The ACC struggled again in week 2, with an out-of-conference loss to Middle
Tennessee State, and three wins against 1-AA teams, all by less than 20 points. Paul
Johnson got his first ACC win at Georgia Tech, while Wake Forest continues to
get it done.
Boston College (1-1, 0-1)
Boston College faced their first test of the season on Saturday, and fell to
Georgia Tech 19-16 in a defensive war on Chestnut Hill. The BC offense was
completely shut down by the Yellow Jacket defense. BC averaged just 2.9 yards
per carry, and Chris Crane had just 142 passing yards on 35 attempts. He also
threw two interceptions.
The BC defense came up with three fumble recoveries and limited the
Georgia Tech offense to just 235 yards, 43 of which came on one
run by Jonathan Dwyer. However, the BC offense also turned the ball over three
times and just couldn’t come away with enough points.
At this point, it appears that BC is very limited in the passing game. The
simply aren’t hitting any big plays like they did last year with Matt Ryan.
- Offensive MVP: Ryan Purvis. 3 catches, 38 yards
- Defensive MVP: Mark Herzlich. 11 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 forced fumble
Up Next: Bye, then UCF on September 20
Clemson (1-1)
Clemson got their first win of the season with a 45-17 win over The Citadel
on Saturday. However, it was hardly an impressive win. The Tigers led just 21-7
midway through the third quarter before blowing up late in the game.
The Clemson offense exploded for 525 total yards. Cullen Harper
and Willy Korn combined for 273 yards through the air, while the Clemson running
game totaled 252 yards while averaging 7.4 yards per carry. This was a
typical offensive game for Clemson against an overmatched team. When they face a
team with a competent front seven, they’ll have issues.
Clemson’s defense did not play so well, allowing 427 yards of total offense
to a 1-AA team. The Citadel threw for 338 yards on the Tigers, though Clemson
did grab three interceptions.
- Offensive MVP: C.J. Spiller. 6 carries, 75 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 catches for
32 yards - Defensive MVP: Michael Hamlin. 10 tackles, 3 interceptions
Up Next: NC State, Saturday, September 13, Noon, Raycom
Duke (1-1)
Duke suffered a heartbreaking loss to Northwestern on Saturday night in
Durham, falling 24-20. The Blue Devils scored the game winning touchdown late in
the game, but it was called back for holding.
Duke dominated the game statistically, gaining 472 yards of total offense,
while limiting Northwestern to just 328. Northwestern star running back Tyrell
Sutton had just 66 yards on the ground. However, the Wildcats didn’t turn the
ball over, while Duke coughed up one fumble. That could have been the
difference.
Duke seems to have improved their running game quite a bit this year. They
ran for 178 yards on Northwestern, averaging four yards per carry.
- Offensive MVP: Johnny Williams. 11 catches, 135 yards.
- Defensive MVP: Michael Tauiliili. 8 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 QB hurry
Up Next: Navy, Saturday, September 13, Noon, ESPNU
Florida State (1-0)
Florida State played their first game of the season on Saturday evening,
easily dispatching 1-AA Western Carolina 69-0. The Seminoles obviously dominated
the game on both sides of the line of scrimmage.
The ‘Noles had a very balanced attack, running for 290 yards and passing
for 271. Defensively, they limited Western Carolina to 176 yards of total
offense. We won’t find out much about Florida State until they take on Wake Forest
in two weeks.
- Offensive MVP: Christian Ponder. 11-of-17, 196 yards, 3 touchdowns, 3 carries
for 39 yards - Defensive MVP: Kenddrick Stewart. 4.5 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack.
Up Next: Chattanooga, Saturday, September 13, 3:45 pm
Georgia Tech (2-0, 1-0)
Georgia Tech is still offensively challenged under new head coach Paul
Johnson, but they managed to come away from Chestnut Hill with a big ACC victory
on Saturday afternoon. If they can knock off Virginia Tech in Blacksburg on
Saturday, they’ll be a player in the Coastal Division race.
Georgia Tech does have one of the top running backs in the ACC. Jonathan
Dwyer had another 100-yard performance on Saturday, and his 43-yard touchdown
run halfway through the third quarter clinched the victory for the Yellow
Jackets.
- Offensive MVP: Jonathan Dwyer. 18 carries, 108 yards, 1 touchdown
- Defensive MVP: Darryl Richard. 5 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 fumble recovery
Up Next: at Virginia Tech, Saturday, September 13, 3:30pm, ABC
Maryland (1-1)
It looks like NC State could have a real war on their hands in the battle for
last place in the Atlantic Division. After barely beating 1-AA Delaware 14-7 in
their opening game, the Terps got smacked 24-14 by Middle Tennessee State on
Saturday night.
