THIS WEEK IN THE INSIDE ONE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S PREMIER CONFERENCES | COMPILED BY PATRICK STEVENS, SPECIAL TO GATEHOUSE MEDIA BY THE NUMBERS POWER RANKINGS game OF THE WEEK NO. 1 ALABAMA (14-1 IN 2016) STANDINGS vs. NO. 3 FLORIDA STATE (10-3) Breaking down the ACC (Last season’s final rankings) ATLANTIC When: 8 p.m. EDT Saturday Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta TV: ABC 1. Florida State: Team Conf. All T25 After two years of Clemson 7-1 14-1 6-1 Louisville 7-1 9-4 1-2 watching Clemson Florida State 5-3 10-3 3-2 take home the NC State 3-5 7-6 0-3 Wake Forest 3-5 7-6 1-3 end-of-season hardware in Syracuse 2-6 4-8 0-3 the league, the Seminoles are Boston College 2-6 7-6 0-4 ready to re-assert themselves COASTAL behind a loaded defense. Team Conf. All T25 Virginia Tech 6-2 10-4 1-1 North Carolina 5-3 8-5 2-2 2. Clemson: Miami 5-3 9-4 2-2 Deshaun Watson’s Pittsburgh 5-3 8-5 2-2 Georgia Tech 4-4 9-4 1-2 gone, and former Virginia 1-7 2-10 0-1 backup Kelly Duke 1-7 4-8 0-1 Bryant has the starting QB job INDIVIDUAL LEADERS — for now — for the defending (Last season’s numbers) national champions. PASSING YARDS Player Yds. 3. Louisville: Lamar 1. Deshaun Watson, CLEM 4,593 Jackson will snag 2. Mitchell Trubisky, UNC 3,748 3. Jerod Evans, VT 3,552 AN EARLY TEST much of the atten- 4. Lamar Jackson, LOU 3,543 tion, but the work 5. Brad Kaaya, MIAMI 3,532 FRANCOIS, FLORIDA STATE KICK OFF THE SEASON of a stout defense and the PASSING TOUCHDOWNS IN ATLANTA AGAINST NO. 1 ALABAMA improvement of the offensive Player No. 1. Deshaun Watson, CLEM 41 line will dictate how well the 2. Lamar Jackson, LOU 30 comfortable neutral-site Patrick, last year’s backup, Cardinals fare. 2. Mitchell Trubisky, UNC 30 KEYS FOR ALABAMA 4. Jerod Evans, VT 29 Hit ’em with Hurts. victory to open a sea- should shoulder some of 5. Several tied at ... 27 4. Virginia Tech: Alabama’s offense was son starts with making the load, the Seminoles Francois’ life difficult. could feature touted The Hokies RUSHING YARDS different last year almost returned to the Player Yds. freshman Cam Akers as 1. Dalvin Cook, FSU 1,765 entirely because of the skill- ACC title game KEYS FOR soon as the opener. It’s as 2. Lamar Jackson, LOU 1,571 set of QB Jalen Hurts. Now last season. To do so again, 3. Matthew Dayes, NCST 1,166 a sophomore, Hurts should FLORIDA STATE tough a test as Akers will 4. Wayne Gallman, CLEM 1,133 see, but it will also give Virginia Tech will probably 5. Mark Walton, MIAMI 1,117 be one of the most recog- Stop for stop. Even have to rely on its defense. nizable offensive players with some new starters a barometer on just how RECEIVING YARDS much he can handle in Player Yds. on the SEC. The Seminoles to replace the usual NFL- 5. Miami: If TB 1. Amba Etta-Tawo, SYR 1,482 should be better on defense, bound talent, it’s safe to his first college season. 2. Mike Williams, CLEM 1,361 Mark Walton stays 3. Ryan Switzer, UNC 1,112 especially with the return assume Alabama will make healthy, Hurri- 4. Isaiah Ford, VT 1,094 of S Derwin James, but its share of defensive stands PREDICTION 5. Cam Phillips, VT 983 canes may have Hurts still has the potential throughout the game. Alabama 27-21. The shot at league title. SCORING to create headaches after Florida State, which is Crimson Tide simply have Player Pts. 1. Lamar Jackson, QB, LOU 126 an offseason to prepare for extremely experienced on more answers in place as 6. Georgia Tech: 2. James Conner, RB, PITT 122 this high-profile opener. defense and particularly so these teams head into their The Jackets will find 3. Dalvin Cook, RB, FSU 120 in the secondary, needs to first meeting since 2007. 