Sports Network
ATLANTIC DIVISION:
BOSTON COLLEGE - The Eagles opened the 2010 season with a pair of wins over
the likes of Weber State (38-20) and Kent State (26-13). Boston College had
this past week off and will get back to work this upcoming weekend, when the
team continues a four-game homestand to kickoff the new campaign, opening up
ACC play with Virginia Tech coming to Chestnut Hill.
CLEMSON - Placekicker Chandle Catanzaro made a 27-yard field goal in overtime
to send the game into another extra session, but an illegal procedure penalty
negated that and the do-over kick to tie hooked left, leaving Clemson on the
wrong end of a 27-24 overtime loss at nationally-ranked Auburn. It marked the
14th straight loss to Auburn, which rallied from a 17-0 first half deficit to
get by Clemson. It was the first regular-season matchup between these two
southern rivals since 1971. The loss was the first on the season for the
Tigers and spoiled a supreme effort by tailbacks Andre Ellington (22 carries,
for 140 yards, one TD) and Jamie Harper (two touchdown receptions). While it
did not result in a victory this week, Clemson's fast starts have been a key
to success thus far, with the team outscoring the opposition 80-10 in the
first half. The Tigers will get a much-needed bye this week before jumping
into conference play on October 2nd at home against Miami-Florida.
FLORIDA STATE - A week after getting routed on national television at
Oklahoma, the Florida State Seminoles returned home and bounced back in a big
way, making light work of BYU (34-10) in Tallahassee. Jimbo Fisher's squad
rolled up 427 yards of total offense, while allowing the Cougars a mere 191
yards in return. The ground game in particular was effective for FSU, which
churned out 278 yards on 6.3 yards per carry. Chris Thompson and Ty Jones were
both productive. Thompson led the way with 123 yards on just nine carries,
including an 83-yard scamper. Jones added 95 yard on 15 totes. Both scored TDs
on the ground, while Jones added a TD-reception as well. Quarterback Christian
Ponder scored a rushing TD as well, while completing a modest 14-of-21 passes,
for 149 yards and one TD. The Seminoles are one of the favorites in the ACC
Atlantic Division and will get their conference slate underway this week,
welcoming Wake Forest to Doak Campbell Stadium.
MARYLAND - The pitch-and-catch combo of Jamarr Robinson and Torrey Smith was
impressive late, but the duo could not overcome a fast start by West Virginia
as Maryland fell in Morgantown, 31-17. Robinson hit Smith with TD passes of 60
and 80 yards in the third quarter, but the Terps managed just 217 yards of
total offense, while allowing West Virginia to amass 469 yards. Smith averaged
nearly 50 yards a catch, as his three receptions, went for 149 yards and the
two scores. It was Smith's fourth career 100-yard receiving effort, tying him
for sixth in school history. With his 242 all-purpose yards (93 yards on
kickoff returns), Smith now ranks third on Maryland's career list. All-ACC LB
Alex Wujciak led Maryland with 16 tackles and has posted double-digit tackles
in 19 of his last 24 games. The Terps will attempt to rebound from their first
loss of the season when they welcome FIU to College Park this weekend.
N.C. STATE - Following a 30-19 victory over Cincinnati last week, the Wolfpack
are now 3-0 for the first time since 2002 (the team went 9-0 to start the
year). The win over the Bearcats was fueled by an offensive onslaught that
featured 28 first downs and nearly 500 yards (491). Junior QB Russell Wilson
was an impressive 26-of-40, for 333 yards and three TDs. Wilson now has six
300-yard passing games and nine games with three or more TD passes. The ground
game added 158 yards, spearheaded by Mustafa Green, who averaged 5.2 yards per
carry, rushing for 84 yards and one score. Tom O'Brien's squad will try to
carry its momentum into league play, as they travel to Atlanta this weekend
for a showdown with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
WAKE FOREST - After posting back-to-back wins to open up the 2010 season, the
Demon Deacons fell hard this past weekend, getting routed by nationally-ranked
Stanford, 68-24. Wake Forest lost its fourth straight game to a ranked
opponent, dating back to 2008. Wake allowed the Cardinal to roll up 535 yards
of total offense, getting gashed for 303 yards rushing on 8.0 yards per carry.
