After 1 weekend play ACC has 7 teams 2-0, four 1-1 (including ND), and 7 more 0-2. PIttsburgh, #1 in the country, continues to be invincible as they are now 12-0 and haven't given up a single set. They swept two top 10 ranked teams (Penn State & Oregon) as well as #20 USC and just went to Atlanta and swept #13 Georgia Tech. When I saw them in Eugene, I was worried the Ducks weren't as good as advertised, but Pitt is extremely talented as I posted that review a month ago. The Ducks haven't lost since, including beating #17 BYU and starting 2-0 in the Big 10. I wonder if Pitt will lose even a single set until we get to the NCAA tourney. Maybe #3 Stanford or #5 L'ville can challenge them when they meet up in the ACC, but both matches are in Pittsburgh, October 20 & 25. L'Ville does get a home rematch on 11/27 so they may draw blood then.
The Stanford/L'ville match on Sunday was dominated by the home team L'ville as they swept the other Cardinal team. None of the sets went beyond 25 pts. Still Stanford gets them again in Palo Alto last ACC match of the year 11/30. Both teams now have 2 losses, but both were to top 5 teams as Stanford's other loss was to #2 Nebraska who also beat L'ville. L'ville's other loss was #4 PSU. Plus both teams have beaten multiple nationally ranked non-con teams with L'Ville over #6 Creighton, #7 Wisconsin,#12 Kentucky, and #20 Tennessee while Stanford has beaten #7 Wisconsin, #12 Kentucky, #16 Minnesota, and defending BtB National Champs #8 Texas. There is a good chance the ACC will have their 3 best teams make it to the quarterfinals again this next NCAA tourney as they all have done the last few years.
As for the the other ACC contenders, two of the 7 ACC nationally ranked teams also went 2-0 being #18 Florida State and #23 SMU. FSU beat #25 Miami in a home & home tilt. FSU is 10-2 with their two losses at #27 Auburn and a close 2-3 loss at #15 Florida. SMU is 10-3 with their 3 losses to #12 Kentucky, LMU, and an opening 2-3 loss at Hawaii. The reason they are ranked is they had an unexpected 3-0 win over then #1 Nebraska on Sept 3. Now going to Atlanta beating #13 Georgia Tech 3-0 might even move them up this upcoming ranking where Ga Tech (9-3) and Miami (8-4) will probably take a fall losing both games this opening ACC weekend competition.
As for the middle unranked teams you mentioned who all went 2-0 there were actually 3 more as all three of the Reseach Triangle schools started off unblemished in the ACC. UNC is 10-1 with their loss to unranked South Carolina as they hadn't played any nationally ranked teams yet. They do meet 6-7 Duke Weds night in Durham so one will lose their 1st ACC game then. They get each other again 2 days later in Chapel Hill. NC State is 7-3 with losses to #6 Creighton, Missouri, & Coastal Carolina. Sweeping the Virginia schools at home was a good start, but they will have problems in their next weekend trip out to the Bay Area. The only otherACC schools with the same or less overall losses as ND (8-3) are that team NC State beat UVA who are 11-2 (1-1 ACC) and 12-2 Cuse (0-2 ACC). Neither of those schools had played any quality oppenents preseason and so the ACC will be their only competition. Cuse only got 1 set in their two losses to Duke & UNC whereas UVA got their 1 win beating Wake (9-4) in a 3-2 set by getting a reverse sweep.
The season is still early but I do think ND can still qualify for the NCAA tourney which would be an important accomplishment. Their 3 losses were all against good teams. Michigan is currently 12-1. Also I just saw Indiana Saturday in person in Eugene and they were very competitive against the Ducks in their 3-1 loss. I assume ND will lose their 4 matches against Pitt, Stanford, & L'ville (who we have in a H&H weekend end of October). At least we got a set against Stanford Friday night. That said, from the games I watched on TV I think they can compete with everyone else in the ACC. They are lucky that the other two H&Hs are Cal (8-6) & Va Tech (6-6). Their toughest road matches will be the two matches in Florida and the one in Dallas. Their other road matches are to the Virginia schools & Cuse/BC. We get UNC & Duke at home but we will know a lot more this Friday night about how good this team really is when #13 Georgia Tech comes to South Bend. They need at least one win over a team considered btter than them to get some national attention.
Go Irish!