ESPN College Football

Now that spring practices are over, it’s time to re-evaluate the ACC pecking order for 2012. There wasn’t much change at the top from the pre-spring power rankings, but Georgia Tech did get a slight bump, along with two teams on Tobacco Road. Here’s a look at the latest ACC power rankings:

1. Florida State: The Noles’ defensive line should be one of the deepest and best in the conference, if not the country, and they’ve got an outstanding quarterback in EJ Manuel. If the young offensive line can mature quickly and the running game improves from 2011, there’s no reason the Seminoles shouldn’t be contending for the ACC title.

2. Clemson: The Tigers could open the season without star receiver Sammy Watkins, who is awaiting his punishment after he was arrested on misdemeanor drug charges, but as long as he’s in the lineup and the offensive line is playing well, Clemson has enough talent to defend its 2011 ACC title.

3. Virginia Tech: It’s hard to forget how the Hokies fared against Clemson in two meetings last season, but they enter this season with the better defense. The question is how quickly the revamped offensive line can come together, and who will emerge as the next star running back.

4. NC State: This team is quietly preparing a championship-caliber roster. Quarterback Mike Glennon is still under the radar, and he’s got an experienced offensive line to work with. This is a team that could surprise some people.

5. Georgia Tech: The Jackets had a promising spring, but the defensive line has to replace two of three starters, and last season’s atrocious special teams still have a lot to prove. One thing is for sure: These guys will be able to run the ball on just about anyone.

6. Wake Forest: Much like the rest of its division, Wake Forest’s success will hinge in part on how quickly the new starters on the offensive line come together. The Demon Deacons have an experienced and much-improved quarterback in Tanner Price, and last year they made a statement that they’re not to be overlooked in the ACC race.

7. North Carolina: The two biggest questions for the Tar Heels are how quickly they can adapt to and execute a new system under first-year coach Larry Fedora, and where they will find their motivation now that the NCAA has banned them from the postseason. This spring revealed a positive outlook for the new offense, which should give quarterback Bryn Renner a chance to shine.

8. Virginia: The ACC’s 2011 Coach of the Year has quickly raised expectations, but they should be tempered because seven starters have to be replaced on defense. Michael Rocco is the undisputed starting quarterback -- unless Alabama transfer Phillip Sims has something to say about it.

9. Miami: With Stephen Morris out this spring with a back injury, quarterback transfer Ryan Williams had a chance to impress the coaches. The position is one of many questions still looming for the Canes, a young team still waiting for closure from an NCAA investigation.

10. Maryland: The Terps had a good spring and were able to move forward with players who wanted to be there. It was a positive vibe, but coach Randy Edsall is still tangled in the shadow of last year’s two-win season. He’ll have to improve upon it without the services of former quarterback Danny O’Brien.

11. Boston College: Several offseason staff changes were embraced this spring, and quarterback Chase Rettig made strides under yet another offensive coordinator, Doug Martin. The Eagles have to find a way to win without two of their most valuable players in running back Montel Harris, who was dismissed from the team, and linebacker Luke Kuechly, who left early for the NFL.

12. Duke: The Blue Devils had a good spring and are still buying into the philosophies of coach David Cutcliffe. They’ve been on the verge of making the postseason before, but fans are looking for them to finally break through in Year 5 under Cutcliffe. Quarterback Sean Renfree can get them there if they minimize the turnovers and play better defense.

Three ACC schools held scrimmages over the weekend. Here's a roundup of the good and bad from a busy weekend.

DUKE
Sean Renfree completed 14 of 17 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Tight ends David Reeves and Issac Blakeney had scores of 31 and 70 yards, respectively.

Corey Gattis led all pass-catchers with six receptions for 81 yards and a 42-yard touchdown catch from Thomas Sirk. Sirk did a bit of everything, completing 5 of 9 passes for 75 yards, carrying it four times for 54 yards and hauling in two receptions for 25 yards.

The Blue Devils' spring game is March 31.

MIAMI
No Stephen Morris, no problem. At least on Saturday at Ted Hendricks Stadium in Hialeah. With Morris out recovering from back surgery, Ryan Williams completed 14 of 21 passes for 228 yards and four touchdowns. Early enrollees Gray Crow and Preston Dewey were behind the Memphis transfer, going a combined 11-for-26 for 64 yards in action that was more situationally simulated than a typical spring game, which Miami will hold April 14.

Mike James and Eduardo Clements combined for 134 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries, with James accounting for three of those scores.

The Hurricanes will hold another scrimmage at 6:45 p.m. ET this Friday at Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers.

Also, defensive back Keion Payne was dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules, UM associate athletic director for communications and marketing Chris Freet told reporters. Payne had appeared in just two games.

WAKE FOREST
Michael Campanaro impressed as the Demon Deacons' top receiver, catching 10 balls for 116 yards to lead the offense, which got off to a rough start.

