Miami was already the team to beat in this ACC, and Saturday night in Clemson showed just how big the gap is from the Hurricanes and the rest of the conference.
1.Miami (5-0, 3-0 ACC)
There is not much of a case left for anyone else at the top after the Hurricanes went into Death Valley as a heavy favorite and secured a 41-13 win over Clemson. Darian Mensah threw for 227 yards and scored twice, Mark Fletcher Jr. ran for two touchdowns, and Miami held the Tigers offense in check.
The Hurricanes now lead the ACC in scoring at 49.6 points per game and in scoring defense at 9.8, and three of their five wins have come on the road, including all three conference victories.
2. Pitt (5-0, 2-0 ACC)
Trailing Virginia Tech 14-0 in Blacksburg, Pitt staged a comeback win 35-33 even after losing starting quarterback Mason Heintschel early in the second half. The Panthers are 5-0, have allowed only 13.4 points per game, and move up to No. 2.
The Panthers will have their work cut out for them, though, with Heintschel being ruled out for the season.
3. Duke (4-0, 1-0 ACC)
Duke remains unbeaten, with a road win at Illinois, a 35-7 ACC win over Stanford, and the conference’s second-best scoring defense at 11 points per game. The Blue Devils’ next game comes at Georgia Tech.
4. Wake Forest (4-1, 2-1 ACC)
Wake Forest’s only loss is to Miami, and the Demon Deacons are quietly putting together a respectable resume…