Around the ACC
By: rmacrae@bellsouth.net October 17, 2012

By Trey McCurry.

By Trey McCurry

The ACC looks to find some separation among the top this weekend with four teams in each division within one loss of each other. In key division tilts, North Carolina travels to rival Duke while NC State heads up to College Park to take on Maryland. In other key games, #10 Florida States takes on arch-rival Miami (FL) and #13 Clemson welcomes Virginia Tech in a rematch of last season’s ACC title game. In other conference matchups, Wake Forest travels to Virginia while Georgia Tech hosts Boston College.

Boston College      1-5 (0-3)

Last Week: 51-7 loss at #11 Florida State

This Week: Saturday, October 20 @ Georgia Tech (3:00PM on RSN)

Up Next: Saturday, October 27 vs. Maryland (1:00PM on ESPN3)

Notes: RB Andre Williams had his second consecutive 100-yard game with 104 yards at Florida State, following up a 191-yard performance at Army. WR Bobby Swigert caught his first TD pass of the year, and eighth of his career, against the Seminoles. BC recorded its second game with two INTs against Florida State as with DBs Jim Noel and Manuel Asprilla both recording their second picks of the season.

 

Duke                     5-2 (2-1)

Last Week: 41-20 loss at Virginia Tech

This Week: Saturday, October 20 vs. North Carolina (7:00PM on ESPNU)

Up Next: Saturday, October 27 @ #10 Florida State (3:30PM on ESPNU)

Notes: QB Sean Renfree has now thrown for 200 or more yards in 24 career games and his 742 career completions are the eighth highest in ACC history. WR Conner Vernon increased his ACC record in receptions to 243 while moving within 217 yards of the all-time ACC record for yards. Vernon has at least one catch in 42 straight games, three shy of the ACC record. The Blue Devils have scored four non-offensive TDs this season.

 

Florida State         6-1 (3-1)       #14 in BCS, #12 in AP & #10 in USA Today

Last Week: 51-7 win over Boston College

This Week: Saturday, October 20 @ Miami (FL) (8:00PM on ABC)

Up Next: Saturday, October 27 vs. Duke (3:30PM on ESPNU)

Notes: QB EJ Manuel set a career-high for passing yards with 439 while tying career-best in TDs (4) and completions (27) against the Eagles. FSU had two receivers, Kenny Shaw (125) and Rodney Smith (108), record 100-yard games against BC. PK Dustin Hopkins, who accumulated 15 points against the Eagles, to set the ACC career scoring record with 402 points in his time with the Seminoles.

 

Georgia Tech        2-4 (1-3)

Last Week: Open Date

This Week: Saturday, October 20 vs. Boston College (3:00PM on RSN)

Up Next: Saturday, October 27 vs. BYU (3:00PM on RSN)

Notes: The Jackets are averaging 331.0 yards per game rushing, third nationally and on pace to set a school record for highest season average. Tech is having its best season offensively since 1999, averaging 37.9 points a game and 486.8 yards of offense. The Jackets boast two of the top 10 rushers in the ACC in QB Tevin Washington (4th at 68.0) and RB Orwin Smith (8th at 60.3). Washington currently ranks second nationally in scoring (13.3 ppg).

 

Maryland               4-2 (2-0)

Last Week: 27-20 win at Virginia

This Week: Saturday, October 20 vs. NC State (3:30PM on ESPNU)

Up Next: Saturday, October 27 @ Boston College (1:00PM on ESPN3)

Notes: WR Stefon Diggs took the game’s opening kickoff 100 yards for a TD last Saturday at Virginia, just the fourth 100-yard kickoff return for a TD in Terps history. Diggs currently ranks first in the ACC and ninth nationally with 168.8 all-purpose yards per game. Maryland recorded a season-high five sacks against the Cavaliers, including two each by DE Joe Vellano and LB Darin Drakeford.

 

Miami (FL)            4-3 (3-1)

Last Week: 18-14 loss to North Carolina

This Week: Saturday, October 20 vs. #11 Florida State (8:00PM on ABC)

Up Next: Open Date

Notes: Despite the loss to UNC, the Hurricanes still matched their best start in conference play after four games. RB Mike James, who set career highs for attempts (22) and yards (96) against the Tar Heels, is the 38th 1,000-yard rusher in program history. Four different Canes have receptions of 50 or more yards this season – WR Rashawn Scott (76, 52), WR Phillip Dorsett (65, 62), TE Clive Walford (56), and RB Duke Johnson (50).

 

NC State               4-2 (1-1)

Last Week: Open Date

This Week: Saturday, October 20 @ Maryland (3:30PM on ESPNU)

Up Next: Saturday, October 27 @ North Carolina (12:30PM on ACC Network)

Notes: NC State had last weekend off after beating then-#3 FSU in its last outing, its fifth win in the last seven meetings against a ranked Seminole team. By catching the winning score against FSU, WR Bryan Underwood set a school record with a TD catch in his sixth consecutive game. The Wolfpack defense ranks sixth nationally in tackles for loss per game with 8.17, lead by LB Rickey Dowdy (1.33 TFL/game).

