UNDATED (AP) — No. 4 Clemson’s trip to Florida State headlines the Atlantic Coast Conference slate for Week 7. Nearly half the league’s teams are on a bye week so the schedule features four division games. That includes No. 15 North Carolina State’s trip to No. 18 Syracuse for a matchup of top defenses. Virginia Tech is facing Miami hoping to end a three-game skid to the Hurricanes. Rivals Duke and North Carolina also meet this week. That game marks an opportunity for more big plays from Tar Heels receiver Josh Downs.
UNDATED (AP) — North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye and Syracuse coach Dino Babers headline the list of Atlantic Coast Conference midseason honorees from The Associated Press. Maye was picked as the league’s top offensive player through the season’s first half. He ranks among the national leaders in passing touchdowns. Babers was picked as top coach so far after guiding the 18th-ranked Orange to a 5-0 start. Other honorees included Florida State defensive end Jared Verse as the top first-year transfer and Pittsburgh running back Israel Abanikanda was the league’s most surprising player. Honorees were chosen in voting by AP writers covering league teams.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Atlantic Coast Conference is counting on a strong showing in the NCAA Tournament to set to the stage for the upcoming season. The league had just five teams make the tournament field, its lowest total since expanding to a 15-team league in 2013-14. But the ACC ultimately had rivals Duke and North Carolina reach the Final Four. The Tar Heels played for the national championship. Miami also reached a regional final. That came in a season in which the strength of the league was questioned compared it its lofty standards.
UNDATED (AP) — This weekend in college football includes a season-high six games matching teams ranked in the AP Top 25. Three of those games also match unbeaten teams. They include No. 3 Alabama at No. 6 Tennessee; No. 10 Penn State at No. 5 Michigan; and No. 8 Oklahoma State at No. 13 TCU. By Saturday night, the championship picture could be very different. AP College Football Writer Ralph Russo calls it a Super Saturday.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Transfers moving from one Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball program to another could have an impact on the league title race. Louisville, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech each added two players from other ACC schools. North Carolina State and Virginia also added intra-conference transfers. Hokies coach Kenny Brooks said teams now “can’t help but notice programs” as they evaluate players who enter the transfer portal. First-year Florida State coach Brooke Wyckoff has a team that lost three players to other ACC schools. She says it’s just the “new normal” in a time of freer player movement with the transfer portal.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips thinks its time to expand the NCAA Tournament. He’s not sure about how many teams or how to make it work within the framework of March Madness. But he’s hopeful that more programs can get in the Big Dance sooner rather than later. Phillips is a proponent of expanding all NCAA championships so more athletes can take part. Notre Dame coach Mike Brey would like to see three more First Fours so all four regionals would have a four-team pod.
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — No. 4 Clemson is finally getting healthy on defense. That should be a major problem for the Tigers’ opponents the second half of the season. Injured defensive end Xavier Thomas played for the first time this season last week and had two sacks and a quarterback pressure in just six snaps. Defensive tackle Bryan Bresee plans to play this week after missing the past two games due to a kidney infection. And starters in the secondary in cornerback Sheridan Jones and safety Tyler Venables both will play Saturday night when Clemson heads to Florida State.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.