Atlantic Coast Conference News and Notes
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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (Sports Network)
ATLANTIC DIVISION:
BOSTON COLLEGE - The Eagles failed in their bid for a perfect record at home this season, as they dropped a 31-13 setback to North Carolina at Alumni Stadium this past weekend. BC certainly didn't help its cause with six turnovers in the game. With an outside shot at winning the Atlantic Division on the line, Boston College let that slip away early, with a first-quarter plagued by turnovers which left the team in a 21-0 hole before it could blink and eye. Tailback Montel Harris continued his strong play however, as he rumbled for 132 yards on 23 carries. With the performance, Harris became just the 16th back in school history to go over 2,000 yards for his career. At 7-4 overall and 4-3 in ACC play, the Eagles will head to College Park this weekend for the regular-season finale against Maryland.
CLEMSON - The Tigers clinched the ACC's Atlantic Division title and earned a spot in the upcoming ACC Championship Game against Georgia Tech with a 34-21 besting of Virginia this past weekend. The Tigers will now have a chance to claim their first ACC Championship since 1991. Heisman Trophy candidate C.J. Spiller set the ACC season-record for all-purpose yards in the game and now has 2,066 yards, breaking the previous record of 2,054 all-purpose yards (Thomas Jones of Virginia in 1999). With 6,974 all-purpose yards, Spiller needs only 26 yards to become only the fifth player in FBS history to reach the 7,000-yard plateau. Speedster Jacoby Ford also came into his own in terms of all-purpose production against Virginia, with a personal-best 211 total yards, including 155 in the first half. With the ACC slate now behind them, the Tigers will seek to close out the regular season in style, as they travel to Columbia to take on instate rival South Carolina this weekend.
FLORIDA STATE - Longtime defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews won his final home game this past weekend, as the Seminoles captured a 29-26 victory over Maryland, sending Andrews into retirement on a good note. The legendary coordinator is retiring after 26 seasons with the Seminoles, who became bowl eligible with the win (6-5) and pulled even in league play at 4-4. With the win, FSU extends the nation's longest bowl streak to 28 consecutive seasons. The Seminoles moved the ball effectively against Maryland, chewing up 404 yards of total offense. Florida State will now close out the regular season with its annual showdown with Florida. This time around, the Seminoles will travel to Gainesville and try to play the role of spoiler, as the top-ranked Gators are seeking another national championship.
MARYLAND - The Terrapins led late in Tallahassee this past weekend, but allowed a touchdown by FSU with 32 seconds remaining in a 29-26 setback. Maryland had the game all but secured following a late interception with less than three minutes left in the game, but could not convert a first down and the subsequent punt was returned 48 yards to put the Seminoles in great field position for the final drive. The Terps rolled up 410 yards of total offense in the game, but with the loss, Maryland falls to an ACC-worse 2-9 overall. The team's 1-6 conference mark is tied with NC State as both teams are buried in the Atlantic Division cellar. Ralph Friedgen's Terrapins will get one last shot at a victory, as they will attempt to end a six-game losing streak in the season-finale this weekend at home against Boston College.
NC STATE - Not much as gone right for the Wolfpack this season, and this week was more of the same, as the team fell to 4-7 overall and a dismal 1-6 in ACC play with a 38-10 whipping at the hands of Virginia Tech. The setback was the second in a row for NC State and sixth loss in the last seven games. Tom O'Brien's team has really struggled this season, allowing 30 or more points in eight straight games. It was a double dose of misery against the Hokies, not only did the defense disappoint, but the offense turned the ball over four times and QB Russell Wilson was sacked five times. Wilson did finish with 234 yards passing and one TD, but the offense as a whole managed a mere 259 total yards. Wilson has 2,768 passing yards this season and needs 286 yards to pass Philip Rivers 2000-campaign for the fourth-best season in school history. He will get the opportunity to do that this week with the UNC Tar Heels coming to Raleigh for the regular-season finale.
WAKE FOREST - The Demon Deacons were idle this past weekend and will close out their season this week, when they play host to the Duke Blue Devils on Saturday in Winston-Salem. Wake Forest, which as dropped five straight games, is just 4-7 on the year and has struggled to a 2-5 league ledger. The team does have something to play for though against the Blue Devils. The Demon Deacon seniors will try to set a school record for the most victories by a class, with the current seniors at 32 career games, tied for the most by any Wake Forest class.
