WEEK 10 GAME SCHEDULE
Saturday November 2, 2024
Louisville Cardinals at Clemson Tigers
Series: Clemson leads series, 8-0; Last meeting: Clemson, 31-16 (2022)
Louisville Cardinals Notes
Cards Open November Clemson: The University of Louisville plays the second of a three-game road trip when it travels to “Death Valley” to face Clemson on Saturday, Nov. 2 for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN. It’s the ninth meeting between unranked Louisville and No. 11 Clemson. Billed the first Saturday in November, the Tigers have dominated the overall series, holding an 8-0 series advantage. Louisville is 0-4 all-time at Memorial Stadium in a series that dates back to the 2014 season. The Cardinals are off to a 5-3 start and a 3-2 mark in the ACC, while the Tigers have won six-straight games to race out to a 6-1 overall record and currently lead the ACC with a perfect 5-0 record.
Looking for First Win in Death Valley: The Cards are looking for their first-ever win at Death Valley this weekend after losing their first four appearances in a series that dates back to 2014. The Cards have had their chances to win at Clemson, losing 23-17 in 2014 when they had the ball first and goal and couldn’t score. In a match-up of two Heisman Trophy contenders, Clemson and Deshaun Watson outlasted Lamar Jackson and the Cardinals 42-36 in a battle of two top-five programs. Louisville took a 36-28 lead with 7:52 left in the game, but Clemson scored 14 unanswered points to take a late lead. Louisville had a chance take the lead but were stopped short on fourth down at the Clemson 14-yard line.
NOVEMBER RAIN
• Louisville opens up the month of November against Clemson. The Cards are 163-175-5 all-time in November, including a 101-81-2 at home and 62-94-3 on the road. • Head coach Jeff Brohm is 3-1 during the month of November at Louisville and his teams are 23-10 all-time.
CARDINALS FACE ANOTHER RANKED ROAD TEST
• Saturday’s game against the 11th-ranked Tigers marks Louisville’s third game against a ranked foe, and the second on the road this season. Louisville fell 31-24 at No. 16 Notre Dame on Sept. 28. • The match-up in Clemson will be Louisville’s third overall game against a ranked opponent this season, including match-ups with No. 16 Notre Dame and versus No. 6 Miami. Louisville also played SMU, which was unranked at the time, but are No. 20 in the recent poll. • With Clemson ranked No. 11 this week, Saturday’s game will mark the third-straight season that Louisville has faced a top-15 opponent. • Louisville is 20-65-1 versus AP Top 25 teams, in cluding an 11-18 record at home. Louisville is 4-38- 1 against teams ranked in the top 25 on the road. • The Cards are 8-29-1 versus AP 10 top programs, posting a 6-10 record at home. The last win over a top 10 program was the 33-20 win over No. 10 Notre Dame last season. • Last season, the Cardinals defeated two AP ranked opponents in the same season for only the second time in school history when they knocked off No. 10 Notre Dame 33-20 and No. 20 Duke 23-0. • The shutout over Duke marked the first over a ranked a opponent in school history. • Head coach Jeff Brohm is 10-17 all-time against opponents ranked in the AP Poll, which includes a 2-3 record since taking over at Louisville. • As a Power 5 head coach, Brohm’s teams have gone 10-14. He went 8-11 in his six seasons at Purdue.
CARDS LOOKING FOR FOURTH-STRAIGHT ACC ROAD WIN
• The Cardinals are looking for their fourth-straight ACC road win, and the first at Clemson, when facing the Tigers on Saturday. The Cards are 2-0 in league play on the road this year and defeated Miami 38-31 last season. Louisville’s last ACC road loss was a 38-21 decision at Pittsburgh — the first loss of the 2023 season. • Louisville is looking to win four consecutive ACC road wins for the first time in school history.
Clemson Tigers Notes
After an open date last week, Clemson will embark upon its five-game November slate on Saturday with its first of three consecutive conference games to open the month when the Tigers host the Louisville Cardinals on Nov. 2. Kickoff at Memorial Stadium in Clemson is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The prime-time contest will be Clemson’s third night game at Death Valley this season. Clemson has won 22 straight home night games since 2013, the nation’s second-longest active streak. Clemson has run out to a 5-0 start in ACC play and has done so convincingly. The Tigers have outscored their conference opponents by a 225-107 mark (+118), good for an average margin of victory of 23.6 points per game. Clemson has the third-highest point differential in conference play in the nation this season, trailing only 7-0 Army and 8-0 Indiana. Clemson’s 225 points in ACC play are the second-most by any team in conference play this season, and Clemson (45.0) is the only power conference school averaging at least 45 points per game in conference play this season.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK
– Clemson attempting to start 6-0 in conference play for the seventh time under Dabo Swinney (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022). It would be Clemson’s 13th such start since joining the ACC in 1953. – Clemson attempting to push its all-time record against Louisville to 9-0. – Clemson attempting to win in its first nine games against a school for the second time ever, joining Clemson’s wins in the first 29 games of its all-time series with Virginia. – Clemson attempting to improve to 5-0 at home against Louisville all-time. Louisville would become the seventh program to play at least five games in Clemson and be winless against the Tigers in those venues (Wofford, 0-9; Newberry and App State, 0-6; South Carolina State, Syracuse and Western Carolina, 0-5). – Clemson entering the game averaging 39.4 points per game against Louisville in eight all-time meetings, Clemson’s highest all-time scoring average against an opponent presently in a power conference. – Clemson attempting to improve to 70-3 at Death Valley in the College Football Playoff era. Clemson’s current 69-3 home record in that span is a half-game shy of Alabama for the best home record in the country. – Clemson attempting to extend its active home winning streak to nine games. Clemson’s eight-game home winning streak is the ACC’s longest active streak. – Clemson attempting to produce a home winning streak of nine or more games for the 10th time in team history. – Clemson attempting to improve to 32-8 in night games since the start of the 2018 season and 53-11 in night games since 2015. – Clemson attempting to win its 23rd consecutive night game in Death Valley, a streak that dates to the middle of the 2013 season. Clemson’s active 22-game home winning streak in prime-time games is the nation’s second-longest active streak. – Clemson attempting to improve to 26-3 in night games at Memorial Stadium in Dabo Swinney’s tenure. – Head Coach Dabo Swinney attempting to improve to 9-0 as a head coach against Louisville. Louisville is one of four ACC schools against whom Swinney is undefeated as head coach, a list that also includes Wake Forest (16- 0), Virginia Tech (6-0) and Virginia (6-0), all teams on Clemson’s 2024 schedule. – Swinney (176-44) attempting to