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Clemson and Florida State are staying on track in the ACC's Atlantic Division, both taking care of Coastal Division opponents that had figured to be contenders. Clemson dispatched Georgia Tech, while Florida State turned aside rival Miami.
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Other teams have stayed off track, putting themselves in holes within the conference. Those teams are Boston College, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina State and Virginia. They're a collective 0-10 in league games.
Miami, to its credit, led in the fourth quarter in trying to revive some of the success it once had in the rivalry with Florida State.
The ACC can't seem to make headway on some stages. Its teams split non-league outings during the past week, with Duke demolishing Army but Syracuse stumbling to a struggling South Florida team.
But most of the attention can continue to fall on conference games that Clemson and Florida State could be another collision course.
BOSTON COLLEGE (3-3, 0-3)
Game: Wake Forest 3, Boston College 0. A Boston College turnover led to K Mike Weaver's 25-yard field goal in the third quarter as the road team won a defensive tussle. Boston College committed four turnovers, partially negating a defense that held Wake Forest to 142 yards of total offense.
Takeaway: The Eagles keep proving that they're good enough on defense.
It's several other areas that are the issue. Therefore, they haven't been good enough to win in any of their three ACC games.
The defense will remain rated as one of the country's best for at least another week. The trouble is that's not showing up in the win-loss column.
Two weeks in a row, Boston College hasn't allowed a touchdown and still hasn't won those games. The 9-7 loss at Duke was followed by the setback to Wake Forest.
Injuries have hurt the offense and inexperience has been a problem. A major glitch in clock management turned a promising last possession into more frustration in the game against Wake Forest.
A potential go-ahead field goal against Duke was far off the mark Oct. 3. Then K Colton Lichtenberg missed from 26 and 31 yards in the loss to Wake Forest.
Coach Steve Addazio has indicated a change at the kicker position is in the works, but that might not be enough to turn things around with the offensive production.
Next: at Clemson, Oct. 17
CLEMSON (5-0, 2-0)
Game: Clemson 43, Georgia Tech 24. The Tigers used two touchdown passes from QB Deshaun Watson to TE Jordan Leggett to produce a lopsided home victory. RB Wayne Gallman ran for two touchdowns, while Clemson's defense held run-happy Georgia Tech to 71 yards on the ground.
Takeaway: The Tigers seem ready to crank up more weapons and if the offense gets going with regularity it could spell bit trouble for opponents.
Gallman has ripped off more than 100 rushing yards for three consecutive games, posting 115 against Georgia Tech. So he outrushed the entire Georgia Tech team.
The Tigers could have been ripe for an upset after upending Notre Dame in a thrilling finish a week earlier. So the way they went about business in dismantling Georgia Tech qualifies as a good sign.
Watson threw for a season-high 265 yards, so his versatility is bound to give defenses something else to chew on during preparations.
Clemson goes against one of the country's best statistical defenses when Boston College arrives for the next game. The Tigers also will be going for a school record because another victory at Memorial Stadium would stretch their home winning streak to 14 games.
Next: vs. Boston College, Oct. 17
DUKE (5-1, 2-0)
Game: Duke 44, Army 3. Duke took advantage of a couple of early Army turnovers to score to set up for short touchdown drives and K Ross Martin booted three field goals for the second game in a row. The visiting Blue Devils kept Army's offense in check, holding an opponent scoreless in the first half for the fourth time this season.
Takeaway: The Blue Devils reached the midway mark of their regular season by winning three consecutive games.
It's the second year in a row that the Blue Devils have a 5-1 record. That hadn't happened since the 1952 and 1953.
Duke unleashed WR Anthony Nash, who had three catches on the game's first possession. That matched his season total entering the game and he continued to rack up solid numbers.
The downer for Duke came on a third-quarter stretch on defense when three players left with injuries. That included DE Kyler Brown and S Deondre Singleton as the two players identified by coach David Cutcliffe as perhaps the most severely injured.
That had Cutcliffe pondering how to best approach the team's open week on the schedule. But he said despite a three-game winning streak, he thinks it's an ideal time for a break before entering the teeth of their Coastal Division schedule within the ACC.
Next: at Virginia Tech, Oct. 24
FLORIDA STATE (5-0, 3-0)
Game: Florida State 29, Miami 24. RB Dalvin Cook ran for a 23-yard touchdown with 6:44remaining as the Seminoles notched a home victory. Cook's 222 rushing yards came a week after he limped off the field at Wake Forest in the first quarter.
Takeaway: The Seminoles have been far from dominating, but they own a 3-0 ACC record and that's what might matter most.
They've been challenged in each of their ACC games and their ability to pull out victories is commendable even if not overly impressive in the big picture.
