this week in the

INSIDE ONE OF ’S PREMIER CONFERENCES | COMPILED BY PATRICK STEVENS, SPECIAL TO GATEHOUSE MEDIA

BY THE NUMBERS game of the week No. 2 CLEMSON (4-0, 2-0 ACC) POWER RANKINGS at No. 12 VIRGINIA TECH (4-0, 0-0) STANDINGS Breaking down the ACC (Through Sept. 23) When: 8 p.m. EDT Saturday Where: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, Va. TV: ABC ATLANTIC 1. Clemson (4-0): Team Conf. All T25 This week’s trip Clemson 2-0 4-0 2-0 Clemson’s Kelly Wake Forest 1-0 4-0 0-0 to Virginia Tech NC State 1-0 3-1 1-0 Bryant (2) celebrates Louisville 1-1 3-1 0-1 could be their last Syracuse 0-0 2-2 0-1 a against road game against a ranked Florida State 0-1 0-2 0-1 Boston College Sept. Boston College 0-2 1-3 0-1 opponent. (Last week: 1) 23 in Clemson, S.C. COASTAL [Richard Shiro/the Team Conf. All T25 2. Virginia Tech Duke 1-0 4-0 0-0 associated press] (4-0): The Hokies’ Georgia Tech 1-0 2-1 0-1 Virginia Tech 0-0 4-0 1-0 defense has been Virginia 0-0 3-1 0-0 on point for much Miami 0-0 2-0 0-0 Pittsburgh 0-1 1-3 0-2 of the last three weeks. Clem- North Carolina 0-2 1-3 0-1 son is next. (LW: 3)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS 3. Louisville (3-1): (Through Sept. 23) PASSING YARDS now holds the Player Yds. 1. Lamar Jackson, LOU 1,387 school record for 2. Kurt Benkert, UVA 1,249 3. Ryan Finley, NCST 1,217 accounted for. 4. Josh Jackson, VT 1,127 (LW: 4) 5. Eric Dungey, SYR 1,052

PASSING TOUCHDOWNS 4. Miami (2-0): Player No. They got well 1. Josh Jackson, VT 11 2. Kurt Benkert, UVA 10 after a three-week 2. Lamar Jackson, LOU 10 break vs. Toledo 4. Ryan Finley, NCST 8 HIGH-TECH 4. John Wolford, WAKE 8 and will get a tougher test this

