The ACC’s College Football Playoff hopes took a major hit after No. 7 Georgia Tech and No. 9 Miami lost.
The American Conference race is heating up, with six teams tied at the top with one loss each.
Controversial officiating calls marred the ACC’s weekend, including a disputed pass interference call in the Duke-Clemson game.
The ACC was able to get two teams in the College Football Playoff last season. In an instant, it’s looking like it won’t be able to get multiple bids again.
While it was fun for the sport, Saturday, Nov. 1 couldn’t have been any worse for the Atlantic Coast with its two top 10 teams – No. 7 Georgia Tech and No. 9 Miami – losing. Even worse, they lost to teams with at least three losses. Already piling on to the disappointing seasons from Clemson and Florida State.
It couldn’t have come at a worse time with the first batch of College Football Playoff rankings coming out in two days. Not only will the ACC not have any teams in the top 10, but it won’t be surprising if none are in the top 12.
It’s a horrible start to November for a league that already has an uphill battle against the SEC and Big Ten. Now the best hope is if Virginia can keep on winning, and somehow make a case if it just loses in the ACC title game.
Desperate times are happening in the ACC, and that’s why it leads the best and worst things from Week 10 in college football.
Best: American race
While one conference feels gloomy about getting one team, another will gladly take it.
The American Conference is becoming the best conference race in college football. It’s looking like this conference could be the one to produce the Group of Five representative; it’s becoming wild to see who will get it.
The latest installment came with North Texas knocking off undefeated Navy. It came two days after UTSA surprisingly beat down Tulane, and a week after No. 25 Memphis stunned South Florida.
Now look at the standings and there are six teams at the top with one loss. A scary situation for the contenders since a conference title is needed to get in the playoff field. All the while, other teams like San Diego State and James Madison watch on, hoping they cannibalize each other enough to work their way in.
It’s gearing up for an exciting race between Navy, Memphis, North Texas, Tulane, South Florida and East Carolina, as the Group of Five playoff bid will rest on this sprint to the finish.
Worst: ACC referees
Not only was it a bad week for the conference, but for its officials too.
One instance came in Duke vs. Clemson, when the Tigers were about the cap off a win when a pass interference was called on defensive back Avieon Terrell. However, it looked like Duke receiver Que’Sean Brown was taking down the Clemson defender. A few plays later, the Blue Devils scored a touchdown and got the two-point conversion for the win.
Then there was the odd field goal for SMU against Miami. It looked like Sam Keltner’s kick in the fourth quarter was good when it went over the goal post, but the officials ruled it no good. It was a confusing call that nearly cost the Mustangs just like Clemson, but SMU overcame it by beating the Hurricanes in overtime.
Best: SMU rips apart goal post
Speaking of SMU’s win, the fans sure had fun beating a top 10 opponent at home. Not only did they rush the field, but they ripped up the goal post where that controversial call happened.
Not take down. Rip it, literally.
The post was left in pieces, carried out of the stadium and eventual made its way to a fountain.
It was certainly a party in Dallas, and even better, the university president is going to pay for it all.
Worst: Blackouts
Tennessee and Nebraska decided to wear all black uniforms on Saturday, bringing much hype to the big night games they were hosting. It’s a popular thing to do for marque night games − but the Volunteers and Cornhuskers might be thinking these over.
Both teams lost, with Oklahoma going into Neyland Stadium and getting a huge win, and USC leaving Nebraska with a statement victory. It may have brought a great atmosphere to the stadium, but too bad it couldn’t lead to the most important thing: a win.
Best: Three safeties
Down in the FCS level, William & Mary scored six points in a very unusual way.
The special teams unit blocked three punts against Albany that resulted in three safeties. Not often you see that in a game, as it was the fourth time an FCS team has recorded at least three safeties in a game. It certainly propelled William & Mary to a 37-7 win.
Worst: Hugh Freeze
We may have found our next coach that’s going to be out of a job soon. Auburn experienced a brutal loss at home, falling to Kentucky 10-3 after it was unable to score a touchdown against one of the worst defenses in the game.
With the Tigers now 4-5 and in serious dangerous of missing out on a bowl game yet again, the fans let it be known they are ready to move on from Hugh Freeze.
Best: two-point conversion in the dark
Ever scored without lights? That’s what Northern Arizona did on Halloween night.
The Lumberjacks scored a touchdown to take a lead against Idaho in the fourth quarter, and went for two to make it a three-point game. However, in the middle of the play, the lights in the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome went out. It may have been hard to see, but somehow, NAU was able to convert it.
Because of the lights, the incredible play didn’t count. That didn’t matter, as Northern Arizona converted the attempt again. Unfortunately, the Lumberjacks couldn’t hold on and lost in overtime.
Worst: Ridiculous uniforms
We saw the extremes of uniforms in Week 10 with one that was too small and one that was too big.
For Oklahoma, kicker Tate Sandell was rocking some short shorts. It clearly upset Kirk Herbstreit, who believe it should be a penalty. That’s up for debate, and while Sandell may feel confident in it, it certainly is a … sight.
Then there was this atrocity for Arizona. When you have players with the same number on special teams, usually one puts on another one to avoid a penalty. The Wildcats did that, but the jersey looked like it came out of the trash for this guy.
Best: Jeremiah Smith
This of course has to end with one of the most electric players in the sport. Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith made a catch you have to see to believe against Penn State, a big play that helped the Buckeyes put away the Nittany Lions.
It was just another incredible moment for Smith, who had six catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns on the day.