The Seminoles could use a larger list of contributors on offense and that might put QB Everett Golson at the top of that list. His accuracy was impressive by completing 25 of 33 passes in the Miami game.
Cook's big game included a 72-yard touchdown run on his first carry.
But there's also a lockdown element missing from Florida State's defense. A week after Wake Forest threatened to make a game of it in the fourth quarter, the Seminoles relinquished the lead in the fourth quarter against Miami.
Still, until another ACC teams proves otherwise, the Seminoles continue to hold the knack for pulling out games.
Next: vs. Louisville, Oct. 17
GEORGIA TECH (2-4, 0-3)
Game: Clemson 43, Georgia Tech 24. Georgia Tech managed only 71 yards on the ground, and that's a sure recipe for problems in the road loss. Eleven times Georgia Tech ball carriers lost yards, perhaps helping hide the team's problems on the defensive side.
Takeaway: For Georgia Tech, the rushing game is a staple. So when that's taken away, there's going to be trouble brewing.
It has happened a few times recently, but nothing so extreme as Clemson holding the Yellow Jackets to 71 rushing yards. That's the lowest mark for the Georgia Tech ground game in coach Paul Johnson's eight seasons.
The other issue for the Yellow Jackets is that they've fallen into early holes in three of the four losses in their current losing streak. The run-oriented attack isn't conducive to comebacks.
That was evident by trialing 33-10 to Clemson at halftime.
QB Justin Thomas threw for a couple of long touchdown passes in the Clemson game, but the completed only 6 of 14 passes for 159 yards.
Georgia Tech was a preseason favorite in the Coastal Division, but another league loss will mean the Yellow Jackets won't have a winning record in the conference.
Next: vs. Pittsburgh, Oct. 17
LOUISVILLE (2-3, 1-1)
Game: Didn't play during the past week.
Takeaway: The Cardinals had their first significant result of season by winning at then-undefeated North Carolina State before the open week on the schedule.
It came at a time that the Cardinals appear to be finding their stride on defense. That might have been the biggest fallout from winning back-to-back games.
Louisville was projected to be a contender in the ACC's Atlantic Division and it will take more stellar defensive outings for it to deliver on that.
The extra time between games should have allowed the Cardinals to refine their offensive plans with QB Lamar Jackson, who seems to have taking the forefront in what had been a rather convoluted quarterback situation with multiple candidates through the first couple of weeks in the season.
Next: at Florida State, Oct. 17
MIAMI (3-2, 0-1)
Game: Florida State 29, Miami 24. RB Dalvin Cook's 23-yard touchdown run with 6:44 to play sent the Seminoles into the lead and prevented Miami from pulling off a road upset. Three touchdown passes for QB Brad Kaaya weren't enough as the Hurricanes lost for the second week in a row.
Takeaway: The Hurricanes overcame a 14-hole deficit to take the lead on Florida State, but that fourth-quarter margin didn't hold up.
Miami doesn't have the type of defense that once dictated games. So it might be up the offense to put up big numbers in order for the Hurricanes to win key games.
Miami has never played in an ACC championship game for football. While one loss to a top contender from the other division isn't going to prevent that from happening, it's not sitting well with Miami supporters who were once accustomed to championships before the change in conferences.
Kaaya might have the ability to become one of the top quarterbacks in the ACC, but that notion tends to ebb and flow with the Hurricanes' fortunes.
Miami looks like it might be headed for the third-best season in the state of Florida after this outcome. That's difficult to digest for many observers who still want to consider the Hurricanes to be on the national level.
Next: vs. Virginia Tech, Oct. 17
NORTH CAROLINA (4-1, 1-0)
Game: Didn't play during the past week.
Takeaway: The Tar Heels had time to savor their victory at Georgia Tech with an open week on the schedule.
It turned out to be a chance to celebrate the effectiveness of QB Marquise Williams, who a week earlier was dealing with questions about his status going forward after he was pulled from a Sept. 26 game against Delaware and didn't play in the second half.
He turned around that discussion by sparking a rally from a 21-point deficit as North Carolina defeated Georgia Tech.
North Carolina's defensive issues might not be totally solved, but Wake Forest might not provide a thorough test from that perspective.
Next: vs. Wake Forest, Oct. 17
N.C. STATE (4-2, 0-2)
Game: Virginia Tech 28, N.C. State 13. Three touchdown passes from QB Brenden Motley to WR Isaiah Ford put the Hokies in charge, sending the Wolfpack to a road defeat. N.C. State scored the game's first 10 points before the Hokies rattled off 21 points in a row for a 21-10 halftime lead.
Takeaway: The Wolfpack couldn't maintain their early good work and it turned costly with a loss for the second week in a row.
The game took dramatic turns in the second quarter when the Hokies gained momentum and rarely relinquished it the rest of the way.
