After this weekend of action, Clemson and North Carolina appear headed for a matchup in the ACC Championship Game in a few weeks. The Blue Zone takes a look at how all the ACC teams in action fared this weekend:
No. 21 North Carolina 66, Duke 31
The Blue Devils could not muster up enough defense against a strong North Carolina team, and the offense struggled as well en route to a blowout victory for the Tar Heels. Quarterback Marquise Williams completed 23-of-35 pass attempts for four touchdowns and 494 yards, 404 of which came in the first half.
The Blue Devils could not get anything going on offense as quarterback Thomas Sirk threw for only 191 yards on 37 attempts and finished with two costly interceptions. The Blue Devils were able to put up 327 yards on the ground, but since North Carolina went up multiple scores quick, the Blue Devils were forced to play from behind and move the ball predominantly through the air.
No. 3 Clemson 23, No.17 Florida State 13
Dalvin Cook did all he could do against Clemson, running for 194 yards on 21 carries. But his supporting cast did not help him much and quarterback Sean Maguire could not help Florida State drive down the field, as he finished with only 164 yards to go along with an interception.
Tied at 13 heading into the fourth quarter, Tiger quarterback Deshaun Watson knew he had to put the team on his back if he wanted to defeat the Seminoles for the first time in two years and he did just that. The sophomore threw for 297 yards and a score and added 107 yards on the ground. Running back Wayne Gallman also had a strong game with 103 yards rushing and scored on a 25-yard run to put the game out of reach with 2:34 left.
No. 5 Notre Dame 42, Pittsburgh 30
Notre Dame added to its College Football Playoff case with an easy win against Pittsburgh Saturday. The Fighting Irish controlled the game from the opening minutes and took an insurmountable 21-3 lead into the half. Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer accounted for five passing touchdowns, and helped put the game out of reach with a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter to make the score 42-17.
In the Panthers second consecutive defeat, quarterback Nathan Peterman threw for 223 yards, along with a touchdown and an interception. Pittsburgh rushed for only 175 yards as a team and struggled to move the ball down the field until the game was already decided.
Miami 27, Virginia 21
In quarterback Brad Kaaya’s return from a concussion, the Hurricanes defeated Virginia 27-21. Kaaya competed 20 of his 26 passes for 286 yards, and running back Joseph Yearby rushed for 78 yards to help Miami move to 3-2 in the ACC.
Down 24-15 early in the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers moved the ball down the field twice and had a chance to cut into the Hurrcianes' lead. But both drives ended in field goals and Virginia could not recover an onside kick to keep its victory hopes alive. Cavalier quarterback Matt Johns managed to throw for 280 yards in the loss along with an interception. Running back Taquan Mizzell rushed for 91 yards on 5.1 yards per carry in the defeat, but was held out of the end zone all afternoon.
Louisville 41, Syracuse 17
Quarterback Kyle Bolin threw for a season high 362 yards, and three touchdowns to help lead the Cardinals to a lopsided victory. Lousville also finished with 217 yards on the ground, allowing them to control the clock and limit the Orange's possessions.
Syracuse's struggles in the passing game continued as starter Eric Dungey went only 15-for-30 with 158 yards and two interceptions. Backup Zach Mahoney—who only attempted six passes for the remainder of the game—eventually replaced him, but could not find much success either. The Orange could only rush for 102 yards as a team and struggled in all facets of the game Saturday.
N.C. State 24, Boston College 8
The Wolfpack scored the first 24 points of the game and shut down the Eagles' offense before giving up a touchdown with 1:21 left in the game. N.C. State quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw for 212 yards and a touchdown, while the Wolfpack ran for only 139 yards as a team. But turnovers proved to be the difference, as Boston College quarterback John Fadule threw three interceptions and gave N.C. State good field position with his miscues. The loss dropped the Eagles to 0-7 in conference play.
Byes: Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech
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