Around College Football | Week 1

Around CFB

No. 8 Florida State 45, No. 5 LSU 24

As the new season unfolds, there was no team in the nation with a more significant opportunity to improve their stock in the first month than the Seminoles, who walloped No. 5 LSU on Sunday and face Clemson on September 23 in Death Valley. 

The Seminoles, who moved up to No. 4 in the AP Poll, will likely enter their matchup with Clemson undefeated, facing Southern Miss and Boston College over the next two weekends. As for the Tigers, the matchup with FSU is paramount to turning the season into what fans once hoped for. A win over a Top 4 team would be just what the doctor ordered after Monday’s 28-7 loss at Duke, but it won’t be easy based off what we saw in Durham.

No. 21 North Carolina 31, South Carolina 17

The Gamecocks lined I-77 North with signs that a Sandstorm was coming to Charlotte, and what arrived on game day didn’t seem to place a single grain of sand in Heisman contender Drake Mayes’ eyes. The Tar Heels cruised past the Gamecocks as Maye went 24-32 for 269 yards and two touchdowns with two picks. 

As for South Carolina, Spencer Rattler was pressured all night long, being sacked nine times by a North Carolina team that had just 17 sacks a season ago. Gene Chizik's defense was much improved and certainly makes you wonder if the Tar Heels can make a run back to the ACC Championship Game in a single-division league, especially with Clemson losing at Duke.

UNC faces Clemson on Nov. 18, presenting the ACC with another team that could spend a large part of the year inside the Top 15. Maye said after the game that “the sky would be the limit” for North Carolina this year. Perhaps he’s right.

The PAC-12

Yep, the league is done, but they are going out with a bang! The conference has started the season 13-0 for the first time since 1932. They’ve also racked up the most wins without a loss for a conference since 1980.

Next year, only Oregon State and Washington State will remain as conference expansion gobbled up the other members, culminating with the ACC adding Stanford and Cal last week.

Speaking of the Beavers, D.J. Uiagalelei led No. 16 Oregon State to a 42-17 win over San Jose State on Sunday. Uiagalelei, the former Clemson starter, was 20-25 passing for 239 yards with 3 passing touchdowns in his debut. He also rushed for two touchdowns in the win and earned a spot on the Manning Watch List for the best quarterback in college football.

Upcoming ACC Football Schedule

Thursday, Sept. 7 Time, TV SiriusXM App/Web

Murray State at Louisville 7:30 p.m., ACCN 136 or 193 955

Series: Louisville leads series, 14-6; Last meeting: Louisville, 55-10 (2017)

ACCN: Chris Cotter (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (analyst), Sherree Burruss (sideline)

Saturday, Sept. 9 Time, TV SiriusXM App/Web

Vanderbilt at Wake Forest 11 a.m., ACCN 104 or 193 955

Series: Vanderbilt leads series, 10-7; Last meeting: Wake Forest, 45-25 (2022)

ACCN: Courtney Lyle (play-by-play), Hutson Mason (analyst), Lericia Harris (sideline)

No. 10 Notre Dame at NC State Noon, ABC 99, 129, or 194 129 or 956

Series: NC State leads series, 2-1; Last meeting: Notre Dame, 35-14 (2017)

ABC: Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst), Molly McGrath (sideline)

Purdue at Virginia Tech Noon, ESPN2 138 or 206 969

Series: Virginia Tech leads series, 1-0; Last meeting: Virginia Tech, 51-24 (2015)

ESPN2: Brian Custer (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst), Lauren Sisler (sideline)

James Madison at Virginia Noon, ESPNU 136 or 201 964

Series: Virginia leads series, 2-1; Last meeting: Virginia, 21-14 (1983)

ESPNU: Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst), Taylor McGregor (sideline)

Holy Cross at Boston College Noon, ACCNX 158 or 203 966

Series: Boston College leads series, 49-31-1; Last meeting: Boston College, 62-14 (2018)

ACCNX: Bill Spaulding (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (analyst)

South Carolina State at Georgia Tech 1 p.m., ACCNX 111 or 204 967

Series: Georgia Tech leads series, 1-0; Last meeting: Georgia Tech, 41-10 (2010)

ACCNX: Chuckie Kempf (play-by-play), Forrest Conoly (analyst)

Charleston Southern at No. 25 Clemson 2:15 p.m., ACCN 104 or 193 955

Series: First meeting

ACCN: Drew Carter (play-by-play), Dustin Fox (analyst), Alex Chappell (sideline)

No. 23 Texas A&M at Miami 3:30 p.m., ABC 136 or 201 964

Series: Tied, 2-2; Last meeting: Texas A&M, 17-9 (2022)

ABC: Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst), Katie George (sideline)

Western Michigan at Syracuse 3:30 p.m., ACCNX 99 or 194 956

Series: Syracuse leads series, 2-0; Last meeting: Syracuse, 52-33 (2019)

ACCNX: Richard Cross (play-by-play), Byron Chamberlain (analyst)

Appalachian State at No. 17 North Carolina 5:15 p.m., ACCN 104 or 193 955

Series: North Carolina leads series, 2-1; Last meeting: North Carolina, 63-61 (2022)

