There’s a rising look of mediocrity in the course of the Atlantic Coast Convention’s standings.

The league seems to have sagged within the center even because the ACC’s headliners have been fairly spectacular. There are three High 25 groups – No. 2 Notre Dame, No. four Clemson and No. 12 Miami – sitting atop the league.

No different ACC crew is ranked, making a top-heavy look within the league which this week has been dealt two postponements on account of COVID-19 constructive assessments.

A fourth ACC crew may quickly be part of the highest three within the High 25. By edging Wake Forest 59-53 final week, North Carolina (6-2, 6-2 ACC) holds fourth place within the league and is simply outdoors the High 25.

Duke coach David Cutcliffe would not imagine the league is high heavy, saying there’s loads of gifted groups battling for place in the course of the ACC, regardless of the .500 information.

If he is appropriate, these groups will want robust finishes within the ultimate weeks of the season.

That begins with Saturday’s recreation between Virginia Tech, which has misplaced two straight, and Pittsburgh, which had its scheduled recreation at Georgia Tech postponed final week. The ACC additionally might be boosted if North Carolina State, which had misplaced two straight earlier than beating Florida State, finishes the season on an upswing.

N.C. State (5-3, 5-3) has a chance to construct momentum from its 38-22 win over Florida State when it faces undefeated No. 21 Liberty, which already has wins over Syracuse and Virginia Tech, on Saturday night time.

Successful information usually are not vital for bowl bids this season, thanks to wreck executed to schedules by the coronavirus pandemic. Even so, satisfaction is on the road.

”I need to be separated from the group, however every recreation is a one-game season,” stated Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi. ”We need to win every one among them. Once more, it is referred to as satisfaction. I’ve acquired satisfaction in our work and who our children are and what this program represents. So to me it comes right down to satisfaction. And I simply need to preserve going the place we’re.”

Story continues

Cutcliffe stated the cluster of 5 groups hovering inside a recreation of .500 is proof the league is deep. The group consists of Virginia Tech, Boston Faculty, Wake Forest, Pitt and Virginia.

”I feel the league is rather a lot higher than folks notice,” Cutcliffe stated. ”… There’s loads of good soccer groups, there’s loads of stability.”

Cutcliffe stated Boston Faculty ”has had an excellent 12 months.”

Each crew has been challenged by the pandemic, together with Cutcliffe’s Blue Devils. The ACC introduced Tuesday night time that Wake Forest’s recreation at Duke on Saturday will not be performed on account of coronavirus points and accidents throughout the Demon Deacons’ program.

Wake Forest officers say they are going to work with Duke and the ACC on the potential of rescheduling the sport. Demon Deacons coach Dave Clawson stated COVID-19 testing has been ”a weekly battle.”

”And after I inform you guys that each time we take a look at, I lose sleep and I maintain my breath till we get the take a look at outcomes again,” Clawson stated. ”I imply, that’s an every-other-day-event. There’s been loads of rewards this season. I am glad we’re enjoying. I feel the gamers would inform you that they are glad we’re enjoying. However there is definitely been many distinctive challenges.”

Georgia Tech’s efforts to finish a three-game dropping streak have been derailed by having consecutive video games towards Pitt and Miami postponed. The house recreation towards Pitt was rescheduled for Dec. 12, whereas the Miami recreation is tentatively set for Dec. 19 however will not be performed.

Georgia Tech has not performed since a loss to Notre Dame on Oct. 31, leaving coach Geoff Collins feeling he should discover new methods to maintain his gamers’ consideration.

On Tuesday, Collins stated he may introduce kickball, dodgeball or a house run derby to the practices ”simply to get the aggressive juice into play and let the fellows have a bit enjoyable together with enjoying soccer and preparing. … These are unprecedented occasions.”

Syracuse (1-7, 1-6) was devastated by the pandemic even earlier than the season and sits on the backside of the standings. High working backs Abdul Adams and Jarveon Howard and defensive again Trill Williams opted out earlier than the season. Security Andre Cisco and quarterback Tommy DeVito are out with accidents.

Syracuse coach Dino Babers stated this cannot be judged like different seasons.

”The lineups are being juggled out and in,” Babers stated. ”It isn’t a standard 12 months. Persons are having to make changes and improvise on the run. I simply suppose it may be a really distinctive scenario. Put an asterisk by it. Any individual’s going to get a nationwide championship, however after this season’s over hopefully issues will get again to what they was once, some sort of normalcy.”

That nationwide champion may come from the ACC. Even so, Cutcliffe insists challenges await the league’s high groups – from throughout the ACC.

”It’s extremely tough to sit down right here and say we’re top-heavy with Clemson and our visitor, Notre Dame,” Cutcliffe stated.

”They’re each nice soccer groups, no query. However these groups might be challenged by a large number of groups on this league.”

—

AP Sports activities Writers Aaron Beard, Will Graves and John Kekis contributed to this report.

—

Extra AP faculty soccer: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP-High25