Photo courtesy of Florida State Athletics
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (Sports Network) -
ATLANTIC DIVISION
BOSTON COLLEGE: Quarterback Chase Rettig continued his torrid pace to start the 2012 season, as he passed for 219 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, leading the Eagles to a 34-3 pasting of Maine. This marked the seventh all-time meeting between the two teams. Boston College has now outscored Maine 154-3 in the last four matchups. Rettig spread the wealth, as wideouts Alex Amidon (6 catches, 99 yards, one TD), Spiffy Evans (four catches, 53 yards, one TD) and Johnathan Coleman (three catches, 51 yards, one TD) all gave Maine problems. Evans added a second touchdown on an 82-yard punt return. The BC defense stifled Maine, holding the Black Bears to a mere 193 yards of total offense. The Eagles will continue their non-conference slate this weekend, when they hit the road for the first time, taking on Northwestern in Evanston.
CLEMSON: The Tigers haven't missed a beat offensively in the first two games of the season, despite the two-game suspension levied to All-American wideout Sammy Watkins, routing Ball State, 52-27 this past weekend. The Tigers amassed 526 total yards, giving them back-to-back 500+ outings for the first time in school history. The team racked up 45 first-half points in the game, the most since scoring 49 against Wake Forest in 1981. Quarterback Taj Boyd was an effective 19-of-23 passing, for 229 yards and three TDs, but it was WR DeAndre Hopkins who stole the show, hauling in six passes, for 105 yards and all three scores. Tailback Andre Ellington added two TDs and 41 yards rushing, while Roderick McDowell led the Tigers with 59 yards, with one TD. Watkins will make his debut for this potent offense next weekend, when the Tiger play host to FCS foe Furman.
FLORIDA STATE: FSU's contest against Savannah State last weekend ended prematurely, as severe weather halted the game midway through the third quarter, but that was long enough for the Seminoles to roll up 55 points in a shutout of the Tigers. The 'Noles racked up 413 yards of total offense and scored touchdowns on eight of their nine drives. Quarterback EJ Manuel played only the first quarter, but completed 11-of 13 passes, for 161 yards and three TDs. The Seminoles had success running the football as well, churning out 167 yards, led by Devonta Freeman, who ran for 69 yards on 9.9 yards per carry with one TD. After opening the season with a pair of FCS foes, outscoring Murray State and Savannah State by a combined 114-3, FSU will jump into ACC action this weekend, continuing a four-game homestand to start the season by hosting Wake Forest.
MARYLAND: After edging out William & Mary (7-6) in an ugly game in the season- opener, Randy Edsall's Terrapins looked much better and earned a marquee victory with a 36-27 win over a good Temple squad on the road. The Terrapins jumped all over the Owls, building a 26-3 halftime lead, before holding off Temple for the win. Freshman quarterback Perry Hills was solid, completing 11- of-21 passes, for 190 yards and two TDs, adding a third score on the ground in the win. Maryland's defense was sharp early on, forcing two turnovers on Temple's first two possessions and holding the Owls to a mere 34 total yards in the first half. The Terps won the game despite four fumbles lost. Maryland will attempt to start 3-0 this season when the team welcomes the Connecticut Huskies to College Park this weekend.
NC STATE: It wasn't pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but the Wolfpack earned their first win of the season, topping Connecticut last weekend in East Hartford, 10-7. Quarterback Mike Glennon was 15-of-30 passing, for 204 yards and a decisive 46-yard third-quarter TD pass to Bryan Underwood to win the game. NC State's defense did the rest, recording three interceptions. All- American David Amerson, who was beat for two long touchdowns in the season- opener against Tennessee, was responsible for one of the INTs. He now has 14 career INTs, just two shy of the school record. NC State scored just 10 points, the fewest the team has registered in a win since 1999 against South Carolina. The Wolfpack will finally play in Raleigh this week, taking on South Alabama in the home-opener.
WAKE FOREST: The Demon Deacons just seem to have the Tar Heels' number in games decided by one point, moving to 8-0 all-time in such games with a 28-27 come-from-behind victory over North Carolina in Winston-Salem this past weekend. Quarterback Tanner Price scored from the one-yard line with just over two minutes left in the game, his second rushing score on the day, leading the Demon Deacons to victory. Price completed 27-of-38 passes, for 327 yards against the Tar Heels, as wideout Mike Campanaro set career numbers, with 13 catches, for 164 yards. Wake Forest has now won its ACC opener for the third straight season and their ACC home opener for the seventh straight season. The Demon Deacons will hit the road for the first time this year when they take on ACC favorite Florida State in Tallahassee this weekend.
