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Karlos Williams admitted he did not digest all of Florida State's playbook during his freshman season last year.

"He didn't," Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher confirmed Wednesday. "And he's still learning a lot right now. He's getting better."

Williams, a sophomore safety, said that approach has changed this spring, as he enters with a chance to crack the two-deep at strong safety, fighting with Tyler Hunter to relieve starter Terrence Brooks.

Even with a new outlook, though, the second go-round is not without its challenges.

"It's good. Still getting that work in and trying to learn the playbook, it's difficult," Williams said. "Coach [Mark] Stoops runs a complex defense. Still trying to learn to slow things down and take my time and make plays when they come to me and don't go after them."

Having older brother Vince, entering his fifth year as an FSU linebacker, has paid dividends for Karlos.

"I knew I was coming into a difficult situation," he said. "There were two guys in front of me but I'm lucky to have my brother here. He told me to learn from the guys in front of me and to take my time and develop as a man first before a football player so I can mature."

That may be easier now that he knows where he will line up once his number is called.

Having played running back in high school, Williams was almost used by the staff in the backfield last season, but the crowded race ahead of him ultimately resulted in safety being the more comfortable option for him.

"I'm more comfortable playing on defense and I've built relationships with the guys on defense," Williams said. "Also, at running back it was a little uncomfortable, plus there was a lot of guys that will get a lot of reps. It was just a situation I felt uneasy."

It is not like Williams will not have the chance to make plays with the ball in his hands anyway. Last season he averaged better than 23 yards on eight kickoff returns, and he is hoping the opportunities will still come his way, even if new rules — kickoffs are from five yards closer now — may decrease the likelihood of huge returns.

"I’m very excited. It's a different game now," Williams said. "I tell recruits coming in that you're now looking for guys to hit. In high school you had guys that don't want to be on kickoff, they run down slow but now it's an assignment and it's a big part of the game. Games change on kick off and kick returns. Running down the field is exciting. Be out there and pumping the crowd on kick off. Over the season, [special teams coordinator Eddie Gran] and I talked about it that most of my excitement overplayed me this year. I got too excited running down, I'd miss a tackle or I'd get myself blocked in some situations, but overall it was a great experience and I loved it."

Here’s a look at your top performers for Week 9:

Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington: His 176 rushing yards in the 31-17 upset of Clemson was a school record for a quarterback. He had a 46-yard run in the second quarter and then topped that with a 56-yard run in the third quarter. He was the game’s leading rusher, averaged 6.5 yards per carry and scored one touchdown.

BC running back Rolandan Finch: He ran for 243 yards and two touchdowns in the Eagles’ 28-17 road victory over Maryland. It was the first time the sophomore had cracked the 100-yard mark, and he had totaled 266 yards in the six previous games. Finch had 152 rushing yards at halftime and finished with a career-high 39 carries. He also had a team-best two catches for seven yards.

FSU defensive coordinator Mark Stoops: This was a tough call, because EJ Manuel played such an outstanding game, but NC State went nowhere against the Noles, including the end zone, in a 34-0 loss. Florida State’s defensive line pressured quarterback Mike Glennon all game and won the battle up front, and the Noles held NC State to 36 rushing yards, 7 of 16 third-down conversions and forced three turnovers.

UNC offensive coordinator John Shoop. The Tar Heels had a season-high 562 yards of total offense in the 49-24 win over Wake Forest, the most points the program has scored in seven years, according to the Associated Press. It was also the most points UNC has scored in an ACC game in a decade. Wake Forest had five turnovers, and UNC’s offense converted four of those into touchdowns. Quarterback Bryn Renner threw for a career-high 338 yards and three touchdowns, Giovani Bernard scored three touchdowns and had his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season and receiver Dwight Jones had six catches for 138 yards.

Virginia quarterback Michael Rocco. He threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns in the 28-21 win over Miami and helped Virginia snap a seven-game losing streak in ACC road games. He has now passed for over 200 yards three times this season, and his 78-yard touchdown pass to Perry Jones in the fourth quarter was the longest completion and touchdown pass of his career.

According to ESPN's Stats & Information crew, Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones' interceptions have contributed to the Sooners' well-documented struggles on the road.

