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Maryland has started 4-0 for the first time since 2001. The Terps are ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2010. They’ve outscored their opponents 159-41.

And yet the question remains: Are they for real?

Florida State should help answer that. The Noles are ranked No. 8 in the country and are considered a contender for the national title. They’re No. 4 in the country in scoring offense, and they’ve got one of the most talented young quarterbacks in the county in redshirt freshman Jameis Winston.

And yet the question remains: Are they for real?

Saturday’s game in Tallahassee will be proving grounds for both teams, in spite of the fact they’re both 4-0. It’s the marquee matchup in the conference this week – the lone game between undefeated teams in the Atlantic Division -- and it should show just how far No. 25 Maryland has come in trying to close the gap with one of the ACC’s premier programs. It should also reveal if Florida State’s sluggish defensive performance at Boston College on Saturday was an anomaly or a deeper-rooted problem that Maryland can continue to expose.

On paper, it looks like the Terps could be exactly the kind of tricky opponent that has tripped up the Noles in the past. Maryland had a bye week to prepare for its first ranked opponent of the season, and Florida State allowed BC 200 rushing yards in a 48-34 victory at Boston College. How much of Maryland’s success, though, is simply a product of the poor competition it has played early, and have any of those teams prepared the Terps for what they’ll face in Tallahassee?

Maryland’s wins have come against Florida International, Old Dominion, Connecticut and West Virginia – teams that are a combined 6-12 this season, including two 0-4 programs in FIU and Connecticut. UConn hit a new low this season with losses to Towson and Buffalo, and on Monday fired coach Paul Pasqualoni. Maryland’s best victory was a 37-0 shutout of West Virginia in Baltimore, and it looks even better now that the Mountaineers just knocked off No. 11 Oklahoma State.

That was Baltimore. This is Tally. Maryland hasn’t beaten Florida State in Doak Campbell Stadium – well, ever. The Noles have won all 11 games there and seven straight in the series. This is only the second time Maryland has even been ranked when playing Florida State. For the Noles to go down, Maryland needs to be every bit as good as it looks right now on paper.

The Noles should and will be favored, but they fell behind 14-0 at Boston College and looked vulnerable. It was a surprising start for an opponent FSU was expected to handle with ease, and it’s only going to get more difficult. The Terps will be Florida State’s first ranked opponent as well. FSU padded its stats against Nevada and Bethune-Cookman and looked unprepared on Saturday for what BC had to dish out. The Eagles are a one-dimensional offense that depends heavily on Andre Williams and the running game. Maryland is not. The Terps have more depth and more playmakers and will be an even bigger challenge for the FSU defense.

Maryland’s offense, which finished the 2012 season dead last in the ACC in total offense, averaging just 284 yards, now ranks second in the ACC at 498.5 yards per game, an improvement of 213.7 yards per game.

There’s no question Maryland is light years better than it was a year ago, when it finished the season with just four wins and a linebacker at quarterback. And there’s no question Florida State is still one of the top two teams in the ACC.

Just how good both of them truly are, though, has yet to be determined.

Lots of movement in the middle of the Power Rankings this week.

No. 1 Clemson (4-0, 2-0; last week: No. 1). The Tigers easily handled Wake Forest as Tajh Boyd notched the 100th touchdown of his career. What pleased coach Dabo Swinney most of all was a complete effort from both his offense and defense, despite missing several key starters and reserves because of injury. Clemson has now picked up a first-place vote in the coaches poll. When asked Sunday whether it was from him, Swinney said it was not. His team, he says, is not yet deserving of a No. 1 vote.

No. 2 Florida State (4-0, 2-0; last week: No. 2). Headed into Saturday, perhaps the only people who believed Boston College would hold a double-digit lead on the Noles at any point were the players and coaches in that locker room. Indeed, BC had the Noles on the ropes early, jumping out to a 17-3 lead. Florida State recovered in time to win, but BC exposed some major problems in the FSU defense, most especially some inconsistent play up front. The Noles have to get those problems shored up in a hurry with a much better Maryland team coming to town.

No. 3 Miami (4-0; last week: No. 3). The Hurricanes turned the ball over way too much and had costly penalties against South Florida, but still dominated. The key question is this: What do we know about this team today that we did not know three weeks ago following a win over Florida? Miami has not been tested since then in wins over Savannah State and the Bulls, and now the real season begins -- against Georgia Tech to open ACC play.

No. 4 Maryland (4-0; last week: No. 5). The Terps entered the AP Top 25 at No. 25 -- their first ranking since the final poll of the 2010 season. And they didn't even have to play to get in. Guess that means the Terps got a double bonus on their week off, spent preparing for Florida State. What helped their image this weekend was West Virginia's upset win over No. 11 Oklahoma State. Just last week, Maryland beat West Virginia 37-0. That win is looking a whole lot better.

No. 5 Virginia Tech (4-1, 1-0; last week: No. 6). This should become an ACC mantra: Never count out the Hokies. We all know the offense has had its issues, but the defense has been simply outstanding and showed it once again in a win against Georgia Tech last Thursday. Virginia Tech held the Jackets to just 129 yards on the ground and was dominant all the way around. Logan Thomas had his best game since 2011. If the defense keeps this up and Thomas plays as well as he did against the Jackets, the Coastal Division better watch out.

No. 6 Pitt (3-1, 2-1; last week: No. 9). Nice jump for the Panthers, who have won three in a row for the first time since the 2010 season. Now granted, New Mexico, Duke and Virginia are not world-beaters by any stretch, but Pitt showed it could win in a variety of ways during this three-game streak. Against Virginia, it was with an improved defensive effort and just enough from the passing game, though the offensive line clearly has a ways to go. Tom Savage was sacked seven times and sustained concussion symptoms as a result.

No. 7 Georgia Tech (3-1, 2-1; last week: No. 4). The Jackets fall a notch below Pitt because the Panthers have a slightly more impressive win selection. Georgia Tech has won over FCS Elon. All three Pitt wins have come against FBS teams. The fact is, Georgia Tech was the favorite to beat Virginia Tech at home in a crucial Coastal Division matchup. But it seems the Jackets come up short just about every time they play Virginia Tech. The offense was completely ineffective, and Vad Lee looked like a first-year starter. The good news is a win over Miami puts the Jackets in the heart of the race.

No. 8 NC State (3-1, 0-1; last week: No. 8 ). The Wolfpack had another big day against Central Michigan and certainly look like a team trending up. But their FBS wins have come against teams that are a combined 2-8. Their other win, over Richmond, was too close for comfort. Give NC State credit for playing Clemson tight, but we still want to see much more out of this team when the competition gets tougher.

