ACC off to sturdy begin in nonconference video games
BOSTON (AP) All that speak about how the Huge Ten and Southeastern Convention are making the remainder of faculty soccer irrelevant?
Nicely, the Atlantic Coast Convention would really like a phrase.
Winner of two nationwide championships prior to now six years – the one league aside from the SEC to say even one – the ACC is off to its greatest begin in nonconference video games in a minimum of 20 years. The ACC is 28-6 towards different conferences up to now this season, together with a 17-6 document towards the FBS and 6-5 towards members of the opposite Energy 5 leagues.
”Wow,” Clemson defensive finish Okay.J. Henry mentioned, although he urged warning. ”The very last thing I’ll do is exit on the facet of the road and say, `We’ve the most effective convention.’ That is not for me to say.”
No. 5 Clemson, which gained all of it in 2016 and ’18, is 3-0 for the seventh time in eight years and appears headed for its seventh journey to the School Soccer Playoff within the final eight years. Nevertheless it’s not simply the Tigers.
Seven ACC groups – 5 from the Atlantic Division – stay unbeaten by three video games, equaling essentially the most of any league. Syracuse is undefeated by three weeks for the primary time since 2018, and Florida State is 3-0 for the primary time since ’15.
In all, the ACC’s .824 win proportion in nonconference video games is their greatest since a minimum of 2000; aside from their .800 mark within the pandemic season of 2020, the subsequent highest was .771 in 2008. The league hasn’t completed with a profitable document towards the Energy 5 since 2016.
”We’ve nice opponents on this league and 82% towards nonconference (groups), that speaks to how a lot we have grown as a league,” Henry mentioned. ”It is undoubtedly going to be a problem week-in and week-out.”
The ACC has eight extra nonconference video games this week, together with three towards the Energy 5. In a matchup of ranked ACC groups, Clemson performs No. 21 Wake Forest, which beat Vanderbilt of the SEC on Sept. 10 however needed to scrap to carry off Liberty, an unbiased not too long ago promoted to FBS, within the last minute 37-36 final week.
Demon Deacons coach Dave Clawson mentioned he prefers to begin the season with 4 nonconference video games after which flip his consideration to the ACC. This 12 months, with quarterback Sam Hartman lacking the opener, it was particularly vital.
”That will be the best world, and this 12 months was fairly near preferrred,” Clawson mentioned. ”I really feel like there’s been a development with our schedule. And now this week, I can not think about when the 12 months’s over that this is not going to be the most effective or one of many two or three greatest groups that may play all 12 months.”
Even with the league’s success, there are some stragglers.
After dropping its first two video games – towards Rutgers of the Huge Ten and ACC foe Virginia Tech – Boston School picked up a win towards FCS Maine. Louisville (1-2) beat Central Florida on the street two weeks in the past however collapsed within the fourth quarter in a 35-31 loss to Florida State.
The Cardinals shut the primary a part of their nonconference schedule towards South Florida.
”They seem to be a a lot better soccer staff than what it was the final two years,” coach Scott Satterfield. ”Once more, it is a massive recreation for us this week.”
Georgia Tech misplaced 42-0 at house to Ole Miss final week, including that to a 41-10 opening loss to Clemson. The Yellow Jackets did beat Western Carolina 35-17, however of their final 4 video games towards Energy 5 groups they’ve been outscored 183-10. (Up subsequent: Central Florida, a 20.5 level favourite.)
Clemson offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter mentioned the Tigers attempt to put together the identical method – whether or not it is an opponent from the ACC, SEC and even FCS.
”That is what the great groups do, is that they give attention to themselves,” he mentioned. ”There isn’t any doubt about it: The ACC has bought some sturdy groups, and week-in and week-out we are able to see that. It is all the time going to be a contest each single week.”
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AP Sports activities Writers Aaron Beard, Pete Iacobelli, Josh Dubow, Charles Odum and Will and Gary B. Graves contributed to this story.
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