After misfiring on seven of his first eight pass attempts, Tanner Price finished strong, completing 17 of 30 passes on the day for 169 yards and a touchdown on six drives. Nikita Whitlock had an 87-yard interception return for a score on Price.

Reserve signal-caller Patrick Thompson finished 5-for-6 passing for 79 yards with a touchdown, and Wake's defense finished with five sacks from five different players.

“I think we’ve improved quite a bit from the first day of practice when we didn’t look very good,” coach Jim Grobe said of the offensive line. “I thought Thursday we improved a little bit and I thought today we got a little better. It’s going to take time before these guys are really comfortable.

"We’ve got guys who like to play, who like to get after it but they’re just making too many mistakes right now and you can’t do that up front. We just play against too many good people. You want to get to the point where when they beat us, they beat us physically and not because we didn’t block the right guy.”

Wake Forest's spring game is April 14.

The outside perception of Duke football seems to hinge on whether coach David Cutcliffe will ever get the Blue Devils back to a bowl game.

For Cutcliffe, though, the picture is bigger, the goal more challenging than simply reaching that seemingly elusive six-win mark.

“Our whole emphasis is about getting there and consistently staying there,” Cutcliffe said. “That’s the change we’re looking for. It’s never been about that magic year for me. It’s about knowing we have a damn good program.

“Don’t think Duke is a flash in the pan,” he said. “Instead of losing to Virginia Tech by four, win by three. Instead of losing to Wake by one, win by 10. Then we’ll know Duke has changed.”

Will 2012 be the start of the turnaround?

As Cutcliffe prepares to enter his fifth season, more should be expected. Duke returns 41 players who have played significant snaps on both offense and defense, not just special teams. The primary ball carriers return, along with a three-year starting quarterback in Sean Renfree, and one of the league’s top receivers in Conner Vernon. The offensive line should be more athletic, and the defense still young but more experienced. Duke also recruited several players who could contribute immediately.

Although the team has progressed under Cutcliffe’s watch during each of the past four seasons, Duke has still failed to reach the six-win mark, coming as close as five wins in 2009, and settling back into the Duke stereotype with back-to-back 3-9 finishes each of the past two seasons. While fans tend to zero in on the final results, the players and coaches continue to believe the process is inching them closer to long-term success.

“It shows out there,” Vernon said. “I’m sure you can ask any team in the ACC that it’s shown, and it’s something that they can’t take Duke for granted anymore. Even though the win-loss column may not show it, you can tell teams are respecting Duke a lot more. It’s only going to get better.”

Cutcliffe has told them, though, that it has to be better than good. He said he still has concerns about his players being physical enough up front on defense, and being able to limit the big plays on defense while at the same time creating explosive plays on offense.

“We were a good team a year ago with a bad record,” Cutcliffe said. “We have to be better than good, because we’ve got Clemson and Florida State from the other side, which are obviously two of the more talented teams in this league. We’ve got Miami, we’ve got North Carolina. We’ve got Virginia Tech, Stanford. I could go on and on. We’re playing a really vicious schedule. That’s just part of the equation. You’ve got to play beyond good.”

It seems to be the fans need convincing more than the players. On paper, Duke still looks like Duke: 115th in the country in rushing offense, No. 108 in turnover margin, No. 93 in scoring offense and No. 90 in scoring defense.

There’s no shortage of motivation in Durham, but it goes beyond the numbers.

“If they know they’ve paid the price, if they know they’re prepared, they’ll believe,” Cutcliffe said. “Everybody kind of loses sight of what motivating people is. Motivating people, giving them confidence, is to make them earn it themselves. If they have invested enough into it, they’ll come out with fire. I think we’re already becoming believers. … We’ve got to go from believing to knowing we can win.”

When they finally do, then Duke fans will know things have changed.

Duke begins spring practices today with an experienced quarterback in three-year starter Sean Renfree, one of the ACC’s most accomplished receivers in Conner Vernon, and an experienced, more athletic offensive line. So what can Duke fans expect in a season that should feature a wide-open Coastal Division race? I caught up with Vernon on Tuesday to get his take on the Blue Devils this season. Vernon is the only player in ACC history with multiple seasons of 70-plus receptions (73 in 2010; 70 in 2011). With 198 career receptions, he is now 34 catches away from matching the league record of 232 held by Clemson’s Aaron Kelly (2005-08). With 2,675 career receiving yards, Vernon needs 842 yards to equal the conference mark of 3,517 yards held by Florida State’s Peter Warrick (1996-99). He’s a key piece to Duke’s bowl hopes this year, but he’ll be limited a bit this spring because he’s still recovering from an ankle injury he suffered at the end of last season.

Here are the highlights of our conversation:

What’s different about Duke football this year? What can Duke fans be encouraged about?