No. 9 Boston College (2-2, 1-1; last week: No. 11). Coaches take no solace in moral victories, but there has to be some sense of confidence in knowing this team could hang with the No. 8 team in the nation. The biggest difference between last year and this year is the way the Eagles are playing up front. That translates directly into their success running the football. Andre Williams leads the ACC in rushing and is halfway to a 1,000-yard season after only four games (505 yards). Pretty impressive, considering BC was one of the worst rushing teams in the nation in 2012.

No. 10 Syracuse (2-2; last week: No. 13). Cuse looked like a different team in its last two games with Terrel Hunt under center, but they did face overmatched competition. We will have a good idea of where Syracuse is after this weekend, when the Orange host No. 3 Clemson. The Orange had a bye week to prepare for the Tigers and have had recent success against ranked teams at home.

No. 11 Duke (3-2, 0-2; last week: No. 12). Nothing has come easy for this team, not even against Troy. The Blue Devils got into another shootout this past weekend but ended up winning. Still, Troy gained 512 yards, the second consecutive week the defense has yielded more than 500 yards. Brandon Connette played a nice game, with 379 total yards and five total touchdowns.

No. 12 Virginia (2-2, 0-1; last week: No. 10). It appears as if Virginia has made plenty of progress on the defensive side of the ball this year with its coordinator change. But the offense looks even worse than it did a year ago, and that is saying something. Virginia continues to struggle on the offensive line and in the run game, putting way too much pressure on first-year starter David Watford. Virginia had 65 yards rushing in a 14-3 loss to Pitt, and is averaging 3.7 yards per carry -- third-worst in the ACC. Unless they figure out how to start running the ball effectively, this is going to be a long season.

No. 13 North Carolina (1-3, 0-1; last week: No. 7). Speaking of an inability to run the football, that is perhaps the biggest reason why the Tar Heels have made the biggest drop in the ACC power rankings. North Carolina started the year at No. 4, but an unsightly home loss to East Carolina has sent it plummeting. The Tar Heels have simply not found an replacement for Giovani Bernard's production nor the starters missing on the offensive line. The defense appears to have regressed as well. Good teams find ways to reload, not rebuild. But this year screams rebuilding all over it, given all the key pieces North Carolina lost off its 8-4 squad a year ago.

No. 14 Wake Forest (2-3, 0-2; last week: No. 14). The Demon Deacons got blown out by Clemson, but they have to regroup quickly against in-state rival NC State if they want to keep their bowl hopes alive. Wake Forest and NC State have split their last six meetings, with the home team winning each time. The matchup is in Winston-Salem, so perhaps that will give the Deacs the edge they need.

We shook up the bowl lineup based on the results of this weekend. Sorry, North Carolina, we do not project a bowl trip after the loss to East Carolina. The good news is these are redone each week, so the Tar Heels can play their way back in.

Discover Orange Bowl, Jan. 3: Clemson
Allstate Sugar Bowl, Jan. 2: Florida State
Chick-fil-A Bowl, Dec. 31: Miami
Russell Athletic Bowl, Dec. 28: Maryland
Hyundai Sun Bowl, Dec. 31: NC State
Belk Bowl, Dec. 28: Virginia Tech
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, Dec. 30: Georgia Tech
Advocare V100 Bowl, Dec. 31: Pitt
Military Bowl, Dec. 27: Open

For the past decade, the ACC has shared the regional stage with the SEC, but it has been a clear second-class citizen. In the first month of the 2013 season, however, the conference did its best to shed that reputation and deliver a few blows to its neighbor with the long run of national titles. Clemson knocked off Georgia, Miami upended Florida and along with Florida State, the ACC looks to have at least three teams with sights set on the BCS.

Best game: Clemson's win over Georgia

No one doubted Clemson's offensive potential before the season, but for the Tigers -- and the ACC -- to establish their national-title credentials, they needed a big win, and Georgia provided the perfect foil on the first Saturday of the season. Tajh Boyd accounted for five touchdowns, Roderick McDowell ran for 132 yards, Sammy Watkins hauled in six catches for 127 yards and the Clemson defense did just enough to secure a 38-35 win that set the stage for the ACC's emergence as a challenger to SEC dominance.

Best player: Boyd

Four weeks into the season, Boyd's numbers have only burnished the preseason Heisman hype. He has racked up six passing touchdowns and three more on the ground, and he has yet to throw an interception. His numbers aren't buffered by a stat-padding game against weak opposition, either. He saw a limited workload against South Carolina State, saving his best for a surprisingly close game against NC State and a season-defining win over Georgia.

Best performance: Jameis Winston's debut

There was plenty of buzz surrounding the Florida State quarterback before he ever took a snap, but Winston still managed to exceed expectations in his first game. Winston completed his first 11 passes, finished 25-of-27 for 356 yards and accounted for five touchdowns in a blowout win over Pittsburgh. He followed that up with two more solid games, but his debut ranks among the best for any quarterback in the past decade.

Best surprise: Maryland's hot start

It's not that the Terrapins didn't have talent, but there were so many question marks to open the season. C.J. Brown returned after missing all of 2012, a bevy of defensive stalwarts were gone and the Terrapins were riding out their final ACC campaign before moving to the Big Ten. Through four games, though, things have worked out beautifully. Brown and Stefon Diggs helped the Maryland offense rack up more than 500 yards in its first three games, the defense pitched a shutout against West Virginia last week, and the Terps will enter their Oct. 5 clash with Florida State undefeated.

Biggest disappointment: Virginia Tech's offense

It wasn't so long ago Logan Thomas was being discussed as a future first-round NFL draft pick. Now, he's among the most criticized quarterbacks in the country. His 42.3 Total QBR ranks 98th nationally, and he has more sacks (5) and interceptions (6) than touchdown passes (4). Virginia Tech's offense ranks 106th nationally in yards per play (4.68), and everyone has contributed. The receivers can't get open, the ground game has been stuck in neutral and the line is doing little to open running lanes.

Here is one last look back at the week that was in the ACC.

The good: Perhaps Clemson teams of the past would have faltered when adversity struck early Thursday in Raleigh, N.C. But the defensive line stood up, and the offense made plays when it needed to, turning a close contest into a more comfortable 26-14 win, allowing the Tigers to remain the ACC's most likely national title contender.

The bad: Pitt's defense avoids this distinction only because Duke's was worse. The Panthers escaped Durham, N.C., with a 58-55 win Saturday for their first ACC victory. The Blue Devils surrendered 598 yards of offense and did not force a single turnover, while committing four themselves. Duke coach David Cutcliffe said Sunday that he had never been a part of any game like it before.