pass the career win total of College Football Hall of Famer Frank Kush (176- 54-1). – Swinney attempting to move to 18-4 all-time in games immediately following regular season open dates. – Clemson attempting to earn an eighth straight victory in games against ACC opponents. Clemson’s active sevengame conference winning streak is tied for the third longest in the country and is the longest among power conference teams. – Clemson facing the fourth of six head coaches slated to play Clemson for the first time this season (App State’s Shawn Clark, Stanford’s Troy Taylor, Virginia’s Tony Elliott, Louisville’s Jeff Brohm, Virginia Tech’s Brent Pry and The Citadel’s Maurice Drayton). – Clemson attempting to improve to 167-73-3 alltime (and 50-7 since 2011) when facing a coach for the first time. – Clemson attempting to improve to 138-18 against AP-unranked teams under Dabo Swinney and improve to 115-8 in those games since the start of the 2012 season. – Clemson attempting to improve to 36-6 under Dabo Swinney in games in which it enters ranked lower in the AP Poll than it did in its previous contest (including the 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021 season openers in which Clemson opened the season lower than its ranking from the final game of the previous campaign). Clemson dropped to No. 11 last week while idle. – Clemson attempting to improve to 101-13 in regular season play since the start of the 2015 season. – Clemson attempting to improve to 31-4 in November games since 2015. – Clemson attempting to improve to 15-4 all-time in games contested on Nov. 2. It would be Clemson’s 12th consecutive win in games played on Nov. 2, dating to a 1946 win against Virginia Tech (then known as VPI). – Clemson entering the game ranked in the Top 5 in the nation in both points per game (42.0, fourth) and yards per game (490.4, fifth). Clemson, Miami (Fla.) and Boise State are the only teams in the Top 5 in both categories. – Clemson attempting to produce a sixth 40-point game in a season for the eighth time in school history (10 in 2019, nine in 2018, eight in 2020, eight in 2013, eight in 2012, seven in 2015 and seven in 2016). – Clemson attempting to produce six 40-point games in the first eight games of a season for the third time in school history (six in both 2019 and 2020). – Clemson attempting to score 28 or more points in a quarter for the fourth time this season to match the school record set in 2012 (four). So far this season, Clemson has recorded a 35-point first quarter against Appalachian State, a 28-point first quarter against NC State and a 28-point second quarter against Wake Forest. – Clemson attempting to reach 500 yards in four straight games for the first time since an eight-game streak in 2019. – Clemson attempting to record a sixth 500-yard game in a single season for the first time since 2019 (10). – Clemson attempting to record six 500-yard games in the first eight games of a season for the first time in school history. – Clemson attempting to reach 400 yards in seven straight games for the first time since reaching 400 yards in all 12 games in 2020. – Clemson attempting to reach both 200 passing yards and 200 rushing yards in a game for the fifth time this season. Clemson, Boise State, Miami (Fla.) and Ole Miss (four each) are tied for the national lead in this category in 2024.
– Clemson attempting to record its first season with at least five games with both 200 rushing yards and 200 passing yards since 2019. It would be Clemson’s seventh such season in school history (10 in 2019, eight in 2015, seven in 2018, six in 2016, five in 2012 and five in 2001). – Clemson (two) attempting to produce a 300-yard passer, 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver in three games in a single season for the first time in school history. – Clemson attempting to average 6.5 or more yards per play in seven straight games for the first time on record. – Clemson attempting to average 5.0 or more yards per carry in seven straight games for the first time since 1991. – Clemson attempting to rush for 150 yards in a seventh straight game for the first time since a 12-game stretch across the 2019-20 seasons. – Clemson attempting to rush for three or more touchdowns in three consecutive games for the first time since the first three games of 2022. – Clemson entering the game having scored at least one rushing touchdown in a national-best 83 of its 89 games since the start of the 2018 season. Clemson has also rushed for multiple touchdowns in a national-best 69 games in that span. – Clemson entering the game having rushed for a touchdown in 57 consecutive home games, the nation’s longest active streak. The last team to hold Clemson without a rushing touchdown in Death Valley was Troy in 2016. – Clemson attempting to throw for 300 yards in three straight games for the first time since a five-game streak in 2020. – Clemson attempting to throw multiple touchdown passes in a seventh straight game for the first time since an eight-game streak in 2020. – Clemson, which has recorded 28 or more first downs in each of its last three games, attempting to reach 28 first downs in four straight games for the first time on record. – Clemson attempting to surrender zero sacks in backto-back games for the first time since the Wake Forest and South Carolina games in November 2021. – Clemson attempting to surrender one sack or fewer in seven straight games for the first time since an eightgame streak in 2019. – Clemson attempting to win the turnover margin for the 11th time in a 13-game span, including a five-game stretch to end the 2023 season. – Clemson entering the game having finished even or better in the turnover margin in each of the last six games, all of which were Clemson victories. – Clemson attempting to play a 10th consecutive game (dating to last season) with one giveaway or fewer for the first time since a 12-game streak across the 2019-20 seasons. Dating to last season, Clemson has six giveaways over its last nine games and has not had a multi-giveaway game in that span. – Clemson attempting to produce at least one takeaway in a seventh straight game for the first time since the final four games of 2021 and the first three games of 2022. – Clemson attempting to hold a fourth consecutive opponent to fewer than 100 rushing yards for the first time since a five-game streak across the 2021-22 seasons. – Clemson attempting to hold a fifth consecutive opponent without a rushing touchdown for the first time since a six-game streak across the 2017-18 seasons. – Clemson attempting to record four or more sacks in back-to-back games for the first time since last November against Georgia Tech and North Carolina. – Clemson (one) needing one more defensive touchdown to extend its streak of scoring multiple defensive touchdowns to 15 straight seasons. The last time Clemson had fewer than two defensive touchdowns in a season was 2009, Dabo Swinney’s first full season as head coach, when the Tigers supplemented a single defensive touchdown with six special teams touchdowns. – Clemson attempting to possess the ball for 34 or more minutes in three consecutive games for the first time since ending the 2023 season with a streak of four straight