COASTAL DIVISION
DUKE: The Blue Devils made the long trip to the West Coast, but the ride back may have seemed much longer, as they were crushed by the Stanford Cardinal, 50-13. Stanford jumped all over Duke, building a 23-3 first half lead and poured it on after intermission to drop the Blue Devils to 1-1 on the season. A trio of quarterbacks combined for 358 passing yards for Duke, led by Sean Renfree's 200 yards on 28-of-40 passing. However, Renfree threw two interceptions, while Anthony Boone (147 yards passing) threw a third INT. Desmond Scott hauled in a career-high 11 receptions for 83 yards, while Jamison Crowder added 10 catches, for 112 yards. Unfortunately for Duke, the ground game was once again non-existent, managing a mere 27 yards on 23 carries. The Blue Devils should have more offensive balance this weekend, as they play host to FCS foe NC Central.
GEORGIA TECH: After losing a heart-breaker in the season-opener at Virginia Tech, the Yellow Jackets crushed Presbyterian this past weekend, 59-3. Georgia Tech amassed a whopping 712 yards of total offense, the second-highest total in school history, thanks in large part to an impressive 469 rushing yards. Six different players posted rushing TDs in the game for Tech. Zack Laskey led the way with 116 yards and one TD. Redshirt-freshman quarterback Vad Lee netted 101 yards rushing and a score in his first game, while fellow QB Tevin Washington just missed the century mark with 97 yards on the ground, with a score. The Yellow Jackets will get back to ACC action this weekend, as they play host to the Virginia Cavaliers.
MIAMI: The Hurricanes had no answer for Kansas State's Collin Klein, who was 9-of-11 passing for 210 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 71 yards and three more scores, as nationally-ranked KSU handed Miami its first loss of the season, in a 52-13 drubbing in Manhattan. There weren't many bright spots in the lopsided loss for Miami, which managed a mere 262 yards of total offense compared to just under 500 for the Wildcats (498). Quarterback Stephen Morris was 19-of-26 passing, for 215 yards and Clive Walford had three catches, for 61 yards and one TD. However, Miami's ground game never materialized, as the team finished with just 40 yards on 29 carries. The young Hurricanes will play at home for the first time this season when they host FCS foe Bethune-Cookman this weekend.
NORTH CAROLINA: In a game that was delayed over an hour due to inclement weather, the Tar Heels relinquished a late lead and couldn't rally, falling to Wake Forest in the ACC opener for both programs, 28-27 in Winston-Salem. North Carolina was missing All-ACC tailback Giovani Bernard, who sat out with a knee injury, but junior A.J. Blue filled in admirably, rushing for 106 yards and one TD in the loss. UNC was able to churn out 428 yards of total offense in the game, as QB Bryn Renner completed 23-of-39 passes, for 271 yards and one TD, with a costly fourth-quarter interception. Things won't get any easier for the Tar Heels this weekend, as they take on nationally-ranked Louisville on the road.
VIRGINIA: Sophomore tight end Jake McGee scored on a six-yard pass from Michael Rocco with less than two minutes remaining, as Virginia earned a come- from-behind 17-16 win over Penn State this past weekend. The Cavaliers were fortunate with Penn State missing four field goals, including one at the end of the game, as well as having an extra point blocked. Rocco completed 21- of-33 passes, for 258 yards and two TDs, while McGee hauled in four balls, for 99 yards and the decisive score. Virginia posted just 295 yards of total offense in the game, the fourth time in the Mike London era that the team was held under 300 yards. Virginia turned the ball over four times in the game, but kept PSU from capitalizing, as the Nittany Lions managed -14 yards and just three points, following the miscues. The Cavaliers will attempt to move to 3-0 on the year when they open up ACC play at Georgia Tech this weekend.
VIRGINIA TECH: After having to go to overtime to pull out a win over Georgia Tech in the opener, Virginia Tech took the mystery out of last weekend's game against Austin Peay, blowing out the Governors at Lane Stadium, 42-7. The Hokies amassed 419 yards of offense in the win, while holding APSU to just 221, including a mere 62 yards passing. Quarterback Logan Thomas didn't put up eye-popping numbers, completing 15-of-23 passes, for 212 yards and two TDs in the win, while adding a third score on the ground. Dyrell Roberts led all receivers with five catches, for 50 yards. Randall Dunn and Corey Fuller each had TD receptions in the win. Tech's vaunted special teams led to a pair of scores, as a long punt return and a blocked punt early set the offense up nicely both times. The Hokies will hit the road for the first time this season when they take on Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon.