Things to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference in Week 10:
Game of the week
No. 4 Florida State at Pittsburgh, 3:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPN): The Seminoles (8-0, 6-0) play their last league road game against the struggling Panthers (2-6, 1-3). Florida State looks to move a step closer to its first conference title-game appearance since it won the crown in 2014. The Seminoles have used a dynamic offense — they lead the ACC and are 11th nationally in red-zone offense — and a defense that’s forced more incompletions than pass catches. Florida State is looking for its 15th straight win.
Pitt, the ACC champion two seasons ago, has lost its past two games, including a 58-7 blowout at Notre Dame last week. Coach Pat Narduzzi apologized for comments made after the loss that were critical of his players. Narduzzi said he apologized to the team at its Sunday meeting and everyone was ready to move on.
Best matchup
Virginia Tech, picked 11th out of 14 teams in the ACC preseason rankings this year, has a two-game winning streak as it heads to No. 15 Louisville. Both teams have ACC title-game hopes.
The Hokies (4-4, 3-1) have consecutive wins over Wake Forest and Syracuse, while Louisville (7-1, 4-1) has been perhaps the biggest surprise in the league. The Cardinals are coming off a 23-0 victory over then-20th-ranked Duke.
Inside the numbers
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is stuck on 165, his number of career wins with Clemson. He tied the late Frank Howard, who coached the Tigers from 1940 to 1969, with a 17-12 win over Wake Forest on Oct. 7. Losses to Miami and North Carolina State followed.
Things won’t get easier this week as Clemson (4-4) hosts No. 12 Notre Dame (7-2) on Saturday.
The frustrations are building for Swinney, who criticized a radio caller who questioned his coaching this season and his status as one of college football’s highest-paid coaches.
Impact player
Virginia has found some of its footing the past few weeks, and receiver Malik Washington is a big reason.
Washington, a 6-foot-2 graduate student who previously played for Northwestern, leads the ACC in receptions and receiving yards per game and is second with six touchdown catches.
Washington tied a career-high with 12 receptions for 152 yards in a 29-26 overtime loss at Miami last week, his sixth game with at least 100 receiving yards this season. That ties the Virginia record for most 100-yard receiving games in a season.
Washington has been named the ACC Receiver of the Week after the past two games and three times overall this season.
Virginia (2-6, 1-3) looks to bounce back against Georgia Tech (4-4, 3-2) on Saturday.
This week’s games
Thursday
Wake Forest at Duke, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Friday
Boston College at Syracuse, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
Saturday
Campbell at No. 25 North Carolina, noon, ACC Network
No. 12 Notre Dame at Clemson, noon, ABC (WVEC in Hampton Roads)
Georgia Tech at Virginia, 2 p.m., CW (WGNT in Hampton Roads)
No. 4 Florida State at Pittsburgh, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Virginia Tech at No. 15 Louisville, 3:30 p.m., ACCN
Miami at N.C. State, 8 p.m., ACCN
