Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
Here are the ACC's top five performers for Week 10:
Clemson running back C.J. Spiller: It was only two weeks ago that Spiller torched the Miami defense for a school-record 310 all-purpose yards. Well, he outdid himself and broke his own record with 312 all-purpose yards in the Tigers' 40-24 win over Florida State on Saturday. He fessed up to striking a "mini" Heisman pose at the end of his 5-yard touchdown run the fourth quarter, but after the way he's played in recent weeks, Spiller has earned his way back into contention for college football's most prestigious award. He rushed for 165 yards and one touchdown, plus added three catches for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Miami running back Graig Cooper: With a career-high 152 rushing yards, Cooper moved into eighth place in career rushing yards with 2,001. It was his first 100-yard rushing game of the season, and he also added a touchdown in the Canes' 52-17 romp of Virginia. Cooper's 70-yard run was the longest since Frank Gore had a 77-yard run against Syracuse on Nov. 17, 2001, and his 152 yards is the second most by a Hurricane against the Cavaliers. Gore ran for 195 yards against Virginia in 2004.
UNC defensive end Robert Quinn: He was a major reason the Tar Heels held Thaddeus Lewis, Duke's prolific passer, to just 113 yards and one interception, and limited the Blue Devils to just 2 of 13 third-down conversions. Lewis was under constant pressure -- a lot of it from Quinn -- and the Blue Devils never reached the end zone. Quinn had three sacks, 4.5 for a loss of 34 yards (including one on Lewis in the backfield), a forced fumble, he deflected a pass on fourth down, and he had six quarterback pressures.
Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams: He redeemed himself from the costly fourth-quarter fumble the previous week against North Carolina with a career-high 179 yards in the win over East Carolina. He became just the second player to rush for 100 yards against ECU this year. Not only do the Hokies have some confidence back, they've got another 1,000-yard rushing back.
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson: It was the gutsiest call many of us watching have probably ever seen. With his team trailing on fourth-and-1 from the 5-yard line in overtime -- after missing all four previous fourth-down attempts that day -- Johnson put the Coastal Division crown on the line and decided to go for it. He initially tried to draw the Deacs offside, but they didn't bite. Instead of sending Scott Blair out for a chip-shot field goal to extend the game, Johnson decided to go for the win right there. Because it worked, it was a great call.
Here are the ACC's top five performers for Week 10:
Clemson running back C.J. Spiller: It was only two weeks ago that Spiller torched the Miami defense for a school-record 310 all-purpose yards. Well, he outdid himself and broke his own record with 312 all-purpose yards in the Tigers' 40-24 win over Florida State on Saturday. He fessed up to striking a "mini" Heisman pose at the end of his 5-yard touchdown run the fourth quarter, but after the way he's played in recent weeks, Spiller has earned his way back into contention for college football's most prestigious award. He rushed for 165 yards and one touchdown, plus added three catches for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Miami running back Graig Cooper: With a career-high 152 rushing yards, Cooper moved into eighth place in career rushing yards with 2,001. It was his first 100-yard rushing game of the season, and he also added a touchdown in the Canes' 52-17 romp of Virginia. Cooper's 70-yard run was the longest since Frank Gore had a 77-yard run against Syracuse on Nov. 17, 2001, and his 152 yards is the second most by a Hurricane against the Cavaliers. Gore ran for 195 yards against Virginia in 2004.
UNC defensive end Robert Quinn: He was a major reason the Tar Heels held Thaddeus Lewis, Duke's prolific passer, to just 113 yards and one interception, and limited the Blue Devils to just 2 of 13 third-down conversions. Lewis was under constant pressure -- a lot of it from Quinn -- and the Blue Devils never reached the end zone. Quinn had three sacks, 4.5 for a loss of 34 yards (including one on Lewis in the backfield), a forced fumble, he deflected a pass on fourth down, and he had six quarterback pressures.
Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams: He redeemed himself from the costly fourth-quarter fumble the previous week against North Carolina with a career-high 179 yards in the win over East Carolina. He became just the second player to rush for 100 yards against ECU this year. Not only do the Hokies have some confidence back, they've got another 1,000-yard rushing back.
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson: It was the gutsiest call many of us watching have probably ever seen. With his team trailing on fourth-and-1 from the 5-yard line in overtime -- after missing all four previous fourth-down attempts that day -- Johnson put the Coastal Division crown on the line and decided to go for it. He initially tried to draw the Deacs offside, but they didn't bite. Instead of sending Scott Blair out for a chip-shot field goal to extend the game, Johnson decided to go for the win right there. Because it worked, it was a great call.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Heather Dinich
Dinich covered ACC and Big Ten football for five seasons before joining ESPN.com in November 2007. She's an Indiana grad but somehow her favorite day of the week is Saturday.
