By Trey McCurry
The ACC features seven games this week, highlighted by two primetime matchups and five conference games. In non-conference action, Boston College heads to Army while Miami (FL) travels to Soldier Field in Chicago to take on #9 Notre Dame Saturday night. In conference action, the top game is #3 Florida State at NC State Saturday night while #15 Clemson hosts rival Georgia Tech. Other conference contests are Virginia Tech at North Carolina, Virginia at Duke, and Wake Forest at Maryland.
Boston College 1-3 (0-2)
Last Week: 45-31 loss to #16 Clemson
This Week: Saturday, October 6 @ Army (12:00PM on CBSCS
Up Next: Saturday, October 13 @ #3 Florida State (5:30PM on ESPN2)
Notes: WR Alex Amidon had 193 receiving yards against Clemson, the third highest mark in school history, and currently leads the ACC in receiving yards per game (139.8) and ranks fourth nationally. QB Chase Rettig has thrown for 1292 yards (323 per game) this season with nine TDs. PK Nate Freese, 40-of-49 (.816) on FGs in his career, ranks seventh nationally among all active FBS kickers.
Duke 4-1 (1-0)
Last Week: 34-27 win at Wake Forest
This Week: Saturday, October 6 vs. Virginia (3:00PM on RSN)
Up Next: Saturday, 13 @ Virginia Tech (12:30PM on ACC Network)
Notes: The Blue Devils 4-1 start is their best since starting 7-0 in 1994. Duke’s 185 points through their first five games is the highest five-game total to open a season in school history. WR Conner Vernon is tied for the ACC’s all-time receptions record (232), is fourth on ACC’s receiving yardage list (3,317), and has caught a pass in an NCAA-leading 40 consecutive games.
Florida State 5-0 (2-0) #3 in AP Poll & #4 in USA Today Poll
Last Week: 30-17 win at South Florida
This Week: Saturday, October 6 @ NC State (8:00PM on ESPN2)
Up Next: Saturday, October 13 vs. Boston College (5:30PM on ESPN2)
Notes: WR Rashad Greene became the first Seminole since Peter Warrick to score a TD three different ways in one season with a nine yard TD run at South Florida while WR Rodney Smith had three catches to extend his streak to 30 consecutive games with at least one reception. FSU ranks third nationally in total defense and is led by DE Cornellius Carradine, who has seven sack in five games (1.4 per game) to rank sixth nationally.
Georgia Tech 2-3 (1-2)
Last Week: 49-28 loss to Middle Tennessee
This Week: Monday, October 6 @ #15 Clemson (3:30PM on ESPN)
Up Next: Open Date
Notes: QB Tevin Washington tied a school record with four rushing TDs last week against Middle Tennessee and has scored 11 times this season for a total of 68 points, fourth nationally. AB Orwin Smith (5) and WR Jeff Greene (4) combined to make nine catches against the Blue Raiders, just the second time under Paul Johnson that two players have made that many receptions. CB Rod Sweeting, in his 45th career game, record his first sack.
Maryland 2-2 (0-0)
Last Week: Open Date
This Week: Saturday, October 6 vs. Wake Forest (3:30PM on ESPNU)
Up Next: Saturday, October 13 @ Virginia (3:00PM on RSN)
Notes: The Terrapins defense has improved dramatically in 2012, currently ranking 11th nationally in rushing (83.5 ypg), 18th in pass (177.8 ypg), and eighth in total defense (261.25 ypg). QB Perry Hills is coming off a career game at West Virginia when he completed 20-of-29 passes for 305 yards with 3 TDs. WR Stefon Diggs had his second straight 200-plus all-purpose yard game against the Mountaineers and is 16th nationally with 160.5 ypg.
Miami (FL) 4-1 (3-0)
Last Week: 44-37 win over NC State
This Week: Saturday, October 6 vs. #9 Notre Dame @ Soldier Field (7:30PM on NBC)
Up Next: Saturday, October 13 vs. North Carolina (2:30PM on ESPNU)
Notes: QB Stephen Morris registered 271 first-quarter passing yards against NC State en route to a Miami (FL) and ACC record 566 passing yards. WR Phillip Dorsett reeled in a career-high 191 yards and two TDs on seven catches against the Wolfpack following up his 184 yards on nine catches at Georgia Tech. The Hurricanes 651 yards against NC State were the third-highest in school history and their third consecutive game with at least 400 yards.
NC State 3-2 (0-1)
Last Week: 44-37 loss at Miami (FL)
This Week: Saturday, October 6 vs. #3 Florida State (8:00PM on ESPN2)
Up Next: Open Date
Notes: The Wolfpack set a school record with 674 yards of total offense at Miami (FL). NC State had over 200 yards rushing in back-to-back games for the first time since 1998. QB Mike Glennon completed 24-for-42 passes for a career-best 440 yards. RB Tony Creecy had his first career 100-yard rushing game with 120 yards and a TD on 19 carries while WR Bryan Underwood tied a school record with a TD reception in his fifth straight game.
