ESPN College Football

2010 overall record: 8-5

2010 conference record: 4-4

Returning starters

Offense: 6, defense: 6, punter/kicker: 2

Top returners

WR Dwight Jones, WR Erik Highsmith, OT James Hurst, OG Jonathan Cooper, C Cam Holland, DE Quinton Coples, DT Jared McAdoo, DE Donte Paige-Moss, DT Tydreke Powell, LB Kevin Reddick, CB Charles Brown

Key losses

QB T.J. Yates, TE Zack Pianalto, TB Johnny White, LB Quan Sturdivant, LB Bruce Carter, CB Kendric Burney, S Deunta Williams, S Da’Norris Searcy

2010 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Johnny White (720 yards)

Passing: T.J. Yates (3,418 yds)

Receiving: Dwight Jones* (946 yds)

Tackles: Kevin Reddick* (74)

Sacks: Quinton Coples* (10)

Interceptions: Da'Norris Searcy (4)

Spring answers

1. The offensive line should be the best since Butch Davis arrived in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels had to replace two starters in OT Mike Ingersoll and OG Alan Pelc, but Travis Bond has earned the starting job at right guard and Brennan Williams at right tackle. The left side of the line will be particularly strong with guard Jonathan Cooper (22 career starts), and OT James Hurst. This is also a large group, averaging 319 pounds.

2. There’s depth on the defensive line. There was enough depth this spring to move Coples from tackle back to end, his natural position. The Tar Heels have Paige-Moss at right end, Jordan Nix and Powell at tackle, and junior college transfer Sylvester Williams was pushing Nix for the starting job. Jared McAdoo has played both positions, and the staff has four tackles it feels good about.

3. Bryn Renner has taken over. Heading into the spring, Davis wouldn’t anoint Renner his 2011 starter just yet. Now, there’s no question it’s Renner’s job, as none of the other candidates came close to him this spring. True freshman Marquise Williams went through a major learning curve, and A.J. Blue and Braden Hanson didn’t close the gap.

Fall questions

1. Looking for a linebacker. Outside linebacker Zach Brown and middle linebacker Kevin Reddick have starting jobs locked up, but Herman Davidson and Darius Lipford will take their competition into summer camp.

2. Helping hands at tight end. Last year, 79 of the receptions were to tight ends, and Ryan Taylor and Zack Pianalto were two of the top three receivers on the team (combined for 66 catches last year). The staff recruited well at the position, but those players didn’t enroll early. Nelson Hurst, Christian Wilson and Sean Fitzpatrick were the lead candidates this spring.

3. Revamped secondary. All four starters must be replaced, but Jabari Price started the final four games at corner last season. There are six candidates for the safety positions, but Brown, Jonathan Smith and Brian Gupton all missed last season because of the NCAA investigation. Senior Matt Merletti emerged as a leader last year, safety Gene Robinson is in the mix, and safety Josh Hunter had a good spring game with six tackles and an interception. Tre Boston moved from corner to safety.

As the NFL lockout still continues, the professional careers of several former ACC players remain in limbo. Any players hoping to extend their playing days as undrafted free agents must wait until the NFL's labor issues are resolved. There is significant, proven talent on this list -- names I've typed countless times for their accomplishments in the ACC -- but don't forget that the NFL is based more on potential than it is on past production. I searched all of these players' names in ESPN.com's NFL player database, and North Carolina's Kendric Burney and Clemson's DeAndre McDaniel received the highest grades (over 60, which is considered fourth-round equivalent). Most of them were graded in the 30s, which means they are considered a borderline draft prospect. Regardless of where they wind up in the future, their contributions in the past certainly won't be forgotten.

