ACC Power Poll, Week 3: Look, We Gained A Yard!

After losing a couple of quarterbacks to the sidelines in Week One, new teams had a chance to really shine in Week #2. Unfortunately, the week was entirely nondescript.

The biggest news came in defeat, once again. Virginia hung tough with Notre Dame for pretty much the entire game. Unfortunately, they didn't play the last 13 seconds and with Malik Zaire on the sidelines with his ankle in 76 pieces, the Irish still came back to get behind the Wahoo defense. Notre Dame 34. Virginia 27.

Speaking of 76 pieces, Boston College-Howard. I'll just leave this here.

While BC was damaging the Bison, Georgia Tech was dropping 65 points on Tulane. Good news for the Jackets? They've now combined for about 7,000,000 points against bad teams. Bad news? They play a real team on Saturday when they head to South Bend to take on those pesky Fighting Irish.

As for the rest of the league, it wasn't a good look. My rule of not allowing a champion to fall is really being tested this week. Florida State looked like poop for the first half against South Florida, then pulled away because the Bulls thought they were only playing 10 minute quarters in the second half. Louisville debuted a full-scale revolution on offense with their freshman quarterback, then promptly lost 34-31.

They now take on Clemson this week with their season pretty much hanging in the balance. So much for that sleeper pick.

Virginia Tech beat Furman, 42-3. Pitt beat Akron, 24-7. And Duke beat North Carolina Central, 55-0. At least my occasional colleague Alex Faust had some offense to call in that game. I repeat - some offense.

UNC beat NC A&T, 53-14. NC State shut out Eastern Kentucky, 35-0. Those are things that happened.

So now we head to this week. There's going to be risers and fallers. What happens from here? We start on Thursday.

Here is this week's poll:

1) Florida State
2) Georgia Tech
3) Clemson
4) Duke
5) Pittsburgh
6) Miami
7) Boston College
8) Louisville
9) North Carolina
10) North Carolina State
11) Virginia
12) Virginia Tech
13) Syracuse
14) Wake Forest

1. Florida State (2-0, 0-0 ACC)
Last Week: W vs. South Florida (34-14)

FSU retains the #1 spot because they didn't lose, and I have a rule about keeping the defending champion in the driver's seat until they lose. But boy did they look bad in that first half. The offensive line was porous, and Everett Golson looked like a true freshman playing at North Carolina A&T...oh wait, I can't make that joke because they actually played an ACC team this week.

Anyways, he looked bad. They pulled away in the second half because USF was a bad football team masquerading as a good opponent. On the levels of losing, it's the little engine that could not quite finishing the job.

You're on notice, FSU. See you Friday.

2. Georgia Tech (2-0, 0-0)
Last Week: W vs. Tulane, 65-10

If Georgia Tech drops 65 points on Notre Dame this week, can we cancel the rest of the season and just give them the ACC trophy? No?

Well that's a bummer.

3. Clemson (2-0, 0-0)
Last Week: W vs. Appalachian State, 41-10

Give Clemson all the credit in the world. They've managed to win two games without a single person taking note. I'm sure good friend of the program Ryan Kantor down at STS is probably taking umbrage with that statement, but this is the quietest start to a Tigers season I can remember in a while. I have no glib remark or pithy comeback to anything.

Funny thing is that if they beat Louisville, it'll still be quiet. If they lose, Clemsoning is back. Why can't these things just be easy?

4. Duke (2-0, 0-0)
Last Week: W vs. NC Central, 55-0

So I guess that solves the questions about Duke's quarterbacking situation, at least in the early season?

Good luck with Northwestern this week. #NerdBowl2015

5. Pittsburgh (2-0, 0-0)
Last Week: W vs. Akron, 24-7

I'm still on Pitt's bandwagon. They're currently the only tenant in Heinz Field looking like they may make a serious run at postseason noise.

It's too bad the Panthers don't come to BC this year. I would've loved their reaction when we piped in Meter's broadcast to their headset.

6. Miami (2-0, 0-0)
Last Week: W vs. FAU, 44-20

Miami's defense struggled early but the team pulled away in the third quarter.

Just out of curiosity, if we can make this an annual thing, can we make this the Retirement Bowl or at least call it the Spring Break Special?

Do kids even go to Spring Break in Boca? I feel so old.

7. Boston College (2-0, 0-0)
Last Week: W vs. Howard, 76-0

Dear FSU,

Love, Dan at BCI

8. Louisville (0-2, 0-0)
Last Week: L vs. Houston, 34-31

One more loss this week and the Cardinals will be joining Virginia Tech in the graveyard/junkyard/dumpster fire where college football hopes and dreams occasionally go in September.

9. North Carolina (1-1, 0-0)
Last Week: W vs. NC A&T, 53-14

The good news for UNC is that their game against Delaware no longer counts towards anything. The bad news is that Delaware historically is a very good FCS team. I say historically because it's been a few years since they were consistently ranked.

10. North Carolina State (2-0, 0-0)
Last Week: W vs. Eastern Kentucky, 35-0

If anyone in the BC fan populace really wants to make a big deal about playing Howard, move to Raleigh and spend a couple of years rooting for NC State. You want someone incapable of playing big time opponents? I'm pretty sure they play UMass-Dartmouth at some point.

11. Virginia (0-2, 0-0)
Last Week: L vs. Notre Dame, 34-27

I give Virginia brownie points for hanging tough with the Fighting Irish. But I can't help but wonder if that non-conference schedule is severely hurting them. They conceivably could go 4-8 this year but be capable of being some nine-win teams (I'm looking at you, NC State).

12. Virginia Tech (1-1, 0-0)
Last Week: W vs. Furman, 42-3

Congratulations, Virginia Tech. You beat Furman. Your reward is a road trip for the next two weeks with games you are conceivably going to lose. Way to be my preseason sleeper pick.

13. Syracuse (1-1, 1-0)
Last Week: W vs. Wake Forest, 30-17

You remember the movie The Little Giants? I remember a scene from that movie when the Giants gain a yard, and someone yells out, "Look! They gained a yard!"

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2015 Syracuse Orange football team.

14. Wake Forest (1-1, 0-1)
Last Week: L vs. Syracuse, 30-17

And then there's Wake Forest...