As they say in France, plus ça change, plus ça la même chose (or something like that.) The ACC season has started off with things looking like they did at the end of last season: Three teams shut out (including our Blue Devils, for the first time since September 2, 2000,) Florida State winning, a rout of a 1-AA opponent, and a gutsy win from an unlikely quarter.
| Florida State | 1-0 | 1-0 |
| Virginia | 1-0 | 1-0 |
| NC State | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| Wake Forest | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| Clemson | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| Georgia Tech | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| Maryland | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| Duke | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| North Carolina | 0-1 | 0-1 |
Starting on the good side, Wake Forest's come from behind win, 32-28, at Boston College reversed a trend of three losses to out-of-conference 1-A teams. While two of those three losses could have been anticipated, Maryland's looking past Northern Illinois, a team they should have beaten, was an embarrassment for the ACC. Wake trained late, but came from behind in the fourth quarter to take a lead, and an interception sealed the victory.
In Death Valley, Clemson lost their fifth straight to rival Georiga, 30-0, equalling their biggest home defeat to Georgia. The last time Clemson was shut out was in 1998.
- Greenville News
- AJC
- The State
- Indianapolis Star
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- San Francisco Chronicle
- Orangeburg Times and Democrat
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- Rock Hill Herald
- Greenville News
- Athens Banner-Herald
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- Augusta Chronicle
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In Raleigh, NC State resumed their series with 1-AA Western Carolina, winning 59-20. State is now 5-0 against the Catamounts, having never even been threatened. You'd think an ACC Title Contender would prefer a tougher challenge.
For Duke, it was another loss in a series of losses to the Cavaliers. this time by a score of 27-0, but it was the worst loss since 1993. Still, it could have been much worse, Virginia's first string quarterback (and last year's ACC Player of the Year) went out of the game with an injury after the first series of downs, and did not return.
For Duke, it is the 26th consecutive conference loss.
Last year's Carolina football team was execrable (well, aren't they always?) with their only conference win coming on a last second field goal at Duke. The nine losses was the most they've had since 1989. While Florida State has certainly lost its luster in recent years, they remain good enough to pound the Tar Heels into the dirt, 37-0.