Ranking the Best ACC Matchups of Week 7

It's a relatively quiet seventh week of the season in the ACC, with only six games on the schedule. 

At this point, the contenders have very much separated themselves from the remainder of the pack. While Florida State and Clemson assume their roles as the proverbial top dogs in the conference, there are a few teams pining for a place at the top of the heap. 

This piece will analyze the six ACC matchups this upcoming weekend. There aren't a ton of marquee contests, but there are some with the potential to be quite exciting. 

Wake Forest at North Carolina

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The Tar Heels are looking for their fifth-straight win.

Don't look now, but North Carolina is having a sneaky-good start to the season. 

After dropping the opener to South Carolina, the Tar Heels have reeled off four straight victories in impressive fashion. Larry Fedora's team has scored at least 38 points in each of the four wins. 

Wake Forest is coming off of a bizarre 3-0 victory over Boston College. It held the Eagles to 270 yards of total offense. On the other hand, the Demon Deacons accrued only 142 yards for the entire game.

With North Carolina's propensity to put up points, this game could get out of hand in a hurry. Wake will have a tough time keeping pace with the high-octane Tar Heels offense.

Syracuse at Virginia

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

Syracuse is looking for its fourth win of the season.

After starting the season 3-0, Syracuse has dropped its last two contests by double-digit point totals. 

The Orange take on a struggling 1-4 Virginia team in Charlottesville. Although neither team is in the running for a division title, it's a significant game for both teams in terms of reaching a bowl game. Should Virginia lose this contest against a beatable opponent, Mike London's already-hot seat will be scorching. 

Interestingly enough, Virginia is an 8.5-point favorite in this contest (as of Wednesday morning, per Odds Shark). If the Cavaliers win, it will likely be the result of strong play from quarterback Matt Johns and the two-headed rushing attack of Taquan Mizzell and Albert Reid. 

Pitt at Georgia Tech

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Pitt is going for their fifth victory on the season.

Paul Johnson's Yellow Jackets are in a complete tailspin at this point. 

Many pegged Georgia Tech as a preseason threat in the ACC. Quarterback Justin Thomas was even hailed as a potential dark-horse Heisman candidate. But after winning their first two games of the year, the Yellow Jackets are currently on a four-game losing streak. 

Pitt has started the year 4-1, buoyed by a strong rushing attack and a staunch defense. Freshman back Qadree Ollison has filled in admirably for the injured James Conner. He leads the Panthers with 476 yards rushing and four rushing touchdowns. 

This may be a make-or-break contest for Georgia Tech. The game is in Atlanta, and there's no question Johnson's squad needs a victory badly. 

Virginia Tech at Miami

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Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya.

This contest pits two relatively even teams against one another. 

The Hurricanes are looking for their first win in conference play. They're also looking to snap a current two-game losing streak. 

Virginia Tech currently has a 3-3 record. Frank Beamer's team bounced back from its own two-game losing streak with a victory over North Carolina State. It will be fascinating to see whether Michael Brewer does indeed resume his role as the starting signal-caller, or if Brenden Motley stays in charge of the offense. 

Miami needs to bounce back at home with a victory in this contest. Should the Hurricanes drop a third consecutive game, head coach Al Golden will be feeling even more heat than he already is.  

Boston College at Clemson

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Can Clemson leap to 6-0?

Clemson will get a test this week from the nation's No. 1 defense when they face Boston College. 

To put it into perspective, the Eagles are allowing only 2.58 yards per play. They're giving up a paltry 140.3 yards a contest and have allowed more than 10 points only twice this year (14 against Florida State and NIU). Simply put, the Boston College defense has been stellar. 

With that said, the Eagles are struggling to score points. They were shut out against Wake Forest and Florida State. Steve Addazio's team truly does have issues moving the ball efficiently down the field, which accounts for the 0-3 record in conference play thus far.

Dabo Swinney's team is afforded the fortune of playing at home. With Boston College's inability to put up points in bunches, Clemson should win somewhat comfortably. 

Louisville at Florida State

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Can the Seminoles stay undefeated?

Despite its 2-3 overall record, Louisville has some of the best top-end talent in the conference. 

Its three losses came by very thin margins. Since winning two games in a row, the Cardinals appear to be on the road to a bowl appearance. 

Florida State hasn't looked nearly as dominant as it did for much of last year, but Jimbo Fisher's team is still undefeated. In this contest, the Seminoles will have to slow down Lamar Jackson, Louisville's dynamic running quarterback. The freshman out of Florida has legitimate speed, and he will test Florida State's ability to defend in zone-read situations. 

The Seminoles need to be careful in this game. Louisville has the overall talent and coaching to pull off an upset in Tallahassee.