The ugly: Virginia Tech beat Marshall 29-21 in three overtimes to get to 3-1. The first two overtimes featured no scores. The game had five total turnovers. Marshall committed 11 penalties. Oh, and both kickers combined to go 0-for-5 on field goal attempts, with the Hokies' Ethan Keyserling going 0-for-3 while replacing Cody Journell, who was suspended for an unspecified violation of team rules. The one bright spot was Derrick Hopkins coming oh-so-close to a walk-off fat guy touchdown after a Rakeem Cato fumble in overtime No. 2.

The wake me when it's over: The fourth quarter of Miami's 77-7 win over Savannah State was shortened to 12 minutes, as mutually agreed upon by both coaches. What more needs to be said about this matchup?

The wake me when it's over, Parts 2 and 3: In case one FCS beatdown wasn't enough for you, Virginia beat VMI 49-0 and Florida State beat Bethune-Cookman 54-6. For those keeping count, that's a combined 180-13 margin for the three ACC squads against FCS foes this past weekend.

The rebound: Wake Forest needed a win in the worst way, and the Demon Deacons came through Saturday at Army. Josh Harris had two second-half touchdowns and Nikita Whitlock notched 14 tackles, giving the Deacs a 25-11 win before they prepare to head to Clemson this week.

The statement: Nice little stories don't force six turnovers and beat West Virginia 37-0. They don't hold the Mountaineers to six first downs and 175 total yards of offense. And they don't start 4-0. It may be time to take Maryland seriously after its rout of WVU, as the Terrapins are two wins shy of their previous two-year total under Randy Edsall, who refused to call the win a signature one but is surely pleased with his team's start this season.

The what-could-have-been: Hindsight is 20/20. We don't know how ready Terrel Hunt would have been to start for Syracuse in the season opener. And Wagner and Tulane are not as good as Penn State and Northwestern. That said, the loss to the Nittany Lions was a winnable game. And Hunt's two starts after the Orange's first two losses with Drew Allen under center have been great, as he completed 16 of 21 passes Saturday against the Green Wave for 181 yards and four touchdowns. He added 39 yards and another score on the ground, and he did not turn the ball over. Hunt, as Anish Shroff pointed out, has the highest Total QBR rating in the country, though he has not played enough yet to qualify for the top spot.

The stand: Georgia Tech improved to 2-0 in the conference with a 28-20 home win over North Carolina, and it did it with its defense. The Yellow Jackets trailed by 13 twice in the first half. But they held the Tar Heels without a point over the game's final 39-plus minutes and held UNC to just 319 total yards of offense.

We’ve got a few tweaks to the lineup this week, but no major shakeups. Welcome to the top five, Terps …

1. Clemson (3-0, 1-0 ACC; Last week: No. 1): The Tigers avoided being ridiculed for “Clemsoning” with a 26-14 win over NC State, and even though the offense wasn’t clicking smoothly for four quarters, the team found a way to win with its defense. Vic Beasley continued to dominate, and the Tigers will look to keep it up this weekend against Wake Forest.

2. Florida State (3-0, 1-0; Last week: No. 2): The Seminoles cruised to a 54-6 win over FCS opponent Bethune-Cookman in a game which revealed absolutely nothing about FSU. Florida State has to travel to Boston College in Week 5, but won’t face its first true test of the season until Oct. 5 against Maryland.

3. Miami (3-0, 0-0; Last week: No. 3): The Canes were relentless in a 77-7 win over Savannah State, but they got a small scare when quarterback Stephen Morris left the game in the first quarter with a sprained ankle. Coach Al Golden told The Associated Press, “It looks like he’ll be fine.” The Canes travel to USF this week for their final nonconference game of the season.

4. Georgia Tech (3-0, 2-0; Last week: No. 4): With a 28-20 win over North Carolina, the Jackets took another step in asserting themselves as one of the top teams in the Coastal Division, further setting the stage for a showdown against Miami on Oct. 5. First, though, the Jackets will have to beat Virginia Tech on Thursday night, a quick five-day turnaround for both teams.

5. Maryland (4-0, 0-0; Last week: No. 7): The Terps blanked West Virginia 37-0 and are now 4-0 for the first time since 2001, the last time Maryland won the ACC and played in the Orange Bowl. They’ve got a bye week to prepare for Florida State, but have already matched their win total from last year.

6. Virginia Tech (3-1, 0-0; Last week: No. 6): It wasn’t pretty, but the Hokies once again found a way to get it done, this time a 29-21 triple-overtime win against Marshall. Even the defense wasn’t as dependable as it has been this month. Virginia Tech was just 2-of-16 on third-down conversions -- a stat that won’t fly on Thursday night against the productive Yellow Jackets’ offense.

7. North Carolina (1-2, 0-1; Last week: No. 5): UNC couldn’t hold on to a 20-7 lead in the first half against Georgia Tech and fell into a hole early in the Coastal Division race. This is a team that has yet to really make a statement against a quality opponent, with its lone win coming against Middle Tennessee. They could have a trap game this week against East Carolina.

8. NC State (2-1, 0-1; Last week: No. 9): The Wolfpack should take some pride in their performance against Clemson, despite the loss. The defense played better than expected and in the first half was able to pressure quarterback Tajh Boyd. If the Pack keeps it up, they could overachieve in Year 1 under coach Dave Doeren.

9. Pitt (2-1, 1-1; Last week: No. 10): Who needs defense? Quarterback Tom Savage threw six touchdown passes in a 58-55 win over Duke to give the Panthers their first ACC win as a member of the conference. Pitt will have home-field advantage this week against Virginia in another important Coastal Division game.

10. Virginia (2-1, 0-0; Last week: No. 8): This was another FCS snoozer, as Virginia rolled over VMI, 49-0. It was the final tuneup before the Hoos begin conference play on Saturday at Pitt. UVa entered the game trying to be more explosive on offense, but it took until the second quarter to showcase it. UVa won’t be able to afford to wait against Pitt.

11. Boston College (2-1, 1-0; Last week: No. 12): The Eagles had a bye week to recover from their cross-country loss to USC and prepare for Saturday’s home game against Florida State. BC got off to a good start in the Atlantic Division race with its win over Wake Forest in Week 2, but this will be an even bigger challenge than what it faced at USC.