These are the players who were invited to the combine but not drafted, according to the NFL's draft tracker:

• Daniel Aiken LS 6'4" 244 Virginia
• Damien Berry RB 5'10" 211 Miami
• Kendric Burney DB 5'9" 186 North Carolina
• Mario Butler DB 6'0" 182 Georgia Tech
• Graig Cooper RB 5'10" 205 Miami
• Shaun Draughn RB 5'11" 213 North Carolina
• Darren Evans RB 6'0" 227 Virginia Tech
• John Graves DT 6'3" 286 Virginia Tech
• Richard Lapham OL 6'8" 315 Boston College
• DeAndre McDaniel SS 6'0" 217 Clemson
• Adrian Moten LB 6'2" 228 Maryland
• Zack Pianalto TE 6'3" 256 North Carolina
• Owen Spencer WR 6'2" 195 N.C. State
• Jerrard Tarrant FS 6'0" 204 Georgia Tech
• Deunta Williams CB 6'2" 205 North Carolina
• Marshall Williams WR 6'1" 188 Wake Forest

What offseason?

• FSU receiver Bert Reed says quarterback EJ Manuel is an example of all that is right in college sports.
• Georgia Tech and Georgia both struck out on commitments at their spring games this year.
• Randy Edsall has described his schemes as "multiple," but when it comes to dealing with the media, "plain vanilla" is more like it.
• Edsall has been pleased with how much progress his team has made, though, as the Terps wrap up spring ball this week.
• Former Wake Forest standout Josh Adams is hoping to continue his career as an undrafted free agent.
• Jorge Milian of the Palm Beach Post talks about Al Golden's first spring and gives the first year coach an A+.
• The knee injury to former Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers has clouded his draft status.
• Former Virginia cornerback Ras-I Dowling also has NFL hopes despite a senior season hampered by an injury.
• FSU landed another offensive lineman in its recruiting class.
• Virginia and Virginia Tech's 2012 recruiting classes also grew.
• One of them was Shane Beamer's first commitment.
• Miami should have a stronger NFL draft class than it has had in recent years.
• The Cavaliers released their post-spring depth chart.
• Deunta Williams is getting ready for the NFL draft.

The official list for the NFL combine has been released. A total of 48 players from the ACC have been invited to audition for the NFL from February 23 – March 1. When categorized by school, it's somewhat of a reality check to see how many of the best players in the conference are moving on, and which programs will take the biggest hit. It's impossible not to wonder how good North Carolina could have been had all of the following players remained eligible. The Tar Heels will send the most players to the combine with 11.

Here are the players who will represent the ACC:

BOSTON COLLEGE (3)

• Anthony Castonzo
• Rich Lapham
• Mark Herzlich

CLEMSON (7)

• Da'Quan Bowers
• Marcus Gilchrist
• Chris Hairston
• Jamie Harper
• Jarvis Jenkins
• Byron Maxwell
• DeAndre McDaniel

FLORIDA STATE (3)

• Rodney Hudson
• Christian Ponder
• Markus White

GEORGIA TECH (3)

• Anthony Allen
• Mario Butler
• Jerrard Tarrant

MARYLAND (3)

• Torrey Smith
• Adrian Moten
• Da'Rel Scott

MIAMI (9)

• Allen Bailey
• Damien Berry
• Matt Bosher
• Orlando Franklin
• Graig Cooper
• Leonard Hankerson
• Brandon Harris
• Colin McCarthy
• DeMarcus Van Dyke

NORTH CAROLINA (11)

• Marvin Austin
• Kendric Burney
• Bruce Carter
• Greg Little
• Shaun Draughn
• Robert Quinn
• Da'Norris Searcy
• Quan Sturdivant
• Johnny White
• Deunta Williams
• T.J. Yates

NC STATE (2)

• Nate Irving
• Owen Spencer

VIRGINIA (2)

• Danny Aiken
• Ras-I Dowling

VIRGINIA TECH (5)

• Rashad Carmichael
• Darren Evans
• John Graves
• Tyrod Taylor
• Ryan Williams

UNC senior safety Deunta Williams fractured his right fibula at the ankle joint in the first half of Carolina's 30-27 double-overtime win against Tennessee in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30.

Williams had surgery on Wednesday at UNC Hospitals by Dr. Tim Taft. Williams' recovery time will be updated later this spring. Williams finished the season with 49 tackles and three pass breakups.

NC State coach Tom O’Brien is 3-0 against UNC coach Butch Davis in one of the state’s greatest rivalries, and he would like to make it four straight -- but not because the Atlantic Division title is on the line.

