so far.
And then there is the Bermuda Triangle. Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State are at it again after going a combined 6-30 a season ago. Each club is 1-4 so far in 2007. The fans are ready for hoops season, where those three will likely be ranked in the preseason top 25.
TOP GAME THIS WEEKEND: Virginia Tech at Clemson