12. Duke (2-2, 0-2; Last week: No. 11): The Blue Devils are already on the outside looking in at the Coastal Division race after back-to-back ACC losses, and four turnovers didn’t help in Saturday’s loss at Pitt. Nor did the defense. Duke has a chance to fix some of those mistakes against Troy this week and will have a bye week to regroup before facing Navy.

13. Syracuse (2-2, 0-0; Last week: No. 13): We have yet to learn the true identity of this team, after losses to legitimate Big Ten teams, and then wins against unheralded, overmatched opponents. We’ve also seen two different results with two different quarterbacks. Have the Orange found their stride because of Terrel Hunt, or because of their level of competition lately?

14. Wake Forest (2-2, 0-1; Last week: No. 14): Wake Forest overcame a sloppy start and left West Point with a much-needed 25-11 win over Army. The Deacs were trailing 11-10 late in the third quarter, but avoided three straight losses heading into Death Valley this weekend.

Swapped Maryland and Virginia Tech in the bowl projections this week.

Discover Orange Bowl, Jan. 3: Clemson

Allstate Sugar Bowl, Jan. 2: Florida State

Chick-fil-A Bowl, Dec. 31: Miami

Russell Athletic Bowl, Dec. 28: Georgia Tech

Hyundai Sun Bowl, Dec. 31: Maryland

Belk Bowl, Dec. 28: North Carolina

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, Dec. 30: Virginia Tech

Advocare V100 Bowl, Dec. 31: NC State

Military Bowl, Dec. 27: Pitt

What did we learn in the ACC in Week 4? Glad you asked.

1. Clemson is not perfect: The way Clemson won on Thursday night at NC State will not win the Tigers any beauty contests. They were sluggish on offense for most of the game, and nobody could quite figure out why afterward. Was it the long layoff between games against FBS teams? Was it more a product of NC State harassing Tajh Boyd? Were they playing too tight and not relaxed? Clemson finally got a few drives going in the second half (thanks to a call that may or may not have been botched) but the offense still needs some work. The defense, meanwhile, has made huge strides. Coaches thought this front seven could be good, and it was strong against the Wolfpack. But what stood out most of all was the way Clemson was able to overcome its mediocre play and win. That might not have happened two years ago.

2. Georgia Tech is in good shape: Say this for the Yellow Jackets, they came into the season relatively under the radar but have played themselves into the Coastal conversation after a 2-0 start in division play. It is the second time under Paul Johnson that Georgia Tech has started Coastal play 2-0 (it also happened in 2011), but just the third time in the past 15 years it has won its first two league games. Georgia Tech has now won six straight regular-season ACC games dating back to last season, tied for the second-longest league winning streak in school history. Without question, this is the toughest stretch of the season for the Jackets, and if they can keep this up, they will be in the driver’s seat to get back to the ACC title game. Next up is a Virginia Tech team that needed three overtimes to beat Marshall on short rest Thursday in Atlanta. Given the way the Hokies looked on Saturday, there is a decent chance Georgia Tech and Miami will be undefeated when the two teams play in Miami on Oct. 5. But it’s too early to look ahead. To beat Virginia Tech, the Jackets are going to need a lot more consistency on offense than they got in their win over North Carolina.

3. Virginia Tech D is not perfect: The Hokies went into the game with the No. 2 ranked defense in the entire nation, but they did not play that way in the first half against Marshall, giving up 21 points and 205 yards while staring at a deficit. Virginia Tech had a much harder time slowing down the hurry-up offense Marshall runs. I called this group the “hands down best defense” in the ACC but that title appears to be up for grabs right now. Virginia Tech did regain its composure in the second half and allowed just 156 yards the rest of the way, with two interceptions and a fumble recovery. But this was the most uneven performance out of this group this year. You have to wonder how much the struggles of the offense are going to start taking its toll on the defense.

4. The ACC could have another Top 25 team: When the polls are released later today, the big question is whether Georgia Tech or Maryland (maybe both?) will be ranked for the first time this season. The ACC has five unbeaten teams to this point, a great accomplishment for a league that has struggled to change its national reputation. Maryland (4-0) completely embarrassed West Virginia in all facets, winning 37-0 while holding the Mountaineers to six first downs and 175 yards of total offense. Maryland has not beaten anybody with a winning record yet (Week 1 opponent FIU just lost 72-0 to Louisville), so its undefeated start is not wildly unexpected. Still, it is quite an achievement for a program that has won six total games over the past two seasons.

5. Pittsburgh and Duke could use some defensive help: Both teams went into the season with high expectations for their respective groups. Pitt had a veteran group returning; Duke believed it had made strides from a unit that crumbled in the second half of 2012. Neither one showed much progress in a 58-55 Pitt win. The early results we saw from the Duke defense have been put into perspective now that the Blue Devils have played better teams in Georgia Tech and Pitt. The Blue Devils had a hard time getting off blocks Saturday, Blue Devils coach David Cutcliffe said. To make matters worse, linebacker Kelby Brown got hurt. Pitt is a team that clearly misses defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable. That was made more apparent after watching his game plan to slow down Boyd and Clemson in his new job as NC State defensive coordinator. Pitt has given up 123 points in three games. If it can get a defense to pair with what looks like a solid offense, watch out.

It was hardly the most exciting slate of games in Week 4, but the ACC provided plenty of big-time performances. Virginia had two tailbacks -- Kevin Parks and walk-on Daniel Hamm -- combine for 271 yards and four TDs. Nikita Whitlock tallied 14 tackles, including three for a loss, in Wake Forest's win over Army. Terrel Hunt continued to impress, accounting for five touchdowns in his first career start for Syracuse. And yet, none of them quite made the cut for helmet stickers this week.

Clemson DE Vic Beasley: The history of NC State pulling the upset over ranked teams was well documented in the lead-up to the game, and the Wolfpack might have done it again if it hadn't been for Beasley's dominant work on defense. The Clemson defensive end racked up five tackles, three sacks, broke up two passes and -- three plays after NC State had a potential go-ahead score called back -- forced a fumble from QB Pete Thomas that turned the tide of the game. Beasley now has five sacks on the season -- just three shy of his 2012 total.

Pittsburgh QB Tom Savage: Handing out just one helmet sticker to a member of the Pitt offense after Saturday's 58-55 win is a tough task, but it's impossible to argue with Savage's final numbers. The senior QB completed 22-of-33 passes for 424 yards and six touchdowns, tying an ACC record. The six-TD performance hadn't been done by an ACC quarterback since 1999. He had plenty of help though. Tailback James Conner ran for 173 yards, receiver Devin Street caught six passes for 166 and freshman sensation Tyler Boyd had eight catches for 154 yards and three touchdowns.

