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The ACC has made far more headlines to start the 2024 college football season than most would have expected. Florida State is a big reason for that, losing in the season opener against Georgia Tech in Dublin and then again to Boston College in a standalone game on Monday evening.
Clemson also lost the first game of its season to Georgia, while Virginia Tech fell to another SEC opponent in Vanderbilt.
That leaves NC State, Miami, and Louisville competing for spots at the top of the standings, while newcomers SMU and Cal each have big chances to establish themselves in Week 2.
There is no shortage of intrigue in the ACC for Week 2 of the season, and below are seven of the biggest storylines impacting the conference with games getting underway on Friday.
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Both Clemson and Virginia Tech fell to SEC teams in Week 1, although the similarities end there. The Tigers were not expected to beat No. 1 ranked Georgia, but the lack of fight for Dabo Swinney’s team has many wondering if this program is capable of contending for a CFP spot.
Meanwhile, the Hokies fell to Vanderbilt, who has long been a basement dweller in the SEC. Virginia Tech will look to rebound against Marshall at home starting at 4:30 ET on Saturday, while Clemson hosts Appalachian State at 8:00 PM ET.
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One of two ranked on ranked matchups in Week 2 takes place in Charlotte between the Wolfpack of NC State and the Tennessee Volunteers.
NC State quarterback Grayson McCall is ready for the challenge after playing great in Week 1, but so too did Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava – and it should be an incredibly exciting matchup on Saturday.
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Pitt has a new starting quarterback in Eli Holstein, who helped the Panthers drop 55 points in Week 1 against Kent State. The competition will be far stiffer in Week 2, when Pitt heads to Cincinnati to take on the Bearcats in the River City Rivalry in what should be a heated affair between two strong programs.
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Conner Harrell completed just two passes for 34 yards in Week 1 when North Carolina narrowly defeated Minnesota, but he now has the keys to the kingdom following Max Johnson’s season-ending injury.
How does Harrell look in Week 2 against Charlotte? The answer to that question will go a long way in determining how big of a player the Tar Heels can be in the ACC this year.
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Two of the three new teams in the ACC are taking on Power-4 opponents in Week 2. The Golden Bears of Cal head to Auburn to take on Hugh Freeze and the Tigers, where they are currently 12 point underdogs.
Meanwhile SMU, who is 2-0 so far on the season, hosts BYU on ESPN2 Friday evening. The Mustangs are -11.5 point favorites.
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The only conference matchup in Week 2 belongs to Georgia Tech and Syracuse, with the Yellow Jackets making the trip north to the JMA Wireless Dome to face the Orange.
Syracuse is 1-0 after a strong performance from new quarterback Kyle McCord, and they will look to take down a Georgia Tech team that snuck into the top 25 after a big time win over Florida State in Dublin.
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It’s probably premature to talk about Castellanos as a legit Heisman candidate, but there’s a reason the gunslinger was thrilled about BC’s hire of Bill O’Brien.
Castellanos completed 10-of-16 passes for 106 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the team’s big time win over Florida State, rushing 14 times for 73 yards and a score as well.
Duquesne won’t put up the same fight as the ‘Noles, and it could result in another huge game for Castellanos on the ground and in the air – perhaps enough to put him on some Heisman dark horse lists.
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Courtesy : https://collegesportswire.usatoday.com/lists/acc-week-2-storylines-clemson-virginia-tech/