games. – Tight end Jake Briningstool (107) needing six receptions to break the Clemson career record for receptions by a tight end (Jordan Leggett, 112). – Briningstool (1,177) needing 79 yards to pass John McMakin (1,255 from 1969-71) for second on Clemson’s all-time career receiving yardage leaderboard for tight ends. – Briningstool (14) continuing to chase Jordan Leggett (18 from 2013-16) for the school record for career receiving touchdowns by a tight end. Briningstool presently stands alone in second place. – Briningstool (three) seeking to add to his school record for career 100-yard receiving games by a tight end. – Briningstool (two touchdowns vs. App State) and Olsen Patt-Henry (two touchdowns vs. Virginia) each attempting to become the first Clemson tight end to catch multiple touchdown passes in multiple games in a single season since Brandon Ford in 2012 (two). – Linebacker Barrett Carter needing 2.0 tackles for loss to reach 30 for his career. – Cornerback Ashton Hampton (one) attempting to join Arlington Nunn (three in 1990) and Dorian O’Daniel (two in 2017) as the only Clemson players since 1950 to record multiple interception returns for touchdowns in a season. – Kicker Nolan Hauser (72) needing seven more points to break the Clemson record for points by a true freshman held presently by Sammy Watkins (78 in 2011). – Hauser (72) needing 28 more points to become the first Clemson freshman (true or redshirt) to score 100 points since redshirt freshman Greg Huegel in 2015 (137). – Hauser (12-of-14) needing seven more field goals to tie or eight more field goals to break Chris Gardocki’s school record for field goals made by a true freshman (19 in 1988). – Hauser (one) attempting to become the second player in school history to record multiple career games with five field goals (Nelson Welch, three). – Quarterback Cade Klubnik (15-6) attempting to tie Kelly Bryant (16-2 from 2015-18) and Cullen Harper (16-9 from 2005-08) for the 15th-most wins as a starting quarterback for Clemson since World War II. – Klubnik attempting to throw for 300 yards in a third straight game to tie the school record for consecutive 300-yard passing games set twice by Tajh Boyd in 2013. – Klubnik attempting to become the first Clemson quarterback to throw multiple touchdown passes in six straight games since a nine-game streak by Trevor Lawrence in 2019. – Klubnik (20) needing two touchdown passes to enter the Top 10 in touchdown passes in a single season in Clemson history (No. 10 DJ Uiagalelei, 22 in 2022). – Klubnik (41) needing two touchdowns to pass Cullen Harper (42 from 2005-08) for fifth on Clemson’s all-time leaderboard for career passing touchdowns. – Klubnik (5,377) chasing No. 8 DJ Uiagalelei (5,681 from 2020-22), No. 7 Nealon Greene (5,719 from 1994- 97) and No. 6 Cullen Harper (5,762 from 2005-08) on Clemson’s all-time leaderboard for career passing yardage. – Klubnik (773) needing 27 pass attempts to become the eighth player in school history to throw 800 career passes. – Klubnik (497) needing three completions to become the seventh player in Clemson history to throw 500 career completions. – Klubnik (497) needing 22 completions to pass Cullen Harper (518 from 2005-08) to enter the Top 5 in school history in career pass completions. – Klubnik entering the game ranked tied for seventh in the nation in touchdowns responsible for (24 — 20 passing, four rushing). – Klubnik (24) needing one touchdown of any kind (including passing) to record the 14th season in school history in which a player has been responsible for 25 or more touchdowns (all categories including passing). He needs six more combined touchdowns to tie No. 10 Cullen Harper’s 2007 campaign to enter the Top 10 in school history in single-season touchdown responsibility. – Klubnik (51) needing three touchdowns of any kind to pass C.J. Spiller (53) for seventh in school history in career touchdown responsibility. – Klubnik (5,925) needing 75 combined rushing and passing yards to become the ninth player in school history to reach 6,000 career yards of total offense. – Klubnik (5,925) needing 172 combined rushing and passing yards to pass Steve Fuller (6,096 from 1975-78) for eighth in school history in career yards of total offense. – Klubnik (four) needing one more rushing touchdown to set a new single-season career high in rushing touchdowns. – Klubnik (10) chasing No. 9 Homer Jordan (11 from 1979-82) and No. 8 Rodney Williams (12 from 1985- 88) on Clemson’s all-time leaderboard for career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. – Running back (four) Phil Mafah attempting to add to his single-season career high in 100-yard rushing games. – Mafah (2,454) needing 46 rushing yards to become the 13th player in school history to reach 2,500 career rushing yards. – Mafah (2,454) needing 118 rushing yards to pass Buddy Gore (2,571 from 1966-68) for 12th on Clemson’s all-time leaderboard for career rushing yardage. – Mafah attempting to become the first Clemson player to rush for multiple touchdowns in three straight games since Will Shipley across the first three games of the 2022 season. – Mafah (26) needing two rushing touchdowns to tie or three rushing touchdowns to pass Terry Allen (28 from 1987-89) for 10th in school history in career rushing touchdowns. Fred Cone (29 from 1948-50) presently sits in ninth place. – Mafah (26) needing four rushing touchdowns to become the ninth player in school history to score 30 career rushing touchdowns. – Mafah (six) needing four more rushing touchdowns this season to join Travis Etienne (four straight from 2017-20), James Davis (three straight from 2006-08), Will Shipley (2021-22), Wayne Gallman (2015-16), Tajh Boyd (2012-13), Andre Ellington (2010-11), Woodrow Dantzler (2000-01), Travis Zachery (1999-2000) and Terry Allen (1988-89) as the 10th Clemson player since 1960 to post back-to-back seasons with double-digit rushing touchdowns. – Mafah (six) needing four rushing touchdowns to extend Clemson’s streak of consecutive years with at least one player with 10 or more rushing touchdowns to 10 straight years. Clemson’s current nine-year streak is the longest active streak in the nation. – Defensive end T.J. Parker (5.5) needing one sack to surpass his single-season career high set last season (5.5). – Offensive lineman Walker Parks (2,431) needing 69 more offensive snaps to become the 26th Clemson player on record to play at least 2,500 career snaps from scrimmage. Fellow offensive lineman Blake Miller (2,387) needs 113 more snaps from scrimmage to join that group as well. – Tight end Olsen Patt-Henry attempting to become the first Clemson player to catch multiple touchdown passes in back-to-back games since Tee Higgins caught multiple touchdowns in three straight games against Wake Forest, South Carolina and Virginia in 2019. – Wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. (two) attempting to record his third 100-yard receiving game of his debut campaign to join Sammy Watkins (five in 2011), Artavis Scott (four in 2014), DeAndre Hopkins (three in 2010) and Justyn Ross (three in 2018) to become the fifth Clemson true freshman with three or more 100-yard receiving games since the NCAA instituted permanent freshman eligibility in 1972.