Jones has thrown 15 of his 26 interceptions on the road, and he'll face a very stingy Florida State defense with the home-field advantage on Saturday. This is a much better defense than the one that faced Oklahoma last year, but the first two wins have come against inferior opponents.

Once again, the unofficial Stoops Bowl will determine the outcome of this game, as FSU defensive coordinator Mark Stoops matches wits with his brother, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

If Florida State is going to win this game, it's fair to say the defense will have to play the larger role in getting it done.

Spring game: 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, ESPN3.com.

Questions answered: After losing two starting linebackers, the position was a concern, but the young players had good springs. Telvin Smith, Christian Jones and Nigel Terrell each seemed more comfortable with the position, and the entire defense has grown entering the second season under coordinator Mark Stoops.

Questions unanswered: The backup quarterback job is still a race between Clint Trickett and Will Secord. Offensive line issues still linger, particularly at center, where injuries have delayed progress. Three different players have rotated at the position this spring.

Spring stars: Lamarcus Joyner has shown he can play safety at 5-foot-8, 192 pounds. It’s more his natural position after playing cornerback. First-year starting quarterback EJ Manuel, who was healthy for spring practices for the first time, showed that he can run the offense, provide leadership, and the in-game experience has transferred over to his new role.

Of note: Safety Avis Commack returned after missing last season with a broken leg he suffered while running hurdles with Seminoles' track team in February, 2010. The 6-foot-4 redshirt junior cornerback displayed good cover skills, has a big body, and adds some depth to the secondary as a backup. Offensively, Jared Haggins stepped in for Taiwan Easterling, who has been playing baseball. The converted high school quarterback made a seamless transition to the slot, was capable of playing the position, and earned the praise of coach Jimbo Fisher.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- When Florida State’s players returned to campus in January for their winter conditioning drills, the message from strength and conditioning coach Vic Viloria was clear.

“Coach Vic and all the strength coaches told us there are high expectations, so they’re not going to accept us to sit down and take a day off,” said running back Chris Thompson. “We’ve been working hard ever since January.”

Since then, not one player has missed an offseason strength and conditioning workout.

Not one.

While it might seem like a trivial accomplishment to those outside the program, it exemplifies the very essence of coach Jimbo Fisher’s plan to win a national title through discipline, hard work and recruiting elite athletes capable of both. Fisher won’t talk much about the goal of winning a national championship, or how close the program might actually be to it. He could write a thesis, though, on the process of getting there.

In only his second season as a head coach anywhere, Fisher has the Seminoles well on their way. After sweeping in-state rivals Florida and Miami, winning the Atlantic Division title, playing in the ACC championship game and beating SEC East champ South Carolina in Fisher’s first season, it’s only logical to think the program is capable of more in 2011. The Seminoles return 18 starters -- more than any other team in the ACC.

“The expectations are through the roof,” said quarterback EJ Manuel, “and that’s how it should be.”

Whether Florida State is regarded as a true national title contender this season depends heavily on three things: How quickly and successfully Manuel adjusts to the role as full-time starter, how seamlessly the offensive line replaces two veterans and whether the Seminoles can beat Oklahoma on Sept. 17.

The Sooners helped define Florida State’s season last year, and will do the same again.

A year ago, Florida State was trounced by Oklahoma 47-17. The defense, in only its second game under coordinator Mark Stoops, was dazed and confused. Former quarterback Christian Ponder saw his Heisman hopes dashed in a matter of four quarters. And the final score was a reminder of the gap still lingering between Florida State and the nation’s elite.

Those within the program say Florida State has since closed that gap. By how much remains to be seen.

“I think we’ve grown a bunch,” Fisher said. “I think it put things in perspective, that saying you’re good and being good is two different things. There’s a level out there that people expect you to play at. As our kids sit back and look at last year’s season, we won some tight ones, but even the ones we lost, except for the Oklahoma game, we could’ve won all those games very easily. I think they finally realized how close they were and how close they can be if we do things right, if we really work hard. I think it’s driven us in the offseason. I think it has. I think it’s one of the reasons we’re focused now, they realize if they do have attention to detail and do have great work ethic and keep their attitude well, whether we win it or not, we can be a pretty good football team.”

