Big-time wins for Virginia Tech and Florida State on Saturday, with wins over #19 Nebraska and #7 BYU and key losses, that might end up costing their coaches their jobs, at Virginia and Maryland.
You have to think that Al Groh and Ralph Friedgen’s jobs are on the line and that the two veteran coaches may be on the outs at Charlottesville and College Park……
Virginia Tech 16, Nebraska 15
Blacksburg, Va.
Middle Tennessee 32, Maryland 31
College Park, Md.
Southern Miss 37, Virginia 34
Hattiesburg, Miss.
NC State 45, Gardner-Webb 14
Raleigh, N.C.
Wake Forest 35, Elon 7
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Clemson 25, Boston College 7
Clemson, S.C.
Florida State 54, BYU 28
Provo, Utah
PROVO, Utah (AP) – Christian Ponder threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as Florida State beat No. 7 BYU 54-28 Saturday, ending the Cougars’ 18-game home winning streak and probably any hopes they had of a BCS berth.
Florida State (2-1) was too fast for the BYU (2-1) and avoided its first 1-2 start in 20 years.
Three weeks after upsetting Oklahoma in the season opener, BYU’s Bowl Championship Series aspirations faded a little bit on each drive by the Seminoles.
The Seminoles pounced for 10 points in the final 24 seconds of the second quarter and added two touchdowns in the third, running away in the Cougars’ home opener.
Ponder was 21-for-26 for 195 yards and Ty Jones ran for 108 yards and a touchdown.
Max Hall completed 20 of 31 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns for BYU, but also threw three interceptions. Harvey Unga ran for 97 yards and a touchdown for the Cougars, who turned the ball over five times.
The Seminoles took advantage of two turnovers while scoring 24 straight points, including Greg Reid’s 63-yard interception return for a touchdown that put Florida State up 37-14 with 12:52 left in the third quarter.
The Seminoles outran the Cougars 313 yards to 108 and converted on their first nine third downs. FSU didn’t punt until about a minute remained in the third quarter and scored all eight times it got inside the 20.
If the Cougars expected to be at an advantage playing at 4,500 feet above sea level, the Seminoles from the Atlantic Coast Conference quickly dispelled that notion and showed they were ready to run all four quarters.
Even when BYU of the Mountain West Conference appeared to be on the verge of a big stop, Ponder was able to get the ball away or tuck it and run for a first down.
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -Tyrod Taylor dodged several defenders and then rifled an 11-yard touchdown pass to Dyrell Roberts with 21 seconds left, rallying No. 13 Virginia Tech over No. 19 Nebraska 16-15 Saturday.
Taylor, known for his running much more than his passing, completed two big, late throws for the Hokies (2-1).
Taylor first hit Danny Coale for 80 yards down the right sideline with 1:11 left, setting the ball up at the Nebraska 3, where Coale was forced out of bounds. After two unencouraging plays, Taylor scrambled around for what seemed like a minute before connecting with Roberts.
The victory was the 32nd in a row for Virginia Tech at home against non-conference opponents. Nebraska (2-1) lost for the 21st time in its last 22 games against teams ranked in the Top 20.
Nebraska has lost 21 of its last 22 games against teams in the top 20.
Roy Helu Jr. went over 100 yards rushing early in the third quarter, Zac Lee made several key completions and when Virginia Tech’s defense stiffened in its own end, Alex Henery tied a Lane Stadium record for a visitor with five field goals in five tries.
Had one of those drives ended in the end zone, the Hokies’ late comeback might not have been possible. But one of the Cornhuskers’ best TD chances also turned into a key failure.
Leading 12-10, Nebraska had a first-and-goal at the 6 after Lee ran for 17 yards on third-and-3. Two holding calls, two false starts and an incomplete pass later, Nebraska faced second-and-goal from the 36 and wound up punting it away – into the end zone.
That missed opportunity seemed bigger when the Hokies’ 2-point attempt was to take a 3 point lead of their own rather than tie. Taylor’s pass was off the mark, but it didn’t matter – Lee’s final desperation heave was picked off.
Virginia Tech’s Ryan Williams finished with 107 yards and a 1-yard touchdown run set up by Roberts’ 76-yard return of the opening kickoff.
Taylor lost 22 yards on nine carries, repeatedly passing on open field when flushed from the pocket.
Helu finished with 169 yards on 28 carries, and Lee was 11 for 30 for 136 yards and two interceptions.
Nebraska managed to finish the first quarter with zero yards of offense, but points on the board. The Huskers trailed only 7-3 after Henery’s first field goal was set up by Niles Paul’s 55-yard punt return to the Tech 22.
from www.theacc.com