– Wesco and T.J. Moore entering the game as one of only two freshman duos nationally with 250 or more receiving yards each. Clemson (Wesco and Moore) and Auburn (Cam Coleman and Malcolm Simmons) are the only teams to have two different freshmen each eclipse 250 receiving yards this season. – Wide receiver Antonio Williams (five) attempting to add to his single-season career high in touchdown receptions. – Linebacker Wade Woodaz (three) seeking to force two more fumbles to match the school record for caused fumbles in a single season (five by Brandon Maye in 2009).
NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER?
After a disappointing season opener in August, Clemson went 3-0 in the month of September and 3-0 in the month of October. Saturday’s game will be Clemson’s first of five November games. Last year, Clemson opened its season 4-4 in September and October, but the Tigers won all four games in the month of November amid their season-ending five-game winning streak. Clemson is 30-4 in games in the month of November since 2015, tied for the second-best November record in the nation.
PRIME TIME IN DEATH VALLEY
Clemson’s 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff against Louisville will be Clemson’s fourth night game of the 2024 season and its 64th night game since the start of the 2015 season. In that time, Clemson is 52-11 in night games, including a 31-8 mark since the start of the 2018 season. Clemson is 3-0 in prime time this season, including a 2-0 mark at home. Clemson has won its last 22 night games in Death Valley, a streak that dates to the middle of the 2013 season. Overall, Clemson is 25-3 under the Death Valley lights in Dabo Swinney’s tenure.
CLEMSON FOLLOWING OPEN DATES
By virtue of the 2024 calendar affording double open dates, Saturday’s game follows the second of Clemson’s two regular-season open dates in 2024. The 2024 season marks Clemson’s fifth year with multiple open dates since 2013, joining the 2013, 2014, 2019 and 2020 seasons. Clemson has played 65 regular season games following open dates since 1953 and has a 44-21 mark in those contests and a 15-3 record in those games since 2011. Clemson is 17-4 under Dabo Swinney in games immediately following regular season open dates.
Duke Blue Devils at Miami Hurricanes
SERIES
• Saturday’s contest will mark the 21st between the two schools with Miami leading the series 15- 5. • In the last meeting, the Blue Devils downed the Hurricanes 45-21 in Miami Gardens on October 22, 2022. Duke forced eight turnovers in that contest with three interceptions and five fumble recoveries. The Blue Devils also held Miami to just 48 rushing yards. Down 7-0 after the first quarter, Duke scored 17 points in the second frame to go up 17-7 at the half. The Hurricanes responded and regained the lead at 21-17 with 13:06 to go in the third quarter. But Duke scored the final 28 points as Miami’s final five drives resulted in a turnover on downs, a fumble or an interception. • Duke has won its last two visits to Miami with the 2022 triumph and a 20-12 victory in 2018. • The Blue Devils have won three of the last five in the series after dropping 12 of the 13 contests from 2005-17.
Duke Blue Devils Notes
OPENING KICKOFF
• Duke opens November with a trip to No. 5 Miami. Kickoff is set for 12 noon on ABC. • The Blue Devils and Hurricanes have met 20 times. From 2009-24, of the 16 games between the two, eight were in November. Miami leads the all-time series 15-5, but Duke has won three of the last five. • Duke head coach Manny Diaz is quite familiar with Miami, spending six seasons with the Hurricanes, three as the head coach (2019-21) and three as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2016-18). During his time at the helm, he coached Miami to three consecutive bowl appearances and tied for the second most ACC wins in the league, trailing only Clemson. • Duke plays four games in November, three on the road. Excluding the 2020 pandemic season, it is the first time the Blue Devils have had just one home tilt in November since 2017, when Duke played just three games within the month. In the last two seasons, Duke has gone a combined 5-3 in November. In the previous six campaigns (2016-21), the Blue Devils were 6-15 during November. • The Blue Devils are looking for a win versus a ranked opponent for a second consecutive season after opening the 2023 campaign with a 28-7 victory against No. 9 Clemson. Duke has not captured wins in back-to-back seasons versus ranked foes since 2015-16. • Against Florida State, Duke became the first FBS team this season to force turnovers on three consecutive offensive plays (interception, fumble and interception). The Blue Devils converted the three turnovers into 17 points. • The following week against No. 22 SMU, Duke forced six turnovers, two on consecutive plays in the second quarter and three total during the fourth quarter. • In their last two games, the Blue Devil defense has forced 10 turnovers. Duke stands tied for second nationally in turnovers gained with 19, the most among P4 schools. The Blue Devils also rank third nationally in turnover margin at +1.50 per game.
RANKED OPPONENTS
• The Blue Devils are 29-151-6 all-time against Associated Press ranked opponents. • Duke opened the 2023 season with a 28-7 victory against No. 9 Clemson for its first win versus a ranked foe since downing No. 15 North Carolina 28-27 on November 10, 2016. • Duke faced five ranked foes in 2023, its most in a year since taking on five in 1993.