Getting to Charlotte?

That, O’Brien said, is merely a “bonus” to beating the Tar Heels.

“That's the carrot,” O’Brien said, “to win the game and get to the ACC Championship. The road to Charlotte goes through Chapel Hill; you have to win at Chapel Hill. Well, if you're at NC State and you're a part of this football program you have to win at Chapel Hill anyway. It's something that's part of the culture here and we accept that fact. Our kids have really risen to the occasion and played well any time we've played against North Carolina since I've been here.”

They haven’t played with so much on the line before, though.

NC State is wrapping up one of its most successful seasons since 2002, and is two wins away from representing the Atlantic Division in the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte, N.C. It’s the first time since the 2003 season that the Wolfpack has won seven games in the regular season. With games still remaining against UNC and Maryland, the Wolfpack has a chance to become the program’s sixth team in the past 20 years to win more than four league games.

No win, though, is bigger than one against UNC.

“I can’t say it’s just a regular game,” NC State linebacker Nate Irving said. “It’s us versus them. We stay right in their backyard. You can throw the record out the window. When it’s us against them, it’s going to be a tough game. Each team is going to come out and give it 110 percent.”

With its loss to Virginia Tech last week, UNC is out of the Coastal Division race. The seniors on the Tar Heels’ roster would gladly take a win over NC State as a consolation prize.

“Speaking as a senior on the team, it’s something, I can’t deal with that,” said safety Deunta Williams. “I can’t leave college and not have beaten them at least once. … We’re just looking to change our fortune against these guys and go out there and do what we’ve got to do, execute our game plan.”

It’s the 100th meeting between the two schools, and the Tar Heels lead the overall series 63-30-6, including a 34-17-2 edge in Chapel Hill. NC State must win on Saturday to keep pace with Florida State and Maryland.

“There's not any more on the line than any time that we play North Carolina,” O’Brien said. “It's a game that's very, very special and very, very important to our school. It's important to our student body, it's important to our faculty and our alumni. There's no added significance one way or another. Now, the bonus is if we win we keep going, but we're still playing against North Carolina.”

A win this year, though, could add up to far more than just bragging rights.

In addition to the emotions that will already be swirling for Saturday's game against NC State, North Carolina has the added motivation of it being senior day, and this is an important group of 17 seniors (16 scholarship) to recognize.

In 2007, the Tar Heels were 4-8 with most of those players logging significant minutes as freshmen. UNC improved to back-to-back 8-5 seasons in 2008 and 2009, including consecutive Meineke Car Care Bowl appearances. Over the last four years, Carolina has won 26 games, the most since UNC won 31 from 1996-99.

The senior class has a wealth of experience, including four players with 40 or more starts, led by safety Deunta Williams (44). Offensively, quarterback T.J. Yates has started 41 games, the most at that position in school history.

Even though the Coastal Division and ACC titles are no longer possibilities, those within the program say they'll never forget the determination it took just to become bowl eligible this year despite the distractions and suspensions from the academic and NCAA investigations.

"It was a goal, but more importantly, guys are playing off pride and their commitment to this team," Williams said. "You're talking about guys who are saying they're not going to miss practice because they need to practice because they're going to play in the game. It's inspiring to see what this team has gone through. I told news reporters after the Florida State game -- I don't care what happens, what the score is, what our final record is. I'll never be able to replace memories of bad things with this team."

"Just being on this team is something that I'll always remember for the rest of my life, this year right here, because of the adversity we had to go through and the things that we did to come up out of the adversity," said Williams. "I've never been part of a team that's fought as hard as we fought this year. We scrapped and clawed and did anything possible to get wins. I've never seen a team with so many players go down, and so many players can't play, walk-ons stepping in and starting at some points in time. It was one of the first times I've ever been around it."

And on Saturday in Kenan Stadium, it will be one of his last.

About 10 days before North Carolina kicked off its season opener against LSU in the Georgia Dome, UNC coach Butch Davis told his players that the team they had on Sept. 4 could be the one they finished the season with, so get used to it.

That team was without 13 players, including seven starters on defense.

