Thursday’s score
Miami at Cincinnati, late
Saturday’s games
Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech, noon, FSSO
Louisville at N.C. State, 12:30 p.m., WUPA
Florida State at Wake Forest, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
North Carolina at Georgia Tech, 3:30 p.m., ESPNU
Boston College at Duke, 3:30 p.m., FSSO
Notre Dame at Clemson, 8 p.m., ABC
DeShone Kizer hasn’t made a start on the road since taking over Notre Dame’s offense, and now he gets to face the nation’s ninth-ranked defense in a place called Death Valley.
The sixth-ranked Fighting Irish (4-0) will attempt to break No. 12 Clemson’s 11-game home winning streak with a sophomore quarterback who has played in four games in his career.
“He’ll have to get acclimated as the game wears on,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said. “You have to trust in his poise. You try to create as much noise as you can in home situations, but he’ll have to live through it. The make up of a quarterback is one of the most important things in the recruiting process.”
Kizer, a sophomore who didn’t play last season, immediately proved his composure when he stepped in for Malik Zaire, who was lost for the season against Virginia on Sept. 12.
Kizer’s 40-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds left lifted the Irish past the Cavaliers. He’s since guided Notre Dame to victories over Georgia Tech and Massachusetts.
“DeShone has the makeup to be a really good quarterback,” Kelly said. “He has the skill set, the command, the presence, all those things. And now he’s been given the opportunity.”
Clemson (3-0) is rested — the Tigers haven’t played since defeating Louisville on Sept. 17 — and rank No. 3 in pass-efficiency defense, No. 9 in total defense (260.7 yards) and 11th in scoring defense (12.3 points).
The athletic ability of Clemson’s defensive backfield — cornerbacks Mackensie Alexander and Cordrea Tankersley and safeties T.J. Green and Jayron Kearse — causes concern for Kelly.
The Tigers already have five interceptions, and defensive end Shaq Lawson has 2.5 sacks.
“They’re going to challenge every throw,” Kelly said. “They’re confident, and they should be.”
Clemson has defeated Wofford and Appalachian State, in addition to Louisville, and coach Dabo Swinney called Notre Dame the “best team we’ve seen in a while.”
“I think this is a better team than their team when they played in the national championship game (against Alabama on Jan. 7, 2013),” he said. “They’re faster and more athletic. They have as good of an offensive line as we’ll see.”
No QB controversy: Marquise Williams will start at quarterback for North Carolina against Georgia Tech after he was benched in the Tar Heels' win over Delaware last week.
Williams had completed half of his 12 attempts for 50 yards before he was replaced by Mitch Trubisky, who was 17-of-20 for 312 yards and four touchdowns in the win.
Williams had 3,856 yards of total offense and rushed for 13 touchdowns last season, but threw three interceptions in the Tar Heels’ opening loss to South Carolina.
“Yes, I’ve talked to (Williams),” coach Larry Fedora told the media this week. “He knows why I did what I did on Saturday. And that’s where we’re at.”
On a roll: N.C. State quarterback Jacoby Brissett hasn't thrown an interception in 179 attempts, but is still 200 from the ACC record of 379, set by Russell Wilson over two seasons (2008-09).
Brissett has completed 77.9 percent of his passes (74-of-95) for 809 yards and six touchdowns for N.C. State, which has defeated four non-conference opponents.
Wilson transferred to Wisconsin as a graduate student and has led the Seattle Seahawks to two consecutive Super Bowls.
In trouble again: Running back Shadrach Thornton (Liberty County) was arrested for the third time at N.C. State when he was charged with failure to stop and render aid and failure to provide information after he allegedly hit a pedestrian with his moped.
He’s been suspended three times, most recently missing the first two games of this season for breaking an unspecified team rule, the Raleigh (N.C.) News & Observer reported.
He led the Wolfpack with 907 yards and nine touchdowns in 2014 and rushed for 111 yards and two scores in a victory over South Alabama on Saturday.
TD maker: Duke's DeVon Edwards (Alcovy) has scored seven career touchdowns.
Not bad for a safety.
Edwards also returns kickoffs, and has taken five of them for scores, including two this year.
He’s also scored two touchdowns on interception returns in his career.
Edwards, a junior, averages 44.8 yards on six kickoff returns, is Duke’s third-leading tackler with 26 and has picked off one pass this season.
He said it: "He's a game-wrecker. He can take the game and wreck it for you. If Dabo wanted him to be a pocket passer, he could be a pocket passer. That's how good he can throw it." — Kelly on Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson (Gainesville)
Etc.: Boston College running back Myles Willis (Marist), who has a shoulder injury, is doubtful for Saturday's game at Duke. Leading rusher Jon Hilliman (broken foot) already is out. … Brisly Estime's 261 all-purpose yards in LSU's 34-24 victory over Syracuse, is the second-highest total in the ACC this season and ninth in the FBS. He had 158 yards on kickoff returns, 50 yards on two receptions, 44 yards on punt returns and ran for 9 yards. … Florida State has won 25 consecutive ACC games, dating to a 17-16 loss to N.C. State on Oct. 6, 2012. … Virginia's Olamide Zaccheaus set an ACC record with nine kickoff returns in Boise State's 56-14 victory over the Cavaliers. … Virginia Tech cornerback Kendall Fuller will miss the rest of the season after having surgery for a torn meniscus. … N.C. State has won seven consecutive games, tied with Navy for the fifth-longest winning streak in the FBS. … East Carolina, which is in the American Athletic Conference, has won five consecutive games against ACC teams. … Virginia Tech has given up at least 24 points to all three of the FBS teams — Ohio State, Purdue and East Carolina — it's played this season. … Troy Flutie, the nephew of Doug Flutie, is slated to start again at quarterback for Boston College after leading the Eagles past Northern Illinois last week.
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