We ask the three biggest ACC football question marks of that week. Here we go for Week 10.
Can North Carolina turn the corner against Duke?
North Carolina is back in the top 25 after beating Campbell. People want to believe in North Carolina, but I still can’t get past the Virginia loss at home, and the collapse against Georgia Tech before the Campbell win. Now they get Duke in Chapel Hill without Riley Leonard. If they take care of what would still be a tricky Duke team, I’ll say the Heels have put UVa and GT losses behind them. The Heels still have plenty to play for, a 10+ win season, a big-time bowl, and their best season in years. I think Heels will have something to prove in this one.
Is Miami’s season about to fall off the rails?
Miami is sitting at 6-3, but the finish of their season is against Florida State, Louisville, and Boston College who are a combined 23-4. QB Tyler Van Dyke is a shell of the QB we’ve seen when he’s at his best. Now they go to Florida State and face a Nole team that’s eyeing a trip to the ACCCG and the playoffs. The performance at NC State was a mess, and the Canes season which started at 4-0, could end with losses in 6 of their last 8 games. The situation is dire in Miami, and Florida State may be about to make it really ugly.
How does NC State respond with QB MJ Morris shutting it down for the rest of the season?
NC State finally seemed to have found its footing finally. Win with great defense and an offense that makes just enough plays behind QB MJ Morris. Then Morris decided to save his red shirt and shut things down for the season. Whatever you think about the decision, or why he did it is immaterial at this point. The real question is how does NC State respond to the news. QB Brennan Armstrong appears to be the guy to take things back over, and the team struggled when he led things. I think the Wolfpack are in a better place now. They have a stout defense to rely on, and if whoever plays QB can just limit mistakes, the NC State can still finish with an 8 or 9-win regular season starting with Wake Forest this Saturday.