4. Joey Slye, PK, VT 118 Flummox Francois. some way to win 5. Michael Badgley, PK, MIAMI 116 Deondre Francois didn’t do the same. The Seminoles Between Hurts, WR Cal- eight or nine games turn in a Jameis Winston- must bottle up Hurts, and vin Ridley and TBs Damien before all is done this fall. TEAM STATISTICS like redshirt freshman it might be better equipped Harris and Bo Scarbrough, (Last season’s numbers) season for Florida State than anyone on Ala- not to mention DB Minkah 7. N.C. State: This TOTAL OFFENSE last year, but he did throw bama’s schedule to do so. Fitzpatrick, there’s a lot of Team Yds./G Pts./G should be fifth- Clemson 504 39.2 for 3,350 yards and nearly Akers to roam. The star power in Alabama’s year coach Dave Louisville 533 42.5 three times as many TDs dominant figure in Florida lineup. Florida State might Doeren’s best Virginia Tech 445 34.9 Florida State 466 35.1 (21) as inteceptions (seven). State’s offense was TB need a week or two to sort team since arriving in Raleigh. Pittsburgh 447 40.9 He should be even better Dalvin Cook, who turned out its offense, and time North Carolina 439 32.3 Miami 426 34.3 this year, and Alabama’s pro after his junior season. is a luxury it doesn’t enjoy 8. Pittsburgh: NC State 416 27.0 path to securing another Although junior Jacques entering this contest. Can the Panthers Syracuse 441 25.7 Georgia Tech 387 28.2 improve at slow- Duke 393 23.3 ing down potent Virginia 353 22.5 Wake Forest 311 20.4 BEST OF THE REST THIS WEEK’S other top games passing attacks? Boston College 293 20.4 No. 16 LOUISVILLE No. 21 VIRGINIA TECH GEORGIA TECH (9-4) vs. PASSING OFFENSE 9. North Carolina: Team Yds. Yds./G (9-4) vs. PURDUE (3-9) (10-4) vs. No. 22 WEST No. 25 TENNESSEE (9-4) The concern here Clemson 5,009 333.9 VIRGINIA (10-3) remains a defense Syracuse 3,855 321.3 When: 7:30 p.m. EDT Saturday When: 8 p.m. EDT Monday North Carolina 3,811 293.2 Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, When: 7:30 p.m. EDT Sunday Where: Mercedes-Benz highly vulnerable to Louisville 3,777 290.5 teams with solid rushing attacks. Virginia Tech 3,666 261.9 Indianapolis Where: FedExField, Landover, Stadium, Atlanta Miami 3,564 274.2 TV: Fox Md. TV: ESPN Florida State 3,433 264.1 Notes: Only one Heisman TV: ABC Notes: Tennessee is coming off 10. Duke: QB Daniel NC State 3,383 260.2 Pittsburgh 2,882 221.7 Trophy winner has even won a Notes: It’s the return of the consecutive nine-win seasons, Jones should help Duke 2,877 239.8 second — Ohio State’s Archie Black Diamond Trophy game though last year was spoiled a bit Duke get back on Virginia 2,872 239.3 Wake Forest 2,154 165.7 Griffin. Louisville QB Lamar between these schools from thanks to puzzling losses to South track after learning Boston College 1,869 143.8 Jackson will neighboring Carolina and on the job last season. Georgia Tech 1,679 129.2 begin his states. The Vanderbilt. The RUSHING OFFENSE attempt to Hokies and Volunteers must 11. Wake Forest: Team Yds. Yds./G The priority for the Georgia Tech 3,355 258.1 join that select Mountaineers contend with Louisville 3,148 242.2 company as the met every year Georgia Tech’s Demon Deacons Pittsburgh 2,926 225.1 Cardinals open from 1973 to triple-option remains becoming Florida State 2,630 202.3 better on offense. Virginia Tech 2,563 183.1 Jackson the season Phillips 2005. Redshirt Johnson attack. Georgia Clemson 2,546 169.7 with a neutral- freshman QB Tech bounced NC State 2,030 156.2 Miami 1,973 151.8 site game against rebuilding Josh Jackson will make the back from an abysmal 2015, 12. Boston Col- Boston College 1,938 149.1 Purdue. Purdue will make its start for the Hokies, and he beating three SEC East opponents lege: The Eagles’ North Carolina 1,896 145.8 defense will keep Wake Forest 1,895 145.8 debut under Jeff Brohm, who would be well-served to rely along the way, and little would Duke 1,843 153.6 went 30-10 over three seasons on senior WR Cam Phillips. satisfy coach Paul Johnson more it in enough games Syracuse 1,435 119.6 to provide a chance to win six. Virginia 1,363 113.6 at Western Kentucky. He is a Meanwhile, West Virginia will than adding another notable former assistant to current go with Florida transfer Will nonconference triumph over a Louisville coach Bobby Petrino. Grier. relatively nearby school. 13. Syracuse: NUMBER TO KNOW Don’t discount the Orange’s ability to ROUNDING IT OUT SATURDAY put up points, but 18 THE REST OF THE MATCHUPS Noon Kent State at No. 5 Clemson ESPN the defense remains suspect. Preseason ranking for Miami, 12:20 p.m. California at North Carolina ACC Time (EDT) Matchup TV its highest since beginning 12:30 p.m. Bethune-Cook. at No. 18 Miami RSN 14.