This team -- the one that is riding a three-game winning streak into Virginia, where it hasn’t won since 1981 -- is missing a total of seven players to the ongoing NCAA investigation.

The Tar Heels have since welcomed back two starters in the secondary in Deunta Williams and Da’Norris Searcy, and have learned that defensive tackle Marvin Austin, defensive end Robert Quinn, and receiver Greg Little are no longer with the team. While the two-pronged NCAA investigation into possible academic misconduct and improper contact with agents continues, there does seem to be a sense of closure now that the Tar Heels are sure they won’t have three of their best players from 2009.

“I think that (athletic director Dick) Baddour on Monday alluded to the fact that as painful as this was, as disappointing as this was, it does move us closer to closure,” Davis said. “A lot of the speculation on a lot of the kids who have been involved in some of this review, a lot of it has already been resolved. Certainly a lot of kids are already back playing, and some, the outcome of whether or not they’re going to play or not play has already been resolved. With these three kids, it does move us considerably closer. I don’t know a particular time frame, but I know Mr. Baddour is optimistic we are getting close to final decisions on all the players who have been affected by this. Hopefully that will happen pretty soon.”

At this point, though, the Tar Heels have managed to live -- and win -- with the players they have. In fact, some of UNC’s backups who have been elevated to starting roles -- like tailback Johnny White -- have proven to be as good if not better than some other starters throughout the rest of the conference. UNC has used 14 first-time starters this year, but at the midpoint of the season, they’re rookies no more.

The loss of Little has been compensate for with the help of tight end Zack Pianalto, White’s ability to catch out of the backfield, and Erik Highsmith and Jheranie Boyd. White has also carried the offense in the absence of running back Ryan Houston. Defensively, the Tar Heels have filled the gaps Austin and Quinn left behind with help from Quinton Coples and Tydreke Powell. Matt Merletti became an impact player at free safety, which featured four new starters against LSU.

“I am very proud the way our coaches and players have fought through the adversity, the way that they’re playing,” Davis said.

He should be. While the investigation isn’t over, either is the season, and North Carolina still has something to play for with the team it has.

Here are 10 things to keep an eye on this week in the ACC, in no particular order:

1. Miami freshman offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson. He made his first career start last week in the win at Clemson, and impressed coach Randy Shannon. He’s likely to continue to see more playing time, sharing snaps at right tackle with Jermaine Johnson.

2. Defenses in Miami. Florida State and Miami are among the nation’s best at getting pressure on their opponents. FSU leads the nation in sacks and is second in tackles for loss, while Miami is first in tackles for loss and second in sacks. Quarterbacks Christian Ponder and Jacory Harris will be playing under pressure. Harris has thrown eight interceptions in the past three games while Ponder and E.J. Manuel have been interception free over the past 89 pass attempts.

3. Ailing quarterbacks. Wake Forest is hoping Tanner Price (concussion) is healed in time for Saturday’s game against Navy and the status of Boston College quarterback Chase Rettig (ankle) is expected to be learned today. The injury-laden position has been a disaster for the Deacs, as three have been sidelined. Just when the Eagles seemed to find someone who could manage the offense without turning it over, Rettig hurt his ankle and they’re “back at square one.”

4. Clemson sophomore running back Andre Ellington. He needs 129 more yards in his next 19 rushing attempts to break C.J. Spiller’s school record for fewest rushing attempts to reach 1,000 yards. Ellington leads the ACC in rushing (95.0) and touchdowns (7) so far this season. For his career he has 871 yards in 122 carries. It took Spiller 142 carries to reach that milestone in 2007.

5. NC State’s third-down defense. NC State leads the ACC and ranks seventh nationally in third-down conversion defense. The Wolfpack is allowing opponents to convert on just 26.6 percent of third-down attempts (17-of-64). The Wolfpack has also forced opponents into 23 three-and-outs this season, an average of 4.6 per game. That mark ranks sixth in the nation.

6. North Carolina’s secondary. The Tar Heels will have both starting safeties in the lineup against Clemson with the return of strong safety Da’Norris Searcy and free safety Deunta Williams. Searcy, who missed the first three games of the season, came back last week with a 46-yard interception return for a touchdown. Williams ranks third at UNC with 12 career interceptions.

