The two teams atop the ACC standings and the league’s two highest-ranked teams in the AP Top 25 poll were both in action in the early window on Saturday, and each able to maintain that position despite very different wins.
No. 6 Miami traded blows with Louisville in a 52-45 shootout on the road, while No. 10 Clemson rode a strong second half to a double-digit victory against Virginia at home. But despite the difference in wins, a key connector in the two is the main reason both teams are at the center of the ACC title picture and very much in the College Football Playoff conversation.
Miami and Clemson have two of the best quarterbacks in the country, and in these tight contests against ACC competition, having difference-makers like Cam Ward and Cade Klubnik are key to maintaining that inside track to championship contention.
While simplistic to point to the quarterback position as a reason for success, it seems particularly important given some of the close calls that Miami has faced in recent weeks and the schedule ahead for Clemson. The ACC is not loaded up with top 10 opponents, but among the other teams at the top of the standings are plenty of the most dangerous offensive teams in the country. As Miami prepares for future road trips to Georgia Tech and Syracuse, or Clemson readies itself for showdowns with Louisville and Pitt, the potential for a high-scoring, back-and-forth game will be in the mix. In knowing they have two of the best quarterbacks in the ACC, Miami and Clemson can feel better about their chances to survive those tightest upset scares.
Cam Ward building his Heisman case
Currently, the Heisman Trophy case for Cam Ward isn’t just as one of the top players in the ACC (at any position) but as the most outstanding player in all of college football. After Ward threw for 319 yards and four touchdowns with no picks in the win against Louisville, his live odds to win the Heisman improved to where he (at least at the time of this writing) has a slight edge over Ashton Jeanty, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Miami’s offense entered the weekend ranked first nationally in total offense (583.8 yards per game), first in yard per play (8.15) and first in scoring (47.7 points per game), and it was that big-play ability from the Hurricanes’ skill players that were needed to deliver answers in the back-and-forth with Louisville. Ward carries himself with confidence in these close games, which have become far more common recently, and it’s almost to the point that Miami getting these game-tying, game-winning or go-ahead touchdown drives is the expectation.
If there’s a concern to be voiced, it’s on the defensive side, where allowing big plays has been a theme of these recent shootout wins. But if the stakes of the game do become a high-scoring, then Miami is benefited by having Ward and the highest-scoring offense in the country.
Tigers roaring since quiet start
Ever since getting squeezed by Georgia in the season opener, Clemson’s offense has been a machine. The Tigers entered Week 8 ranked 10th nationally in total offense (482.3 yards per game), 15th in yards per play (7.0) and 12th in scoring (41.0). And while Clemson’s offensive profile doesn’t have the eye-popping effect of Miami’s, consider also that the Tigers have accomplished these rankings while totaling just 188 yards and three points in the loss to the Bulldogs.
The key here, again, has been the quarterback and how Cade Klubnik has started playing the best week-to-week stretch of football that we’ve seen from him as a starter. Klubnik has now thrown for 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions on the year after tossing three scores and a pick in the win against Virginia. But Klubnik has also become a regular contributor to the run game with at least one explosive rush in each of the last five games and four rushing touchdowns on the season.
All of this from a quarterback who ranked 80th nationally last year in passer rating and finished with less touchdowns across 13 games (19) than he’s already totaled through seven games this season. Klubnik’s arrival is the fulfillment of his five-star potential and a sign of the maturation process paying off in Year 2 with offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. That connection seems strong now, and seeing the way Clemson can explode for multiple touchdowns in a quarter is a great sign for being able to navigate the path forward.
Because while Clemson has not had the close calls in ACC play like Miami has, the Tigers are about to face some of those same teams that gave the Hurricanes headaches over the last month. Clemson has an off week in Week 9, and when the team returns to action, the ACC schedule will conclude with two teams that just pushed Miami to the brink — Louisville and Virginia Tech — before wrapping up with a road trip to Pitt — which, if you didn’t know, is both 6-0 on the year and has two wins against Dabo Swinney’s team since joining the league (2-2 overall as ACC foes).
The bonus of style points
Winning the ACC is the best and easiest path to getting into the College Football Playoff for both teams. But with only one automatic bid potentially in the mix for the ACC champion, there is the consideration of how both Miami and Clemson can keep pace in the bubble race for at-large bids. And since Miami and Clemson do not play each other, it is unlikely that either will have a top-10 opportunity prior to the ACC Championship Game unlike some of the other playoff contenders.
That’s where having these dynamic quarterbacks and high-rated offenses will help boost the playoff profile of both teams, because when it comes to a selection committee made up of individuals, the eye test does matter and scoring a lot of points looks good to the eye. All in all, Saturday showed just how well-suited both Miami and Clemson are to deal with the pressures of playoff contention during the home stretch of the regular season while also revealing just how thin the margin for error might be thanks to the high-scoring potential of their competition.
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