UNC QB problems, Boston College earns respect in week five ACC Power Rankings
The ACC might be the most confusing conference in college football. After another week, the ACC power rankings are in complete disarray, with Boston College moving up six spots, North Carolina crashing down seven, and everything in between.
The Eagles are 3-1, with its lone blemish coming against a top-10 Mizzou by six points. On the other hand, they struggled with a bad Michigan State team on Saturday. I'm still not sold on Boston College or its quarterback, Thomas Castellanos, but you can't deny the Eagles keep finding a way. So it's time to give them the benefit of the doubt and move them up.
Rank | School | Game result | Previous rank |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Miami | W, USF 50-15 | 1 |
2 | Louisville | W, Georgia Tech 31-19 | 2 |
3 | Clemson | W, NC State 59-35 | 3 |
4 | Georgia Tech | L, Louisville 31-19 | 6 |
5 | NC State | L, Clemson 59-35 | 4 |
6 | Boston College | W, Michigan State 23-19 | 10 |
7 | SMU | W, TCU 66-42 | 8 |
8 | Pittsburgh | W, Youngstown State 73-17 | 14 |
9 | Virginia Tech | L, Rutgers 26-23 | 7 |
10 | California | L, Florida State 14-9 | 9 |
11 | North Carolina | L, James Madison 70-50 | 5 |
12 | Florida State | W, California 14-9 | 12 |
13 | Duke | W, Mid Tennessee 45-17 | 13 |
14 | Syracuse | L, Stanford 26-24 | 11 |
15 | Virginia | W, Coastal Carolina 43-24 | 15 |
16 | Stanford | W, Syracuse 26-24 | 17 |
17 | Wake Forest | BYE | 16W, USF 50-15 |
On the other hand, North Carolina looked like a team that could compete for an ACC championship, but after QB Max Johnson's injury, the Tarheels have struggled since. They're 3-1, but their win against lower-to-middle tier Big Ten team, Minnesota, was on a missed walk-off field goal by the Gophers. It all came to a head this past Saturday, with UNC giving up 70 points to James Madison. Read that name again: James Madison.
There is no excuse for a Power Four school Group of Five school that was in the FCS three years ago. The QB situation is disastrous for the Tarheels. Conner Harrell carried UNC to the finish line against Minnesota and recorded 219 yards and two touchdowns against Charlotte but has lost the job to Jacolby Criswell. He only had two touches against James Madison for -3 yards and a fumble.
On the other hand, Criswell wasn't great on Saturday either, going 28/48 for 475 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions, and a fumble. If it weren't for his three turnovers (five overall), you could argue that UNC would have won the game despite the poor defensive performance.
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