N.C. State’s visit to No. 16 Notre Dame and Pittsburgh’s trip to No. 25 Florida State headline the Atlantic Coast Conference’s weekly slate. The Fighting Irish need to keep winning to help their College Football Playoff case. The Seminoles have lost to No. 19 Virginia and No. 2 Miami for an 0-2 league start. They face a Pitt team that made a surprise switch at quarterback to a true freshman. The schedule has seven of 17 teams on a open week.… Continue Reading
No. 8 Florida State and No. 16 Georgia Tech are hitting the road in Atlantic Coast Conference play this week. The Seminoles visit high-scoring Virginia on Friday to open their league slate. The Yellow Jackets beat Clemson in their ACC opener. They travel to face a Wake Forest team led by first-year coach Jake Dickert. This week’s schedule includes Duke visiting Syracuse. The Blue Devils are coming off an instate win against N.C. State. The Orange are coming off a win at Clemson. Louisville’s trip to Pittsburgh is another game to watch on the schedule.… Continue Reading
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Atlantic Coast Conference is moving to a nine-game league schedule for football while having teams play at least 10 games against power-conference opponents, though there will be variables due to the league’s odd number of football-playing member schools. Going from an eight- to a nine-game model would align the ACC with its power-conference peers in the Big 12, Big Ten and Southeastern conferences. The ACC would join the SEC in playing 10 games against Power Four opponents. The SEC announced its plans for a nine-game schedule last month.… Continue Reading
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Cade Klubnik threw for 262 yards and four touchdowns, Nolan Hauser kicked 56-yard field goal as time expired and the No. 18 Clemson beat No. 8 SMU 34-31 on Saturday night in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff and position itself for a first-round bye. Bryant Wesco had eight catches for 143 yards and two first-quarter touchdowns for the Tigers, who needed a win to get into the expanded 12-team playoffs. Jake Briningstool added two short TD receptions as Clemson improved to 9-1 in ACC championship games under coach Dabo Swinney. Kevin Jennings was 32 of 51 for 310 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score for SMU.… Continue Reading
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Alonza Barnett III’s five touchdown passes led a quick-strike offense that helped James Madison beat North Carolina 70-50 on Saturday for a signature road win under first-year coach Bob Chesney. Barnett threw for 388 yards with no interceptions while also running for 99 yards and two scores for the Dukes. James Madison had TDs on offense, defense and special teams in its first victory over North Carolina in four meetings. Jacolby Criswell threw for 475 yards and three touchdowns in his second career start for UNC, while running back Omarion Hampton ran for three scores.… Continue Reading
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Cade Klubnik threw for three touchdowns and added a 55-yard scoring run as No. 21 Clemson continued its offensive revival with a 59-35 victory over NC State to start Atlantic Coast Conference play Saturday. Klubnik and the Tigers scored eight first-half touchdowns in a 66-20 victory over Appalachian State two weeks ago. This time, Clemson had six first-half TDs and led the Wolfpack 45-7 by halftime. It was Clemson’s 800th victory in program history, the first ACC team to reach that mark.… Continue Reading
Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin says Wake Forest violated “an unwritten rule” by buying its way out of next year’s matchup, leaving the Rebels in search of another major-conference opponent. The fifth-ranked Rebels beat the Demon Deacons 40-6 on Saturday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as part of a scheduled home-and-home series. There won’t be a rematch next season in Oxford, Mississippi. A person with knowledge of the decision confirmed that Wake Forest canceled next year’s trip to Ole Miss and said the school is closing in on alternative scheduling options.… Continue Reading