7. Virginia’s offense vs. the 3-4 defense. The Cavaliers should be well-prepared as they face their former coach in Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Al Groh. Groh said this week that Virginia has the advantage because of coach Mike London’s familiarity with Groh’s philosophies.

8. Clemson’s receivers. Coach Dabo Swinney made a change this week. Out: Xavier Dye, Terrance Ashe and Brandon Clear. In: DeAndre Hopkins, Bryce McNeal and Jaron Brown. Why? It took nine minutes into the third quarter until a Clemson receiver caught a pass against Miami. The Tigers will face a similar challenge against the Tar Heels.

9. BC’s running game. Or lack thereof. Despite a veteran offensive line and one of the most productive running backs in the ACC in Montel Harris, the Eagles rank 108th in the country in rushing offense at just 87.5 yards per game. NC State’s rushing defense took a hit against Virginia Tech and is now allowing 164 yards per game. The Hokies ran for 317 and 8.6 yards per carry.

10. Virginia Tech’s secondary. Nine different players have broken up passes this season, and Jayron Hosley is coming off an impressive performance in which he tied a single-game school record with three interceptions against NC State. Central Michigan has the No. 19 passing offense in the country with 290.8 yards per game.

Clemson was in a similar situation last year – a 2-2 record with an ACC loss and a loss to a ranked opponent. The Tigers had actually fared even worse in 2009, dropping to 2-3 after an embarrassing loss at Maryland. Clemson responded with a six-game winning streak punctuated by an Atlantic Division title.

If there’s a lesson to be learned, it’s that the season doesn’t end in October.

Time is running out, though, for both Clemson and North Carolina to make a move forward in the ACC standings. Both programs are looking for their first league win on Saturday when UNC hosts Clemson. The difference is that Clemson is looking to rebound from back-to-back losses while North Carolina has started to make a turnaround with two straight nonconference wins.

“We haven’t laid an egg this year,” coach Dabo Swinney said. “This team hasn’t done that. We just have some self-inflicted wounds. All we have to do is control the things we can control. We don’t have to play perfect, don’t have to be supermen; we just have to do our jobs.

“The playmakers need to perform their roles. We’ve lost two tough games to good teams. We’ve had chances to win. We need to control what we can control. They can draw from the experience of last year where we didn’t get off to a good start and then won the division. The only thing that’s off the table now is winning a national championship.”

The same can be said for North Carolina, which had high hopes entering this season only to be derailed by the ongoing NCAA investigation which sidelined 12 players for the season opener against LSU. The Tar Heels have since climbed out of an 0-2 start and won back-to-back games against Rutgers and East Carolina.

“Through the first four games I am very proud of the way our kids have handled the off the field distractions and missing some of their teammates,” coach Butch Davis said. “Our kids have shown a lot of resiliency. I think as a football team we have worked each week to improve and there are some areas where we are getting better.”

It’s the first time these two programs have met since 2006, and it will be the first time Davis has coached against the Tigers in his 36-year career. Davis said Clemson is the “most talented and complete team” they’ve played the entire season.

The Tigers do have the ACC’s leading rusher in Andre Ellington, but are still searching for dependable wide receivers. Swinney made a change this week and replaced his veterans with younger players.

“The four guys you’ll see are Nuke Hopkins, Bryce McNeal, Jaron Brown, and Marquan Jones,” Swinney said. “Those are the core guys right now. The other guys will play some, but the majority will go to those four guys. We’ve hoped that the receiving core would play out by now. Guys earn opportunities. Even where we are right now, nothing’s final. Guys have to go play. We have to create opportunities for certain guys based on what we’ve seen, but guys have to play well.”

Especially considering UNC will have both of its starting safeties -- Deunta Williams and Da'Norris Searcy -- back in the lineup after serving suspensions. The Tar Heels are still missing 10 players due to the NCAA investigations, including four defensive starters.