Conner Vernon: Definitely just how young of a team we were last year, and how a lot of them have really grown up a lot and shown flashes of greatness early. That’s something Coach Cut [David Cutcliffe] has preached a lot about this offseason, about being great, and that good isn’t good enough anymore. A lot of guys have stepped up big, and a lot of young guys have stepped up big. My impression is that that’s created a lot of competition with the older guys and we’re looking forward to starting [today].

You mentioned that Coach Cut said good isn’t good enough at this point. What’s it going to take for you guys to take the next step?

CV: That’s something we’re going to figure out and we’ll find that out as a team. The competition level is going to keep going up at practice, which is going to push more guys. That’s what we need. We have a great recruiting class coming in and last year’s class, a lot of those guys have stepped up and it’s going to be fun. That’s what I think he’s trying to get at, letting guys know we have a lot of guys coming in who are great and are going to push us to the limit and it’s going to be good for all of us.

Just from a personal standpoint, how badly do you want to see all of this hard work finally translate into a bowl game this year?

CV: Oh, more than anything I’ve ever wanted. Not only do the players who have been here for the last four or five years, coaches, staff, Duke University itself, the fans and alums, it’s time to put Duke back on the map, get to that bowl and get over the hump. This whole university and the people around it definitely deserve it.

Because you guys have been so close under Cutcliffe, but it hasn’t happened, why is everyone still believing and buying in?

CV: Because it shows. It shows out there. I’m sure you can ask any team in the ACC that it’s shown and it’s something that they can’t take Duke for granted anymore. Even though the win-loss column may not show it, you can tell teams are respecting Duke a lot more. It’s only going to get better.

I look at what you guys have coming back on offense and it seems pretty good with Sean Renfree being in his third season as a starter. What do you think you guys are capable of this year offensively?

CV: The sky is the limit for us. We have some set offensive goals and we’re hoping to achieve them, but from a passing standpoint and running standpoint, we look very good.

Without [Donovan] Varner and [Cooper] Helfet it seems like you’re the main man out there. How do you feel your role will change out there, not that you haven’t been a productive part of Duke’s offense in recent years?

CV: I think I’m going to have to take more of a leadership role. Cooper and Donovan were leaders on the offense, along with Sean. Just them being seniors as a group and gone, it’s kind of like it’s my turn now. I would say just trying to take more of that role and it’s definitely going to be my biggest challenge this offseason.

You’re 34 catches away from setting a league record, and 842 yards away from another league record. How much do you think about those things and care about them, and are they goals of yours for the season?

CV: They’re definitely subplots of this trip, my four years here. But definitely my first and foremost goal is putting Duke football back on the map and getting to that bowl game and having more wins than losses this year. If the record comes, great, but the only record I’m really worried about is the one for Duke’s team at the end of the year. I’ll do everything in my power to make that happen, and I’m sure if we’re in a bowl game this year those records will be right there behind it. I’m looking forward to the challenge, but Duke comes first before the individual records.

Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas and Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd, two friends and competitors from the state of Virginia, have already begun texting and talking to each other about the upcoming season.

“It’s been a nice break, but at the same time, you’re definitely anxious to get back on the field,” Thomas said.

ACC fans should be just as eager to see them this spring.

What was a position of question in the conference at this time a year ago has evolved into one of the league’s biggest reasons for hope this fall. In 2011, at least half of the quarterbacks in the ACC were entering their rookie seasons, and Miami’s Jacory Harris was the only senior starter. Now, they’re seasoned, smarter and looking to improve upon successful debuts. For the first time in league history, the ACC had five quarterbacks top 3,000 passing yards, and all five of them -- Boyd, Thomas, UNC’s Bryn Renner, NC State’s Mike Glennon and Wake Forest’s Tanner Price -- return. That doesn’t include Duke’s Sean Renfree, who threw for 3,131 yards as a sophomore in 2010 and also returns this season.

“I think it’s going to be great for the conference as a whole,” Thomas said. “All of the guys are exceptionally poised and getting ready to be a national title contender in the ACC. That’s what all of us want and have been striving for since we’ve been here. All of us have a great chance because we’ve gone through our first year and we all had pretty good years. It’s been very good for us to play as much as we did and as well as we did.”

Boyd set a single-season league mark with 38 touchdowns responsible last season. Glennon (32) tied for the fourth-highest total with 32, while Thomas accounted for 30. All of them, plus Renner and Florida State's EJ Manuel, finished among the top 50 in the nation in passing efficiency in their first seasons as full-time starters. Georgia Tech's Tevin Washington, also a first-year starter last season, would have ranked 13th nationally if he had enough pass attempts to qualify for the pass efficiency ratings.

In the ACC’s history, the league has had 24 quarterbacks record 30 3,000-yard seasons. Only three have had back-to-back 3,000-yard efforts in Florida State’s Chris Weinke (1999, 2000), NC State’s Philip Rivers (2002, 2003) and the Wolfpack’s Russell Wilson (2009, 2010). That number could increase, though, if the ACC’s current group of quarterbacks continues to mature at the rate it did from the first half of last season to the second half.