Florida State’s fans, though, have been waiting patiently for a great football team.

“People always automatically expect Florida State to be one of the top tier programs in the country no matter what, just because they see this symbol on TV,” Manuel said, tugging at the Seminole logo on his sweatshirt. “Everyone already knows what it is. You don’t even have to put Florida State right here. It speaks for itself. That’s another reason why I wanted to come here. To play at a high level.”

The players aren’t the only ones Fisher is holding to a higher standard.

The staff has already broken down film of the first four opponents of the season. The coaches have scouted the entire 2011 schedule and made a list of everything their opponents do that has caused Florida State problems in the past.

“If we’re going to live up to these expectations, we have to do the little things right,” Fisher said. “We have to keep developing our identity, have great work ethic every day, great toughness, great effort, great discipline, great attitude and understand that the secret to this whole deal is, there isn’t a secret. It’s just doing the work.”

South Carolina Gamecocks (9-4) vs. Florida State Seminoles (9-4)

Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

South Carolina take by SEC blogger Chris Low: South Carolina had only played one game indoors in its entire history prior to last Saturday’s 56-17 loss to Auburn in the SEC championship game.

Now, the Gamecocks (9-4) will play their second game indoors in less than a month, as they return to the Georgia Dome to face Florida State on Dec. 31 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Merely getting to the SEC championship game was an accomplishment for the Gamecocks when you consider they’d never previously been. Their performance would suggest they didn’t belong, but a lot of that had to do with Auburn.

South Carolina has some of the finest young talent in the SEC in freshman running back Marcus Lattimore, sophomore receiver Alshon Jeffery and sophomore cornerback Stephon Gilmore, although Gilmore is coming off a rough outing in the SEC championship game.

When Lattimore has had big games this season, the Gamecocks have won.

Defensively, they’ve been shredded through the air and were again against Cam Newton and Auburn last Saturday. But they’re good up front and led the SEC with 39 sacks this season. Their undoing has been giving up too many big plays, and they’ve also been an inconsistent tackling team.

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Florida State take by ACC blogger Heather Dinich: Overall, it’s been an impressive season for Florida State, considering the Seminoles won nine games, finished 6-2 in the ACC, won the Atlantic Division and played for the league title in Jimbo Fisher’s first year as a head coach.

Still, this is the consolation prize for the Seminoles, the runners-up in the ACC championship game, and it’s not going to get any easier. Florida State’s defense, which has made significant strides this year under first-year coordinator Mark Stoops, couldn’t find an answer for Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor in the 44-33 loss to the Hokies. It’s going to have to find one for standout South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore and receiver Alshon Jeffery.

The Seminoles rank No. 2 in the nation sacks and are No. 17 in tackles for loss, but really struggled to get Virginia Tech off the field on third downs. Florida State has also had problems at quarterback, where starter Christian Ponder missed the title game because blood was found in the fluid drained from his elbow last week. Backup E.J. Manuel threw for almost 300 yards but had two interceptions in his place.

FSU was also held to just 53 rushing yards against Virginia Tech, so there are plenty of areas for improvement heading into the final game of the season, but also much to build on for next year.

There will be plenty of eyes on the end of Nebraska-Oklahoma rivalry in the Big 12 Championship game on Saturday, but expect Youngstown, Ohio, to draw a high share of TV ratings.

Nebraska coach Bo Pelini and Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops share the hometown, graduating from Cardinal Mooney High School seven years apart.

Stoops' father, Ron Stoops, also coached both Bo Pelini and his brother, defensive coordinator Carl Pelini, at Cardinal Mooney.

"It’s a long relationship, of course. Both families, not just us. We’re both from large families. Brothers, sisters, we’re all intertwined, all friends, all went to school together," Bob Stoops said. "Our parents were good friends, so just very close family friends and of course through coaching, we’ve been around each other."

Bob Stoops and Carl Pelini have spent plenty of time together. In 1989, Pelini made the move from Cardinal Mooney to come on as a graduate assistant at Kansas State. Stoops coached defensive backs under Bill Snyder on the team, and opened his door for Pelini to live with him ... for awhile.