Maryland is simply a bad overall football team with no quarterback. Chris
Turner, subbing for the also-ineffective Jordan Steffy, threw three
interceptions. Tailback Da’Rel Scott had 123 yards, but 63 of them came on one
run. The Terps are completely wasting the talents of outstanding receiver
Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Defensively, Maryland allowed over 400 yards of total offense. It looks like
a long year for the Fridge.
- Offensive MVP: Da’Rel Scott. 11 carries, 123 yards, 1 TD
- Defensive MVP: Alex Wujciak. 7 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 fumble recovery
Up Next: California, Saturday, September 13, Noon, ESPN
Miami (1-1)
Miami lost to Florida 26-3 in The Swamp on Saturday night, though they looked
better than many expected. The ‘Cane defense harassed Tim Tebow all night
before running out of gas in the fourth quarter.
The Miami offense couldn’t get anything going, gaining just 140 yards of
total offense and averaging just 1.6 yards per carry. Robert Marve got his first
career start at quarterback. He only threw for 69 yards, but he did not turn the
ball over. Unfortunately, Miami tailback Javarris James left the game early with
an injury, and did not return.
Defensively Miami held Florida to just 345 yards of total offense, and just
89 yards on the ground. Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow threw for 256 yards and
two touchdowns, but the Miami defensive front was harassing him for much of the
night.
- Offensive MVP: none
- Defensive MVP: Sean Spence. 5 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack
Up Next: Bye, then at Texas A&M on September 20
North Carolina (1-0)
UNC was off this week.
Up Next: At Rutgers, Thursday, September 11, 7:30pm, ESPN
NC State (1-1)
NC State struggled to knock off William & Mary 34-24 on Saturday night.
Starting quarterback Daniel Evans struggled, and Harrison Beck came off the
bench to ignite the offense for the win.
However, the Wolfpack ground game was shut down by the Tribe. State gained
just 67 yards on the ground and averaged just 2.2 yards per carry. Tom O’Brien
is still in major rebuilding mode in Raleigh.
- Offensive MVP: Harrison Beck. 17-of-25, 246 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1
interception - Defensive MVP: Nate Irving. 13 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 fumble recover, 1
interception
Up Next: at Clemson, Saturday, September 13, noon, Raycom
Virginia (1-1)
Virginia struggled to knock off 1-AA Richmond 16-0 on Saturday afternoon in
Charlottesville. The Hoos running game was shut down by the Spiders. Virginia ran for just 91 yards and averaged just 2.4 yards per carry. Peter Lalich
put up 204 yards through the air, but he was intercepted twice.
The Virginia defense dominated, holding Richmond to under 200 yards on the
day. Vic Hall returned an interception for a touchdown late in the game to
extend the margin of victory.
- Offensive MVP: Kevin Ogletree. 8 catches, 103 yards
- Defensive MVP: Matt Conrath. 7 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 pass broken up
Up Next: at UConn, Saturday, September 13, 7:30pm, ESPNU
Virginia Tech (1-1)
Virginia Tech struggled in the first half, but then blew the game open in the
third quarter in their 24-7 victory over Furman on Saturday. As usual, it was
the defense which came up with two turnovers in Furman territory, both of which
led to Hokie touchdowns.
Tyrod Taylor ran for 112 yards, and the Tech ground attack that totaled 261
yards on the ground. Darren Evans added 72 rushing yards on just 11 carries.
However, the passing game struggled, gaining just 68 yards through the air as
Taylor and Sean Glennon split time.
Defensively, the Hokies dominated the game. Furman didn’t sniff the end
zone until Bud Foster had his backups in late in the fourth quarter.
- Offensive MVP: Tyrod Taylor. 4-of-5, 26 yards, 14 carries, 112 yards
- Defensive MVP: Stephan Virgil. 5 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 interception, 1 pass
broken up
Up Next: Georgia Tech, Saturday, September 13, 3:30pm, ABC
Wake Forest (2-0)
Good football teams get it done in the clutch, and that’s exactly what Wake
Forest did on Saturday against Ole Miss. The Rebels scored what appeared to be
the game winning touchdown with 1:01 left in the fourth quarter, but Riley
Skinner engineered a great drive that led to a 41 yard Sam Swank field goal with
just two seconds left in the game.
This was a big game for Wake Forest, not only because they got the win, but
because they appear to have found a legit receiving target. Wide receiver D.J.
Boldin, brother of Arizona Cardinal All-Pro receiver Anquan Boldin, had 11
catches for 123 yards.
With two out-of-conference wins against BCS conference teams, the Demon
Deacons are holding up the struggling ACC right now.
- Offensive MVP: Riley Skinner. 32-of-43, 267 yards, 2 touchdowns
- Defensive MVP: Brandon Ghee. 5 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 forced fumble, 1
interception
Up Next: Bye, then at Florida State on September 20
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