Associated Press
Today’s ACC roundup …
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ó Two great quarterbacks. Two lousy defenses.
Looks like one long game when Florida State and North Carolina State meet today, right Coach?
“If you look at it on paper, it looks like a shootout,” Florida State’s Bobby Bowden said. “I’ve never liked to approach a season where the only way you’re going to win is outscoring people.”
N.C. State’s Russell Wilson threw for 322 yards and four touchdowns when the Wolfpack (3-4, 0-3) handed 16th-ranked Pitt its only loss of the season, 38-31 last month.
“He reminds us of Charlie Ward,” Bowden said. “He scares you to death. He’ll keep us on needles and pins all day long.”
WAKE-MIAMIWINSTON-SALEM ó No. 18 Miami travels to Wake Forest today hoping to bounce back from an overtime home loss to Clemson.
The Hurricanes (5-2, 2-2 ACC) had won three straight before the 40-37 loss to the Tigers.
Quarterback Jacory Harris says the team has approached practice this week with the attitude that “this can’t happen again.”
The Demon Deacons (4-4, 2-2) are also trying to regroup, though they’ve lost two straight games and struggled offensively in both contests. Coach Jim Grobe says a goal for his team would be to play “four good quarters,” something they haven’t done in weeks.
Wake Forest is trying to become bowl eligible for the fourth straight year.
DUKE-VIRGINIACHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. ó Virginia is doing a defensive about-face.
One week after facing a Georgia Tech team that runs more than any team in the ACC the Cavaliers will entertain pass-happy Duke this afternoon.
The Blue Devils are 4-3 and have won back-to-back games in the ACC for the first time since 1994. Virginia coach Al Groh says the success all starts with Thaddeus Lewis.
Duke’s quarterback is throwing for nearly 400 yards per game in ACC action, and has nine touchdowns and just one interception in those games. But the Cavaliers’ pass defense is the fifth-stingiest in the country.
CLEMSON-COASTAL
CLEMSON, S.C. ó Coastal Carolina lost to its first two FBS opponents by a combined score of 84-10. The Tigers are 22-0 against FCS teams with an average winning margin of 35-5.
Should they win, the Chants would be the first first-time winner at Death Valley since Miami won 36-30 in triple overtime in 2005.