2007 Around the ACC: Week 2

Saturday was perhaps the worst day in recent memory for the ACC. The
conference lost three important out-of-conference matchups with BCS conference
teams, and UNC also lost to East Carolina. Miami and Virginia Tech were crushed
by their high-profile opponents. The ACC is proving to be a bad football
conference so far in 2007.

Current Standings

Boston College (2-0, 2-0)

Boston College defeated NC State and former head coach Tom O’Brien 37-17 on
Saturday afternoon. The week was the polar opposite of their opening week win
over Wake Forest. The Eagles were able to run the ball on NC State, but BC
quarterback Matt
Ryan was shut down by the Wolfpack secondary.

Andre Callender blasted the NC State defense for 158 yards and two touchdowns
on just 18 carries. L.V. Whitworth added 59 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile,
Ryan was just 15-of-34 for 142 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.

BC gave up over 400 yards of total offense to the Wolfpack and was outgained
407 to 373. However, NC State had seven turnovers, and BC had none. The Eagles
intercepted five passes.

• Offensive MVP: Andre Callender. 18 carries, 158 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2
  catches for 30 yards.
• Defensive MVP: Jamie Silva. 3.5 tackles, 2 interception, 1 pass defended.

Up Next: Georgia Tech in Atlanta

Clemson (2-0, 1-0)

Clemson beat Louisiana-Monroe 49-26. There were good and bad things about
their win. On the good side, they rested C.J. Spiller and James Davis, instead
opting to work on the passing game. Spiller and Davis combined for just 13
carries, while new quarterback Cullen Harper went 20-of-26 for 270 yards, with
five touchdowns and no interceptions. The five touchdown passes was a new school
record.

On the bad side, Clemson allowed 271 yards rushing. Calvin
Dawson ran for 121 yards on the Tigers, while Frank Goodwin added 102. They’ll
need to get those defensive problems straightened out.

• Offensive MVP: Cullen Harper. 20-of-26, 270 yards, 5 touchdowns.
• Defensive MVP: Tramaine Billie. 9 tackles, 7 solo, 1 tackle for loss.

Up Next: Furman in Clemson

Duke (0-2, 0-2)

Duke gave a noble effort in Charlottesville, but fell to UVA 24-13. The Blue
Devils made a much better showing than they did in their first game against
UConn, but still couldn’t pull out a win. Duke is getting mauled in the
trenches. They allowed 133 rushing yards, while running for just 84.

• Offensive MVP: Thad Lewis. 14-of-30, 137 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 INT
• Defensive MVP: Patrick Bailey. 9 tackles, 2 tackles for loss.

Up Next: Northwestern at Evanston

Florida State (1-1, 0-1)

Florida State didn’t play particularly well, but they managed to knocked
off UAB 34-24 in Tallahassee. The Seminoles’ offense seems to have made some
progress. They racked up 520 yards of total offense in the victory. However, the
defense isn’t playing as well as many thought it would. They allowed 345 yards
of offense to the Blazers.

Drew Weatherford had a great game statistically, but he still threw a pick
six. However, FSU is slowly but surely making progress on offense, or so it
seems.

• Offensive MVP: Drew Weatherford. 22-of-35 for 332, 3 touchdowns, 1 INT
• Defensive MVP: Derek Nicholson. 9 tackles, 7 solo.

Up Next: Colorado in Boulder

Georgia Tech (2-0, 0-0)

Georgia Tech had an easy one this week, crushing 1-AA Samford. The running
game was magnificent, with 389 total rushing yards. Two running backs finished
with over 100 yards. Quarterback Taylor Bennett was 8-of-9 for 85 yards.

A word of advice for Chan Gailey: Work on your passing game against the cream
puffs. Your running game is already awesome, but you’ll need that passing game
later in the season against ACC foes. Clemson fell into that trap in 2006, and
they have learned from it. They let Cullen Harper throw the ball 26 times on
Saturday.

Right now Georgia Tech has to be considered the best team in the ACC, along
with perhaps Boston College. Those two teams will meet in Atlanta this weekend.

• Offensive MVP: Jonathan Dwyer. 9 carries, 138 yards, 3 touchdowns.
• Defensive MVP: No one stood out. Total team domination.

Up Next: Boston College in Atlanta

Maryland (2-0, 0-0)

As usual, Maryland is winning early games against out-of-conference
opponents, yet not looking impressive while doing it. This week the victim was
Florida International, whom the Terps knocked off 26-10. The Terps managed just
270 yards of total offense, but allowed just 163.

Quarterback Jordan Steffy is looking very efficient so far, but he isn’t
throwing for a lot of yards. Running back Keon Lattimore is running like one of
the best backs in the ACC. Maryland needs to get more big plays out of their
passing game.

