ACC Football has brutal opening weekend

ACC football teams had a brutal opening weekend. Six ACC teams lost non-conference games with three of the losses against SEC teams. Adding to that was ranked ACC football teams finished 0-3. Clemson, Miami and Louisville lost their games to Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. Tenth-ranked North Carolina also lost.

The Tar Heels lost 17-10 at Virginia Tech in the only conference game in the opening weekend of the season. Other bad losses included Georgia Tech at home to Northern Illinois and Duke at Charlotte. Entering the season, ACC football teams had high hopes with Clemson, Miami and North Carolina all ranked in the Top 15.

Clemson had little offense in a 10-3 loss to Georgia in Charlotte. The loss left the Tigers with no margin for error the rest of the season. Another defeat by Clemson would almost definitely end its streak of six consecutive College Football Playoff appearances. Miami will have to regroup from a 44-13 loss to Alabama.

Louisville was overmatched against Mississippi in Atlanta two days after Miami lost to Alabama at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Cardinals fell behind 26-0 at halftime and lost 43-24. Florida State competed well but lost 41-38 in overtime to number nine Notre Dame. The comeback of quarterback McKenzie Milton was memorable.

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Milton returned from a devastating knee injury three years ago with Central Florida.  Florida State entered the fourth quarter trailing 38-20 but eventually tied the game to force overtime. Milton finished 5-7 for 48 yards and ran three times for six yards. Florida State lost on what else, a missed field goal.

Duke lost 31-28 in a game that featured three touchdowns in the last three minutes. The win was the first by the 49ers against a Power Five team. Miami finishes the regular season on November 27 at Duke. The Hurricanes won 48-0 last season in Durham. That ended a two-game losing streak to the Blue Devils.

Boston College, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia and Wake Forest all won easily against Group of Five or FCS opponents. Miami plays the Wolfpack in their ACC Atlantic crossover and the Panthers and Cavaliers in Coastal Division play in 2021. The Hurricanes have three more non-conference games in 2021.

Miami hosts Appalachian State on Saturday followed by Michigan State and Central Connecticut State in the next two weeks. The Mountaineers are one of the best Group of Five programs. Michigan State is rebuilding. Games against other Power Five opponents are always good to have on the schedule.