ACCN: Wes Durham (play-by-play), Tim Hasselbeck (analyst), Taylor Tannebaum (sideline)

Lafayette at No. 21 Duke 6 p.m., ACCNX 382 972

Series: First meeting

ACCNX: Lowell Galindo (play-by-play), Charles Arbuckle (analyst)

Cincinnati at Pitt 6:30 p.m., CW 103 or 207 983

Series: Pitt leads series, 8-4; Last meeting: Cincinnati, 34-10 (2012)

CW: Tom Werme (play-by-play), James Bates (analyst), Treavor Scales

Southern Miss at No. 4 Florida State 8:30 p.m., ACCN 104 or 193 955

Series: Florida State leads 14-8-1; Last meeting: Florida State, 42-13 (2017)

ACCN: Jorge Sedano (play-by-play), Orlando Franklin (analyst), Marilyn Payne (sideline)

ACC Notes

ACC WELCOMES CAL, SMU AND STANFORD

The ACC Board of Directors voted on Sept. 1 to formally admit the University of California, Berkeley (Cal), Southern Methodist University (SMU) and Stanford University to the Atlantic Coast Conference. Cal, SMU and Stanford will join the ACC as full members with full voting participation effective July 1, 2024 (SMU) and August 2, 2024 (Stanford and Cal). The decision followed the submission of letters of application from all three institutions.

The additions of Cal, SMU and Stanford enhance and strengthen the ACC academically, athletically and financially as well as create a true national conference that spans coast to coast. The incoming universities enrich the league’s competitiveness in all sports and further demonstrate the ACC’s commitment to broad-based programs for both women and men. More than 2,200 student-athletes from Cal, SMU and Stanford will join the nearly 10,000 current ACC student-athletes competing at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics.

GREATNESS IS WHAT WE DO

The ACC announced its new creative campaign, “ACCOMPLISH GREATNESS,” a multi-part brand campaign highlighting the vast success of the ACC’s athletics and academics alike. The campaign launched ahead of the ACC’s official college football season on Week 1. The series will continue with multi-sport spots highlighting the ACC’s incredible accomplishments in all sports throughout the academic year.

ESPN'S BEST LABOR DAY SUNDAY

ESPN’s Labor Day Showdown Between No. 5 LSU and No. 8 FSU registered 9.1 million viewers on ABC during the Seminoles win.

The game was the most-watched Labor Day Sunday game since Notre Dame and Texas in 2016 and the second-most watched on record, having peaked at 10.3 million viewers.

GRAND STAGE ON WEEK 1

Week 1 of the college football season last week saw five consecutive days of ACC Football, with ACC teams playing in 12 games over the five-day span throughout the Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 4. No other league played across all five days in Week 1. The feat marked the fifth time in the last seven years that the ACC played over five consecutive days in Week 1.

HISTORICAL TOP-10 WINS

In Monday night’s Labor Day primetime game, the Duke Blue Devils upended No. 9 Clemson 28-7 in Wallace Wade Stadium in the two teams’ season opener. The win was the first time the Blue Devils had beaten a top-10 team since defeating then-No. 7 Clemson in 1989, snapping a losing streak of 28 straight games to top-10 teams.

On Sunday night, the No. 8 Florida State Seminoles defeated No. 5 LSU 45-24 in the Camping World Kickoff in Orlando, Fla. FSU’s 45 points were tied for the most in a season opener against an AP top-5 teams in the Poll era (since 1936). As the lower-ranked team, the Seminoles also recorded the first 20+ point win over an AP top-5 team since 1988 with the season-opening victory.

FOUR TEAMS RANKED NATIONALLY AFTER WEEK 1

Four ACC teams are ranked in the AP Top 25 poll (Sept. 5), as Duke jumped into the poll at No. 21 with its win over Clemson in the season opener. Florida State jumped four spots to No. 4 with the blowout win over then-No. 5 LSU, while North Carolina moved up to No. 17. Despite the loss, the Tigers remained in the top 25 at No. 25. Pitt, Miami, NC State and Louisville also received votes.

No. 5 Florida State leads a group of four ACC teams ranked in the top 25 of the USA Today AFCA Coaches Poll (Sept. 5). The Seminoles are joined by North Carolina at No. 16, Clemson at No. 21, and Duke at No. 24. Pitt, Miami, NC State, Wake Forest and Louisville also received votes.

NATIONAL WEEKLY AWARD LIST RECOGNITION

Davey O’Brien Award: Jordan Travis threw for 342 yards with a career-high four touchdown passes in FSU’s 45-24 win over No. 5 LSU at the Camping World Kickoff game in Orlando, Florida. He tied his career high with five total touchdowns after adding a one-yard touchdown run, the 25th of his career.

Manning Award: Jordan Travis was also one of eight quarterbacks selected as the Manning Award Star of the Week for Week 1.

Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week: Kaimon Rucker recorded eight tackles (six solo), including 5.5 tackles-for-loss, and two quarterback sacks as North Carolina opened the 2023 season with a 31-17 victory over the Gamecocks in the Duke’s Mayo Classic. Rucker led a Tar Heel defense that tallied nine sacks and limited South Carolina to minus-2 yards rushing for the game.