• Offensive MVP: Keon Lattimore. 17 carries, 111 yards, 2 touchdowns
• Defensive MVP: Erin Henderson. 12 tackles, 1 tackle for loss

Up Next: West Virginia in College Park on Thursday

Miami (1-1, 0-0)

Miami went on the road to Oklahoma and got hammered 51-13. This game was
total domination, with Miami gaining just 139 yards of offense, with 411
for Oklahoma. Miami’s offense was overwhelmed. Starting quarterback Kirby
Freeman was just 3-of-9 for 17 yards. Kyle Wright replaced him, going 7-of-14
and throwing a
touchdown pass, so it appears another quarterback controversy is brewing down in
Coral Gables.

Miami’s secondary was abused. Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford was
19-of-25 for 205 yards, with five touchdowns and no interceptions.

• Offensive MVP: Nobody
• Defensive MVP: Calais Campbell. 3 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, 1
  fumble recovery

Up Next: Florida International in Miami

North Carolina (1-1, 0-0)

North Carolina lost to East Carolina 34-31 on a last second field goal in
Greenville. The Tar Heels are getting improved quarterback play from r-freshman
T.J. Yates. He was 20-of-32 for 344 yards, with three touchdowns and one
interception. UNC is having trouble getting the running game going. They had
just 79 yards against ECU.

Defensively, the Tar Heels shut down ECU’s running game, holding the
Pirates to just 64 yards on the ground. However, ECU quarterback Pat Pinkney
shredded the UNC secondary. He was 31-of-41 for 406 yards, with three touchdowns
and no interceptions.

• Offensive MVP: T.J. Yates. 20-of-32, 344 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 INT
• Defensive MVP: Durell Mapp. 11 tackles, 1 tackle for loss.

Up Next: Virginia in Chapel Hill.

NC State (0-2, 0-1)

The Wolfpack competed well with Boston College on the road, but ultimately
fell to the Eagles 37-17. They outgained BC 407 to 373, but turned the ball over
seven times. New starting quarterback Harrison Beck was 26-of-50 for 321 yards,
but he threw five interceptions and no touchdowns.

Although NC State still has Andre Brown, losing Toney Baker for the season
seriously hampers the running game. The Wolfpack also can’t stop the run. They
allowed the Eagles to rumble for 231 yards on the ground.

• Offensive MVP: Andre Brown. 13 carries for 63 yards, 7 receptions for 77
  yards.
• Defensive MVP: Miquel Scott. 5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 2 passes
  defended.

Up Next: Wofford in Raleigh

Virginia (1-1, 1-0)

Virginia knocked off Duke 24-13 at home on Saturday. Cedric Peerman finally
got the running game going, and Jameel Sewell and Peter Lalich split time at
quarterback. In fact, the quarterback situation is probably the biggest story.
It appears that Al Groh has elected to use both his signal callers.

Sewell was 9-of-14 for 60 yards and a touchdown, and he also added 33 yards on
the ground. Lalich was 13-of-18 for 131 yards and a touchdown. It will be
interesting to see how this plays out the rest of the year for the Hoos.

One minor offensive note: Tight ends Tom Santi and Jonathan Stupar were the
team’s leading receivers, with six and four receptions respectively. None of
UVA’s receivers are stepping up.

• Offensive MVP: Cedric Peerman. 19 carries, 137 yards, 1 touchdown.
• Defensive MVP: Chris Long. 8 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks.

Up Next: UNC at Chapel Hill

Virginia Tech (1-1, 0-0)

Virginia Tech was stomped by LSU 48-7 in Baton Rouge on Saturday night. It
was the worst loss of the Frank Beamer era at Virginia Tech. The Tigers gained
598 yards against Virginia Tech’s vaunted defense, and very few Tech players
could leave Tiger Stadium saying that they played well as an individual.

Tyrod Taylor has been named the starter for Virginia Tech. Thankfully for the Hokies, they have
about four weeks to work out the
kinks. They play Ohio, William & Mary, and UNC at home before playing at
Clemson on October 6.

• Offensive MVP: Tyrod Taylor. 7-of-18 for 62 yards, 9 carries for 44 yards
  and 1 touchdown.
• Defensive MVP: Brandon Flowers. 9 tackles, 2 tackles for loss.

Up Next: Ohio in Blacksburg

Wake Forest (0-2, 0-1)

The defending ACC Champs lost another tough one on Saturday, this time
falling 20-17 to Nebraska in Winston-Salem. Wake played without quarterback
Riley Skinner, who sat this one out with a separated shoulder. Backup Brent
Hodges threw two interceptions, including one in the end zone.

The Demon Deacons played a lot better than they did against Boston College.
They got back to their misdirection style running game and ended up with 236
yards on the ground. Wake likely would have won this game with Riley Skinner.
Getting him back will be very important.

• Offensive MVP: Kenneth Moore. 8 carries, 116 yards, 1 touchdown, 4 catches
  for 35 yards.
• Defensive MVP: Chip Vaughn. 7 tackles, 1 pass defended.

Up Next: Army in Winston-Salem