Manuel, who was hindered by a shoulder injury for part of last season, went the final eight games of the season without throwing an interception. Glennon threw 11 of his 31 touchdowns in the last three games and only four of his 12 picks in the last five games. Boyd completed eight of 24 passes in last year’s spring game and after an 8-0 start to 2011-12 was a legitimate Heisman contender. Renner was one of the ACC’s most efficient passers and he did it with bone spurs in his ankle. Both Renner and Glennon will have four returning starters on their respective offensive lines to work behind.

“The biggest difference for me the first year was getting used to going out there every series,” Glennon said. “In the past, if I got in the game, I would go in for about two series and the game was over. It was different for me to get used to staying mentally focused each and every series knowing that when we go off the field in five minutes I’ll be right back out there.

“I think I improved every game. Even if we lost and I didn’t have my best game, I still improved as a player. I think I learned from my experiences and I definitely feel in the bowl game I was playing my best football of the year, and that was just building on each game, learning from mistakes and building on the good things.”

As the quarterbacks continue to build on the good things, so will the ACC -- starting this spring.

It's not much of a surprise that Georgia Tech got off to a slow start at Wallace Wade, as it's a tough place for teams to get excited to play in because of the lack of a crowd. Georgia Tech has also been eliminated from the Coastal Division race already, and they played like it early on.

The Yellow Jackets and had a few three and outs, but they have since gotten into a bit of a rhythm and have taken advantage of some mismatches with their receivers. Duke's defense has allowed two too many big plays, particularly in the passing game, but Georgia Tech's offense has been a group effort. Receiver Stephen Hill had one catch for 56 yards, and Embry Peeples had one catch for 46 yards.

Even with Orwin Smith sidelined with an injury for this game, the Yellow Jackets have found plenty of other options. Both teams have struggled on third downs, and Duke could do a better job protecting quarterback Sean Renfree. Georgia Tech's defense, though, could also use some adjustments in the second half. Duke's running game has improved recently, and they're gaining about six yards per carry on Georgia Tech. There's no reason for Georgia Tech to squander this lead, but there's also no sign of Duke letting up in the second half.

Virginia coach Mike London continues to build his case for the ACC's Coach of the Year.

With its 31-21 win over Duke, Virginia got another step closer to winning the Coastal Division title. Only two more teams -- Florida State and Virginia Tech -- stand in the Cavaliers' way. But those are two tough roadblocks. London did a great job, though, of keeping his team on task and not letting the players get wrapped up in becoming bowl eligible or looking past Duke.

Virginia's defense played a great game against the Blue Devils, and was a major factor in snapping a three-game losing streak in the series. With the exception of a pick-six, Duke quarterback Sean Renfree played well and was on-target in the second half, but there were too many drops. Once again, the duo of Kevin Parks and Perry Jones helped balance out the Cavaliers'offense, and quarterback Michael Rocco managed the game well. Virginia has now won three straight games heading into Tallahassee.

Much of the focus in the Coastal Division race has been around Virginia Tech, but don't forget: Virginia can win the division if it wins out. First, though, it has to get past Duke, which has won three straight in this series and is once again pushing the Cavaliers to their limit.

Duke relies on its passing game, and quarterback Sean Renfree's 64-yard touchdown pass to Donovan Varner in the second quarter is exactly the kind of play Virginia's defense can't allow. Both teams have struggled on third downs, but two factors could be the difference in the second half: Turnovers and Virginia's ability to run the ball. Perry Jones is averaging 5.9 yards per carry, and he's also got three catches for 30 yards. Virginia has already lost a fumble, but neither quarterback has thrown an interception. Yet.

If Virginia is going to snap this three-game losing streak to the Blue Devils, it's going to need to counter Duke's passing game in the second half, win the turnover battle, and continue to run the ball well.

Duke coach David Cutcliffe said you could use the words “frustration” and “anger” to describe the mood in the locker room following his team’s 14-10 loss to No. 12-ranked Virginia Tech last weekend.

Cutcliffe was spot-on, at least according to linebacker Kelby Brown.

“It’s terrible,” Brown said. “Anyone who watched that game, we had the momentum the whole second half. I was sure we were going to win. That’s just the worst feeling I can remember. That was probably one of the hardest losses I can remember for me.

“When it hurts is that Saturday night, watching the highlights on ESPN,” he said, “but come Sunday morning, we had one of our best Sunday practices this week and right now as far as I can tell, we have more energy than I can remember. We always play Miami hard. We know it’s time to finally get that victory in the end.”

That’s what Miami should be afraid of. Duke has come painstakingly close this season to turning the corner, losing three of its games by no more than four points each. Duke lost the season-opener to Richmond, 23-21, and has lost back-to-back games to Wake Forest (24-23) and Virginia Tech. Ten more points and Duke (3-5) would be bowl-eligible by now. The good news, Cutcliffe said, is that emotions like anger and frustration -- which are to be expected -- “can be turned into positive emotion.”