Maryland's defense: Defensive back A.J. Hendy was the star, recovering two fumbles and returning an interception for a touchdown in the 37-0 win, but there's plenty of credit to go around on the Terps' D. Maryland pitched a shutout against West Virginia -- the first time the Mountaineers had been held scoreless since 2001 -- while creating six turnovers. West Virginia had just 175 yards of offense, including a mere 62 from the passing game. Seven different Terrapins recorded a tackle in the backfield, three different players forced fumbles, and Maryland assured it will be undefeated for its Oct. 5 showdown with Florida State.

Georgia Tech running backs: North Carolina jumped out to a 13-0 lead early, but the Georgia Tech offense roared back with 324 rushing yards, 199 of which were delivered by Robert Godhigh and David Sims. Godhigh racked up a career-best 100 yards on just nine carries -- five of which went for first downs. Sims, meanwhile, tacked on 99 yards and two scores. The senior B-back scored on a 1-yard run for the Yellow Jackets' first touchdown, then rumbled in from 6 yards out to put the finishing touches on a 28-20 come-from-behind win that established Georgia Tech as a top contender in the Coastal Division.

Duke WR Jamison Crowder: Perhaps it's breaking an unwritten rule by giving a helmet sticker to a player whose team lost, but it's hard to fault Crowder for the outcome. The junior did all he could to keep Duke in the game, recording 279 all-purpose yards and scoring three touchdowns -- one rushing, one receiving and one on a punt return. He became the first Duke player to record a rushing, receiving and special-teams TD in a single game since 1999.

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Maryland coach Randy Edsall would not go so far on Saturday evening as to call his team’s 37-0 shutout of West Virginia a “signature win.”

Good move.

Save that for any potential upsets down the road of Atlantic Division giants Florida State and Clemson.

Instead, call Saturday’s win over the hapless Mountaineers validation. It was proof that Maryland is a team to be taken seriously this year, and that the program has taken significant strides since winning just six games in the past two years. It was further evidence that this is the best team Edsall has had since he was hired in College Park, and that West Virginia -- a program that has historically been a benchmark for the Terps on a national level -- is now the punching bag. It was validation for Edsall, who entered the game 1-8 against West Virginia and has now led the Terps to their first 4-0 start since 2001, the last time they won the ACC and played in the Orange Bowl.

The win against WVU capped a perfect start to a program in desperate need of one.

“It’s big,” said safety A.J. Hendy, who had two fumble recoveries and returned one interception 28 yards for a touchdown. “Only the guys in that locker room thought that we’d be 4-0 at this point. A lot of people doubted us and said we aren’t good enough. I feel like we still have a chip on our shoulder.

“Since I’ve been here, we’ve been through a lot. First year, transfers, second year we had a big injury bug at the quarterback position. I feel like through the years we’ve been through so much that it’s only right we start getting some breaks and start winning.”

No. 3 Clemson and No. 8 Florida State have distanced themselves from the rest of the ACC, but Maryland has looked like the Atlantic Division’s third-best team and a program good enough to crack the Top 25. Maryland’s success on Saturday has to be tempered by the very real fact that West Virginia simply isn’t very good -- (“Offensively, we’re as inept as we can possibly be in college football,” said WVU coach Dana Holgorsen.) -- but as far as ACC competition goes, Maryland is good enough to be 6-1 heading into their Oct. 26 home game against Clemson.

“It’s very satisfying,” Edsall said. “We don’t take it lightly, but we know we still have so much ahead we have to accomplish. We can’t just sit here and just think we’ve arrived after four games when we have eight more to go.”

Saturday was a step in the right direction.

Maryland snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Mountaineers and left no doubt it was the better team. West Virginia had as many turnovers (6) as it did first downs. Maryland scored in all three phases of the game. It was Maryland’s largest margin of victory over West Virginia since 1951 and the program’s first shutout since 2008.

“To go out there and get a big win, solidify ourselves, it feels good,” said quarterback C.J. Brown. “We’re very confident as a team. I wouldn’t say cocky. We understand where we’ve been, we’re humble. Where we are right now is completely different from where we were last year.”

The same can be said for West Virginia, which was ranked No. 8 in last year’s 31-21 win. The Mountaineers didn’t even get into the red zone, and completed just 2-of-12 third-down conversions. Everything that went right for Maryland went wrong for West Virginia, even as they traded fumbles.

What Edsall likes best about this team is the fact that it hasn’t reached its peak yet.

“I’m just a firm believer we can be a really good football team,” he said. “There’s things we have to clean up. Again, every game gets a little bit bigger. If we prepare the right way and play hard and take care of the football and do the things that give us a chance, we’re going to continue to be a good football team. But we’re nowhere near where we can be. We still have got a lot of room for improvement. That’s the thing that I like, that these guys are hungry and they want to improve and they’ll do the things we ask to improve.”

If they do, don’t count out the possibility of a signature win.

Here are a few things to keep an eye on in the ACC during Week 4.

1. Upset city? Raleigh, N.C., has been the site of a huge national upset in each of the past two years. NC State topped then-No. 7 Clemson 37-13 in 2011, then shocked No. 3 Florida State 17-16 last year. The Wolfpack will have the nation's eyes watching them tonight when they host the No. 3 Tigers.

2. A couple of big conference games. Yes, this week's college football schedule is quite underwhelming, but the ACC has a rather nice lineup. The conference has three league games and every team but Boston College is playing this week, plus it has an intriguing nonconference matchup between West Virginia and Maryland.

3. Lee tries to keep it going through the air. Georgia Tech started its four-game division stretch on a strong note at Duke, and it will try to gain some early separation in the race Saturday against North Carolina. Vad Lee threw four touchdown passes against the Blue Devils, and while matching that for a second straight week may be asking a lot, offensive fireworks figure to be the norm again in a rematch of a game the Yellow Jackets won last year by a 68-50 score.

4. Journell's rebound. Cody Journell missed two field goals and an extra point in Virginia Tech's five-point win at East Carolina. Credit the senior for owning his bad day afterward, vowing to never let it happen again. He had entered the contest 36-of-46 for his career, and he will look to get back on track Saturday against Marshall.

5. Option galore. Jim Grobe has said the option is here to stay at Wake Forest. Viewers will see plenty of it in Saturday's game either way, as the Demon Deacons travel to Army, looking to get back to .500 after two straight losses. The Black Knights are currently seventh in the nation in rushing, at 314 yards per game.

