College football takeaways: Key storylines and performances from Week 10 - ESPN

Week 10's matchups brought us a pair of ACC upsets and a host of explosive performances.

NC State handed then-No. 8 Georgia Tech its first loss of the season and Miami lost its second conference game as SMU fans stormed the field and celebrated by bringing down the goalpost.

Despite multiple setbacks for Arizona State, the Sun Devils aren't giving up as quarterback Jeff Sims delivered under the bright lights in place of Sam Leavitt. And while Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith is having another big season, fellow Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate is having a breakout season that shouldn't go unnoticed.

Does Georgia Tech still have a chance to be a College Football Playoff contender? Can Sims continue to deliver in the final month of the regular season? Will Ohio State have two Biletnikoff finalists?

Our college football experts break down key storylines and takeaways from Week 10.

Jump to:
ACC's wild race
Ohio State's dynamic duo
Why not SMU? | ASU not giving up
SDSU success story

Florida State and Clemson, the two schools that filed lawsuits against the ACC because they believed they deserved more revenue from the conference than other schools, are a combined 7-9, afterthoughts in the ACC race and irrelevant in the College Football Playoff picture. Miami had another October to forget after its loss to SMU — and the most important month of the season has just begun.

Georgia Tech's loss at NC State exposed what some had already questioned — the validity of the team as a true playoff contender. And Pitt, which earlier lost to 3-6 West Virginia but has reeled off five straight wins, has a chance to wreak further havoc on the conference. The Panthers can be one of the season's biggest CFP spoilers with three straight games