"Really, a long while," Stoops said.

Friendly rivalries aside, Stoops says personal pride won't play a factor on Saturday night, when the two coaches cross paths for the last time in the foreseeable future. They enter the game with a 1-1 record against each other -- making Saturday a proverbial rubber match.

"I don’t look at it that way. The good thing, one of us is going to win a Big 12 Championship, but there’s nothing whatsoever personal about it," Stoops said. "It’s teams it’s programs, that there’s so many different people involved with it, that that doesn’t really play into it for me."

Stoops says he has a feel for how the Pelini brothers operate, but plenty's changed since Bo Pelini last worked under Stoops, as the co-defensive coordinator at Oklahoma in 2004.

"You really know a team’s personality by watching them play so many games, and we break each other down with watching all the games that I don’t know that it’s a big deal, having coached with someone before or not, having a relationship with them," Stoops said. "In the end, we’ve been apart here for a good number of years. You evolve, you tailor your offense, your defense to your personnel, so you kind of evolve as you’re away from each other in different ways."

Stoops' brother, Mike Stoops, is the head coach at Arizona, and his other brother, Mark Stoops, is the defensive coordinator at Florida State, who Oklahoma beat earlier this year.

"I never envisioned, or had an idea, I'd be at Oklahoma or that how ironic it would be for Bo to be at Nebraska," Bob Stoops said. "I was very fortunate, as Bo was, to be around a lot of excellent coaches in our high school, a lot of great men that my father worked with that were around every day, that were very strong character guys that we got a chance to be around every day because my father had us around whenever we wanted to go to practice, had us around the locker rooms, and so we were fortunate to have been molded, without knowing it, around a lot of good people."

Who's running with a bull market? Who's battling the bears (not the Golden ones)?

Stock up

Darron Thomas: Oregon's sophomore QB completed 22 of 31 passes for 308 yards with three TDs and no interceptions in the 60-13 win over UCLA on Thursday. And he was named a semifinalist for the O'Brien Award, given annually to the nation's best quarterback.

Matt Scott: Arizona's backup QB was outstanding in relief of Nick Foles. He completed 18-of-22 for 223 yards with two TDs and zero interceptions against Washington. He also rushed for 65 yards on seven carries in the 44-14 victory. The performance means there's no need to rush Foles back, even though Foles' recovery from a knee injury is ahead of schedule.

Arizona's defense: If defense wins championships, then the Wildcats can't be counted out of the Pac-10 race. They rank No. 7 in the nation in scoring defense, No. 10 in total defense, No. 7 against the run and their 3.57 sacks per game ranks second. Three new LBs? Co-coordinators? Hey, no worries! (Oh, by the way, former coordinator Mark Stoops is doing pretty darn well at Florida State, too.)

California: If Cal were actually a stock, it would have made and lost fortunes for day traders across the country: The team that was humiliated by USC (buy low!) then blew out Arizona State. So, Bears, do you take the show on the road at Oregon State or is it time to sell high?

Marquess Wilson: Washington State true sophomore QB Jeff Tuel has found his go-to guy in Wilson, a true freshman. Wilson caught six passes for 150 yards with a TD at Stanford and he now leads the Pac-10 with 99.5 yards receiving per game.

Stock down

UCLA: The Bruins have been blown out in consecutive Pac-10 games and they've lost starting QB Kevin Prince for the season. Oh, and two offensive starters were suspended for Saturday's game with Arizona, which has the best defense in the Pac-10. Not a good week.

Washington's defense: The Huskies' defense ranks among the nation's worst in most major statistical categories, including 102nd in scoring (33.1 ppg) and 104th vs. the run (202.7 ypg). It doesn't help that they will play host to Stanford, owners of the conference's best O-line, with their best defensive lineman, Cameron Elisara out. He's the second D-line starter to go down -- the other is end Talia Crichton -- for a unit that isn't deep.

Steven Threet: The Arizona State QB got knocked out of the Cal game with a concussion, but not before throwing two more interceptions, giving him a Pac-10-worst 13, as well as the conference's lowest efficiency rating. In response, the Sun Devils' coaches are going to simplify the offense in order to get Threet back on track.