6. Hunt's chance to shine. Terrel Hunt took advantage of the extra snaps last week from Syracuse, completing 15 of 18 passes for 265 yards and three scores. He'll get his first career start this week against Tulane, looking to give the Orange a second straight win and get them back to .500 before they open their inaugural ACC slate a week later against Clemson.

7. FCS dark horses. Virginia hosts VMI, FSU hosts Bethune-Cookman and Miami hosts Savannah State. All three look like layups on the surface, but the FCS cannot be looked at as a complete afterthought given some of its early-season successes against the big boys of FBS. Let's not forget NC State's close call two weeks ago with Richmond, either.

8. Maryland CBs. Geno Smith isn't walking through that door for West Virginia, but the Terps will still have their work cut out for them against Ford Childress and the Mountaineers, as they are down starting corners Jeremiah Johnson and Dexter McDougle as they look to get to 4-0. Isaac Goins and Will Likely will get the starts.

9. Connette looks for first win. Brandon Connette's first start for Duke was so-so, as he went 15-for-28 for 122 yards as the Blue Devils struggled to move the ball against Georgia Tech. He returns home to face a Pitt team with an experienced secondary that is still looking to live up to big expectations after two games.

10. Pitt backfield looks to keep it up. The Panthers are going for ACC win No. 1, and they seem to finally have some semblance of a ground game after early-season questions. Converted end James Conner ran for 119 yards and two touchdowns against New Mexico, and Isaac Bennett tallied 101 yards and two scores himself. Duke gave up 344 yards on the ground last week against Georgia Tech, though the Yellow Jackets' triple-option offense is nothing like Pitt's pro-style attack.

We have a little separation in the ACC picks after Andrea went 7-1 last week and Heather went 6-2, missing on her upset special selection. Andrea is now 27-4 through three weeks, while Heather is 26-5. Let's see what Week 4 has in store.

Thursday

No. 3 Clemson (2-0) at NC State (2-0), 7:30 p.m., ESPN. #CLEMvsNCST. The Wolfpack have beaten Top 10 teams in consecutive seasons. That includes Clemson in 2011. But this NC State team has a new coach and a vastly different look on both offense and defense and is still adjusting, as a close call against Richmond showed a few weeks ago. Tajh Boyd, meanwhile, threw for 426 yards and five touchdown passes last year against a much more experienced Wolfpack secondary. To have a shot at another upset, NC State has got to pressure Boyd and get a near perfect game from quarterback Pete Thomas. The odds say the Clemson offense will be too much to handle again.

AA picks: Clemson 38, NC State 20

HD picks: Clemson 42, NC State 21

Saturday

North Carolina (1-1) at Georgia Tech (2-0, 1-0), noon, ESPN. #UNCvsGT. The Tar Heels got an extra week to prepare for Georgia Tech, but that did little good last year, when they gave up 68 points in a high-scoring loss. The defense, without its best players from 2012, has not looked a whole lot better in two games so far this year. Georgia Tech, meanwhile, has an added dimension on offense with the way Vad Lee has been able to pass the ball. Given those questions on defense, Georgia Tech gets the edge in this game.

AA picks: Georgia Tech 35, North Carolina 24

HD picks: Georgia Tech 38, North Carolina 28

Marshall (2-1) at Virginia Tech (2-1), noon, ESPNU. #MRSHvsVT. The Hokies are the type of team that will continue to win with a solid defense and an offense that does enough to get the job done. The offense showed signs of improvement last week against East Carolina, while the defense turned in another outstanding performance and shut down quarterback Shane Carden. Expect much of the same this week against another good quarterback in Rakeem Cato.

AA picks: Virginia Tech 23, Marshall 7

HD picks: Virginia Tech 17, Marshall 7

Wake Forest (1-2) at Army (1-2), noon, CBS Sports Network. This game is a toss-up, based mostly on the way Wake Forest has struggled on offense the last two games. What has been alarming has not only been an inability to run the football, but no sense of urgency on the sideline. The Deacs have to win this game with a tough stretch looming. In their matchup last year, Michael Campanaro had 184 yards of total offense and two rushers went over 100 yards on the ground. They will find enough offense to squeak by, even though the last two games point to continue struggles.

AA picks: Wake Forest 28, Army 27

HD picks: Wake Forest 21, Army 20

Pitt (1-1, 0-1) at Duke (2-1, 0-1), 12:30 p.m., ESPN3. #PITTvsDUKE. The Panthers hit the road for the first time this season after a big win over New Mexico that featured some freshmen stars, including receiver Tyler Boyd. Duke, meanwhile, hopes to rebound after a tough loss to Georgia Tech. Coach David Cutcliffe expects Brandon Connette to play better in his second start but Pitt presents a tough challenge, particularly up front. Pitt needs to work on holding onto the ball if it is going to win -- six turnovers in two games is unacceptable.

AA picks: Pitt 27, Duke 20

HD picks: Pitt 28, Duke 24

Tulane (2-1) at Syracuse (1-2), 12:30 p.m., ESPN3. #TULNvsCUSE. The Orange finally picked up their first win of the season but it came against FCS Wagner. So we will see how many improvements they have made this week against Tulane, a much improved team already this season. Terrel Hunt gets the start at quarterback, hoping to build off a strong performance last week. Tulane is led by quarterback Nick Montana, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana. Expect Hunt to have another good game.

AA picks: Syracuse 35, Tulane 17

HD picks: Syracuse 35, Tulane 10

West Virginia (2-1) vs. Maryland (3-0), 3:30 p.m., ESPNU. #WVUvsMD. We had Maryland on upset watch this week, but feel confident the Terps will be able to beat the Mountaineers for the first time since the 2003 Gator Bowl. West Virginia has not developed the type of rhythm it wants on offense yet this season in two games against FBS competition. Ford Childress did show good signs last week against Georgia State, but this will be his first true test of the year. Maryland, meanwhile, has been much more effective on offense than West Virginia. This year, the C.J. Brown-Stefon Diggs combination will be too tough to stop.

AA picks: Maryland 33, West Virginia 27

HD picks: Maryland 27, West Virginia 21

VMI (1-2) at Virginia (1-1), 3:30 p.m., ESPN3. #VMIvsUVA. The Hoos return to the field after a bye, hoping to improve their ground game. A key there will be getting quarterback David Watford more involved because of his ability to make plays in the open field. Coach Mike London also wants to get the downfield passing game working, too, as his receivers need to get more involved in the offense.

