In the first game of the weekend, Virginia took their top 25 status to Maryland to take on a Terrapin team that had looked both dangerous and soft so far this year. The Turtles proved that homefield advantage really meant something in College Park, and held off the Cavaliers 45-33.

After having a dismal 22 point performance in Wake Forest the previous week, the Terps put up 45 points on a Cavalier defense that was supposed to be more stout than the Demon Deacons. The Maryland defense also looked a little more suspect than normal, but thanks to the offense they gave the home crowd a victory. The Terrapin running game probably looked the most impressive, as they had not really put up solid numbers yet this year. It will be interesting to see if the threat of the run will be able to open up the pass in future games for the Terrapins.

On the other side, the Cavaliers will really need to rebound next week as they return home to face the always difficult task of Florida State. Two losses in a row might send Virginia in a downward spiral, and open up an opportunity for another team to arise, while a win might put the Cavaliers in the drivers seat in the Atlantic Division.

In a classic matchup between two Virginian powerhouses, Virginia Tech took their show on the road and defeated West Virginia 34-17 in a dominating performance. The Hokie offense continue to roll, as Marcus Vick continued to build confidence not only through the air, but also on the ground, rushing for more yards than he has all season. The threat of the run and the consistency of the pass kept the Mountaineer defense on their heels, and Virginia Tech had no trouble against their rivals as the defense dominated. With yet another strong performance from the Hokies, they have lived up to the hype and looked like the team to beat not only in the Coastal Division, but in the entire ACC.

It will be interesting to see if Virginia Tech flops down the stretch as they have in the past or if the leadership of the young Vick will shine through on the field as he leads his team to a possible National Championship. Right now, things are looking very good for the young quarterback who has had to climb an impossible mountain of hype.

Ball State traveled to Boston College in an out of conference matchup that was entirely one-sided. Boston College dominated the game from the first kickoff, and ran away with a 38-0 victory. The Eagles controlled the game on both sides of the ball, and it was not close for a second. BC continued to look like a strong team, and proved why they still deserve to be a top 25 team despite a home loss against Florida State and a scare at Clemson.

Quarterback injuries and questions should not prove to be a problem for the Eagles as the running game once again looked strong and the defense proved why they were worth the preseason hype. The game was truly a mismatch, and BC flexed some ACC muscle in an easy victory.

In another ACC matchup for the Shipmen, Navy traveled to Duke and took down the Blue Devils 28-21. Duke continued to look weak, as they showed that they really don't have the athleticism to stack up against anyone in the ACC. While most would assume Duke would have a better team athletically, Navy looked like they deserved to win the game, and the final score was much closer than the game would have indicated.

The Blue Devils continue to struggle as they search for a leader and an identity. Random flashes of brilliance give the Duke fans hope, but inconsistency continues to destroy the team as they cannot find a way to win. It looks like it's going to be another disappointing year for the team from Durham.

In another impressive showing, North Carolina took down Utah at home 31-17. The Tar Heels continued to look strong offensively, and solid enough defensively to win ball games this year. I would expect them to pull a couple of upsets as they get deeper into ACC play this season. Matt Baker is looking increasingly impressive at the quarterback position, and his receivers are making the catches they need to sustain drives. North Carolina is not the pushover this year that they have been in some of the past seasons. They will surprise a few teams this year, and I don't think they'll end up in the basement as they have so many times before. It will be interesting to see just how well their defense can play and if Baker continues to play strong and lead the team while not making many mistakes, this is a solid football team.

In the second upset of the weekend, Clemson continued to have trouble in Wake Forest, as the Demon Deacons came away with a 31-27. The Tigers continued to look inconsistent, and play at the level of their competition, as they left Wake in long enough for the home team to take advantage of having the ball last to score a victory. The Deacons finally looked like the team some expect them to be in the preseason, running the ball well, and actually passing the ball extremely efficiently as quarterback Cory Randolph had a career day. The Clemson secondary looked extremely inconsistent, as Randolph threw all over them, while the rush defense at least played well enough to keep things close. Clemson's offense continued to look good at times, and then lacked the sense of urgency to get the ball into the endzone to put the game away when they needed to. The loss pulls Clemson further away from the top, while Wake Forest still remains at the bottom.

A Virginia loss jumbles the picture at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, as Maryland, Clemson, Virginia, Wake Forest, and NC State all look like teams that don't deserve to be playing for an ACC Championship, and only the Seminoles in Florida State look like they want it. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the games play out, and if anyone feels like winning or if they are just content with sitting at the bottom of the division for the rest of the year.

In the final two games of the weekend, both Florida State and Miami defeated soft out of conference opponents as they take a break from the surprises of the ACC. Florida State took down Syracuse 38-14 at home, while the Hurricanes defeated South Florida 27-7 in Miami. Both teams looked dominant, as they solidified their spots in the top 25 and at the top of their respective divisions in the ACC. Florida State faces a very important ACC Divisional battle as they travel to Virginia next week, while Miami travels to Temple to play an Owls team that has looked like one of the worst in Division 1A football this year.

Both teams will have to establish strength in the ACC as the season progresses, but they both look to make a run at the ACC title this year. Right now, the Seminoles look unopposed, while Miami might have a difficult fight at the top against traditional Big East rivals Boston College and Virginia Tech. From what it looks like, all the ACC has to offer from a traditional ACC team is Florida State running away with the Atlantic Division, while the Big East refugees look to fight things out at the top of the Coastal Division.

Matchups between Miami, Virginia Tech, and Boston College will prove to be extremely important as the year progresses. It will be interesting to see who will emerge to challenge Florida State in the Atlantic Division, if anyone.