BLUE DEVILS VERSUS THE TOP 10
• Duke will take on its first top-10 opponent since dropping a 38-20 decision at No. 4 Florida State on October 21, 2023. • In program history, the Blue Devils own an 11- 62-4 record when taking on a team ranked in the Associated Press top 10. • Duke has never defeated a team within the top three.
6-2 OR BETTER
• Duke enters Saturday with a 6-2 record, marking the first time since 2015 having six wins in the team’s first eight games. • The Blue Devils are a combined 16-8 during the first eight games of the last three seasons. From 2019-21, Duke was nearly an exact opposite of 9-15 during its first eight games of those years.
SIX WINS ALREADY
• The Blue Devils own three consecutive seasons with six or more victories, a first for the program since a four-year stretch in 2012-13-14-15. • The Blue Devils have won six or more games in nine of the last 13 seasons. From 1972-2011, 40 seasons, the program had six total campaigns with six or more victories. >> Duke reached bowl eligibility in the second fastest time span in program history. The 1994 team recorded its sixth win on October 15. The 2014 squad also won its sixth game on October 18.
Miami Hurricanes Notes
North Carolina Tar Heels at Florida State Seminoles
INSIDE THE SERIES
OVERALL: FSU leads 17-3-1
Last Time: FSU 35, UNC 25, 2021
Current Streak: FSU won 2
North Carolina Tar Heels Notes
KEY STORYLINES
• Florida State’s lone win of the 2024 season was at home against Cal, and the Seminoles hold a 9-2-1 all-time advantage against Carolina in Tallahassee. The last time UNC won against FSU, though, was on the road in 2016. • The Tar Heels snapped their losing skid in a big way last weekend, exploding for a 41-14 road win over Virginia, the third time they’ve scored 40 or more points this season and the fifth time they’ve reached the 30-point mark in 2024. Carolina now ranks 30th in the nation with 33.9 points per game and 28th with 442.4 yards of total offense per contest. • The UNC defense held Virginia in check all day, holding the Cavaliers to just seven rushing yards and 14 points. The Heels had a season-high 10 sacks, which were the most by a Carolina team since 2000. JOver the last five NFL Drafts, UNC’s 18 draft picks are tied for the second most among ACC schools. Carolina and Pitt are tied at 18 behind Clemson’s 26 selections. Florida State is fourth in the league with 17. • Carolina set a program record four-year APR rate of 996, which was 14 points higher than the previous best set last year. UNC’s 996 is the highest rate of any football program in the ACC and is tied for third in the Power 4 with Northwestern. • Under head coach Mack Brown, the Tar Heels are 49-2 when they score 40-plus points and 74-10 when they score 30-plus points. • Since Mack Brown returned to take over the UNC program in 2019, Carolina owns a 42-31 overall record. Eighteen of the 31 losses have been by seven points or less with four setbacks coming in overtime. • Carolina has had a rusher go for 100 or more yards in each of its first eight games, Omarion Hampton against Minnesota, NC Central, JMU, Duke, Pitt, Georgia Tech, and Virginia, and Davion Gause against Charlotte.
Florida State Seminoles Notes
NOTES TO KNOW
• Florida State returns home for its ACC finale against North Carolina on Saturday afternoon. FSU is the first team in the country to play its entire conference schedule and is the only team to play a conference opponent in eight of its first nine games in 2024. • The Seminoles have won eight straight games in November after posting perfect 4-0 records in both 2022 and 2023, improving head coach Mike Norvell’s career record in the final month of the regular season to 24-5 (.828) • Florida State is the only team in the ACC and one of two nationally with a kickoff return touchdown in each of the last three seasons. Samuel Singleton Jr., extended FSU’s streak to three straight years with a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown to open the second half at Duke. Last year, Deuce Spann had a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown at home against the Blue Devils, and in 2022 Trey Benson recorded FSU’s first kickoff return touchdown since the 2013 season when he returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a score against Boston College. • The Seminoles are tied for 1st in the nation with five blocked kicks this season, courtesy of four field goals and one punt block, after blocking one field goal vs. Cal, one at SMU and two vs. Clemson and adding a punt block at Duke. Florida State is one of only two teams in the country to block at least one kick in four different games against FBS opponents, and its four-game streak with at least one blocked kick between the SMU and Duke games is the longest nationally this season. FSU’s 14 blocked kicks under Mike Norvell are tied for 6th nationally and tied for 2nd among P4 conference programs since the start of the 2020 season. • Florida State ranks 1st in the country with a net punting average of 46.58 yards per punt. Alex Mastromanno’s average of 49.6 yards per punt is 1st nationally, and Mastromanno also leads the country in 50+-yard punts with 21. He has by far the most 50- yard punts with one or fewer touchbacks this season as the next-closest punter has 15. • Ryan Fitzgerald is the only kicker in the country with four made field goals from at least 52 yards. He is one of five kickers with four 50-yard field goals in 2024 and the third kicker in FSU history with at least four 50-yard field goals in a single season. He’s one of five kickers nationally still perfect on field-goals with at least nine attempts this season. • Florida State held Duke to 70 passing yards, recording a season-high eight pass breakups, and 180 yards of total offense. The passing yards total is the fewest allowed by an ACC team against a P4 conference opponent this season, and the Seminoles’ pass breakups total was their highest since registering 10 in the 2023 ACC Championship Game victory. • Florida State registered 7.0 sacks in the win over Cal, its most in a game since also having 7.0 in the 2023 ACC Championship Game and the most allowed by the Bears in a game since October 19, 2019. That sack total is also the 2nd-most by an ACC team against an FBS opponent this season and tied for the 9th-highest single-game sacks total nationally in 2024. • Ten Florida State players have made their first collegiate start in 2024. Linebacker Blake Nichelson has started five games, and wide receiver Hykeem Williams has made five consecutive starts. Defensive back K.J. Kirkland has started five of the last six games, and offensive lineman Jaylen Early has also started five games this season. Tight