ACC Notebook Week 2: Kiffin Lands Heavy Blow to Beleaguered Dabo
By Rory-Joe Daniels
Week 1 gave us plenty to chew on, even if the final results weren’t overly surprising (outside of Michigan, of course). In terms of ACC relevance, the conference favourites showed exactly why they are genuine title contenders; Louisville came up just short, and Clemson… Well, we’ll get into that. So, let’s dive in and look at the biggest storylines of the week.
Is this the beginning of the end for Dabo’s Death Valley reign?
There could be no starker contrast in Week 1 than Clemson vs LSU. The team who have been most reluctant to embrace the new college football landscape against the man who has become the face of its shifting tectonic plates. Lane Kiffin, at Ole Miss and LSU, has routinely put together top-five transfer portal classes, with this year’s LSU haul ranked first nationally. In contrast, it took until this season for Dabo Swinney to truly get busy in the market.
Swinney’s preference has long been to recruit and develop. However, his recent recruiting classes have slipped to the point where he can no longer paper over the cracks without adding outside help. While it’s easy to think Kiffin is all transfer portal and not much else, his high school recruiting classes have been excellent too, allowing him to build rosters capable of competing with the likes of Alabama and Georgia. Meanwhile, Swinney and Clemson have been well and truly eclipsed by Miami, and others, in the ACC.
So, let’s get to the game. A 52-10 rout in which LSU, led by transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt, exposed Clemson’s weaknesses. The men in orange allowed 309 rushing yards, with a defensive line that lost all its interior starters from 2025 simply unable to handle LSU in the trenches. All the while, they watched one of their experienced defensive tackles from last year, Stephiylan Green, line up in purple and gold.
The same goes at quarterback. While LSU enjoyed Leavitt’s do-it-all performance, Clemson’s Christopher Vizzina was replaced by freshman Tait Reynolds mid-game. Reynolds shouldn’t carry the blame for Clemson’s succession planning; Swinney chose not to pursue a ready-made replacement for Cade Klubnik. Ironically, Dabo’s future may now depend on how quickly the freshman can adapt and start winning.
The biggest concern is that Swinney has simply missed the boat. The recruiting downturn has come too quickly to be rectified by his recent transfer portal activity, while Kiffin’s blueprint of excelling at both simultaneously exposes the limitations of Swinney’s old-school philosophy. For Dabo, the success of his latest homegrown quarterback may ultimately tell us whether that philosophy still has a place at college football’s top table.
Can Malachi Toney steal the Heisman from his own quarterback?
One of the standout performances of the weekend was Malachi Toney’s record-setting display against Stanford. He had 12 receptions for 234 yards, three touchdowns, and 95 yards after the catch. For most, if not all, of the game, Toney was simply unguardable. It was a single-game receiving record for the Hurricanes, quite a feat when the likes of Michael Irvin, Reggie Wayne and Andre Johnson are all alumni.
Toney flashed the Heisman pose in celebration multiple times, and it’s fair to think the ‘Canes now have a legitimate double shot at the award. QB Darian Mensah was equally impressive in the 45-6 beatdown of Stanford, and that will likely be Toney’s biggest hurdle. How do you outdo the Heisman résumé of the guy throwing you the ball?!
That said, let’s look at the last wide receiver to win the Heisman. Alabama’s DeVonta Smith had 1,856 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns. Extrapolate Toney’s Week 1 performance over 11 games, and he’d have 2,574 receiving yards and 33 touchdowns. Not realistic, but it shows just how ridiculous Toney’s opening salvo was.
Should Toney manage to beat out multiple quarterbacks, including potentially his own, he would become only the fifth wide receiver to win the Heisman. The talent is clearly there; his biggest problem might be that every touchdown catch simultaneously strengthens Mensah’s case too.
Fine margins prove the difference in Louisville loss
There’s no disgrace in losing a close one to this current Ole Miss team. Even under the renewed leadership of Pete Golding, this team has arguably the most explosive QB-RB duo in all of College Football. In what proved to be a shootout, where new Cardinals QB Lincoln Kienholz more than held his own, special teams ultimately proved the difference.
Louisville travelled with nine, yes, nine, specialists for the four special teams roles of punter, kicker, holder and long snapper. That should immediately be a huge red flag. It proved decisive as well. First, a botched snap on a punt allowed Ole Miss to gain possession just 12 yards from the end zone, with Kewan Lacy converting a couple of plays later for a 10-3 lead.
Then, Ole Miss missed a 57-yard field goal attempt, only for it to be called back due to a roughing-the-kicker penalty. That moved the Rebels to the 25-yard line and, eventually, QB Trinidad Chambliss extended the lead to 38-24. Despite the Cardinals’ best offensive efforts, those mistakes proved costly in what could have been a huge SEC scalp.
Quick Hitters
Lombardi Leaves, but Storm Clouds Remain over Chapel Hill
Last week saw Mike Lombardi, GM of North Carolina, resign while under investigation at the Tar Heels. While it’s unclear exactly what prompted the investigation, his departure ends the tenure of one of Bill Belichick’s most trusted colleagues. Any thought that the move would alleviate some pressure on the program was swiftly dismissed as rumours swirled around the head coach’s son and defensive coordinator, Steve, who is currently on medical leave. Outside lawyers are reportedly investigating allegations of illegal substance use on campus and potentially providing drugs to a player. None of those allegations have been established, but even if performances on the field improve, the rumblings off it look set to continue. It feels like a fresh start may once again be needed for the Tar Heels.
Power restored in Tallahassee, but someone forgot to plug in the offense
A near-two-hour delay was the story in SMU’s close defeat of Florida State, but more troubling for the Seminoles were the continued struggles on offense. Even with the defense forcing four turnovers, Ashton Daniels and co. couldn’t get them over the line. Okay, this wasn’t an abject defeat, but Norvell hand-picked Daniels as his QB and now his job, already hanging by the thinnest of threads, is tied to the underwhelming signal caller. As with Belichick, the sense around FSU is that eyes are already wandering towards potential successors.
Cal sweats on health of Sagapolutele
California’s offseason optimism was brought crashing back to earth in a local battle with UCLA. The Bruins were 45-24 winners, but things were closer before star QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele seemingly injured his ankle. After that point, JKS threw two interceptions, while his mobility appeared compromised and he looked less comfortable driving the football. As of now, he remains off the injury report and appears full go for Syracuse. If Cal are to rebound, they’ll need their star performer at 100%.
Week 2 Game Picks
Wake Forest 33-26 Purdue
Gio Lopez can build off an impressive Akron performance here and lead the Deacons to another 30+ point haul.
Cal 38-35 Syracuse
This one is dependent on the health of JKS, but it could be a shootout. Steve Angeli was impressive in his Syracuse debut, but I give the Cal QB the nod.
Duke 18-25 Illinois
Nate Sheppard put in a 227-yard showing last week, but Illinois will be wise to that. Their offense put up 42 on UAB, and that gives them the edge.
Tennessee 38-18 Georgia Tech
Okay, it was only Furman, but Faizon Brandon put on a monster showing in his freshman debut last week. This Vols team should outgun Georgia Tech, who looked resilient but lacking against Colorado.
Rory-Joe DanIELS
COLLEGE FOOTBALL ANALYST
AS A LONG-SUFFERING CINCINNATI BENGALS FAN, RORY HAS FOLLOWED THE NFL FOR OVER 20 YEARS. HIS PASSION FOR THE DRAFT LED HIM TO GET ENTANGLED WITH COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND HE HAS BEEN WRITING ABOUT PROSPECTS AND THE CFB LANDSCAPE EVER SINCE.