Jake Locker: He's banged up, the Huskies' bowl hopes are sagging and his numbers aren't good. Locker still figures to be a high NFL draft pick -- just probably not as high if he'd left after his junior season. His senior season, at least so far, can't be what he'd hoped for.

Stanford's pass defense: While the overall numbers are OK, the area that could hold Stanford back this year is pass defense. Tuel completed 21 of 28 passes for 298 yards with four TDs at Stanford, and the health of safety Delano Howell is a concern. Locker might be looking to reverse the course of his -- and the Huskies' -- season against the Cardinal secondary.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher looked at his watch and guessed he gave himself about 10 minutes in the visiting locker room at Sun Life Stadium to celebrate his team’s convincing 45-17 upset of No. 13 Miami.

Fisher isn’t big on wasting time.

After all, he’s only needed half a season to make a difference at Florida State. And in a matter of weeks, he and first-year defensive coordinator Mark Stoops have transformed the Seminoles into a different team than the one that got bowled over at Oklahoma.

In a fierce rivalry that has been decided by an average of four points over the past seven games, Florida State controlled the entire game. The Seminoles had a 31-7 lead by the third quarter, and even those within the program said they were surprised by the margin of victory, which was the most lopsided since 1997. It was the most complete performance Fisher has seen from his team, and it came against ranked competition on the road. The Seminoles have now won four straight and are the team to beat in the ACC -- all just six games into Fisher’s head coaching career.

“It builds your confidence,” Fisher said. “Confidence in an athlete or program is something that you don’t know when it comes. And when confidence comes in anything we do, we really can take off. But confidence can be a scary thing. You’ve gotta know how to control confidence.”

With a struggling Boston College team in the midst of a three-game losing streak scheduled to visit Tallahassee on Saturday, though, that confidence should only grow. If Florida State follows the script next weekend, the Seminoles Oct. 28 game against NC State could determine the Atlantic Division winner. The Seminoles’ win over Miami was the kind of performance that could springboard them through the second half of the season.

“It was huge for us,” FSU quarterback Christian Ponder said. “Two back-to-back wins, on the road, in ACC play, I don’t remember when the last time that happened for me. It’s huge. Everyone keeps having different expectations for us, questioning if we’re going to be able to keep playing and keep dealing with success, and we just keep playing to our expectations and we’re doing really well.”

Miami ran 23 more plays than Florida State and managed to do less. Quarterback Jacory Harris completed just 40.4 percent of his passes (19-of-47) and didn’t throw one touchdown pass after throwing four a week ago at Clemson. The Seminoles took away the deep pass and Miami averaged 4.8 yards per completion. According to ESPN’s Stats & Info, Harris only completed 20 percent of his throws over 15 yards and was 0-for-9 against the blitz.

It was a far cry from Sept. 11, when Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones threw for 380 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.

“The sky’s the limit for us, I think,” defensive tackle Everett Dawkins said. “With a new scheme and everything we just put in, we’re ahead of schedule because we’re doing real good at it. The defense is on top. We’re ranked top in everything in the nation. I think we’re ahead of schedule.”

Miami, which entered the game second in the nation behind Florida State in sacks, didn’t get one on Ponder.

“We believe we’re right on schedule,” Ponder said. “We had high expectations for ourselves and we’re reaching them.”

It appears the rest of the ACC should expect more of the same under Fisher’s watch.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- When Florida State sacked Jacory Harris for a loss of 11 yards in the first quarter, it marked the Seminoles' 26th sack of the season. Florida State had 26 sacks total a year ago.

So yeah, I'd say they're a little better this year under Mark Stoops.

Florida State running back Chris Thompson, a native of Greenville, Fla., grew up a Miami fan. Miami defensive back Ryan Hill, a Tallahassee native, was raised a Florida State fan.

Ever heard the saying familiarity breeds contempt?

“As much as we say we hate that school, to hate a school you have to have much respect for them,” Hill said. “That’s my take on it.”

