Boston College (2-6, 1-4 in ACC)
Next game: at Wake Forest, 3:30 p.m. Saturday, FSSO
Huddle up: Boston College snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over Maryland, but rushed for only 8 yards. "The problems are still there, and we need to work our way through them," coach Frank Spaziani told Boston.com. … K Nate Freese is 12-for-12 on field-goal attempts less than 50 yards. … RB Tahj Kimble (leg), LB Andre Lawrence (upper body), DT Dillon Quinn (leg) are questionable.
Tweetable fact: Boston College leads the FBS in punt-return average with a 29.4 yards on seven returns.
Clemson (7-1, 4-1)
Next game: at Duke, 7 p.m. Saturday, ESPN2
Huddle up: WR Sammy Watkins set a school record with 202 yards receiving in the win over Wake Forest on Thursday night. He had eight catches, including a 61-yard TD, one of three of more than 50 yards in the game. … QB Tajh Boyd set a single-game record with 428 yards passing. His 455 yards of offense is second all-time. … DB Bashaud Breeland (abdominal strain) and DB Garry Peters (Heritage-Conyers) are probable. … Clemson in the national rankings: 10th in scoring (41 points), 12th in passing (317.6 yards), 12th in passing efficiency (163.9), 13th in turnover margin (1.0) and 14th in total offense (498 yards).
Tweetable fact: Clemson has scored in 30 of the 32 quarters it's played this season.
Duke (6-3, 3-2)
Next game: vs. Clemson, 7 p.m. Saturday., ESPN2
Huddle up: WR Conner Vernon is the only player in ACC history with four seasons with 50 or more receptions and 700 or more receiving yards. … RB Jela Duncan, who leads the Blue Devils with 385 yards rushing, has scored four TDs in the past five games. … Duke has allowed 10 sacks, an average of 1.1 sacks per game, second in the ACC … QB Sean Renfree and RB Juwan Thompson (Woodward Academy) returned to practice this week after being injured in Saturday's loss.
Tweetable fact: Duke is 5-0 at Wallace Wade Stadium and needs one more win to set a school record for home victories in a season.
Florida State (8-1, 5-1)
Next game: at Virginia Tech, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8, ESPN
Huddle up: Florida State lost four fumbles, but still scored 48 points in its win over Duke. "That was total lack of focus," coach Jimbo Fisher said. "That's my fault as a coach. We're going to get it fixed." … Chris Thompson, E.J. Manuel, James Wilder and Devonta Freeman have each rushed for 100 yards in a game this season, the third time — joining 1984 and 1992 — in school history that's happened. Freeman had 104 yards rushing against Duke. … Tyler Hunter (Lowndes) returned five punts for 122 yards, including a 75-yarder for a touchdown in the win.
Tweetable fact: Florida State scored at least 31 points in the first half for the fourth time this season.
Maryland (4-4, 2-2)
Next game: vs. Georgia Tech, 12:30 p.m. Saturday, WUPA
Huddle up: Former LB Shawn Petty, a freshman, is listed as the starting QB, and backup TE Brian McMahon is the No. 2 QB. The Terrapins have lost four QBs this season. C.J. Brown (knee), Caleb Rowe (knee), Perry Hills (knee) and Devin Burns (Carver-Columbus), who has a foot injury, are among the seven players Maryland has lost to season-ending injuries. Petty played QB in high school. … The Terrapins have held five opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing and are allowing 2.3 yards per carry.
Tweetable fact: Maryland ranks fourth in the nation against the run, allowing 77.6 yards per game.
Miami (4-4, 3-2)
Next game: vs. Virginia Tech, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, ESPN
Huddle up: LB Denzel Perryman (leg) is probable for the Virginia Tech game. He has 31 tackles in the past three games. … Coach Al Golden on Virginia Tech QB Logan Thomas: "He's tough when he gets going, like (Florida State QB E.J.) Manuel and (Kansas State QB Collin) Klein. … We can't let him get going." … LB Eddie Johnson (North Atlanta) ranks third on the team with 43 tackles and second with 5 1/2 tackles for loss, to go with three forced fumbles — tied for the lead in the ACC — a sack and an interception.
Tweetable fact: Miami has lost three consecutive games this season and has lost three consecutive to Virginia Tech.
North Carolina (6-3, 3-2)
Next game: vs. Georgia Tech, TBD Nov. 10
Huddle up: Gio Bernard was the ACC's specialist of the week after he had 304 all-purpose yards, including a 74-yard punt return with 13 seconds left, to lead the Tar Heels past N.C. State. He leads the nation in scoring per game (12.9 points), all-purpose yards (214) and in punt returns (20.8). He ranks third in rushing at 132.9 yards (930 total). … Jonathan Cooper, who was the OL of the week with 18 knockdown blocks, has made 44 career starts, most among ACC offensive linemen.
Tweetable fact: North Carolina is 5-0 at Kenan Stadium this season.
North Carolina State (5-3, 2-2)
Next game: vs. Virginia, 12:30 p.m. Saturday
Huddle up: RB James Washington will miss the rest of the season after he tore ligaments in his right knee in the loss to North Carolina. Washington had 897 rushing yards last season, but finished with 77 this season after missing three games with an ankle injury. … WR Bryan Underwood is one TD catch away from tying the ACC record for consecutive games with a scoring reception. He has scored in eight consecutive games; former Virginia WR Herman Moore holds the record of nine, set in 1990.
Tweetable fact: The Wolfpack have given up 83 points in the first quarter in 2012, a combined 101 points in the other three quarters.
Virginia (2-6, 0-4)
Next game: at N.C. State, 12:30 p.m. Saturday
Huddle up: LB Henry Coley, FB LoVante Battle and TE Jeremiah Mathis have been suspended for Saturday's game for a violation of team rules. Coley ranks fourth on the team with 40 tackles, and Battle and Mathis are backups. Daquan Romero, who has 19 tackles, will start for Coley. … The Cavaliers couldn't practice Tuesday morning because of severe weather caused by Hurricane Sandy. The school canceled classes Monday and Tuesday. … WR Miles Gooch (Towers) has played in all eight games, but doesn't have a catch.
Tweetable fact: LB Steve Greer leads the ACC and ranks 10th nationally among active players with 330 career tackles.
Virginia Tech (4-4, 2-2)
Next game: at Miami, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, ESPN
Huddle up: Virginia Tech has a three-game winning streak over Miami and has won six of the eight games between the teams since they joined in the ACC in 2004. … DT Luther Maddy has had two sacks in two consecutive games. … The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported this week that QB Logan Thomas is leaning toward returning for his senior season. He has 13 TD passes and 10 interceptions, equaling his total number of picks from last season.
Tweetable fact: This is the first year since 2008 that neither Virginia Tech nor Miami have been ranked entering this game.
Wake Forest (4-4, 2-4)
Next game: vs. Boston College, 3:30 p.m. Saturday, FSSO
Huddle up: WR Terence Davis (Brookwood) tied his career high with seven catches in the loss to Clemson on Thursday night. He finished with 84 yards. … WR Michael Campanaro had six catches for 52 yards after missing two games with a broken hand. … Wake Forest ranks second in the ACC in fewest penalty yards per game. The Demon Deacons have committed 33 penalties for 33.8 yards per game. … Coach Jim Grobe on Boston College: "If you look at what they did last week, they've shown a lot of improvement and are getting better."
Tweetable fact: FB Tommy Bohanon leads Wake Forest with five TD receptions.
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