COASTAL DIVISION:
DUKE - It was a bittersweet performance for Duke's Thaddeus Lewis, who became Duke's all-time leading passer, but failed to lead his team to victory, in a 34-16 setback to Miami. With the loss, the Blue Devils, who have dropped three straight games, are stuck on five victories. Lewis was 20-of-37 passing against Miami, for 303 yards and one TD, breaking the school-record set by Ben Bennett. Lewis has now amassed 9,678 yards. He already owns the school records for career passing attempts (1,462), completions (849), total offense (9,599) and touchdowns (64). He is now third in ACC history in passing. The team will close out the season at Wake Forest this weekend.
GEORGIA TECH - The Coastal Division champion Yellow Jackets enjoyed a well- earned week of rest this past weekend, as the team was idle. Georgia Tech, which has won eight straight games, sits at 10-1 on the season and will take on Clemson in the ACC Championship Game in Tampa on December 5th. Before that game however, the team will welcome rival Georgia to town for the annual rivalry game with the Bulldogs to close out the regular season. With the highly successful campaign thus far, head coach Paul Johnson was given a one- year contract extension that now runs through the 2016 season. The extension restores the agreement to the seven-year length the school had negotiated with Johnson in December of 2008. Johnson is 19-5 in his tenure with Georgia Tech and his winning percentage (.792) is the highest in school history.
MIAMI-FLORIDA - It was a complete team effort, as QB Jacory Harris threw for 348 yards and two TDs and LB Darryl Sharpton returned his first career interception 73 yards for a score in his final home game, leading the Hurricanes to a 34-16 win over Duke last weekend. In all, Miami racked up nearly 500 yards of total offense (496). Wideout Leonard Hankerson had a huge game as well, hauling in eight balls, for 143 yards and one TD. Tailback Damien Berry was at it again, with a rushing score in the game, giving him a TD in a team-best seven straight outings. Berry leads Miami with eight TDs on the season. With the win, Miami moved to 8-3 on the season and closes out ACC play at 5-3. The Hurricanes will end their regular season this weekend, when the team makes the trip to Tampa to battle instate foe USF.
NORTH CAROLINA - The Tar Heels are starting to come on as the season winds down and the defense is the main reason why. The UNC stop unit was at it again this past weekend in New England, forcing six Boston College turnovers in a 31-13 romp for the visiting team. With its fourth straight victory, North Carolina now moves to 8-3 on the year, including a 4-3 mark in-conference. It was a stellar performance against the Eagles, as Cam Thomas and Kendric Burney each had defensive touchdowns in the game. After producing just seven turnovers in the first five games, the Tar Heels have been ballhawks of late, forcing 22 turnovers in the last six outings. UNC's four-game win streak is its longest since 2001 and the team has now posted back-to-back eight-win campaigns for the first time since 1996-97. The team will attempt to make it five straight victories this week, as UNC makes the short trip to Raleigh to take on rival NC State in the regular-season finale for both teams.
VIRGINIA - The writing may be on the wall for Virginia head coach Al Groh, as his Cavaliers dropped their fifth straight game with a 34-21 setback at Clemson this past weekend. The loss dropped the team to 3-8 overall and its 2-5 record in-conference places the Cavs in the Coastal Division cellar. Perhaps the only offensive highlight for Virginia in the loss to the Tigers was the play of tailback Mikell Simpson, who averaged six yards per carry and managed 84 yards on 14 totes. He also had two receptions for 43 yards and one TD. QB Jameel Sewell was just 11-of-17 passing, for 160 yards and one touchdown, while rushing for a score as well. Al Groh coached his 177th career game at an ACC school (Wake, Virginia) today, ranking fourth all-time in the league. Just how many more games he is at the helm in Charlottesville remains unknown, as Virginia will cap off a horrible season this weekend, when the team plays host to rival Virginia Tech.
VIRGINIA TECH - Freshman tailback Ryan Williams continued his assault on the rest of the ACC, as he rumbled for 120 yards and four TDs in Virginia Tech's 38-10 rout of NC State this past weekend. With the win, the Hokies improved to 8-3 overall and 5-2 in ACC play. It was a balanced effort against the Wolfpack, as Tech rushed for 200 yards and passed for 197. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor passed for 197 yards with the majority of that going to WR Jarrett Boykin, who had a career performance with six catches, for 164 yards and one score. Defensively, Cody Grimm made his final game in Blacksburg a memorable one, tying an NCAA record with three forced fumbles in the first four plays of the rout. The Hokies will close out their regular season this weekend, with a short trip to Charlottesville to take on rival Virginia.