It’s time to rewind and fast-forward in the ACC:

The good: Florida State and Miami. With the exception of early season road losses to top-10 teams, both programs are right where they need to be heading into Saturday’s rivalry game – undefeated in ACC play and ranked in the AP Top 25. It’s about time.

The bad: NC State’s collapse. The Wolfpack had a 5-0 start in its hands and let it slip away in the fourth quarter with missed tackles and turnovers.

The ugly: Boston College. A total of five yards rushing, 12 penalties for 120 yards, an injured freshman quarterback and an underperforming offensive line. In a word, ugly.

The emerging: Virginia Tech. Nobody is going to forget the home loss to James Madison, but the Hokies are taking steps to help put it further behind them. Virginia Tech is off to a 2-0 start in league play and should notch another nonconference win this weekend against Central Michigan.

The leader: Joshua Nesbitt. He took the team on his shoulders once again and made key fourth-quarter plays in a 24-20 win at Wake Forest. And with a surprise twist, Georgia Tech (130) had more passing yards than Wake Forest (107). Nesbitt’s nine-yard touchdown pass with 15 seconds remaining won the game.

The playmaker: Miami wide receiver Leonard Hankerson. He tied a school record with three touchdown receptions. He made seven catches for a career-high 147 yards, and became only the fourth player in UM history to catch three touchdowns in the same game.

Top three games for Week 6:

1. Florida State at Miami: This is the game of the week in the ACC, as both teams have emerged as front-runners in their respective divisions and only have one loss. Florida State’s defense will get its first real test since Oklahoma, and the offense will have to hit its stride against Miami’s defense, which has been one of the best in the country. The Canes will try to eliminate the turnovers and cut down on the penalties.

2. Clemson at North Carolina: Both teams are looking for their first conference win, but the Tigers are down after back-to-back losses. The Tar Heels have started to regroup and will get some more help with the return of Deunta Williams, who has completed his four-game suspension.

3. Boston College at NC State: It’s lost some of its luster since both are coming off losses, but it’s relevant to the Atlantic Division standings nonetheless. The Eagles are hurting (both literally and figuratively) at quarterback, and the Pack is kicking itself (or at least should be) for squandering a 17-point lead against the Hokies.

The NCAA has denied appeals by North Carolina to shorten the suspensions for defensive backs Deunta Williams and Kendric Burney after the two received illegal benefits. Williams was suspended for four games and Burney was suspended for six on Sept. 22.

The NCAA said that Williams received $1,426 in benefits while Burney received $1,333 in benefits.

“I am disappointed for Deunta and Kendric, but I respect the NCAA’s decision,” said UNC athletic director Dick Baddour in a statement. “I appreciate the committee allowing us the opportunity to present their case."

Meanwhile, the NCAA returned to campus this week to participate in a school-led investigation over other possible academic violations.

Miami senior defensive lineman Allen Bailey has been nominated for the Lott Trophy, which is presented to college football’s Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year, as announced by the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation on Thursday.

Bailey was one of four players added to the original list, along with Quinton Carter of Oklahoma, Lawrence Guy of Arizona State and Prince Amukamara of Nebraska.

Bailey led the Canes with seven sacks last season and through three games this year, ranks sixth in tackles (12) and tied for third in tackles for a loss (3.0) on the UM defense.

Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, members of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation Board of Directors and distinguished alumni of various schools around the nation. The winner receives $25,000 for his school’s general scholarship fund. Three runner-ups each receive $5,000.

The following ACC players were already on the list:

Rashad Carmichael, Virginia Tech
John Graves, Virginia Tech
Mark Herzlich, Boston College
Robert Quinn, North Carolina
Deunta Williams, North Carolina
Alex Wujciak, Maryland

» Predictions: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-10 | SEC | Non-AQ

I’m not going to brag, don’t worry. I won’t be redundant about how I went undefeated last week, picking all eight games correctly for an 8-0 record without any losses. That perfectly unblemished week boosted my season record to 24-6. If my math is correct, that’s a winning percentage of 80 percent. Since I’m on fire, I’ll give you another prediction -- that percentage will never last. Not in this league.

