Tar Heels decisive early in handling Wolfpack
RALEIGH, N.C. — Elijah Hood and T.J. Logan ran for touchdowns in a dominating first quarter as No. 11 North Carolina beat North Carolina State 45-34 on Saturday.
Logan scored on runs of 42 and 40 yards, and Hood had a 39-yard run of his own before scoring from a yard out in that 35-point avalanche for the Tar Heels.
UNC also got TD catches from Quinshad Davis and Mack Hollins, tying the program’s single-quarter scoring record by rolling to a 35-7 lead. That was too big of a hole for the Wolfpack, who managed to slow the Tar Heels’ early onslaught but never recovered.
Hood finished with a careerhigh 220 yards rushing and two touchdowns to lead UNC, which already had wrapped up the Coastal Division title and a trip to next week’s ACC championship game to play No. 1 Clemson.
Still, UNC certainly came out with an edge, driven by the memories of last year’s 35-7 loss in which the Wolfpack ran for 388 yards.
The Tar Heels wasted no time reversing that score, running for 214 yards and rolling to 308 total yards in the opening period on the way to 553 for the game.
The only problem? The Tar Heels didn’t finish strong. They had three turnovers for the second straight week after going three games without one, and Hollins dropped a sure TD catch in the third quarter that helped keep the Wolfpack hanging around.
Jacoby Brissett threw for two touchdowns and ran for two for N.C. State.
No. 14 Florida State 27, No. 10 Florida 2 GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Dalvin Cook ran for 183 yards and two touchdowns, Roberto Aguayo kicked two long field goals and the Seminoles upended the Gators.
The Seminoles won their third consecutive game at Florida Field — the first time that’s happened in the history of the storied rivalry — and ended any chance the Gators had of making the College Football Playoff.
Virginia Tech 23, Virginia 20 CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Joey Slye kicked a 41-yard field goal with 1:38 remaining and the Hokies gave retiring Frank Beamer his 12th consecutive win against the Cavaliers and a chance to coach his team in one more bowl game.
Chuck Clark sealed the outcome with an interception with 59 seconds remaining as Viriginia Tech will go to a bowl game for the 23rd consecutive season.
Also, Memphis coach Justin Fuente and the Hokies’ athletic director said reports Fuente will replace Frank Beamer as Hokies coach are “premature.” Fuente and Whit Babcock declined to confirm several reports that cited unidentified sources and said Fuente would be hired as coach and longtime defensive coordinator Bud Foster would remain on staff at Virginia Tech.
Duke 27, Wake Forest 21 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Thomas Sirk threw two touchdown passes to Max McCaffrey and ran for another as the Blue Devils turned back the Demon Deacons.
Sirk was 26-of-39 for 275 yards, hit McCaffrey with touchdown passes covering 18 and 28 yards, and ran 3 yards for another score to help Duke snap a four-game losing streak.
Syracuse 20, Boston College 17 SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Cole Murphy kicked a 35-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Orange a win against the Eagles in coach Scott Shafer’s final game as head coach at Syracuse.