AA picks: Virginia 45, VMI 3

HD picks: Virginia 28, VMI 7

Bethune-Cookman (3-0) at No. 8 Florida State (2-0), 6 p.m., ESPN3. #BCUvsFSU. Coach Jimbo Fisher has played up what Bethune-Cookman has done so far this year -- an FCS ranking and win over FIU. But make no mistake, the Seminoles are not going to be tested much in this game.

AA picks: Florida State 55, Bethune-Cookman 3

HD picks: Florida State 62, Bethune-Cookman 0

Savannah State (1-2) at No. 16 Miami (2-0), 7 p.m., ESPN3. #SAVvsMIA. FCS punching bag Savannah State arrives in Miami to collect another paycheck, having given up 77 points to Georgia State and 66 to Troy earlier this season. The only thing left to wonder is how badly the Canes will beat this squad.

AA picks: Miami 60, Savannah State 3

HD picks: Miami 52, Savannah State 0

On an early January day two years ago, West Virginia unleashed an all-out blitz on Clemson in the Orange Bowl, embarrassing the Tigers and the ACC as a whole with a 70-point barrage that still elicits taunts today.

Rather than classify the performance as a farewell from the Big East, people chose to believe West Virginia would be just fine when it began Big 12 play the following September. The Mountaineers had a proud football tradition, filled with recent BCS and Big East championships. They ran an offensive style familiar to the Big 12. They had a head coach with Big 12 ties, too.

What ensued is perhaps a lesson in tempering expectations when making the jump to a more elite league. West Virginia, unprepared to handle the grind of a much more difficult league season, ended up 7-6 -- its worst record since going 3-8 in 2001. It finished in a four-way tie for fifth place, a foreign spot for a program accustomed to dominating its conference.

Now West Virginia may serve as a cautionary tale for the team it faces Saturday: Maryland. If West Virginia, with more recent success than the Terps, struggled in Year 1, what will happen to Maryland in Year 1 in the Big Ten?

What holds true for both West Virginia and Maryland is they have spent the last year celebrating. West Virginia found a viable and strong conference home, avoiding the fate that has befallen old league mates Cincinnati, UConn and USF. Maryland saw a financial windfall in the Big Ten, believing the added dollars can rescue a financially strapped athletic department.

They share much more in common. Both are geographic outliers in their respective conferences, and lag behind with their facilities and on the recruiting trail. West Virginia has not made any significant upgrades to its football stadium since it opened in 1980, for example.

Maryland, meanwhile, will be the only Big Ten team with no indoor practice facility or plans to build one when it joins on July 1, 2014. It also will have one of the smallest football stadiums in its new division.

There is no understating how much improving facilities means in the hypercompetitive collegiate landscape, as schools across the country race to upgrade, build and expand what they offer current players and potential student-athletes.

“We have to look and say what do we need to do to compete?” West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck said. “Our coaches and our fans have had a chance to go out and watch let’s say a Big 12 baseball game in Austin or football or women’s soccer or whatever it would be. They’ll often come back and tell me, ‘I thought we always had good facilities in Morgantown, but boy I was really impressed with X or Y or Z.’ I think that there are some quality programs in our new conference and we have to set those as the bar for what to achieve.”

The increased television dollars both programs are set to receive should help with facilities upgrades and, in turn, recruiting. More television exposure -- in particular Maryland with the Big Ten Network -- may even have a direct tie to football success, as more recruits in different areas see their products.

Both Maryland and West Virginia have focused their efforts in roughly the same region in the past. West Virginia, it seems, must turn some of its focus to Texas. Maryland coach Randy Edsall has said his program plans to recruit into the Midwest. Neither rates at the top of their respective conferences in recruiting class rankings.

Where recruiting plays such a large role is building depth. Luck mentioned depth as the one area where West Virginia had a hard time keeping up through last season, saying it seemed as if the elite Big 12 teams have similar depth to an NFL squad.

Perhaps most unforeseen was getting coaches and players to change their mentality. West Virginia had won nine or more games between 2005-2011 in the Big East. It won or shared six league titles since 2003. It made three BCS appearances -- winning all three. Though the old Big East had some good programs, it did not compare to the Big 12 top to bottom.

“It’s adapting to a tougher, more challenging environment. That’s a mental challenge as well as a physical challenge,” Luck said. “You can’t really bring your B or your C game to a Big 12 conference game, you’ve got to bring your A game because there are good teams. There are no gimmes traditionally on the schedule in any one of these sports. That’s a change in mentality.”

Of the Big East teams that switched conferences before 2013, only Virginia Tech saw immediate and sustained success. Miami and Boston College have not.

Programs moving up in conference struggle at the outset more often than not. Texas A&M adjusted well. But Missouri did not. Nebraska has yet to find its championship footing in the Big Ten. Former BCS teams Utah and TCU have struggled, too. Colorado has gotten worse.

Nearly all of these are recent moves, so it is too early to judge. On the surface, it appears West Virginia had to sacrifice its football success in the short term for the good of its overall athletic program. The same fate could very well befall Maryland.

“I haven’t thought much about how long it’s going to take,” Luck said. “I think very often it can be looked at as an excuse, which I don’t want to provide. We need to go about our business the best way we can, adapt as quickly as we can. We’re delighted to be in the conference.”

Maryland is no doubt delighted, too, but the Terps are in a different situation. West Virginia brought a track record of success to the Big 12, along with a name brand and a rather large fan base. The Terps have struggled with that all in the ACC. The hope is that games against the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State and Ohio State will draw more fans and interest.

The flip side, of course, is if Maryland cannot compete, support may turn into greater apathy.

Fans want to cheer a winner. Both programs have hard work ahead to get to that level consistently.

Week 3 in the ACC didn't have the same high-stakes fireworks as the first two, but there were still a few stories of note.

The good: Any worries Georgia Tech fans might have had about new starting quarterback Vad Lee should have been alleviated when the Durham, N.C., native torched his hometown team, throwing four touchdown passes and running for a fifth score in a 38-14 victory over Duke. Lee threw for 126 yards, ran for 76 more and directed the Yellow Jackets' option offense with precision. The four TD passes represented a single-game high in the Paul Johnson era at Georgia Tech, and Lee's six passing scores already have him halfway to last year's total of 12.

The bad: Riding the high of a two-game winning streak to start the season, Boston College was thinking upset when it headed west to take on a struggling USC team. The Eagles might be improved under new coach Steve Addazio, but they're not quite ready to play with the big boys. The Trojans' languishing offense found plenty of room to work in a 35-7 win, and BC's Chase Rettig completed just 11 of 24 passes in a homecoming game for the Southern California native.