Against ACC competition, N.C. State's once-thriving offense has looked rather pedestrian.
The Wolfpack, which was beginning a stretch of four road games in a five-game span, allowed fourth-quarter points for the first time this season when Virginia Tech produced a 59-yard run midway through the final quarter.
There was another streak snapped late in the game as well. With less than two minutes to play, QB Jacoby Brissett was intercepted for the first time this season.
Next: at Wake Forest, Oct. 24
PITTSBURGH (4-1, 2-0)
Game: Pittsburgh 26, Virginia 19. QB Nate Peterman threw two touchdown passes as the Panthers won at home. The Panthers needed a late defensive stop after Virginia's fourth-quarter touchdown and subsequent drive toward midfield put the outcome in doubt.
Takeaway: The Panthers have settled on Peterman at quarterback and he seems to do enough good things in most games to give them a chance.
The Panthers have won two ACC games by playing teams that have been amid some offensive struggles, so it remains to be seen if they can keep up with opponents who might be better suited to put up some serious points.
Pittsburgh is trying to rebuild some of its offense, particularly with the rushing attack. They've had RB Chris James and RB Qadree Ollison show that they could be part of the solution in that area.
That might help the Panthers become more consistent on offense because they fizzled frequently in the Virginia game after racing out to a 17-3 lead.
Pittsburgh is 4-1, marking its best five-game mark since 2009. The Panthers are looking to make some real waves in the ACC and this team might be the best equipped to do that among the three seasons in the conference.
Next: at Georgia Tech, Oct. 17
SYRACUSE (3-2, 1-0)
Game: South Florida 45, Syracuse 24. QB Quinton Flowers threw for two touchdowns as the host Bulls ended a three-game losing streak by defeating Syracuse, which has lost two games in a row. QB Eric Dungey returned from missing a game with an injury to throw for two touchdowns for the Orange, which trailed 24-3 by early in the third quarter.
Takeaway: The good vibes that came after a solid outing in a loss to LSU seemed to fade in a hurry. The next game wasn't nearly as encouraging for the Orange.
The matchup with former Big East Conference opponent South Florida looked like one that Syracuse needed to win in order to have a successful season. Now, the Orange has to make up ground after going 2-2 in non-conference games.
The good thing for Syracuse is that it has Dungey because the depleted ranks at the quarterback position had reached a troublesome stage.
Dungey had the Orange within seven points of South Florida early in the second half, but there was no sustained momentum and that was costly in the team's first road outing of the season.
Next: at Virginia, Oct. 17
VIRGINIA (1-4, 0-1)
Game: Pittsburgh 26, Virginia 19. Virginia threatened when QB Matt Johns threw a touchdown pass with less than six minutes left but the Cavaliers couldn't pull off a road victory in their ACC opener. Pittsburgh QB Nate Peterman threw for two touchdowns.
Takeaway: The Cavaliers were hoping that their brutally difficult non-conference schedule prepared them well for ACC competition.
That wasn't the case one game into the league schedule.
The Cavaliers will come up with a few big plays in games, but they don't seem to have the ability to maintain the good times. Their inconsistency is among the problems.
The encouraging part might have come on defense because at times the Cavaliers looked up to the challenge. They also notched their first forced turnover, leading directly to a touchdown with DE Kwontie Moore returning a fumble 27 years for a score.
But overall, this game looked like several others for the Cavaliers, who are unable to establish superiority in any particular area for a sustained period of time.
Next: vs. Syracuse, Oct. 17
VIRGINIA TECH (3-3, 1-1)
Game: Virginia Tech 28, N.C. State 13. QB Brenden Motley hit WR Isaiah Ford for touchdown passes on three consecutive passes to wipe out a 10-point, first-half deficit on the way to snapping a two-game losing streak. The home victory came with the Hokies allowing only
Takeaway: The quarterback situation became more complicated for the Hokies.
QB Michael Brewer was cleared for practice prior to the N.C. State game, so it led observers to believe that he might play against the Wolfpack. Instead, he took practice repetitions, but he wasn't given the go-ahead for game action.
It became trickier for the Hokies when QB Brenden Motley, who was having his best outing, left on the third-to-last snap of the third quarter with ankle injury.
Brewer hasn't played since suffering a broken collarbone in the opener against Ohio State on Sept. 7.
Just when it looked like the Hokies might be so bogged down on offense, RB Travion McMillian ripped off a 59-yard touchdown run that pretty much clinched the victory against N.C. State.
Overall, the Hokies deserved kudos on offense. It had been since 2013 when Virginia Tech went through a game against a Football Bowl Subdivision team without a turnover.
This is Virginia Tech's 12th season in the ACC. The Hokies have never been 0-2 in league play.