This week’s picks feature three conference games and an upset special:

Boston College 14, Virginia Tech 10: The Eagles are one of the best home teams in the conference, winning 10 of their past 11 dating back to 2008. BC has won two of the past three regular-season games. BC’s defense will be the difference in a low-scoring game.

Florida state 35, Wake Forest 14: The Deacs are reeling right now after their loss at Stanford and would have to beat Florida State in a shootout in order to win. A veteran quarterback beats a rookie starter, though, in a shootout, and odds are it doesn’t get that far.

FIU 17, Maryland 14: The Panthers lost two heartbreakers and are ready for their breakthrough game in this week’s upset special. FIU was leading Texas A&M 20-6 on the road in the fourth quarter and lost 19-14 to Rutgers. They’re due.

NC State 31, Georgia Tech 28: This was the toughest pick of the week, and usually, when I’m in doubt, I go with the home team, but this week I’ll go with the hot team. NC State’s defense has been solid on third downs, and Georgia Tech’s defense hasn’t done anything to lead me to believe it can slow down Russell Wilson.

Army 42, Duke 38: This isn’t last year’s Duke team. Something is wrong defensively, and the Blue Devils aren’t going to figure it out against the No. 7 rushing team in the country.

Miami 28, Pitt 27: The Hurricanes have already played in a tougher venue, and Ohio State’s defense is better than Pitt’s. The key for Miami is limiting their own mistakes and stopping Pitt’s big-play potential in both the running and passing game.

Rutgers 31, UNC 21: The NCAA saga never seems to end for North Carolina. The NCAA ruled two players -- Deunta Williams and Kendric Burney -- must miss games and repay benefits. While there is some closure, it’s far from over and remains a distraction.

Virginia 45, VMI 7: Mike London is 2-0 against VMI’s struggling program. It should be a tune-up game before opening conference play on Oct. 2 against Florida State. VMI has one of the worst rushing offenses in the FCS at 80 yards per game, and Virginia is holding opponents to just 15 points per game.

UNC defensive backs Kendric Burney and Deunta Williams must miss competition and repay benefits as a condition of becoming eligible to play again, according to a decision today by the NCAA student-athlete reinstatement staff.

Burney, who received $1,333 in benefits, must miss six games and repay $575.19 to a charity of his choice. Williams, who received $1,426 in benefits, must miss four games and repay $450.67 to a charity of his choice. Both players have already missed two games.

“We plan to appeal the length of the suspensions,” UNC AD Dick Baddour said in a prepared statement. “While I respect the NCAA process, I believe the penalties to be unduly harsh given the individual circumstances in these cases.”

From the release:

The university declared both players ineligible for violations of NCAA agent benefits and preferential treatment rules. According to the facts of the case submitted by the university, these benefits in part included trips to California, Atlanta and Las Vegas for Burney and two trips to California for Williams. The majority of the benefits Burney received were from an individual who meets the NCAA definition of an agent. According to NCAA rules, an agent is any individual who markets or promotes a student-athlete. The majority of Williams’ benefits were preferential treatment violations associated with visiting a former North Carolina football student-athlete.

When a school discovers a student-athlete has been involved in an NCAA rules violation, it must declare the student-athlete ineligible and may request the student-athlete’s eligibility be reinstated to the NCAA national office staff for consideration. Reinstatement decisions are made independently of any NCAA enforcement process.

During the reinstatement process, NCAA staff review each case on its own merits based on the specific facts. Staff decisions are made based on a number of factors including guidelines established by the Division I NCAA Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, the student-athlete’s responsibility for the violation, as well as any mitigating factors presented by the university.

The university can appeal the decision to the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, an independent panel comprised of representatives from NCAA member colleges, universities and athletic conferences. This committee can reduce or remove the condition, but it cannot increase the staff-imposed conditions. If appealed, the student-athlete remains ineligible until the conclusion of the appeals process.

Two quick thoughts on this:

• It's not over. North Carolina was missing 12 players last weekend against Georgia Tech, not two, so there are still a lot of unresolved issues.
• Trips to California, Atlanta and Las Vegas? Really? What were they thinking? And nobody knew about it? I'd be surprised if Burney and Williams are the only ones who will be held accountable when this is finally over.