Familiarity runs deep in the Florida State-Miami series, which began in 1951 and has been played every season since 1969. That’s 41 straight games entering Saturday’s game. A total of 31 former high school teammates will face each other on opposite sidelines, and there are also direct coaching ties. FSU defensive coordinator Mark Stoops was the Hurricanes’ secondary coach from 2001-03, and special teams coordinator/running backs coach Eddie Gran was a graduate assistant at UM in 1990-91. FSU defensive ends coach D.J. Eliot was a graduate assistant at Miami in 2002, and assistant strength & conditioning coach Chris Harvey is a Miami graduate and was a long-snapper for the Canes.

And of course, Miami coach Randy Shannon was a starting linebacker on the Canes’ 1987 national championship team.

“With these types of games, each team might be 010 and you may get a high scoring game, it might be a last-second field goal game,” Shannon said. “You can throw everything out the window when you play Florida State. It’s two teams who are going to play hard and get after each other. It’s also a respect factor. It’s a rivalry, but we respect them and they respect us and we play that way. I can’t tell you what will happen, but it’s a game that you watch and there’s a reason the TV networks put it on primetime. They see two teams that are fairly even and it’s a state game with old time tradition.”

FSU quarterback Christian Ponder, whose father, David, was a defensive tackle for the Noles, doesn’t need any history lessons.

“Obviously you can’t forget the wide left and the wide right,” Ponder said. “It’s an intense rivalry. It’s got a lot of history. A lot of players come out of this rivalry and go to the NFL. It’s different than Florida. It’s a mutual respect for each other, almost a friendly rivalry. But it’s always been intense. You never know what’s going to happen.”

Even some of the younger players remember some of the old school games.

“I was a big Miami fan there for a while,” Thompson, a sophomore, said. “I just remember those big games, most of the ones that were up in Miami, and even a couple down here, like the one when Roscoe Parrish was here, I remember that one. And then when I came here my freshman here, it was kind of a surprise coach (Dexter) Carter actually let me play in that game. It was a real great feeling to be out there and be a part of what I’d been seeing my whole life.”

That sentiment is likely to be shared by many of the players who will be featured Saturday night. Hill said Florida State was always a “dream school” of his.

“You don’t go to [a] school because you’re a fan of that school, you go to that school because you fit in personality-wise and your playmaking ability,” he said. “That’s why I chose the University of Miami.”

He also chose it to beat Florida State.

“Obviously this is a big game for us,” Hill said. “This is why you come to the University of Miami, and it’s why you go to Florida State.”

An inside look at Florida State under first-year coach Jimbo Fisher will air at 7 p.m. ET tonight on ESPNU in an all-access piece about the Seminoles.

There's no question who's in control at Florida State now, as one of the first things you'll hear is Fisher screaming. I got an advanced copy, so I've seen it already, and it's a good behind-the-scenes look at how Fisher is running the show -- with authority.

The piece was shot in the week leading up to the Wake Forest game, and starts off with an 8 a.m. staff meeting. My personal favorite is seeing offensive line coach Rick Trickett sitting there with a cigar hanging out of his mouth. (If only they had gotten a shot of him riding in on his Harley.) It's also a chance to see first-year coordinator Mark Stoops at work, a look at the strength program with Vic Viloria, a few team meetings, and of course, practice.

Fisher is pretty much all business, but he'll joke around with his players, too. He yelled at receiver Bert Reed, "hate for you to break a sweat, Bert!"

Things have changed at Florida State, and this is one opportunity to see how.

Here's a look at the ACC's top-five performers for Week 5:

FSU defensive coordinator Mark Stoops: He knew when he took the job what a project it would be transforming one of the worst defenses in the country into a respectable group. He has made significant progress in five games and Saturday's 34-14 win was further proof. FSU held Virginia to just 42 yards in the first half, and sacked quarterback Marc Verica three times before the break. FSU entered the game leading the nation with 19 sacks and got six more. They also had two interceptions.

Virginia Tech: It's too hard to single out one player, as Jayron Hosley accounted for all three interceptions, Tyrod Taylor tied for a career-high three touchdowns and ran for 100 yards, and Darren Evans ran for 100 yards and two touchdowns as the Hokies dug out of a 17-0 hole to beat No. 23 NC State on the road.

