Miami's biggest ACC threats will reveal plenty about themselves this weekend

Week 1 of the college football season is here! And with the Miami Hurricanes opening the season on Friday night at Stanford, fans will have a full weekend to check out some future opponents on the schedule and teams that could cross the Hurricanes' path in the playoffs.

The ACC looked pretty good in Week 0, going 3-0 in non-conference games. Virginia beat NC State 34-8 in Charlottesville, and the Cavaliers looked like a real threat in the conference as well. So here are some games that Miami fans should be watching during this football-filled holiday weekend:

4 games that Miami fans should watch with intent

Clemson at LSU (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.' ABC): This is the game of the weekend, and if Clemson can pull off the upset in Cajun Death Valley, the Tigers will immediately become another ranked opponent on Miami's schedule. There's also the intrigue of LSU being a potential playoff team and possible future opponent. And to add to that intrigue, there's the walking clown show known as Lane Kiffin, who simply can't help himself when it comes to catering to the lowest common denominator.

Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin (Sunday, 7:30 p.m.; NBC):Nearly every Miami fan is going to keep at least one eye on this game at Lambeau Field to see how the Fighting Irish look coming out of the gate against a potentially tricky opponent. Is CJ Carr going to be all he is cracked up to be, especially without Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price to bear the load on offense?

If the Hurricanes and Irish can get out of this weekend looking like top-5 teams, the countdown to the November 7 clash should begin. 

Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Sunday, 7:30 p.m.; ABC):There should be plenty of interest here for Miami, as Louisville is one of the few ranked teams in the conference and considered apotential opponent in the ACC Championship Game. Speaking of potential opponents down the road, Ole Miss still has plenty of pieces remaining from last year's playoff run and the Rebels might still be good under Pete Golding.

There are more questions than answers regarding both teams and that's why Sunday night in Nashville will tell us about how concerned the Hurricanes should be about running into either team.

Florida State vs. SMU (Monday, 7:30 p.m.; ESPN): Last week was a bit of a dud for the Seminoles, and Mike Norvell's hot seat is already approaching red levels, but a win on Monday night over the Mustangs will quickly change the narrative around FSU as it navigates through a ferocious schedule over the next two months.

Meanwhile, there are some big expectations for SMU, one of the primary favorites in the ACC behind the Hurricanes. Kevin Jennings and the rest of the Mustangs have to prove they are ready to level up and be a real threat for a conference championship. 

4 more ACC games that Miami fans should keep an eye on

Georgia Tech vs. Colorado (Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; ESPN):This is a fun Thursday night game and a good chance to see what kind of staying power the Yellow Jackets have under Brent Key now that Haynes King is gone. Whether the Buffaloes are good or not, they will always draw some attention as long as Deion Sanders is on the sidelines.

Pittsburgh vs. Miami, Ohio (Saturday, 12:30 p.m.; CW): The RedHawks are usually a feisty bunch, and this will be a good test to see what the Panthers have to offer in Mason Heintschel's sophomore season. 

Duke vs. Tulane (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.; ACCN):There's some curiosity to see how the Blue Devils will look withoutDarian Mensah there to run the offense. And regardless of who is coaching Tulane, the Green Wave are never going to be a walkover.

Virginia Tech vs. VMI (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; ACCN):James Franklin's debut in Blacksburg should be an easy one. If we know nothing else about Franklin, it's that his teams look very good in games they are expected to win. Most of his problems come in games against teams with comparable talent.

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