North Carolina 3-2 (0-1)
Last Week: 66-0 win over Idaho
This Week: Saturday, October 6 vs. Virginia Tech (12:30PM on ACC Network
Up Next: Saturday, October 13 @ Miami (FL) (2:30PM on ESPNU)
Notes: The Tar Heels three wins have come by a combined 149 points while their two losses were decided by just six points. North Carolina has outscored their opponents 99-10 in the second quarter and 66-0 in the third quarter while playing 10 straight quarters without allowing a TD. QB Bryn Renner is tied for fifth nationally with 14 TD passes while RB Gionvani Bernard is third in the ACC with 7 TDs in just three games.
Virginia 2-3 (0-1)
Last Week: 44-38 loss to Louisiana Tech
This Week: Saturday, October 6 @ Duke (3:00PM on RSN)
Up Next: Saturday, October 13 vs. Maryland (3:00PM on RSN)
Notes: The Cavaliers set a school record for passing yards (480) last Saturday against Louisiana Tech. Virginia racked up 625 total yards, the first time with over 600 since 2010. The Cavaliers are finding success in the red zone in 2012, going 13-of-16 with 11 TDs and 2 FGs. RB Perry Jones, who also threw a TD, had a career-high 100 receiving yards against the Bulldogs while backup QB Phillip Sims threw for a career-best 166 yards.
Virginia Tech 3-2 (1-0)
Last Week: 27-24 loss to Cincinnati at FedEx Field
This Week: Saturday, October 6 @ North Carolina (12:30PM on ACC Network)
Up Next: Saturday, October 13 vs. Duke (12:30PM on ACC Network)
Notes: The Hokies have now scored in a school-record 222 consecutive games, dating back to the 1995 season. The mark shattered the old record (66) and in this streak Tech has scored 13 or more points in all but 10 contests. LB Jack Tyler’s 53 tackles are tied for first in the ACC while his 10.6 tackles per game are third in the conference and 14th nationally. DB Kyshoen Jarrett continues to lead the ACC, and is third nationally, in punt returns (25.1).
Wake Forest 3-2 (1-2)
Last Week: 34-27 loss to Duke
This Week: Saturday, October 6 @ Maryland (3:30PM on ESPNU)
Up Next: Open Date
Notes: WR Michael Campanaro, who entered the game as the ACC’s top WR, was injured in the first quarter against Duke and missed the rest of the game. WR Terence Davis had six catches for a career-best 100 yards against the Blue Devils while FB Tommy Bohanon had two TD catches. LBs Mike Olsen (13, game-high) and Justin Jackson (12) both posted career-highs for tackles against Duke.
Future ACC Teams:
Notre Dame 4-0 #9 in AP Poll & #10 in USA Today Poll
Last Week: Open Date
This Week: Saturday, October 6 vs. Miami (FL) @ Soldier Field (7:30PM on NBC)
Up Next: Saturday, October 13 vs. #18 Stanford (3:30PM on NBC)
Notes: The Irish are off to their best start since 2002 and continue their Shamrock Series with a neutral site game at Soldier Field Chicago this weekend against Miami (FL). Notre Dame is 9-0-2 in 11 previous trips to Soldier Field and the Hurricanes will be the eighth different opponent they have faced in Chicago. The Irish are the only team in the FBS that have not allowed a rushing TD this season and have yet to trail in a game in 2012.
Pittsburgh 2-2 (0-1 Big East)
Last Week: Open Date
This Week: Friday, October 5 @ Syracuse (7:00PM on ESPN)
Up Next: Saturday, October 13 vs. #16 Louisville (11:00AM on ESPNU)
Notes: The Panthers had 626 yards of offense against Gardner-Webb, the most for Pitt in a game since 1997. Pitt registered back-to-back games with at least 500 yards for the first time since 1999. WR Mike Shanahan had a career high in receiving yards for the second straight games with five receptions for 144 yards and two TDs.
Syracuse 1-3 (0-0 Big East)
Last Week: Open Date
This Week: Friday, October 6 vs. Pittsburgh (7:00PM on ESPN)
Up Next: Saturday, October 13 @ Rutgers (12:00PM on Big East Network)
Notes: The Orange’s first four opponents this season are a combined 17-3. Syracuse leads the Big East in total offense (487.5 ypg) and passing offense (341.8 ypg). QB Ryan Nassib is seventh nationally in total offense (360.0 ypg) and is the Big East leader in that category. WR Alec Lemon became Syracuse’s career leader in receptions last week with 145 career catches.
