The three biggest ACC football questions of the week. Here we go for Week 9
Can Miami overcome loss of Malachi Toney against Notre Dame?
What bad luck for Miami to lose Malachi Toney before their biggest game of the year. Toney was a security blanket for the Miami offense. If they needed a 3rd down conversion or a big play, Toney was there. I liked Miami going to Notre Dame before the injury, but now I’m not sure. I haven’t cared for the Canes inconsistency on defense, and now their biggest offensive weapon is gone. Miami is still top 10 good, but coming out of South Bend seems like too big a task unless QB Darian Mensah plays a great game.
Does SMU or Virginia Tech stay alive in the ACC race?
While Miami and Wake Forest seem to be on an ACC Title collision course, SMU, Virginia, and possibly Louisville are trying to crash the party. The loser is definitely out. With SMU at home, I feel like the Mustangs have a big game in them. Kevin Jennings is the type of quarterback that can attack the suspect Virginia Tech secondary. SMU stays alive, but Virginia Tech still ends up with a solid foundation for the season.
Can Clemson get on a roll?
We may not want to forget that Clemson only has 2 ACC losses. Was last week’s win over Florida State a chance for the Tigers to finish the season strong? Clemson’s defense all year has been solid against non-playoff-caliber teams, but we’ve been waiting for the offense to catch up. It might have started last week. QB Tait Reynolds finally pushed the ball downfield and showed real mobility. Syracuse on the road won’t be easy. The Cuse are starting to find themselves as well. Maybe with a win, Syracuse is the team that gets on a roll.