end Landen Thomas has started three straight games. Offensive lineman André Otto made his first start vs. Clemson and started again at Duke. Linebacker Justin Cryer made his first two career starts at Duke and at Miami. Wide receiver Jalen Brown started the first two games of the season, while tight ends Brian Courtney and Jackson West made their first career starts vs. Memphis. • Recipient of 2023 Dodd Trophy and Bryant Award national Coach of the Year recognitions • 8th coach to win both in 38 seasons since Bryant Award was established in 1986 and 2nd in last 20 years • 2023 ACC & AFCA Region I Coach of the Year » Finalist for 2023 Eddie Robinson & George Munger Coach of the Year awards • Led FSU to 16th ACC title and 5th ACC Championship Game victory with 16-6 win over No. 14 Louisville • Completed 7th unbeaten regular season in program history and led FSU to 3rd 13-win season (2013, 2014) • 3rd coach to lead Florida State to multiple 10-win seasons. Responsible for the 25th and 26th 10-win seasons in program history, and in 2022 authored FSU’s first 10-win season since 2016 • Produced 40 All-ACC selections in the last two years, including a program-record 25 on the 2023 All-ACC team • Tied for 16th all-time and 5th among active head coaches with four conference championship game appearances » FSU led the ACC in scoring in 2022 and 2023, the first team to have the ACC’s best scoring offense in consecutive seasons since 2018-20 • FSU was the only team in the country to lead its conference in total offense and total defense in 2022 • Has coached 35 NFL Draft picks, 20 All-Americans – including 12 first-team selections – five conference Players of the Year, one conference Rookie of the Year and 108 all-conference recognitions • Only coach in ACC history to defeat a top-5 team in his first season in the conference (31-28 win vs. No. 5 North Carolina on Oct. 17, 2020) • One of only three FBS head coaches to produce a top-7 rushing offense (4th, 2018) and a top-7 passing offense (7th, 2017) since 2016 • One of five FBS head coaches to oversee multiple top-4 total offenses (4th in 2017 and 2018) since 2016 • 29 of Norvell’s pupils have been selected in the last eight NFL Drafts, including first-round picks Jared Verse in 2024 and Jermaine Johnson II in 2022 • Named Florida State’s 11th full-time head football coach on Dec. 8, 2019 • 71.7 winning percentage at Memphis is the highest in program history • Won the 2019 American Athletic Conference championship and a spot in the New Year’s Six Cotton Bowl • In 2019, led Memphis to a school-record 12 wins and its first outright conference championship since 1969
Stanford Cardinal at North Carolina State Wolfpack
THE GAME
• This will mark the first meeting between NC State and Stanford.
Stanford Cardinal Notes
THE OPENING KICKOFF
• For the fourth time in the last seven weeks, Stanford plays in the Eastern Time Zone this Saturday as the Cardinal takes on the NC State Wolfpack in Raleigh at 12 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT). • Following Saturday’s game at Carter-Finley Stadium, Stanford will spend the final four weeks of the season in the Bay Area with a bye week, one home game, and road games at California and San Jose State. • Stanford is looking to snap a five-game losing streak, with four of those losses coming in ACC play. The last win for the Cardinal was its inaugural ACC game at Syracuse on Sept. 20. • The Stanford defense has been significantly better at forcing defenses into mistakes in year two under Willie Shaw Director of Defense Bobby April. The Cardinal has forced 12 turnovers through eight games, compared to just 11 during the entire 2023 season. Stanford also has two defensive touchdowns in 2024, the first time since 2019 that Stanford’s defense has recorded multiple defensive touchdowns in a season. • This year’s Cardinal team is one of the most aggressive in the country. Stanford has gone for it on fourth down 25 times, tied for the fifth most in FBS. The 13 successful fourth-down conversions are tied for ninth-most in the country. • Stanford has struggled early in recent ACC games. In the last four conference contests, Stanford has trailed 17-0 (at No. 17 Clemson), 21-0 (Virginia Tech and No. 21 SMU) and 14-0 (Wake Forest). Despite the early struggles, Stanford scored 17 points in the first half against Wake Forest, tied for the most the Cardinal has put up in the first half of a game this year. • Young players have been making an impact for the Cardinal all season long. Two freshman running backs have over 260 yards (Micah Ford and Chris Davis Jr.). 80.7% of the team’s receiving yards are from underclassmen, the highest mark in college football. Redshirt sophomore Elic Ayomanor is the team’s leading receiver with 42 receptions for 484 yards and four touchdowns. • Continuing on the theme of youth, 14 different Cardinal have made their first collegiate starts in 2024. That is tied for the eighth most in FBS and leads the ACC.
THE MATCHUP
• Stanford and NC State meet for the first time in program history on Saturday. • This is the fourth time in the last seven weeks that Stanford plays in the Eastern Time Zone. That is the most times Stanford has played in the Eastern Time Zone in a single season in program history. • The last time Stanford played a game that kicked off prior to 12:00 pm PT was the 2018 Sun Bowl against Pittsburgh, the team’s most recent appearance in a bowl game. That game kicked off at 11:00 am PT. The last time Stanford kicked off at noon local time or earlier was also in 2018, a home game against UC Davis that began at 11:00 am PT. • Saturday is the second game in a row for NC State against Bay Area schools. Prior to NC State’s bye week, they played at California and won 24-23 after the Golden Bears missed a game-winning field goal in the final two minutes of the game.
CRANKING UP THE PRESSURE
Stanford’s defense has started wreaking havoc on opposing offenses in recent weeks, with big plays becoming a regular occurrence. Over the last two games, the Cardinal has recorded seven sacks and that helped them force five turnovers. With three sacks against SMU and four more against Wake Forest, Stanford has three or more sacks in consecutive games for the first time since its games against Colorado and UCLA last October. Against Wake Forest, Stanford had multiple players record at least 1.5 sacks. Tobin Phillips was a game wrecker at defensive tackle, with a career-high 2.5 sacks, a season-high for any Stanford player. Tevarua Tafiti also posted a career-high in sacks with 1.5 In the first six games of the season, Stanford was only able to generate nine sacks, nearly doubling its total in the final two games of October.