Georgia Tech quarterback Joshua Nesbitt: His nine-yard touchdown pass with 15 seconds remaining was the game-winner in a 24-20 comeback win over Wake Forest. He threw for 130 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 72 more yards.

UNC tailback Shaun Draughn: He scored three second-half touchdowns and finished with 137 yards on 27 carries in the Tar Heels' 42-17 win over East Carolina. He scored on a 13-yard run in the final minute, capping a drive in which he carried the ball on every play. He came up a yard short of his career high.

Miami: After losing on the road to No. 2 Ohio State, the Canes have now won back-to-back road games, including their first ACC game. Quarterback Jacory Harris threw four touchdown passes, receiver Leonard Hankerson had seven catches for 147 yards and three touchdowns, and cornerback Brandon Harris made the play of the game with a fourth-and-one stop from him own 20-yard line. The defense forced six turnovers.

Sometimes, you’re better off not knowing. This is one of those times. Here’s a look at what we learned in the ACC after the second weekend of games:

The ACC has a better chance at winning the lottery than a national title. Virginia Tech, because of its high preseason ranking and supposedly favorable nonconference schedule, started out as the ACC’s best hope at a national title. The Hokies are now 0-2 with a mortifying home loss to James Madison -- one of the worst losses under Frank Beamer. And no, don’t make the argument that JMU is a title contender. FCS title contender, maybe. Big difference. Even Virginia was able to beat Richmond. And then came the double and triple-whammies: Florida State and Miami’s losses with the whole nation watching. This weekend revealed there’s still a significant gap between the nation’s elite and those two former powers. And defending league champion Georgia Tech lost to Kansas, which had lost to North Dakota State, an FCS team, in Week 1.

The ACC’s Heisman hopefuls need more than a campaign. FSU quarterback Christian Ponder was outplayed by Oklahoma’s Landry Jones. Jacory Harris threw four interceptions. Ryan Williams still hasn’t reached the 100-yard mark. Even NC State quarterback Russell Wilson had an off-night, completing just 10 of 30 passes. And Joshua Nesbitt? He completed five passes, none of which helped when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter.

Georgia Tech’s passing game is status quo and Al Groh’s defense still needs work. Groh’s defense got gashed for 407 yards and was beaten by a freshman quarterback making his first start. Jordan Webb threw for 179 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Meanwhile, veteran quarterback Nesbitt completed 5 of 15 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, and couldn’t convert on fourth down with the game on the line. (A costly false start penalty didn't help him). It was hardly all on Nesbitt, as there were times when his receivers couldn't make the play on a catchable ball.

The Coastal Division isn’t as strong as we thought. Virginia Tech is 0-2. Georgia Tech lost to a Kansas team that was on an eight-game losing streak. Miami turned it over four times. Duke lost to Wake Forest. And North Carolina? The Tar Heels have to be kicking themselves. If ever the door was open for Butch Davis to make a move in the division, this would be it. Instead, the program is in the midst of two NCAA investigations. Meanwhile, the Atlantic Division went 5-1, with Florida State earning the only loss.

Florida State’s defense is still bad. It would be an understatement to say Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops had the upper hand on his little bro, Florida State defensive coordinator Mark Stoops. The Sooners racked up 487 total yards and Jones looked like the Heisman candidate Florida State was campaigning for. A learning curve was expected, as FSU is transitioning to a zone scheme and there are young players being asked to contribute immediately, but there were times when the Noles lined up improperly and hurt themselves with missed tackles.

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma's defense gave up over 20 points just twice last season. It gave up 24 in Week 1.

The offense looks like it's ready for a shootout against Florida State, marching 80 yards on its first two drives, capped off by touchdowns from the team's two biggest playmakers, Ryan Broyles and DeMarco Murray. Oklahoma leads 14-7.

Christian Ponder and the Florida State offense better be ready to match, because it doesn't look like Mark Stoops' defense is going to be able to stop Oklahoma's offense too often.

Ponder made it look easy for a score on Florida State's first drive, but the Sooners just forced a three-and-out topped by an intentional grounding by Ponder and have ignited the crowd at Owen Field.