Next: at Miami, Oct. 17
WAKE FOREST (3-3, 1-2)
Game: Wake Forest 3, Boston College 0. Mike Weaver's 25-yard field goal in the third quarter came after a Boston College turnover and the Demon Deacons held on with a goal-line stand that left Boston College at the 1-yard line when the game ended. It was the first ACC road victory in two seasons under coach Dave Clawson.
Takeaway: Wake Forest's defense finally had more than just some slaps on the back for good work. The Demon Deacons collected turnovers and were responsible for a shutout victory.
Wake Forest's defense was without a forced turnover in the team's first five games. It tried to make up for that in one game by recovering three fumbles and snatching an interception.
All those were needed to turn back Boston College. It didn't hurt matters that Boston College missed field goals from 26 and 31 yards out and had some questionable clock management at the end of the game.
The victory will be precious for Wake Forest, which faces a stiff schedule the rest of the way. The outcome also couldn't mask some offensive shortcomings against one of the country's best defenses.
It looked like Wake Forest might have found some spark for its offense a week earlier against Florida State. That wasn't the case when facing the Boston College outfit, which limited the Demon Deacons to 142 yards of total offense.
Next: at North Carolina, Oct. 17
NOTES, QUOTES
--This is the time of the season when several ACC teams have had open weeks on their schedules.
Louisville's break came amid road games at North Carolina State and Florida State.
"It's a pretty good time for us," Cardinals coach Bobby Petrino said. "Being between two very difficult road teams, I think it's a good time to have a bye. What we always try to do is spend half of going back to camp where we go back to working hard on our technique and fundamentals ... and then we spend the other half of it getting some extra preparation for our next opponent."
Coming out of an open week, Syracuse coach Scott Shafer said it's good to see teams particularly anxious to return to game action. That didn't translate into much success for the Orange in the first game back, but it's something that could result in better fortunes for other teams.
It's also time to assess what's working and what might be good for the team in the latter part of the season.
"We're trying to get some of things corrected that we need to correct and add a few things that we think we'll need going forward throughout the season," North Carolina coach Larry Fedora said. "At the same time, we're also trying to get quite a few guys healed up for the stretch ahead."
Duke coach David Cutcliffe, whose team will have a week off after playing the first six weeks, took a slightly different approach. Not wanting to back off with a run-oriented, physical Army team serving as the sixth opponent, Cutcliffe said he opted for a rugged week of practice because he knew the following week there wasn't a game and he could re-adjust the practice regimen.
--It used to be dreadful to have to face Georgia Tech and it's much-discussed triple-option offense.
But the Yellow Jackets are 0-3 in the ACC after beginning a stretch of conference games as the favorite in the Coastal Division.
While it's a storyline every week that the Yellow Jackets play, to coach Paul Johnson it's not so unique that every opponent is caught off guard.
"Everybody talks about it," Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said. "But if you really look, what we're doing and what (most opponents) are doing is not a whole lot different. ... I think that that's a good talking point and it's a misnomer. It's not a whole lot different from what everybody else does."
Duke, North Carolina and then Clemson didn't necessarily put a halt to Georgia Tech's offensive success, but there were certainly glitches that developed for the Yellow Jackets.
--Freshmen have been at the helm as quarterbacks for several ACC teams this year. They've been thrust into starting roles.
The list of teams forced to use freshmen have included Boston College, Louisville, Syracuse and Wake Forest. In Boston College's case, it's a pair of freshman quarterbacks in use.
"We've got to keep developing, and that's what we're doing right now," Boston College coach Steve Addazio said. "Trying to find out the things that our guys do best."
Yet it's no wonder that the ACC teams that are considered the most challenged offensive are the teams that have freshmen at the quarterback controls.
Louisville might be the first team to break out of the mold, though how much that continues might play out in the next game against Florida State.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It didn't pan out. It didn't work, so it's on me. That's life. I'm a big boy, got to handle it." -- Boston College coach Steve Addazio on his decision to approve a rushing play without a timeout when the Eagles reached the Wake Forest 1-yard line in the game's final seconds. Boston College has been shut out twice at home this season.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
FIVE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 6 IN THE ACC:
1. Clemson is the ACC's highest-ranked team and the Tigers appear capable of playing that part, especially if their offense keeps churning.
2. People might be sleeping on Pittsburgh, but the Panthers might gain more recognition if they beat ACC teams from multiple states after sweeping Virginia Tech and Virginia.
3. Virginia Tech looks wobbly quite often, but apparently the Hokies still have something to offer after responding from a 10-point hole to defeat N.C. State.
4. It was another close game for Florida State against Miami, but the Seminoles keep winning those. That's six wins in a row in the series.
5. Boston College's defense appears capable of coming up big time and time again, but that hasn't resulted in a victory in three ACC games.