SCOOP ‘N SCORE
An early momentum-changer against Wake Forest came from Tevarua Tafiti. The edge rusher recorded a strip-sack of Hank Bachmeier, picked up the loose ball and ran it back 44 yards for a Stanford touchdown, tying the game 14-14 in the second quarter. Tafiti’s defensive touchdown is the first of his career and the second of the season for Stanford’s defense. It is the first fumble recovery for a touchdown by the Cardinal since Jonathan McGill did so at No. 17 UCF on Sept. 14, 2019.
GIVE ME THAT!
Stanford has shown a knack for taking the ball away from the opposition in 2024. With two more turnovers forced against Wake Forest, Stanford’s defense has 12 turnovers in eight games after producing just 11 during the entire 2023 season. Tied for 44th in the country in turnovers forced, Stanford also is tied for 18th in fumbles recovered with six. Not only have they forced turnovers, but Stanford has scored two defensive touchdowns this season. It is the first time Stanford has had multiple defensive touchdowns since 2019 and the first time with both a fumble and interception return for a touchdown in the same season since 2016.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN
Despite the defense creating more turnovers, the offense has struggled to take care of the football. Stanford has a -4 turnover margin with 16 turnovers lost on the season. Only six teams in the country have turned the ball over more times than Stanford.
RARE FRESHMAN AIR
Stanford has seen a freshman start at virtually every position on offense in 2024. Some program history was made last Saturday against Wake Forest with Elijah Brown starting under center at quarterback. Only one other team in the nation has started a true freshman at both quarterback and running back in the same game. In Week 8, Florida started DJ Lagway at quarterback and Jaden Baugh at running back, becoming the first team to start a true freshman at both positions. The last time a true freshman started at quarterback for the Cardinal was Ari Patu in 2021 against Oregon State. Brown joins Patu and John Paye (1983) as the only true freshmen to start at quarterback in the history of Stanford football. Paye is the only true freshman quarterback to win a game for the Cardinal.
FRESHMAN FLAVOR
2023 was a season of development for the Cardinal. 20 players made their collegiate debuts in 2023 and 18 made their first career starts. Stanford had 2,112 snaps taken by freshmen in Coach Taylor’s first season on The Farm, the seventh most freshmen snaps in the FBS. Four ACC teams were included on the list, including the top three teams: Clemson, South Carolina, and Miami. So far in 2024, 2,165 snaps have been taken by Stanford freshmen, already more than a season ago. 15 true freshmen have made their collegiate debuts in 2024. This puts Stanford among one of the youngest teams in 2024. 14 different players have made their first collegiate starts this season for the Cardinal, which is tied for eighth in the country among first-time starters and is the most in the ACC.
RESTED OUT WEST
In the first year of the new ACC scheduling model, bye weeks play a prominent role for the two West Coast schools heading east, and for East Coast schools heading west. That is apparent in Stanford’s 2024 schedule, with five of the Cardinal’s 12 opponents coming off a bye week prior to facing Stanford. Syracuse, Notre Dame, SMU, NC State, and Louisville all have bye weeks prior to games against Stanford. Stanford’s bye weeks match up with two of those opponents (Syracuse, Louisville).
North Carolina State Wolfpack Notes
QUICK HITTERS
• Head coach Dave Doeren is in his 12th season at NC State – tied for the sixth longest tenure among current FBS coaches. • Quarterback CJ Bailey became the first Wolfpack true freshman since 2000 (Philip Rivers) to throw for 300+ yards in a game vs. Syracuse. He has thrown for 300+ in each of the past two games. • NC State has allowed just one kickoff return this season – that’s the second-best mark in the FBS. • Punter Caden Noonkester has dropped 13 punts inside the opponent 20 yard line this season and has 12 50+ yard punts. • Ten Wolfpack players were on the preseason watch lists for 15 national awards. • Each of the Wolfpack’s position coaches returned for the 2024 season. The defensive staff is now entering its fifth season together. • Four players on the Wolfpack offense have all played against NC State previously in their careers. • Quarterback Grayson McCall, who started four games for the Wolfpack this season, announced last week that his football career has ended. • Since the beginning of the 2021 season, only one other P4 school has picked off more passes than the Wolfpack. NC State has tallied 57 interceptions in the 2021, ‘22, ‘23 and ‘24 seasons combined. • NC State leads the nation in consecutive PATs made. The Wolfpack hasn’t missed an extra point since the regular season finale of the 2017 season – 273 straight. No other school has a streak within 50 kicks of the Wolfpack’s • The Wolfpack has scored three defensive touchdowns this season – two by safety DK Kaufman. • The Wolfpack has sold out 19 straight home games (including this week’s vs. Stanford) – the longest sellout streak in school history. The final home game vs. Duke is also sold out, which will run the streak to 20. • NC State has won 26 of its last 32 games in Carter-Finley Stadium (14 of its last 19 at vs. ACC opponents).
FINISHING STRONG
The Wolfpack entered its bye week with some momentum after a hard-earned win at Cal. Head coach Dave Doeren hopes that his squad will use the 2023 campaign as a pattern to finish the season strong. A year ago, NC State won its last five games to finish the regular season 8-4. It marked the first five-game conference winning streak in 50 years. The Wolfpack has now won five straight league games in a single season just four times, posting a perfect 6-0 slate in ACC play in 1973, and winning five straight league matchups in 1967, 1968 and 2023. The Wolfpack has qualified for bowls in nine of the past 10 seasons. That is tied as the second-best mark in the ACC in that time frame (Clemson has qualified for bowls in 10 straight years and Miami is tied with the Pack for bowl bids in nine of the past 10 years).
