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NC State-Wake Forest matchup tops ACC's Week 10 schedule
Here are things to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference in Week 10:
GAME OF THE WEEK
North Carolina State at No. 23 Wake Forest. These two instate Atlantic Division rivals who have met every year since 1910 square off in the weekend's only matchup of ACC teams with winning records. The Demon Deacons (6-1, 2-1), who along with No. 4 Clemson are the conference's only teams fewer than two ACC losses, look to keep winning to set up a potential winner-take-all meeting with the Tigers on Nov. 16. The Wolfpack (4-3, 1-2) are changing quarterbacks yet again, making Devin Leary their third starter this season. After being upset as a Top 25 team in each of the previous two meetings with Wake Forest, North Carolina State will look to turn the tables and earn just its second victory in Winston-Salem since 2001.
BEST MATCHUP
Florida State passing offense vs. Miami pass defense. The Seminoles (4-4, 3-3) seemed to find a groove last week with QB Alex Hornibrook replacing James Blackman, rolling to a 35-17 rout of struggling Syracuse. Florida State ranks second in the ACC with an average of 277.1 yards passing. The Hurricanes (4-4, 2-3) allow fewer than 200 yards per game through the air and held Pittsburgh without a touchdown and to a season-low 146 yards passing in a 16-12 victory that threw the Coastal Division into further chaos.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
ACC teams are playing more close games than those in any other conference. According to ESPN Stats & Info, 51 games involving at least one ACC team have been decided by one possession — 13 more than any other league — and 32 of those games involved at least one Coastal Division team. Miami and North Carolina have each played seven one-possession games — including the Tar Heels' 28-25 victory over the Hurricanes — to share the lead among Bowl Subdivision teams.
LONG SHOT
Boston College (4-4, 2-3) is 2½-point underdog against Syracuse that seems capable of winning outright. Not much has gone right this season for the Orange (3-5, 0-4), the only ACC team without a league victory and winless against power-conference competition. The defense has struggled, allowing at least five yards per play to six of eight opponents and going 1-5 in those games. AJ Dillon, who averages a league-best 130.5 yards rushing, could have a big day against them.
IMPACT PLAYER
North Carolina linebacker Chazz Surratt has turned out to be a natural at his new position: The older brother of Wake Forest WR Sage Surratt had a team-best 12 tackles against Duke plus a sack, and intercepted a jump pass at the goal line with 14 seconds to seal the 20-17 victory over the Blue Devils. Ironically, Surratt was a quarterback for Duke's previous visit to Chapel Hill two years ago and threw an interception that helped seal the Blue Devils' victory.
