Around the ACC Week 11 Recap

By: Justin Cates | Managing Editor

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Virginia Tech 23
Georgia Tech 21

The Hokies (5-5, 3-3) managed to hang on to the game late and picked up a very important win in Atlanta. Georgia Tech (3-7, 1-6) raced out to a 14-0 lead on a rushing touchdown by Marcus Allen and one by Clinton Lynch, but the Hokies responded to tie before a misfired Michael Brewer pass was returned for a score in the third quarter to make it a 21-14 Yellow Jacket lead. The Virginia Tech defense was stellar in the second half however, holding GT without a touchdown, shutting down the ground game, and limiting the Yellow Jackets to a season-low 258 total yards. The Hokies are now ranked 22nd nationally in total defense despite playing a very young secondary for most of the season.

Travon McMillian continue to pace the Hokies down the stretch, this time with 24 carries for 135 yards and two touchdowns. Despite the interception, Brewer passed for 178 yards and a touchdown with Cam Phillips reeling in six passes for 95 yards. Marcus Allen ran for 75 yards to lead Georgia Tech and Justin Thomas added 52, but the Yellow Jackets passed more than usual and it wasn’t very crisp. Thomas completed just 4-of-13 passes for 97 yards in the loss.

Up next for Virginia Tech: North Carolina

Up next for Georgia Tech: @ Miami

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Pittsburgh 31
Duke 13

Duke is falling apart down the stretch while Pitt took this game to reassert themselves with a standout performance. The Panthers (7-3, 5-1) gained 448 total yards including 268 yards rushing. Qadree Ollison led the ground efforts with 111 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. Receiver Tyler Boyd had an interesting day with 79 yards rushing to just 38 yards gained while catching passes. Pitt held onto the ball for 39 minutes on the afternoon thanks to the ball control offense.

Parker Boehme made his first career start at quarterback for Duke (6-4, 3-3) with mixed results. Boehme scored once on the ground and led the Blue Devils with 80 rushing yards, but he tossed one interception and completed just slightly over half of his passes in a 248-yard effort. Anthony Nash caught five passes for 105 yards to lead Duke. The loss makes it three consecutive for the Blue Devils after they opened the season 6-1.

Up next for Pittsburgh: Louisville

Up next for Duke: @ Virginia

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N.C. State 17
#16 Florida State 34

The Wolfpack had a 17-7 lead after the first quarter, but their offense fizzled and FSU (8-2, 6-2) got another outstanding effort from Dalvin Cook. Cook carried the ball 22 times for 138 yards and two scores. In the process, he set the Florida State all-time single-season rushing record previously held by Warrick Dunn (1,242 yards in 1995). Everett Golson played briefly but threw two interceptions and was replaced. Sean Maguire piloted the offense despite an interception of his own and put up 231 yards and two touchdown passes.

Jacoby Brissett threw for 209 yards and a score plus he added a rushing touchdown, but the Wolfpack (6-4, 2-4) gained just 79 yards on the ground and couldn’t muster any touchdowns without Brissett’s direct involvement. State has now lost four of its last six outings, with the only wins in that span coming against Wake Forest and Boston College, two teams a combined 1-12 in ACC play.

Up next for N.C. State: Syracuse

Up next for Florida State: Tennessee-Chattanooga

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Virginia 31
Louisville 38

It wasn’t pretty, but a forced fumble late lifted Louisville to a win that made the Cardinals (6-4, 5-2) bowl eligible. Receiver James Quick forced the fumble of Virginia’s Olamide Zaccheaus, setting up a go-ahead fourth quarter score for the Cardinals. It’s a complete reversal for Quick who fumbled a punt last season late in a game in Charlottesville, allowing the Cavaliers to pull the upset. The passing game struggled for Louisville, so they went to the ground and churned up 266 yards there. Brandon Radcliff rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns to pace the effort while the defense held UVA to just 94 yards on the ground.

Virginia (3-7, 2-4) continues to prove to be a difficult opponent that really struggles to pull off any close wins. On average, this Cavalier squad loses by only about a touchdown (with notable outliers against UCLA and Boise State). Matt Johns threw for four scores with three touchdown passes to Canaan Severin who had eight catches for 116 yards in all. Another close loss makes it that much clearer than Mike London’s staff simply can’t coach the talent it brings in, though they’ve been playing better in the second half of the season.

Up next for Virginia: Duke

Up next for Louisville: @ Pittsburgh

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Miami 21
#23 North Carolina 59

At this point, it’s safe to assume that Carolina is just toying with its opponents. Marquise Williams completed 11-of-16 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. Fairly pedestrian numbers until you add in his 101 yards on twelve carries with three touchdowns. Elijah Hood added 132 yards and a touchdown while Ryan Switzer added a 78-yard punt return for another score. The Tar Heels (9-1, 6-0) were unable to lock up the ACC Coastal division title with the Pittsburgh win, but if UNC wins against Virginia Tech or N.C. State, or Pitt loses one of its final two games, UNC will prevail for its first Coastal title ever. This marks the first time since 1980 that UNC has started 6-0 in ACC play. The school won its most recent ACC football title that season.

Miami (6-4, 3-3) lost its first game under interim coach Larry Scott, but it wasn’t for lack of offense. The Canes were out gained just 487-425 on the day but turned the ball over three times and were penalized 12 times for 103 yards. Brad Kaaya passed for 326 yards and a score, but the Hurricanes were able to muster just 99 rushing yards as a team.

Up next for Miami: Georgia Tech

Up next for North Carolina: @ Virginia Tech

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Wake Forest 7
#4 Notre Dame 28

On paper, Wake Forest won nearly every facet of this game but the scoring column. Wake out gained the Irish 340-282, earned more first downs 23-15, and possessed the ball for nearly 11 minutes more. Still, the Demon Deacons (3-7, 1-5) failed to convert on many opportunities including just a 1-for-4 performance in the red zone. Notre Dame (9-1) scored twice early with a 28-yard interception return by Andrew Trumbetti making the score 14-0. Josh Adams scored on a 98-yard touchdown run to finish the afternoon with 141 yards and a touchdown on just 17 carries.

Other than those two big scoring plays, the Irish essentially just avoided mistakes and played very basic, boring old football. DeShone Kizer passed for just 111 yards but ran for 30 with two touchdowns. Meanwhile. Will Fuller caught three passes for 37 yards but went without a touchdown in a game for just the second time this season. Tyler Bell led the Wake rushing game with 90 yards on 23 carries. John Wolford added a touchdown run while passing for 219 yards.

Up next for Wake Forest: @ Clemson

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#1 Clemson 37
Syracuse 27

Clemson (10-0, 7-0) got all they wanted and much more in their visit to the Carrier Dome Saturday. It took a typical all-world effort from DeShaun Watson to avoid the upset. Watson accumulated 461 total yards with 360 passing yards and two touchdowns, plus 101 yards on the ground and another score. Charone Peake hauled in seven passes for 120 yards including one score and Artavis Scott tallied 12 catches for 74 yards.

The Orange made a game of it despite typical struggles on offense. Zack Mahoney made the start and despite passing for just 80 yards, he ran for 76 yards including two touchdowns to rally twice. The first comeback came to tie the game at 14 a piece at the end of the first quarter, but Clemson rallied to make it a 31-17 Tiger lead at halftime. The Syracuse (3-7, 1-5) defense held strong in the second half by not allowing a touchdown and giving up just two fourth quarter field goals. The Orange were able to cut the lead to just 31-24 at the start of the fourth, before those Greg Huegel field goals put the game away.

Up next for Clemson: Wake Forest

Up next for Syracuse: @ N.C. State

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