College Football Roundup: Wake Forest Climbs In The Polls While Coastal, ECU Chase Bowl Berths

CAROLINAS — As college football enters the final month of the regular season, the postseason picture is beginning to take shape for the teams most closely followed across Columbus, Brunswick and Horry counties. Wake Forest has emerged as one of the ACC’s biggest surprises, while Coastal Carolina and East Carolina are battling to keep their bowl hopes alive.

WAKE FOREST MOVING UP THE RANKINGS

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are one of the hottest teams in the ACC.

Wake Forest sits at 6-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play, good for second place in the ACC behind unbeaten Miami. The Demon Deacons are ranked No. 17 in the latest AP Top 25 and No. 19 in the Coaches Poll.

Record: 6-1 Overall, 4-1 ACC ACC Standing: 2nd AP Ranking: #17 Coaches Poll: #19

Bowl Outlook: Already bowl eligible and positioned for one of the ACC’s better postseason destinations.

CLEMSON LOOKING TO MAKE A LATE ACC PUSH

The Clemson Tigers enter this weekend at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in ACC play. The Tigers are tied for fourth place in the conference standings and remain mathematically alive in the ACC race.

Clemson defeated Charleston Southern 37-0 in its most recent completed game and was scheduled to host Virginia Tech Saturday night after publication deadlines for many newspapers.

Record: 4-2 Overall, 2-1 ACC ACC Standing: T-4th AP Ranking: Unranked

Next Game: at Florida State, Oct. 31

Bowl Outlook: Clemson needs two more wins to officially secure bowl eligibility and remains capable of climbing the ACC standings.

NORTH CAROLINA REMAINS IN THE ACC HUNT

The North Carolina Tar Heels stand at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play. UNC is tied with Clemson in the ACC standings and received votes in the latest Coaches Poll.

Record: 4-2 Overall, 2-1 ACC ACC Standing: T-4th Coaches Poll: Receiving Votes

Bowl Outlook: Well-positioned to reach the postseason and still capable of moving into the upper tier of the ACC race.

DUKE PUTTING TOGETHER IMPRESSIVE SEASON

The Duke Blue Devils improved to 5-2 overall with a 19-16 victory over Virginia. Duke currently sits in the middle of the ACC standings but has one of the conference’s better overall records.

Record: 5-2 Overall, 2-2 ACC ACC Standing: T-7th Coaches Poll: Receiving Votes

Bowl Outlook: One victory away from bowl eligibility and trending toward a quality postseason destination.

NC STATE FACING MUST-WIN STRETCH

The NC State Wolfpack fell 31-28 to Stanford and now sits near the bottom of the ACC standings.

Record: 3-4 Overall, 1-3 ACC ACC Standing: T-15th AP Ranking: Unranked

Bowl Outlook: The Wolfpack must win three more games to reach bowl eligibility and have very little room for error.

COASTAL CAROLINA FACING AN UPHILL CLIMB

The most locally relevant college program remains Coastal Carolina University.

According to the official Sun Belt standings, the Chanticleers are 2-5 overall and 1-2 in conference play following a 35-32 loss to Appalachian State. Coastal currently sits tied for fifth place in the Sun Belt East Division.

Record: 2-5 Overall, 1-2 Sun Belt Sun Belt East Standing: T-5th

Sun Belt East Leaders

1. James Madison (7-1, 4-1)
2. Appalachian State (5-2, 2-1)
3. Georgia Southern (3-4, 2-1) T-5. Coastal Carolina (2-5, 1-2)

Bowl Outlook: Coastal must win four of its final five games to reach the six-win benchmark generally needed for postseason eligibility.

ECU STILL CONTROLS ITS BOWL DESTINY

The East Carolina Pirates dropped a 41-34 overtime game to Memphis, but remain alive in the bowl race.

Record: 4-4 Overall, 1-3 AAC AAC Standing: Lower Half of Conference

AAC Leaders

1. UTSA (6-1, 3-0 AAC)
2. North Texas (4-2, 2-0 AAC)
3. Army (5-2, 4-1 AAC)
4. Memphis (6-2, 3-1 AAC)

Bowl Outlook: ECU needs two more wins to secure bowl eligibility.

SOUTH CAROLINA ENTERS CRITICAL SEC STRETCH

The South Carolina Gamecocks entered Saturday at 3-3 overall and 1-3 in SEC play before hosting nationally ranked Tennessee.

Record: 3-3 Overall, 1-3 SEC

Bowl Outlook: South Carolina needs three additional victories to become bowl eligible.

AP TOP 25 LOCAL WATCH

#17 Wake Forest (6-1)

#23 SMU (5-1)

Receiving Coaches Poll Votes: Duke North Carolina

Unranked: Clemson Coastal Carolina East Carolina NC State South Carolina

COASTAL CAROLINA NEWS COLLEGE FOOTBALL POWER RANKINGS

1. Wake Forest (6-1, 4-1 ACC, #17 AP)
2. Duke (5-2, 2-2 ACC)
3. North Carolina (4-2, 2-1 ACC)
4. Clemson (4-2, 2-1 ACC)
5. East Carolina (4-4, 1-3 AAC)
6. South Carolina (3-3, 1-3 SEC)
7. NC State (3-4, 1-3 ACC)
8. Coastal Carolina (2-5, 1-2 Sun Belt)

Bottom Line

Wake Forest currently owns the strongest resume among the Carolinas teams followed by local readers, while the biggest hometown storyline remains whether Coastal Carolina can rally over the final five games and earn bowl eligibility.

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