 

North Carolina      5-2 (2-1)

Last Week: 18-14 win at Miami (FL)

This Week: Saturday, October 20 @ Duke (7:00PM on ESPNU)

Up Next: Saturday, October 27 vs. NC State (12:30PM on ACC Network)

Notes: RB Gionvani Bernard posted his second straight 100-yard rushing game (177) against Miami (FL) and the ninth of his career (in 18 games). Bernard is now 13th in career rushing yards at UNC with 1,905 yards. WR Erik Highsmith tied his career high with 8 receptions (for 57) yards against the Canes while QB Bryn Renner did not throw a TD for just the second game in his two seasons as a starter.

 

Virginia                 2-5 (0-3)

Last Week: 27-20 loss to Maryland

This Week: Saturday, October 20 vs. Wake Forest (12:30PM on ACC Network)

Up Next: Open Date

Notes: RB Kevin Parks, in his first career start, had a career-high 129 rushing yards against Maryland, including a 26-yard run that is the longest run allowed by the Terps this season. QB Michael Rocco now ranks ninth all-time at UVA in career passing yards (4,016). LB LaRoy Reynolds tied his career high with 12 tackles against the Terps as UVA held Maryland to minus-2 yards rushing (the first time the Cavs held an opponent to negative rushing yards since 2006).

 

Virginia Tech        4-3 (2-1)

Last Week: 41-20 win over Duke

This Week: Saturday, October 20 @ #13 Clemson (12:00PM on ABC/ESPN2)

Up Next: Open Date

Notes: The Hokies comeback from a 20-point deficit marked their greatest under Frank Beamer. In his first career start, RB J.C. Coleman rushed for 183 yards and two TDs against Duke on just 13 carries, the highest rushing total by a true freshman and ninth-most in a single game under Beamer. Coleman’s 86-yard TD was the fifth-longest run from scrimmage in Virginia Tech history and ninth-longest play overall.

 

Wake Forest          3-3 (1-3)

Last Week: Open Date

This Week: Saturday, October 20 @ Virginia (12:30PM on ACC Network)

Up Next: Thursday, October 25 vs. #13 Clemson (7:30PM on ESPN)

Notes: The Demon Deacons are preparing to play two games in a five-day stretch after having last weekend off. WR Terrance Davis set career marks in receptions (7) and yards (130) against Maryland while FB Tommy Bohanon caught his third TD of the season, tied for the team lead with WR Michael Campanaro. The Wake defense looks to stay strong on the ground after allowing just 53 yards rushing against the Terps.

 

 

Future ACC Teams:

Notre Dame          6-0               #5 in BCS, #5 in AP, & #5 in USA Today

Last Week: 20-13 (OT) win over #17 Stanford

This Week: Saturday, October 20 vs. BYU (3:30PM on NBC)

Up Next: Saturday, October 27 @ #7 Oklahoma (8:00PM on ABC)

Notes: The Irish defense has not allowed a TD in the last four games (16 quarters), the longest streak at Notre Dame since 1980, and have not allowed a rushing TD in eight consecutive games (34 quarters – dating back to a second quarter TD by BC in 2011). Notre Dame is first in the nation in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on 50 percent of their trips and only 12.5 percent of their trips end in TDs.

 

Pittsburgh             2-4 (0-3 Big East) 

Last Week: 45-35 loss to #16 Louisville

This Week: Saturday, October 20 @ Buffalo (3:30PM on Big East Network)

Up Next: Saturday, October 27 vs. Temple (12:00PM on Big East Network)

Notes: The Panthers 35 points against Louisville were the most in a losing effort since falling 45-44 to Cincinnati in 2009. QB Tino Sunseri leads the Big East in pass efficiency rating (163.5) while S Jason Hendricks is tied for the league lead with three INTs. RB Ray Graham had 71 all-purpose yards against the Cards, moving in second place in school history (4,173). WR Devin Street had 11 catches for 111 yards against Louisville.

 

Syracuse               2-4 (1-1 Big East)

Last Week: 23-15 loss at #19 Rutgers

This Week: Friday, October 19 vs. Connecticut (8:00PM on ESPN)

Up Next: Saturday, October 27 @ South Florida (7:00PM on ESPN3)

Notes: The Orange face former head coach Paul Pasqualoni Friday night when Connecticut visits the Carrier Dome. QB Ryan Nassib threw for 356 yards at Rutgers, his fourth 300-yard game of the season, and ranks ninth nationally in total offense (329.8 yards per game). WR Marcus Sales had his fourth 100-yard game of the season against the Scarlet Knights, four receptions for 100 yards, while WR Alec Lemon record a catch in his 21st straight game.