“Discouraged we're not,” Cutcliffe said. “We're not going to be. We have nothing to be discouraged about. We're playing well.”

Cutcliffe knows, though, that they’re not playing well enough.

Duke has struggled with turnovers in recent weeks, the offense is averaging just under 23 points per game, and they’ve come up short too many times on third downs and in the red zone. Self-inflicted wounds like four turnovers against Virginia Tech and six penalties against Wake Forest are the kinds of things that will keep Cutcliffe up at night.

“I have my private moments like anybody would,” he said. “I've never gone through anything like this in my career. I've been relatively spoiled. I get over here really early Sunday. I kind of dive into the tape. Before I go to church, I get a little look at the opponent. Then I find sometimes some way, somehow, I'm going to find some peace in that morning. By Sunday afternoon, I'm generally ready to go once I see the squad. I have my mind set on what we have to do.”

And his players have picked up on that.

“We look to our head coach,” Brown said. “It’s difficult for him, obviously, more than anybody, but he turns the page so quick, because he knows it’s so vital we move on to the next team. Every week we have a great opportunity, and we have a great group of guys, too. It’s never easy to lose, especially the last couple of weeks like we lost, but we move on quickly, and we’ve done that with Miami so far.”

It’s not going to be easy to win on the road against a Miami team that is also looking to rebound from a disappointing loss. Instead of backing down, though, Duke continues to believe it can finally get over the hump.

“We’ve felt like that the last two weeks, like we’re going to seal it this week,” quarterback Sean Renfree said. “It’s certainly heartbreaking to lose the last couple of weeks like this, but I think are guys are as confident as we’ve been in the last two weeks, that we’re going to go out and get a win and there’s no way we can come home with a loss.”

What does Duke have to do in order to actually do that? Brown said the defense, which has allowed just one second-half touchdown in each of the past two games, has to bring the same level of intensity to the first half.

“It usually seems like we’re one big play away, you know?” he said. “If we could just get that one big turnover, whatever it be, we’re right there on the edge of it.”

Offensively, Renfree agreed the Blue Devils need a faster start.

“Offensively, I’m going to have to play a little bit better and we’re going to have to get off to a little bit quicker start,” Renfree said. “The last two weeks we’ve kind of come out to a slow start and we’ve been playing catch-up. We have to score in the red zone more effectively. Those are the three biggest things I see, but I think our defense has been playing lights out. If we can do those three things, we’ll have a much better chance of actually getting the W.”

Renfree said the team is as close to being where it wants to be as the scores in each of the past two weeks have indicated.

“We’re right there,” he said. “The last two weeks have been a pretty good indicator. It’s just one or two plays here or there and our record for the season could be a winning season. If we go make a couple of plays, it can turn the whole season around. We’re very confident we can get three or four more wins. It’s definitely not going to be easy, we’re playing great ACC teams, but that’s the way we want it. I know that’s the way we want it. We want to be playing the best teams in the ACC to finish off the season. It will make it that much better.”

With only five games this week, the math is easy: Two things to watch in each game. Here’s your top 10 in Week 10, in no particular order:

1. BC’s offensive line against Florida State’s defensive line. This could be the game-defining matchup, as the Eagles have been playing better up front in recent weeks and their running game has flourished as a byproduct, but Florida State’s defensive line has been flat-out dominant. The Noles are No. 3 in the country in sacks, and No. 8 in tackles for loss. Bjoern Werner (7.5) and Brandon Jenkins (6.5) lead the Seminoles in tackles for loss.

2. Young running backs in Chestnut Hill. For Florida State, Devonta Freeman has totaled 226 rushing yards in the past three games. He became the first freshman to rush for 100 yards in back-to-back games since Chris Parker in 1988. For Boston College, sophomore Rolandan Finch ran for 243 yards and two touchdowns in last weekend’s 28-17 victory over Maryland; prior to that, Finch had never surpassed the 100-yard mark. He has run for 81 or more yards in each of the past three games.

3. Quarterbacks in College Park. The saga continues, as Maryland coach Randy Edsall said on Wednesday’s ACC teleconference that both Danny O'Brien and C.J. Brown continue to compete and the Terps could “get in a situation where we play both of them, play one.” Virginia quarterback Michael Rocco, meanwhile, said this week he has benefited from the diminished role of true freshman David Watford, who was sharing the reps. Rocco took all but one snap in last weekend’s win at Miami.

4. Maryland’s run defense. The Terps enter this game with the nation’s No. 118 rushing defense, and Virginia’s ability to run the ball has been crucial to its success in this series. Virginia is 22-8 against Maryland since 1937 when gaining at least 150 rushing yards. UVa has rushed for at least 150 yards in seven of eight games in 2011. In last year’s loss, the Hoos ran for just 92.