RUSHING YARDS week at Duke. (LW: 5) Player Yds. 1. TaQuon Marshall, GT 386 5. Duke (4-0): The 2. Mark Walton, MIAMI 352 TESTING 3. Shaun Wilson, DUKE 349 Blue Devils, who 4. KirVonte Benson, GT 346 5. Lamar Jackson, LOU 337 BRYANT, CLEMSON HEAD TO have matched last BLACKSBURG FOR ACC SHOWDOWN year’s win total, RECEIVING YARDS Player Yds. will try to snap a three-game 1. Cam Phillips, VT 523 slide against Miami. (LW: 6) 2. Steve Ishmael, SYR 512 3. Jaylen Smith, LOU 379 KEYS FOR CLEMSON committee in place, and dis- rusher. He has 268 yards and 4. Andre Levrone, UVA 348 6. N.C. State (3-1): The rupting TBs Travon McMil- seven TDs on the ground, 5. Jaylen Samuels, NCST 284 Extend the field. The Wolfpack defense lian and Steven Peoples is and has the ability to turn a SCORING Tigers have enjoyed a great came up big to help Player Pts. start to the season in the a priority for the Tigers. lost play into a solid gain. the program improve 1. TaQuon Marshall, QB, GT 48 2. Jaylen Samuels, TE, NCST 42 running game, with QB Kelly to 8-12 against Florida State over 2. Kelly Bryant, QB, CLEM 42 KEYS FOR PREDICTION 4. Mike Weaver, PK, WAKE 41 Bryant complementing the the last 20 years. (LW: 9) 5. Austin Parker, PK, DUKE 40 likes of Tavien Feaster, Tra- VIRGINIA TECH Clemson 31-17. It vis Etienne and others to help Get Phillips free. Clem- should be wild in Blacks- 7. Georgia Tech TEAM STATISTICS Clemson average 272 rushing son will certainly pay atten- burg for what might be the (2-1): Paul Johnson (Through Sept. 23) yards (13th nationally). But tion to senior WR Cam best matchup of the week- says the Jackets TOTAL OFFENSE won’t beat some- Team Yds./G Pts./G stopping the run is a proven Phillips, who has 34 catches end (Southern California- Louisville 550 36.3 strength for Virginia Tech, for 523 yards and five TDs Washington State might body good if they keep fumbling Clemson 510 37.8 like they did against Pitt. (LW: 7) Virginia Tech 507 40.0 and Bryant is going to have to over the Hokies’ first four have a say about that, too). Duke 470 40.5 take (and connect) on some games. While there are Clemson held on for a 42-35 8. Florida State Syracuse 464 35.0 deep shots to WR Deon Cain. other targets in the Vir- victory in last year’s ACC NC State 461 35.3 (0-2): It should be Virginia 434 31.3 Contain the run. In fac- ginia Tech passing game title game, and the early North Carolina 432 33.8 easier to run on ing a Virginia Tech offense (such as WR Sean Savoy), returns for the Tigers’ Wake Forest 432 37.8 teams other than Georgia Tech 487 37.7 with a freshman QB (Josh Phillips is the centerpiece defense (No. 3 in yards Pittsburgh 329 20.0 N.C. State. Get ready for a heavy Boston College 321 15.0 Jackson), the Tigers would of the offense and a pre- and points allowed, No. 9 Miami 571 46.5 dose of Jacques Patrick. (LW: 2) Florida State 316 14.0 be wise to force him to win ferred option for Jackson. against the pass and No. the game for the Hokies. Bottle up Bryant. While 12 against the run) suggest 9. Wake Forest (4-0): PASSING OFFENSE LEADERS Team Yds. Yds./G That means stifling a rushing he has a ways to go to become they might be better than With Florida State, Louisville 1,462 365.5 attack that ranks 33rd in the as effective a passer as pre- last season. After a lethar- NC State 1,259 314.8 Clemson, Georgia Virginia 1,249 312.3 country at 218.3 yards per decessor , gic showing against Boston Tech, Louisville and Syracuse 1,200 300.0 game. Like Clemson, Vir- Bryant has already estab- College, expect Clemson Virginia Tech 1,156 289.0 Notre Dame up next, nice start ginia Tech has a running back lished himself as a dangerous to be sharp this week. may be a memory. (LW: 8) RUSHING OFFENSE LEADERS Team Yds. Yds./G Georgia Tech 1,181 393.7 10. Virginia (3-1): Clemson 1,088 272.0 Cavs are halfway Duke 908 227.0 BEST OF THE REST this week’s other top games Virginia Tech 873 218.3 to bowl eligibility Wake Forest 865 216.3 NORTH CAROLINA (1-3, 0-2) SYRACUSE (2-2, 0-0) FLORIDA STATE (0-2, 0-1) and will get plenty at GEORGIA TECH (2-1, 1-0) at N.C. STATE (3-1, 1-0) at WAKE FOREST (4-0, 1-0) of winnable games in Coastal STARS OF THE WEEK Division play. (LW: 10) When: Noon EDT Saturday When: 12:20 p.m. EDT Saturday When: 3:30 p.m. EDT Saturday • LB Parris Bennett, Syracuse: Where: Bobby Dodd Stadium, Where: Carter-Finley Stadium, Where: BB&T Field, Winston- 11. Syracuse Had 12 tackles (three for loss) Atlanta Raleigh, N.C. Salem, N.C. (2-2): Syracuse and a pass breakup while also TV: ESPN2 TV: ACC Network TV: ABC or ESPN2 didn’t blink when accounting for a safety in the Notes: Georgia Tech leads Notes: N.C. State leads series 9-1 Notes: Florida State leads series it fell behind and Orange’s loss at Louisiana series 28-21-3, and has taken 28-6-1 and has made LSU work for its victory. State. though North three in a row won five in a (LW: 13) * TB Travis Etienne, Clemson: Carolina has from the Orange. row against The freshman dominated won three in a The welcome the Demon 12. North Carolina the fourth quarter against row against the news for the Deacons. The (1-3): The Tar Boston College, scoring both Yellow Jackets. Wolfpack is they Seminoles Heels haven’t of his TDs and collecting 91 It is a wounded have a quarter- are 0-2 for the won four in a row Smith Finley Dortch of his 113 yards in the final 15 Tar Heel team back who makes first time since against Georgia Tech since minutes. that straggles into Atlanta with good decisions (Ryan Finley). 1989. The Demon Deacons have the early 1980s. (LW: 11) a plethora of serious injuries, Syracuse just gave LSU a good gotten a TD reception from WR 13. Boston College including one that will sideline run in Death Valley. Was that Greg Dortch in each of their (1-3): Steve Addazio STAT OF THE WEEK LB Andre Smith for the rest a function of the Orange being first four games, and senior QB apparently is trying of the season and WR Austin better, the Tigers’ increasingly John Wolford is providing the to set a record for Proehl for an extended period. obvious mediocrity, or both? steadiest play of his career. most punts while in an oppo- 224 nent’s territory. (LW: 14) Consecutive passes without an for N.C. State 14. Pittsburgh QB Ryan Finley, the longest ROUNDING IT OUT THE REST OF THE MATCHUPS (1-3): A feeble active streak in the FBS. Finley Saturday defense could threw for 230 yards and two Time (EDT) Matchup TV Noon Rice at Pittsburgh RSN easily bring an end TDs in last week’s upset at FRIDAY 1 p.m. Cent. Mich. at Boston Coll. ACCNE to a decade-long bowl streak. Florida State. 7 p.m. No. 14 Miami at Duke ESPN 3:30 p.m. Murray St. at No. 17 Louisville RSN (LW: 12)

6x3 ad position