The Demon Deacons managed 207 yards on the ground, but finished the game with
just 283 total yards. Quarterback Tanner Price rushed for 65 yards and a
touchdown. Michael Campanaro added a career-high 41 yards rushing and scored
his first career touchdown on a 22-yard reverse, while Chris Givens led the
team in receptions, catching four passes for 47 yards, while also rushing for
25 yards and a touchdown. Wake already started league play with a win over
Duke and will jump back into ACC action this week, traveling to Tallahassee to
tangle with Florida State.
COASTAL DIVISION:
DUKE - It was a capacity crowd (39,042) in Durham over the weekend, but
unfortunately for the Blue Devil faithful, Duke was absolutely no match for
the top team in the country, as the defending national champion Alabama
Crimson Tide rolled to a 62-13 win. It was the largest crowd at Wallace Wade
Stadium since 1994 and the crowd was treated to an offensive clinic by the
visitors, with Alabama putting up 626 yards of offense, with 300+ yards both
rushing (315) and passing (311). True freshman Josh Snead (83 yards) led a
Duke ground assault that managed 146 yards, but QB Sean Renfree was baffled by
the Alabama defense, completing just 17-of-37 passes, for a mere 144 yards,
with one TD and one interception. At 1-2 on the young season, Duke will
attempt to turn things around and end a two-game slide on Saturday, when the
Army Black Knights invade Durham.
GEORGIA TECH - The Yellow Jackets posted their 11th win in 13 meetings with
North Carolina, hanging on over the weekend for a 30-24 victory. Quarterback
Joshua Nesbitt ran for a touchdown and threw for another, leading the Jackets
to victory.
He ran for a tying touchdown late in the third quarter, then directed the
drive that ended with Scott Blair's 46-yard field goal early in the fourth.
Orwin Smith and Roddy Jones also scored touchdowns for Georgia Tech, which
moved to 2-1 overall and put some distance between the team and last week's
humbling setback at Kansas. Tech had two 100-yard rushers in the game, with
Anthony Allen going for 115 yards and Nesbitt adding 104. In all, the run-
happy Yellow Jackets amassed 372 yards on the ground. The defending ACC champs
will stay in-conference this week, as they welcome the NC State Wolfpack to
Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday.
MIAMI-FLORIDA - The Hurricanes (1-1) enjoyed a much-needed bye week this past
weekend, as the team was coming off a 36-24 loss at second-ranked Ohio State
on September 11th. Randy Shannon's squad will get back to work on Thursday, as
they travel to the Keystone State to battle a tough Pittsburgh squad. The
Hurricanes will open up league play at Clemson the following week.
NORTH CAROLINA - After opening the season with a 30-24 setback against LSU, it
was deja vu for the Tar Heels, as they dropped another 30-24 decision, this
time to the defending ACC champions in Georgia Tech. Butch Davis was without
13 players for the season-opener and following a bye, was hoping to get some
of his players back. However, only RB Shaun Draughn as been cleared to play,
leaving UNC short-handed once again, especially on the defensive side of the
ball. Quarterback T.J. Yates finished 18-of-24, for 209 yards and one
touchdown, while rushing for another score. Tailback Johnny White rushed for
a career-high 113 yards on 17 carries, but the winless Tar Heels are still
looking to earn its first win of the season. The team will attempt to do just
that when UNC travel to Piscataway this weekend for a showdown with Rutgers.
VIRGINIA - After traveling across the country and suffering a tough loss at
the hands of nationally-ranked USC (17-14), the Cavaliers (1-1) enjoyed a bye
this past weekend. Mike London's squad will get back on the gridiron this
weekend, when Virginia welcomes FCS foe VMI to Charlottesville.
VIRGINIA TECH - It took longer than expected, but Frank Beamer's Hokies
finally put one in the win column this season, running past East Carolina in
Blacksburg this past weekend, 49-27. Virginia Tech used a solid ground game
that massed 249 yards, although All-American candidate Ryan Williams (six
carries, eight yards, one TD) didn't lead the way. Darren Evans however, went
for 91 yards and a score to pace the ground game and scored his first TD since
the Orange Bowl two years ago. Evans missed the entire season in 2009 due to a
knee injury. QB Tyrod Taylor passed for 199 yards and two TDs and rushed for
32 yards, becoming the school's all-time leading rusher amongst QBs (1,728
yards). Tech will attempt to even its record this week, as it opens up ACC
play on the road in Chestnut Hill against Boston College.