5. NC State’s pass defense against UNC quarterback Bryn Renner. Renner is the ACC’s most efficient passer, but he will face a secondary that boasts the nation’s leader in interceptions in David Amerson, who has eight. Brandan Bishop has four. Renner has thrown nine interceptions this year to 19 touchdowns.

6. UNC tailback Giovani Bernard. He needs just 35 more yards to become the program’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Jonathan Linton in 1997. Bernard has 965 yards this year and leads all freshman runners in the country with 107.2 yards per game. He leads the ACC with 12 touchdowns. NC State’s rushing defense has been holding opponents to 160.1 yards per game.

7. Duke’s defense in the second half. The Blue Devils have allowed one second-half touchdown — a fourth-quarter score by Wake Forest — in their past two games, and held Virginia Tech scoreless last weekend for the entire second half. Safety Matt Daniels has defended 16 passes, second in both the ACC and the FBS.

8. Turnovers at Miami. The Hurricanes forced seven turnovers in last year’s victory over Duke, and the Blue Devils are coming off a loss to Virginia Tech in which they had four turnovers. Quarterback Sean Renfree has thrown four interceptions in the past two games, including three against the Hokies. Since the loss to Kansas State, Miami quarterback Jacory Harris has thrown 11 touchdowns to just one interception.

9. Wake Forest’s defensive line against Notre Dame’s offensive line. The Demon Deacons will have a definite size disadvantage, and the Irish went the whole month of October without allowing a sack. Notre Dame’s offense line averages 305.6 pounds; Wake Forest’s defensive front averages 247.5 pounds. Wake will have to put some pressure on Irish quarterback Tommy Rees to help disrupt a passing game targeted at one of the nation’s top receivers in Michael Floyd.

10. Wake Forest defensive back Merrill Noel. He leads the FBS in passes defended with 16, an average of 2.0 per game. The freshman only has one interception, but he’s been a major contributor to Wake’s defense and could play a crucial role in helping slow down Floyd, who is ninth nationally with 7.9 receptions per game.

There are only five games in the ACC this week as Boston College and NC State are off, and it's an all-conference lineup. Here are two things worth watching in each game, in no particular order:

1. Quarterbacks in College Park. Maryland starter Danny O'Brien was benched in favor of backup C.J. Brown last week at Georgia Tech. Neither of them passed very well, but Brown gave the offense the spark coach Randy Edsall was looking for with his 77-yard touchdown run. Who will start for the Terps? For Clemson, quarterback Tajh Boyd is expected to play after a hip injury knocked him out of last week’s Boston College game. Will his hip be a factor against the Terps?

2. Maryland defensive tackle Joe Vellano. If you haven’t seen him yet, now is a good time to tune in. He had 20 tackles last week in the loss to Georgia Tech. That’s almost unheard of for a defensive tackle. It was the most by a defensive lineman in the FBS since 2005. The Terps will need him to continue to be disruptive against Clemson’s offense.

3. Miami’s red zone defense. The Hurricanes’ defense has been a weak link this season, but they’ve been pretty stingy in the red zone, holding opponents to just 10 touchdowns in 23 drives. North Carolina, though, has flourished inside the 20-yard line and has scored 16 touchdowns in 19 red zone possessions.

4. Running backs in Chapel Hill. This game will feature two of the ACC’s best in Miami’s Lamar Miller and UNC’s Giovani Bernard. Miller has had 100 yards or more in all five games, and Bernard leads all FBS freshmen in rushing yards (109.50 a game) and rushing touchdowns (eight). Miller leads the ACC in rushing (135.4/game) and Bernard is third.

5. Wake Forest running back Josh Harris. Will he play? If he does, will he have another record-setting performance like he did last year against the Hokies with 241 rushing yards and two touchdowns? Harris has been bothered by a hamstring injury this week, but his chances of playing look good.

6. Virginia Tech’s replacements. This defense is banged up. Last week, true freshman Corey Marshall started for the first time in place of defensive tackle Antoine Hopkins and he had trouble lining up properly. Defensive end James Gayle’s status is still uncertain (sprained left ankle). The defensive line has been hit the hardest, but the Hokies also have concerns about linebacker Jeron Gouveia-Winslow (sprained left foot). How will their backups and depleted rotation fare against the nation’s No. 18 passing game?

7. Time of possession at Virginia. You would think that Georgia Tech’s offense has had an overwhelming advantage in time of possession, but the Jackets have scored quickly this year, so it’s a bit deceiving. There is only a 22-second difference between Georgia Tech and Virginia’s time of possession this year -- with the advantage going to the Hoos. Virginia’s best defense will be to continue that trend and keep the offense on the field as long as possible.

8. Third downs in Charlottesville: Georgia Tech leads the nation in third-down conversions (62.2 percent). Virginia is tied for third in the ACC in third-down defense (33.3 percent). Can the Hoos make the stops?

