Here are things to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference in Week 3:
GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 13 Miami at No. 24 Texas A&M in an ACC-SEC clash involving ranked teams. Miami leads the series 2-1 and broke the series tie in the last meeting, a 41-23 victory in 2008 at College Station. The Hurricanes moved up two slots in the AP Top 25 this week with their second straight win to start the season, a 30-7 triumph over Southern Miss, while the Aggies plummeted 18 spots after a stunning 17-14 loss to Appalachian State at home. Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher was 7-1 against the Hurricanes when he was at Florida State (2010-17). It’s the first road game for new Miami coach Mario Cristobal.
BEST MATCHUP
Texas Tech (2-0) at No. 16 N.C. State (2-0). The Wolfpack lead the series 4-1, but the teams haven’t played since a 49-21 N.C. State win in 2003. N.C. State has won 11 straight at home and the Wolfpack’s veteran defense is in for a stiff test. Texas Tech leads the nation in passing yards per game at 411 and is coming off a double-overtime upset win over then-No. 25 Houston last week under new coach Joey McGuire. It marked the program’s first victory against a ranked non-conference foe in the regular season since beating No. 20 Arizona to start the 1989 season. The Red Raiders had lost 13 such games.
LONG SHOT
No. 23 Pitt (1-1) at Western Michigan (1-1). It’s the second meeting between the teams and the Panthers remember the first very well. Last year they were ambushed by the Broncos, 44-41, at home in mid-September after starting the season with two straight wins. That loss came after an emotional win at Tennessee. This one comes after an emotional overtime home loss to the Vols.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Louisville QB Malik Cunningham is ninth in ACC history in total offense at 11,216 yards, just 76 behind North Carolina’s Sam Howell for eighth. Cunningham also is ranked second in rushing TDs by a quarterback with 39, 11 behind his predecessor, Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, and is third in rushing yards by a quarterback with 2,774.
IMPACT PLAYER
Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader, a transfer from Mississippi State, appears to be coming into his own with the unbeaten Orange (2-0). Established as the starter after beating out Tommy DeVito early last season, Shrader began the season with newfound confidence and has been nearly flawless in guiding the Orange to convincing victories over Louisville and Connecticut. He ranks third nationally in completion percentage at 79.2% (38 of 48), is fourth in the Bowl Subdivision with a pass efficiency of 205.24, and his 10.92 yards per pass attempt is fifth-best nationally. He’s also averaging 324 yards offensively, 15th in the nation, and is tied for ninth in points responsible for with 48 — three rushing TDs and five passing — with zero turnovers.
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