Acc Championship Game Bank of America Stadium • Charlotte, N.C
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#20 DUKE #1 FLORIDA STATE BLUE DEVILS SEMINOLES 6-2 ACC • 10-2 OVERALL 8-0 ACC • 12-0 OVERALL ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM • CHARLOTTE, N.C. 8 P.M. SATURDAY ON ABC THE BLUE DEVILS THE SEMINOLES COASTAL DIVISION CHAMPIONS ATLANTIC DIVISION CHAMPIONS 33.7 POINTS PER GAME 53.7 242 PASSING YARDS/GAME 321 180 RUSHING YARDS/GAME 205 422 YARDS PER GAME 526 23 POINTS ALLOWED/GAME 11 395 YARDS ALLOWED/GAME 271 53/20 TDs/TURNOVERS 84/14 +3 TURNOVER +/- +17 AVG. POINT +/- AGAINST +14 COMMON OPPONENTS* +38 * Common opponents: N.C. State, Miami, Wake Forest THE COACHES » David Cutcliffe, » Jimbo Fisher back-to-back ACC is 43-10 in his four Coach of the Year, is seasons at Florida 31-42 in six seasons at State, trailing only Duke, but those wins are more than the Bobby Bowden for best win percentage school had in its previous 14 seasons. among ACC coaches after four seasons. SERIES HISTORY ACC CROWNS » Florida State joined the ACC in 1990 and 13 won conference titles 18-0 in 1992-2000, 2002, 2003, » Florida State has never lost to 2005 and 2012. Duke in 18 meetings dating back to 1992. The closest the Blue Devils » Duke joined the ACC came was a 19-point loss in 2007. in 1953 and won confer- QB The Seminoles won 48-7 in the 7 ence titles in 1953-55, JAMEIS teams’ last meeting a season ago. 1960-62 and 1989. WINSTON WR WHAT’S AT STAKE? JAMISON For Florida State: A win sends the No. 1 Seminoles to Pasadena, Calif., for a shot at the BCS title against either Ohio State or the top-ranked SEC CROWDER team. A loss would likely drop the ’Noles into a BCS at-large spot. For Duke: A win gives the Blue Devils an invitation to the Orange Bowl as the ACC’s top seed. A loss, though, would likely give Clemson the Orange Bowl bid and drop the Blue Devils to either the Chick-fil-A Bowl or the Russell Athletic Bowl. ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS BLUE DEVILS TO WATCH SEMINOLES TO WATCH » Duke’s quarterback tan- » A transfer from Ohio » Wide receiver Jamison » Duke doesn’t have a » The Seminoles’ top- » Florida State’s record- dem of Anthony Boone State, safety Jeremy Crowder has been giving defensive back that can ranked passing defense setting offense is powered and Brandon Connette Cash leads the Blue teams fits all season as a match the size of receiver is anchored by senior by the arm of freshman has combined to pass for Devils with four intercep- punt returner and on the Kelvin Benjamin at cornerback Lamarcus Heisman hopeful Jameis 23 touchdowns and run tions and will have the offensive side of the ball. 6-foot-5, 238 pounds. Joyner who leads the Winston who quickly for 17 more. Connette, task of trying to keep the The 5-foot-9, 175-pound The sophomore is coming team with five sacks and surged onto the national who the Blue Devils use Seminoles’ deep threat junior leads the ACC with off a 212-yard, three- has tallied 60 total tackles scene with stats that more in short-yardage in check. Cash joins line- 88 catches, finished third touchdown performance and one interception. rival last year’s Heisman situations, has run for 13 backers David Helton in the conference with against Florida and has Joyner is a finalist for winner Johnny Manziel touchdowns, the third and Kelby Brown as the 1,131 receiving yards and seven touchdown grabs in the Nagurski Award (the of Texas A&M. Winston is most in the ACC. Boone is top three tacklers in the ranks fifth with seven the past four games. Duke nation’s top defensive the nation’s most efficient utilized more in passing ACC, each averaging more touchdowns. On special cornerback Ross Cockrell player) and will face a passer and is tops in the situations and ranked than 9 per game. Duke teams, Crowder averages calls Benjamin “one of the Duke pass offense that conference in passing third in the conference forced four turnovers in 15 yards per punt return rarest athletes in college doesn’t allow many sacks yards, completion per- with a 66 percent comple- the teams’ 2012 meeting. and has taken two for football.” He is Winston’s but is ranked 53rd in the centage and touchdown tion percentage. It’ll need some Saturday. touchdowns. go-to guy in the red zone. nation for yardage. throws. DUKE’S KEYS TO VICTORY FLORIDA STATE’S KEYS TO VICTORY 1. There’s one statistical category where the advantage is Duke’s — special teams. The Blue 1. If too much attention is paid to the Seminoles’ passing game, RB Devonta Freeman will Devils will need some big returns from Crowder and DeVon Edwards to shorten the field be key in getting the offense moving. He’s quietly racked up 852 yards on the ground. against a Seminoles’ defense that allows just 11 points per game (#1 in nation). 2. The Seminoles will need to contain Duke’s special teams, which ranks second in the 2. Duke can’t give the Seminoles’ triple-deep threat of Rashad Greene, Kelvin Benjamin and conference in punt return yards and first in kick return yards (#3 in nation). Kenny Shaw time to get open. The Blue Devils will need to put pressure on Winston. 3. Favored by more than four touchdowns and staring at an invitation to the BCS National 3. Keep it close early. Florida State has outscored its opponents 155-28 in the first quarter Championship Game behind the Heisman-caliber play of a freshman quarterback, the this season. Duke knows how to win the close ones. That’s unfamiliar territory for the ’Noles. Seminoles will need to keep their jitters in check. It’s their’s to lose. ACC SEASON WRAPUP FINAL STANDINGS TOP PASSER TOP RUSHER TOP RECEIVER TOP TACKLER ATLANTIC DIVISION Jameis Winston FLA. STATE Andre Williams BOSTON COLL. Sammy Watkins CLEMSON David Helton DUKE ACC Overall Team W L W L #1 Florida State 8 0 12 0 3,490 TOTAL YARDS 2,102 RUSHING YARDS 1,237 114 TACKLES #13 Clemson 7 1 10 2 RECEIVING YARDS 68.8 COMPLETION % 175.2 YARDS/GAME SOLO, ASSISTED Boston College 4 4 7 5 33 81 TOUCHDOWNS TOUCHDOWNS 103.1 YARDS/GAME Syracuse 4 4 6 6 35 17 Runner up: Maryland 3 5 7 5 10 TOUCHDOWNS Kelby Brown, Wake Forest 2 6 4 8 Runner up: Duke: 101 tack- N.C. State 0 8 3 9 Runner up: Kevin Parks, les (46 solo, Virginia: 1,031 55 assisted) COASTAL DIVISION Tajh Boyd, Runner up: Clemson: 3,473 rushing yards, #20 Duke 6 2 10 2 Allen Hurns, total yards, 67.6 85.9 yards/game, Miami 5 3 9 3 Miami: 1,138 completion %, 29 11 touchdowns Virginia Tech 5 3 8 4 receiving yards, touchdowns Georgia Tech 5 3 7 5 94.8 yards/game, North Carolina 4 4 6 6 6 touchdowns Pittsburgh 3 5 6 6 Virginia 0 8 2 10.