9. Turnovers in Durham. Florida State turned it over five times in its loss to Wake Forest last week, with four interceptions and one fumble. The Seminoles are 114th in the country in turnover margin (-1.40). Duke did not have a turnover in its road win over FIU. The Blue Devils have lost six turnovers this year. FSU has lost 11.

10. Pass defenses in Durham. Neither of these teams is running the ball very well this year, but both Duke and Florida State have passing games that rank among the top 16 in the country. How well the defenses fare against quarterbacks EJ Manuel and Sean Renfree will go a long way in determining the winner.

This one is playing out as closely as expected. It's a tough road game for Duke -- more difficult than what it faced at Chestnut Hill -- but the Blue Devils are hanging in thanks in large part to the accuracy of quarterback Sean Renfree. He has completed 20 of 29 passes for 228 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. It has to be frustrating for Duke fans, though, because the offense only has 7 rushing yards. Hey, go with what works, right?

No penalties and no turnovers for Duke has been huge. The Blue Devils have got to keep it up in the second half and continue to pass as effectively. If the defense does its part, Duke could win its third straight game.

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Welcome back, Clemson and Georgia Tech. Two programs which had losing seasons last year are 4-0 and look capable of returning to the ACC championship game, where they met in 2009. The big game this weekend will be in Blacksburg, where Virginia Tech will host Clemson in a battle of two of the league’s three remaining undefeated teams. Much like the latest bowl predictions, there have been some major changes in the power ranking this week. You’ve got a new leader, ACC fans:

1. Clemson (4-0, 1-0 ACC; Last week: No. 3): The Tigers’ offense has gotten most of the credit, but it was a key defensive play -- Rennie Moore’s sack on FSU quarterback Clint Trickett -- that helped seal the win for the Tigers on Saturday. Clemson has now defeated back-to-back ranked opponents, but will play its first road game of the season when it travels to Virginia Tech this weekend.

2. Georgia Tech (4-0, 1-0; LW: No. 5): North Carolina’s defense gave Georgia Tech the most problems of any opponent this season, but the Tar Heels couldn’t stop receiver Stephen Hill, and the Jackets found a way to win their first Coastal Division game. The reason for the inconsistency here and in the bowl projections is because Chick-fil-A officials would probably choose the Hokies' fan base and their travel money over the hometown team, even if the Jackets win the head-to-head in the regular season.

3. Virginia Tech (4-0, 0-0; LW: No. 2): This has to be one of the least convincing undefeated teams left in the country, but it is still undefeated. An interception, a missed field goal, a fumble -- all mistakes that could prove costly against better competition, which starts on Saturday. We’ll find out more about the Hokies against Clemson, but their consistency is what has separated them in the past.

4. Florida State (2-2, 0-1; LW: No. 1): It was an impressive performance by backup quarterback Clint Trickett in his first career start, but he didn’t get enough help from his teammates in the loss to Clemson. This is not the end for the Noles. Once healthy, this is a team that can still make a push for the Atlantic Division title, but now they need Clemson to trip up twice.

5. North Carolina (3-1, 1-1; LW: No. 4): The Tar Heels had a chance to win, but poor execution on their final drive negated the opportunity. Much like FSU, UNC is still a good team that can contend for the division, but now the Heels have to hope Georgia Tech loses twice. UNC can’t afford to let this one beat them twice when they face East Carolina this weekend.

6. Wake Forest (2-1, 1-0; LW: No. 8): The Deacs had a bye week, but they move up on account of the poor performances by Miami and Maryland. Wake Forest lost a respectable game to Syracuse in overtime and has a conference win. The Deacs could take another step towards bowl eligibility this weekend with a win against Boston College, but they have to do it on the road.

7. Miami (1-2, 0-1; LW: No. 6): With the game on the line, Miami couldn’t score from two yards out. That calls into question Miami’s desire, its heart and its toughness. Miami fans will blame quarterback Jacory Harris, because he was the one holding the ball, but he didn’t lose the game for the Canes. Then again, he didn’t win it, either. Bottom line: There’s no excuse for Miami letting this one get away.

8. Maryland (1-2, 1-0; LW: No. 7): It was a pitiful performance by the Terps. They were beaten soundly in a 38-7 loss to Temple that looked worse than the final score. Temple running back Bernard Pierce said “there were rude things said” by Maryland during pregame warm-ups. Pierce got the last word with his school-record five rushing touchdowns. Yeah, Maryland beat Miami. But that’s not carrying much weight anymore.

9. Duke (2-2, 1-0; LW: No. 11): The Blue Devils looked good in their win against Tulane and have now put together back-to-back wins. That should give them some confidence heading into this weekend’s road trip to FIU. Duke’s defense, which had gone five quarters without allowing a touchdown, has shown significant improvement, and the offense is rolling again under quarterback Sean Renfree.

