The three biggest ACC football questions of the week. Here we go for Week 2.
How can NC State beat Tennessee?
NC State did not play well against FCS team Western Carolina. They trailed 21-17 in the 4th quarter before pulling way. How are they going to beat a quality team like Tennessee? To truly put NC State football on the map the Wolfpack needs to start winning games like this. In Charlotte, NC this is a big opportunity for the Wolfpack and how can they do it.
1) Get the ball early and often to Kevin Concepcion, If Tennessee can take Concepcion out of the game, I don’t see how NC State wins.
2) Shorten the game – NC State will have to try to limit the number of times Tennessee has the ball. That means a running game has to be established. That’s easier said than done. Stretch the defense with Concepcion then start running the ball.
3) Play Clean – Tennessee has a bigger margin of error than NC State. If this becomes a high penalty high turnover game, advantage Vols.
Can Georgia Tech win 3 games in a row under Brent Key?
Georgia Tech has never won 3 games in a row under Brent Key. Until this week they hadn’t been ranked in nearly a decade either, but Syracuse is going to be a very problematic matchup. Florida State was starting DJ Uiagalelei at QB – enough said, and physically overmatched Georgia State. Kyle McCord vs Haynes King is low key one of the best QB matchups you’ll see all year anywhere in the country. Both teams should be able to run the ball on the other, and it could be a who has the ball last type of game. I think a lot of things are equal in this one, and playing in the Dome might give Syracuse the edge. If Georgia Tech wins though, they are a bonafide contender to get to Charlotte.
Does SMU establish itself this week against BYU?
SMU came into the season as a possible darkhouse in the ACC, but the struggle win at Nevada kind of knocked them off the radar. SMU has a decent BYU team coming to town, and a win could open some eyes. I like SMU in this game. They got away with a sloppy opener, corrected things against Houston Christian, and now should be ready. QB Preston Stone has gone off yet this year, and he might in this one. It could be a big week for SMU. Their women’s volleyball knocked off the #2 team in the country Nebraska on Tuesday. Yea, we caught that.