The ugly: Head coach Jim Grobe was optimistic before the season. But three games in, things look awfully bad for Wake Forest. The Deacons lost their second game in a row -- 21-19 to Louisiana-Monroe after a failed two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter -- mustering just 15 yards on the ground in the game. Through three games, Wake Forest ranks 120th nationally at just 2.4 yards per rush.

The playmaker: Pittsburgh might not be quite ready to compete with the ACC's royalty, but the Panthers clearly have some skill on offense, led by freshman phenom Tyler Boyd. After racking up 151 all-purpose yards in Week 1 against Florida State, Boyd demolished New Mexico with a 33-yard TD run and a 34-yard TD reception. Overall, Boyd has averaged 20.4 yards every time he's touched the ball.

The rebound: Jameis Winston admitted he might have been a bit too excited for his home debut at Florida State and it showed. He opened the game 2-of-5 passing and threw his first career interception early in the second quarter. But Winston wasn't rattled by the struggles. He followed the pick by completing his final 13 passes and leading six consecutive touchdown drives in the Seminoles' blowout win over Nevada.

The rebound, part II: After two dismal weeks offensively, Syracuse finally got things going behind quarterback Terrel Hunt. Drew Allen struggled in Syracuse's first two games -- both losses -- and Scott Shafer announced he'd open up the competition. Hunt made a quick impression, completing 15 of 18 passes for 265 yards and three TDs in a 54-0 win over Wagner. What remains to be seen is whether Hunt can keep up the big numbers against better competition.

The homecoming: Randy Edsall helped usher Connecticut into the FBS as head coach of the Huskies, but he didn't do his former team many favors when he led Maryland back to his old stomping grounds. The Terps racked up 501 yards of offense and only three turnovers kept UConn in the game. Quarterback C.J. Brown gained more than 100 yards rushing for the second time in three games in the 32-21 Maryland victory.

The paradox: Virginia Tech's third game was a lot like its first. The good news was that the Hokies' defense looks legit. After an opening-drive TD, East Carolina managed just 129 yards the rest of the game and Virginia Tech forced three turnovers in a 15-10 victory. On the flip side, Logan Thomas and the offense continues to struggle. Tech had just 311 yards of its own, was 10-of-22 on third and fourth downs and averaged just 1.6 yards per rush. Meanwhile, kicker Cody Journell missed two field goals and a PAT.

The wake-up call: Duke might still get to six victories and bowl eligibility for the second consecutive season, but it seemed clear after Saturday's loss to Georgia Tech that the Blue Devils aren't quite ready to compete for a division title. Lee torched the Duke defense and quarterback Brandon Connette averaged just 4.4 yards per attempt in his first start since replacing the injured Anthony Boone.

The quote: "When I got out there, it was nothing but green grass." -- Florida State's Karlos Williams on the toss sweep that went for a 65-yard touchdown on his first career carry. He moved from safety to tailback last week.

No movement at the top this week, just some reshuffling in the middle and at the bottom.

1. Clemson (2-0, 0-0, ACC last week: 1). The Tigers were off but remain the highest ranked ACC team in the national polls at No. 3. The first conference game of the year awaits Thursday at NC State. Clemson lost the last time it played in Raleigh.

2. Florida State (2-0, 1-0 ACC, last week: 2). The Seminoles crushed Nevada this past weekend, rolling up 62 points on the Wolf Pack in another easy victory. They won't get much of a challenge this weekend, either, against FCS Bethune-Cookman.

3. Miami (2-0, 0-0 ACC, last week: 3). The Hurricanes enjoyed a bye week after their big win over Florida. We won't know much more about this team after this weekend, either, because Miami plays FCS Savannah State. Noles fans can fill you in on what to expect.

4. Georgia Tech (2-0, 1-0 ACC, last week: 4). Game 1 of a tough four-game Coastal stretch is in the books, and the Jackets looked good in beating up on Duke -- their 10th straight win in the series. Vad Lee threw four touchdown passes, leaving us all wondering whether this is the year Georgia Tech can complement its rushing game with an above-average passing game.

5. North Carolina (1-1, 0-0 ACC, last week: 5). The Tar Heels got an extra week to prepare for the Georgia Tech offense. Now we'll see whether the added time was put to good use. Nobody has quite forgotten the defensive debacle that unfolded for both teams in their matchup last year.

6. Virginia Tech (2-1, 0-0 ACC, last week: 6). The Hokies squeaked out a victory over East Carolina, with yet another outstanding defensive effort. If they get performances like that every week, they will be a serious threat in the Coastal. Top D in the league and it's not even close.

7. Maryland (3-0, 0-0 ACC, last week: 8). We moved the Terps ahead of Virginia this week thanks to their 3-0 start. It didn't look pretty at times against UConn, but they found a way to win. No, they haven't beaten anybody with a winning record yet, but they are unbeaten and that counts in these rankings, too.

8. Virginia (1-1, 0-0 ACC, last week: 7). The Hoos were off this past week after a blowout loss to Oregon and get VMI this Saturday. We won't know much more about this team until it plays at Pitt on Sept. 28.

9. NC State (2-0, 0-0 ACC, last week: 10). The Wolfpack also were off this past weekend as they prepare to host Clemson. They are going to need a much better performance out of Pete Thomas to have any shot at another upset in the series.

10. Pitt (1-1, 0-1 ACC, last week: 12). The Panthers completely dominated New Mexico and got standout performances from several freshmen, including Tyler Boyd and James Conner. They travel to Duke this weekend with a chance to even up their ACC record.

11. Duke (2-1, 0-1 ACC, last week: 9). The Blue Devils could not muster enough offensively with backup quarterback Brandon Connette running the offense in a loss to Georgia Tech. There is no time to look back, because another important Coastal Division game against Pitt looms.

12. Boston College (2-1, 1-0 ACC, last week: 11). Heather thought the Eagles had a chance to pull the upset, but Lane Kiffin had everybody fooled. BC was unable to keep up with supremely talented USC and got beat soundly. The Eagles are off this week before facing another tough opponent -- Florida State on Sept. 28.

13. Syracuse (1-2, 0-0 ACC, last week: 14). The Orange are finally in the win column thanks to a blowout win over Wagner. Terrel Hunt looks like he is ready to run this offense. Syracuse gets a chance to even up its record Saturday against Tulane before opening conference play against Clemson on Oct. 5.

14. Wake Forest (1-2, 0-1 ACC, last week: 13). The Deacs are officially the biggest disappointment in the ACC after losing to ULM at home. What we can't figure out is how a team so laden with seniors, who vowed not to repeat the missteps from a year ago, is perhaps even worse than that 2012 group.