Through two weeks of the college football season in the ACC, there are undoubtedly more questions than answers with a long season ahead. However, through the opening two weeks, there have been some trends across the conference that are worth monitoring moving forward. Week-to-week, there’s plenty to evaluate, and certainly some changes that we will see, but without further a do, here are the five things we learned from Week Two across the ACC.
1) Louisville’s Lamar Jackson is the ACC’s Heisman Frontrunner
Some may think this is a hot take. But is it really? Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson has played against two less-than-stellar defenses in his team’s first two games of the season, as he helped roll past Charlotte and Syracuse, but has accounted for a whopping 1,015 all-purpose yards and 13 total touchdowns in the process. Jackson’s 1,015 all-purpose yards that he has accumulated on his own is more than 99 FBS teams through the first two weeks of the season.
You can talk about his opponents all day long, but Jackson has improved as both a runner, and most importantly, a passer. He has shown much more proficient mechanics in the pocket through the opening two games. After a slow start to the season by Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, Jackson has catapulted himself squarely into the Heisman Trophy discussion when considering candidates out of the ACC. Not a believer yet? Well Jackson will get a chance to prove all of his doubters wrong this Saturday as his No. 10 Cardinals play a noon home game on Saturday against No. 2 Florida State, whose defense is undoubtedly one of the best units in the country.
2) Virginia Tech Has a Fumbling Problem
10.
That is the number of fumbles that Virginia Tech has through two games this season. Last year, the Hokies fumbled only seven times in the entire season. The five fumbles against FCS foe, Liberty, allowed the Flames to hang around longer than expected in week one. The five fumbles the Hokies incurred against Tennessee likely cost the Hokies a chance at hanging around in the Battle at Bristol this past Saturday, a game in which the Hokies lost 41-24.
Virginia Tech will need to correct these turnover issues moving forward as well as the preventable penalties that have cost them field position and momentum in each of the first two games this season. The Tech offense will have its hands full against a stout Boston College defense this Saturday, so vast improvement is needed in a hurry in order for the unit to realize it’s potential throughout the rest of the season.
3) Clemson’s Deshaun Watson Looks Human
As amazing as it sounds, Deshaun Watson can actually be critiqued after his opening two games of the 2016 season. Watson was incredible in 2015, and was the major reason as to why the Tigers played for a National Championship. After an incredibly successful sophomore season and an offseason in which he was touted as a potential number one overall pick in the 2017 Draft, Watson has looked anything but the part through two games of his junior season.
To Watson’s credit, it’s difficult to improve upon a season in which he accounted for over 5,000 all-purpose yards, but in two offensive struggles against Auburn and lowly Troy, Watson has completed only 52.9% of his passes for 540 yards and four touchdowns to three interceptions. It has been a less than stellar start compared to last season’s meteoric stats for the preseason ACC Heisman favorite, but he will have an opportunity to get back on track this weekend against South Carolina State.
4) Don’t Panic, North Carolina’s Offense is Just Fine
After some questionable play-calling down the stretch of their Week One defeat against Georgia, the North Carolina Tar Heels were able to get back on track offensively against Illinois on Saturday. Yes, I know, it was Illinois, but Larry Fedora’s squad ensured that the ball was put in running back Elijah Hood’s hands early and often, and he rewarded his coach with two touchdown runs on the day.
Additionally, Mitch Trubisky looked as rock solid on Saturday as Carolina fans have hoped entering play this season, as the junior threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns, while rumbling for another 42 yards on the ground and another two scores. It’s now full speed ahead for the Tar Heels, who face off against FCS opponent James Madison on Saturday before an under the radar Coastal Division showdown against the Panthers in Week Four.
5) East Carolina Continues to Haunt the ACC
American Athletic Conference mainstay East Carolina has claimed its latest victim in the ACC, downing NC State 33-30 on Saturday in front of the home crowd at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Saturday’s win against the Wolfpack marks the sixth straight win for East Carolina against the ACC, as they continue to evolve as the bane of the conference’s existence. The Pirates got two rushing touchdowns out of quarterback-turned-wide-receiver James Summers, while also enjoying an efficient passing day out of quarterback Philip Nelson, who went 33 of 43 for 297 yards and a touchdown pass.
The Pirates go on the road to South Carolina this coming Saturday, before attempting to extend their winning streak against the ACC to seven when they face the Virginia Tech Hokies in Blacksburg coming up on Saturday, September 24th.
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