ACC Week 7 Recap: Pitt, Clemson Challenge Miami Supremacy

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Three full weeks into the Atlantic Coast Conference season has shown that no team is safe, no victory is assured until the final whistle and home field doesn’t always provide an advantage. Four of the five conference matchups were decided by a touchdown or less, and four of five were won by the road team. This is part of an overall trend in which the road team has gone 10-3 in conference games the last two weeks.

Through the parity, the 20th-ranked Pitt Panthers (6-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) and 10th-ranked Clemson Tigers (5-1, 4-0 ACC) have emerged as serious contenders behind the sixth-ranked Miami Hurricanes (6-0, 2-0 ACC), who had a bye after two victories in which they showed some vulnerability.

Pitt Panthers: A Complete Team

The Panthers won one of those close games, being the only team playing an ACC game to win at home. They staved off Cal (3-3, 0-3 ACC) on Oct. 12 17-15 after a late field goal attempt by Golden Bears kicker Ryan Coe failed.  

With the victory, Pitt improved to 6-0 for the first time since 1982, when Dan Marino was the Panthers’ signal caller.

Perhaps most impressive is that Pitt managed to get the victory despite Eli Holstein playing his worst game of the season. He was 14-of-28 passing with no touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Holstein, who has potent legs, just totaled 1 yard rushing.

Running back Desmond Reid was a force to be reckoned with on the ground. He rushed for 120 yards, including a 72-yard TD run to open the second quarter. The defense showed up in the game, sacking Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza six times.

The Pitt Panthers appear to be a complete team, operating as a unit, with players stepping up when teammates struggle. The team has its sights set on Charlotte, N.C., where Pitt looks to make its first appearance in the ACC Championship Game since their victory in 2021.

If the Panthers’ depth continues to show through, then there’s no reason to think this goal is unrealistic.

Clemson Tigers: Back in Title Talk?

The Tigers, on the other hand, won convincingly against Wake Forest (2-4, 1-2 ACC) on Oct. 12, 49-14. The victory brought their record to 5-1 overall, 4-0 in conference.

Quarterback Cade Klubnik impressed again, completing 31-of-41 passes for 309 yards and 3 touchdowns. His performance earned him ACC Quarterback of the Week honors.

With each performance, Klubnik continues to put himself further up the board in the Heisman Trophy conversation, albeit with an outside shot of being a finalist.

Klubnik is not the only weapon this team has, though. Clemson’s secondary also shined, with Kylon Griffin and Khalil Barnes each picking off Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier.  

All of this and more equals Clemson being ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. It puts Clemson back in the national conversation after a relative step back last year. The Tigers finished 4-4 in ACC play and failed to win 10 games in a season for the first time since 2010, Dabo Swinney’s second season as head coach.

If both Clemson and Pitt continue on this trajectory, then their matchup at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 16 is sure to turn some heads.

Miami Hurricanes: ACC Top Dogs?

Miami will come out of its bye to take on Louisville on the road on Oct. 19. The Hurricanes will be eager to prove they’re still the class of the ACC, and Cam Ward will want to show he’s still the best quarterback in the ACC. He's had two relatively down games where he threw for a combined 3 interceptions against inferior competition.

As the ACC season heats up, the competition only seems to grow tighter. Pitt and Clemson have proven themselves as formidable forces, but Miami will be eager to reassert its dominance.

With pivotal matchups looming, the road to Charlotte looks like it will come down to a few critical moments. One thing is certain: No team can afford to rest on their laurels in this battle for ACC supremacy.