10. Virginia (2-2, 0-1; LW: No. 10): The Hoos’ loss to Southern Miss was evidence that this program isn’t quite ready for a bowl game in Mike London’s second season. Part of the problem is at quarterback, where Michael Rocco threw three interceptions. Southern Miss quarterback Austin Davis didn’t throw one. Virginia needs to rebound this weekend with a win against Idaho.

11. NC State (2-2, 0-1; LW: No. 9): The Wolfpack’s defense is riddled with injuries, but that can’t explain the three turnovers on offense, the seven sacks allowed, or the fact they rushed for minus-26 yards. A home game against a ranked Georgia Tech team looks daunting, and a bowl bid already looks out of reach.

12. Boston College (1-3, 0-1; LW: No. 12): The Eagles rallied together for their first win of the season and in the process made the statement that they haven’t given up. The next step is to get their first conference win, and they’ll have home-field advantage on Saturday against Wake Forest.

I asked Duke coach David Cutcliffe this week if he could continue to win games relying so heavily on the passing game. He said yes, but today against Tulane, the Blue Devils also got their running game going. It seemed as if everything was going right for the Duke offense, which racked up 484 yards, 27 first downs, and had the ball for almost 11 minutes more than Tulane in a 48-27 victory.

This was the Duke I was expecting to see against Richmond. Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, it didn't show up that day. The question now is whether or not Duke can continue this success against better competition. They did turn the ball over twice, but quarterback Sean Renfree threw just nine incomplete passes. Duke has held halftime leads before, but this time, Duke started what it finished in convincing fashion.

Just call me Oklahoma. I’m winning big. In each of the past two weeks I’ve gone 9-1 for a winning percentage of 80.6 after three weeks. Clemson proved me wrong last week with its upset of Auburn, but I’m not making the same mistake twice. Quarterback Tajh Boyd has me convinced about the Tigers’ offense. Florida State? Not so much. Here’s a look at this week’s picks, and just for the record, I came really, really close to picking UMass …

Cincinnati 33, NC State 30: The Bearcats’ experience at quarterback and success in the running game will be too much for NC State’s defense, which has been plagued by injuries to key players. Cincy quarterback Zach Collaros has thrown seven touchdowns and no interceptions in 69 pass attempts this season, and the Bearcats are averaging 51.33 points.

Clemson 24, Florida State 21: The prediction is that EJ Manuel will play, but the Noles still won’t be able to surpass Clemson’s offensive output. Clemson hasn’t been as good as advertised defensively, but Tajh Boyd is making a believer out of doubters, and he’s got plenty of playmakers to get the ball to. FSU’s running game is No. 100 in the nation, and the lack of production there will be a factor in this game.

Maryland 28, Temple 17: The Terps will rebound at home and won’t suffer the same kind of scare the Owls gave Penn State last weekend. Quarterback Danny O'Brien will redeem himself for his three interceptions against West Virginia, and Maryland will improve its record in the series to 7-0.

Boston College 14, Massachusetts 13: UMass will play in the FBS next season, and this game will show you why. It's ranked No. 19 in the latest FCS coaches’ poll, and has the No. 1 rushing defense in the Colonial Conference. BC is still looking for its first win of the season, has struggled in all three phases of the game, but should still be expected to beat an FCS team.

Duke 38, Tulane 24: Unless the Blue Devils turn it over, they should get their second straight win. Quarterback Sean Renfree seemed to turn the corner in last weekend’s win over Boston College, and the defense showed improvement. Tulane’s biggest asset might be its ability to pressure quarterbacks this season, as it is No. 16 in the country with 3.3 sacks per game.

Georgia Tech 31, North Carolina 21: The Yellow Jackets will be contained better than they have been all season, but not enough for the Tar Heels to get their second Coastal Division win. Georgia Tech will wear down UNC’s defense, control the clock, and make one-too-many big plays. This game will determine whether Georgia Tech is for real, and based on what we’ve seen so far, UNC has reasons to worry.

Miami 45, Kansas State 14: K-State barely beat Eastern Kentucky in its season opener, and its best win so far has been a 37-0 romp of Kent State. If Miami plays as soundly as it did against Ohio State, the combination of the Canes’ running game and stingy defense should make for a convincing win.

Virginia 31, Southern Miss 24: This should be a bounce-back game for the Cavaliers. This is not 2009, when Southern Miss edged the Hoos for a home win. Southern Miss does have one of the nation’s best rushing defenses, but so does North Carolina, and UVa ran for 170 yards against the Tar Heels.

Virginia Tech 42, Marshall 7: Virginia Tech’s offense has been exposed the past few weeks, and this is the final opportunity for the Hokies to show improvement before conference play begins. Marshall’s struggling defense should help them look good, though, and Virginia Tech’s defense should have a chance for a shutout against a scoring offense that ranks No. 107 in the country with 15.33 points per game.