The Confidential

ACC Roundtable of the Confidential Correspondents: Week 4/5

Welcome to the ACC Roundtable of the ACC Correspondents!  As is and will be the plan for the remainder of the football season, the Confidential correspondents will discuss the Week that was (week 4) and the Week that will be (Week 5) for the ACC and their respective schools.  Tell us what you think below.

1. What was most notable about your school’s performance in Week 4?

• HHuntley (NC State): NC State absolutely destroyed South Alabama. They totaled 586 yards of total offense. Four players had at least two touchdowns and two had more than 100 yards rushing. The most notable thing is just how well the team is playing right now. Personally, I’m excited to see us take on an ACC team this week.
  
• Lenville (Louisville):Getting the first W. At this point Louisville was supposed to be 2-2 but are a few plays away from 4-0. Freshman Lamar Jackson got a lot of playing time at QB & appears that he will be the starter from here on. Junior WR James Quick made his return since suffering an injury in the first game.
• Commander/ACaffrey (Syracuse): The fact that SEC refs called more penalties against LSU than Syracuse?  Lest there be any doubt, if this game was close in a crucial moment, the penalty gap would have narrowed.  Beyond that, the fact that Syracuse was able to move the ball at all against a fast LSU defense bodes somewhat well.
  
• UNC Tarheel Fan (UNC): Backup QB Mitch Trubisky had a record setting performance, the Mack Hollins we know and love reappeared, passing defense was stout (even though Delaware only threw 10 times they were held to 24 years passing), and third down conversions.
  

• HHuntley (NC State): To play a real team! I feel like an NFL fan who just suffered four weeks of preseason exhibitions (hello Frank Beamer). This week should tell us just how good NC State can be this season. Louisville is not a bad team, even though their record may suggest otherwise.
  
• Lenville (Louisville): Continued improvement. Samford was the lone cupcake on the schedule & it’s all conference play from here until Kentucky to finish the season. Jackson had a bad start against Houston, how well he do at NC State this weekend?
  
• Commander (Syracuse): Healing of injuries and no new ones.
  
• UNC Tarheel Fan (UNC): An improved rush defense, please. Since the Ga Tech game hasn’t happened yet I’m going to chalk that woe on preparation for them. But if something isn’t tweaked between now and Saturday it’s going to be a long day in Atlanta. 

  
  

• HHuntley (NC State): Duke is the obvious answer here, so I’ll go with Syracuse. They played a really solid game against LSU and “handled” Leonard Fournette. They’re playing with lots of guys injured, and they still look competitive. ACC teams should look out for Syracuse this year, especially their superstar punter [Riley Dixon] (http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/86192/dixonforheisman-campaign-reaches-new-heights).
  
• Lenville (Louisville): The most impressive win was Duke beating GT but the most impressive team was Syracuse. They played LSU tough with a 5th string walk-on QB. The biggest difference in the game was the LSU starting RB, you may have heard of him. If Syracuse can keep Dungey healthy they can win 8-9 games this year.
• Commander (Syracuse): The Duke win was impressive, but how about North Carolina switching QBs?  Who saw THAT coming?
  
• UNC Tarheel Fan (UNC): Duke. I was not expecting them to beat Ga Tech.  (Ed. Note–why would any UNC fan expect Duke to have a good week?)
  

• HHuntley (NC State): Ohio State, Ole Miss, TCU, Notre Dame/Clemson. TCU has jumped Baylor in the polls, so I’ll do the same with my playoff picture. OSU playsMichigan State, and I think they’ll beat them and knock MSU out. I think the winner of this weekend’s ND/Clemson game will have the inside track to the playoff.
  
• Lenville (Louisville): I still like Ohio St, Notre Dame, Georgia & Oklahoma. I think TCU & Baylor will eventually lose & fade down the stretch. Michigan St, FSU, Clemson & UCLA are also contenders. Clemson hosts ND this weekend, this could prove to be an elimination game.
• Commander (Syracuse): Right now?  Still going with 1. Michigan State; 2. Ole Miss; 3. Ohio State, and 4. Notre Dame.  Notre Dame/Clemson could change #4.  And one has to think that MSU and OSU will cancel each other out at some point.  And don’t overlook LSU.  If Fournette stays healthy… and they can pass the ball against secondaries that are better than Syracuse’s (i.e. all SEC teams)… then they might be the SEC representative in the playoffs.
  
• UNC Tarheel Fan (UNC): I am not comfortable with these choices but unlike last week I’ll name four (or five, you’ll see why in a second): Ohio State, Michigan State, TCU, and Clemson/Notre Dame. I still have questions about OSU, and I believe the winner of the Clemson/Notre Dame gets the nod for now. What I expect to happen is Ohio State bowing out to Michigan State later in the season which will allow some other teams to cause utter chaos at the top of the CFP rankings until the B10 Championship Game. I’m probably alone with that expectation.
  

What do you think?  How would you answer these questions?