Things to watch this weekend in the Atlantic Coast Conference:
No. 1 Miami (7-0, 5-0 ACC) at North Carolina (4-3, 2-2), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
The Hurricanes continue to roll through the schedule, with a double-overtime win against Florida State and needing to come up with multiple fourth-quarter stops at now-No. 14 Wake Forest standing as the only non-blowout wins. Miami leads the Bowl Subdivision ranks in total offense (551.9) and scoring (49.0) behind a prolific Darian Mensah-to-Malachi Toney passing attack.
The Tar Heels had been on the rise in their second year under NFL coaching icon Bill Belichick before last week's overtime home loss to a Syracuse team that was 0-4 in the league. Their defense has been the most reliable part of their game, while their offense has yet to score more than 27 points in regulation against any FBS opponent in Belichick's tenure.
UNC is 0-11 all-time against the No. 1-ranked team.
Virginia (4-4, 2-3) at No. 14 Wake Forest (6-1, 4-1), Saturday, 3:45 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
The Demon Deacons are coming off an open week as they look to stay well-positioned in the chase for a spot in the ACC title game, playing the first of two home games before they visit No. 19 SMU on Nov. 14. The Cavaliers have lost to SMU and Duke in the past two weeks after a 4-2 start.
Clemson (3-2, 2-2) at Florida State (3-4, 1-3), Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
Despite a bumpy year, the Tigers were near the top of the league standings — then lost at home to Virginia Tech. Now they're visiting the Seminoles in a matchup of marquee ACC brands that haven't been playing to that stature. FSU had an open week after its 43-35 loss to Miami on Oct. 17.
— N.C. State QB CJ Bailey. The Wolfpack will host California on Saturday for the first game since the midseason firing of longtime coach Dave Doeren. The third-year starting quarterback said this week he's focused on doing the “next positive thing” he can for the team, and the spotlight will be on him and several of the Wolfpack's top players to see how they respond under interim coach Todd Goebbel.
— Syracuse RB Ahmad Miller. Miller ran for 123 yards with a touchdown in a loss to Louisville then 125 yards and another score in the overtime win at UNC. He's carried the ball 48 times in the past two games and got a boost with quarterback Steve Angeli playing well in his return to the starting lineup against UNC. Now the Orange will host SMU on Saturday.
Duke's Nate Sheppard is no longer leading the country in rushing, but he's still putting up huge performances all the same entering Saturday's visit from Boston College. The running back flirted with 100-yard receiving games in losses to Georgia Tech and UNC, then threw the winning TD pass against Virginia last week. ... All four of Stanford's wins have come at home, including last week against N.C. State in an outcome that led to Doeren's ouster. But they've managed a total of 17 points in three road losses as they enter Saturday's trip to Louisville. ... Pittsburgh hasn't won since losing starting quarterback Mason Heintschel to a season-ending knee injury. The Panthers were 5-0 and ranked in the AP Top 25, but have lost three straight entering Saturday's visit from Georgia Tech. ... Virginia Tech is idle this week.
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