ACC Breakdown: Florida State continues reign over conference

The week’s most important ACC game happened on Thursday night in California as then-No. 3 Oregon lost to then-No. 5 Stanford.

With Stanford’s victory, No. 2 Florida State has a clear path to the national championship as its tough out-of-conference schedule, along with victories at Clemson and against Miami, gives the Seminoles a much stronger schedule than any of the other title contenders.

Shifting away from the top squad, the ACC had an interesting week, as two teams riding two-game losing streaks — Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh — came up with big wins.

The Hokies knocked off then-No. 11 Miami 42-24, and Pitt avenged its heartbreaking 2012 loss to Notre Dame with a 28-21 victory over the then-No. 23 Fighting Irish.

Here’s this week’s ACC Breakdown:

Florida State

Head coach Jimbo Fisher knows that letting an inferior squad hang around is asking for trouble. The Seminoles took a 42-0 lead into halftime and never looked back. FSU annually finds one game to struggle in, but the 2013 Seminoles appear to have learned from where past teams have failed.

Clemson

The No. 8 Tigers had the week off to prepare for Georgia Tech on Thursday. The Yellow Jackets’ triple-option attack makes them a tough team to prepare to compete against. Luckily for Clemson, it takes on the Citadel the following week, so the Tigers should be prepared for their final ACC matchup of the season.

Georgia Tech

Riding a three-game winning streak, the Jackets also had an off week to prepare for Clemson. Death Valley will be a tough atmosphere for head coach Paul Johnson’s team. A win guarantees the Jackets a share of the Coastal Division title.

Duke

With a 38-20 victory over North Carolina State, the Blue Devils have won five straight contests. If Duke can manage two wins in its final three games, the Blue Devils will have their first nine-win season since 1941. If the Blue Devils can win out, they’ll have their first 10-win season ever.

Virginia Tech

Quarterback Logan Thomas had one of the best games of his senior season, going 25-of-31 for 366 yards and two touchdowns. Most importantly, Thomas didn’t turn the ball over, and the Hokies cruised past then-No. 11 Miami 42-24.

Miami

Without stud running back Duke Johnson, the Hurricanes aren’t what they used to be — Virginia Tech held Miami to 28 yards rushing. Johnson alone was averaging 115 yards per game before his injury. In this week’s rankings, Miami is just hanging on at No. 23. The Hurricanes have to face a hot Duke team this week.

Pitt

Head coach Paul Chryst scored his first signature win when his Panthers took down Notre Dame. The Panthers’ defense had three big turnovers and the offensive line’s improved play gave quarterback Tom Savage time to go 22-of-35 for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Pitt faces North Carolina as both teams fight for bowl eligibility.

North Carolina

Once sitting at 1-5, North Carolina has strung together three wins with its 45-14 dismantling of Virginia. Dual-threat quarterback Marquise Williams has turned the ship around, but he has been turnover-prone.

Boston College

The Eagles struggled defensively, which allowed a bad New Mexico State offense — ranked 104th nationally in points per game — to score 34 points. Boston College was able to score 48 points of its own to get the victory, but it raised red flags in Boston.

Syracuse

Running back Jerome Smith turned 28 carries into 118 yards and two touchdowns and guided the Orange to a 20-3 victory over Maryland. Syracuse heads to Tallahassee, Fla., this weekend to take on the Seminoles.

Wake Forest

A 59-3 loss to FSU isn’t anything for which the Demon Deacons should be ashamed. Wake Forest’s bowl hopes are slim to none because it has only four wins so far this season and still faces games against Duke and Vanderbilt.

Maryland

For the third straight week, the Terrapins were one win away from bowl eligibility, only to fall flat on their faces. Maryland hasn’t won since Oct. 12.

North Carolina State

The Wolfpack fell to the bottom of North Carolina football with their 38-20 loss to Duke. First-year head coach Dave Doeren went 0-3 against Wake Forest, UNC and Duke. Luckily for him, Virginia is in the ACC.

Virginia

Head coach Mike London may be approaching the hottest seat of any major college football coach. London’s team fell to 2-8 after getting waxed by UNC. The Cavaliers have allowed more than 27 points in seven of their 10 games this season.