Pittsburgh Panthers at SMU Mustangs
PITT-SMU HISTORY IN BRIEF
Series Began: 1938 Series Overall: SMU leads 3-2-1 ACC Series: First meeting At Pittsburgh: Pitt leads 2-1-1 At SMU: First meeting At Neutral Sites: SMU leads 2-0 Last Meeting: Jan. 7, 2012 (SMU 28, Pitt 6 BBVA Compass Bowl) Last Meeting at SMU: First meeting Current Streak: SMU has won 3 Longest Pitt Series Win Streak: 1 game (twice) Longest SMU Series Win Streak: 3 games Largest Pitt Victory Margin: 27 points (34-7, 1938) Largest SMU Victory Margin: 22 points (28-6, BBVA Compass)
Pittsburgh Panthers Notes
GAME STORYLINES
• Pitt is 7-0 for the first time since 1982. The Panthers last started 8-0 in 1981. • The Panthers are 3-0 in ACC play for the first time since their 2021 championship season. Pitt’s last 4-0 ACC start was in 2015. • This marks Pitt’s first-ever game at SMU. The teams have met six prior times, the initial four played in Pittsburgh and the latter two occurring in bowl games. • The 2024 game also marks the first ACC contest between the schools. SMU is in its inaugural ACC season after previously competing in the American Athletic Conference. • The defense has spearheaded Pitt’s past two victories. The Panthers yielded an average of only 14 points and totaled 10 sacks and five interceptions in defeating Cal and Syracuse. • Pitt is tied for the national lead with four interceptions returned for touchdowns. • Pitt is averaging 40.9 points per game, its highest scoring clip since the 2021 ACC champion Panthers averaged a school-record 41.4. • Redshirt freshman Eli Holstein is the first Pitt QB to win his initial seven career starts since Dan Marino accomplished the feat over the 1979-80 seasons. • Holstein has thrown 17 TDs, tied with Alex Van Pelt (1989) for the most by a Pitt freshman. • Desmond Reid ranks third nationally and first in the ACC with an average of 160.17 all-purpose yards per game. • Lou Groza Award candidate Ben Sauls has made a Pitt-record 14 consecutive field goals. That streak includes kicks of 58, 57, 53 and 50 yards
SMU Mustangs Notes
SETTING THE SCENE
• SMU returns home for the first time in over a month for a top-20 matchup against Pitt on Saturday at 7 PM CT on the ACC Network. • This is just the second Top-20 matchup in Ford Stadium history, and the first since 2020. • The Mustangs have averaged 42.0 points per game during the current five-game winning streak. • Club Takeaway continues to be in business this season, forcing 17 turnovers this season, the eighth most in the nation. • The Mustangs have forced at least one turnover in six of the past seven games and in 16 of the past 18 contests dating back to 2023. • SMU recorded a thrilling victory on the road against Duke last week, with Jahfari Harvey blocking the Blue Devils’ game-winning field goal attempt and the Mustang defense stopping Duke two-point conversion attempt for the win in overtime. • SMU’s 4-0 start in conference play is a first for a team jumping into a Power-4/5 conference from a Group of Five in their first season, no other team has started 2-0.
QUICK HITS
• SMU is 27-5 at home in Ford Stadium since 2019. • SMU’s defense has continued to force turnovers this year, ranking eighth in the country with 17 turnovers gained, along with being second in defensive touchdowns with four. • The Mustangs have had at least seven receivers catch a pass in 24 of the past 25 games. • Brashard Smith has made an impact in 2024, ranking 10th in all-purpose yards per game with 140.6. • Collin Rogers has tallied 14 field goals this season, which is tied for ninth in the nation. • Rogers leads the nation in field goals made longer than 50 yards with six. • Kevin Jennings sits eighth nationally in passing yards per completion (14.5), and 11th in yards per pass attempt (9.3). • Jennings leads the ACC in passing efficiency rating at 174.0 in conference games only. • SMU’s 50 wins in the last six years are the most by any FBS Texas team. In addition, the Mustangs have won 23 of those on the road, tops for any team in the state since 2019. • The Mustangs are 16-2 in their last 18 games, and 15-1 in their last 16 regular season contests. • Rhett Lashlee boasts a 17-3 conference record in his career. His record in his first 20 league games on the Hilltop is the best in SMU history. • SMU has posted a record of 22-1 during Lashlee’s three seasons in charge when they score 30 or more points in a game and have won 20 straight when hitting the magic number.
THE SERIES
• This the sixth meeting of all time, first since 2011. SMU leads the series 3-2-1. • SMU has never hosted the Panthers, but the two teams met in the 1983 Cotton Bowl with the Mustangs taking a 7-3 victory.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS
• Pittsburgh enters the game with an unblemished 7-0 record on the year, 3-0 in the ACC. • Three of Pitt’s wins have came by four points or less this season. • Last week, Pittsburgh defeated Syracuse 41-13 at home. The Panthers forced five Orange turnovers and had two pick sixes in the first half of the rout.
FIREWORKS IN FORD
• SMU has been explosive on offense in Ford Stadium in its last 12 home games, scoring 607 points. • The Mustangs are averaging SMU is averaging 50.5 points per game during the 12-game span dating back in 2022.
JENNINGS AS QB1
• This season, Jennings has gone 110-171 passing for 1,594 yards and 10 touchdowns. In addition, he has recorded 321 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. • Since Jennings has taken over as the starter at quarterback in week 4, he has posted a 92.0 offensive grade by PFF, tied for the highest by any offensive player amongst all Power 5 teams (70 teams) (Min. 50 snaps). • Jennings has the highest passer efficiency rating in conference games only at 174.0. • Jennings career day against Stanford resulted in career highs in passing yards (322) and passing touchdowns (3). • He was named by the Davey O’Brien Foundation a Great 8 quarterback for week 8.
LUCKY NUMBER 30
• SMU has posted a record of 22-1 during Lashlee’s three seasons in charge when they score 30 or more points in a game. • The Mustangs currently have an 20-game winning streak when they hit the magic number.
CAPITALIZING OFF TAKEAWAYS
• SMU is +53 in points off turnovers this season.
PROTECT THE ASSET
• The Mustangs continued to provide elite protection for their quarterbacks to start the 2024 campaign. • Through eight games this season, the Mustangs have given up nine sacks, ranking third in the ACC.
CLUB TAKEAWAY
• Club Takeaway is back and open for business again in 2024. • In the victory against TCU, the Mustangs forced a season-high five turnovers, the most since 2016 against ECU. • SMU has forced a turnover in 16 of the past 18 games, 38 of the past 48 games, 47 of the past 58 games and 67 of the past 80 games.
Virginia Tech Hokies at Syracuse Orange
SERIES HISTORY
• Saturday’s game will be the 21st all-time meeting between Syracuse and Virginia Tech. • The Orange have won four-of-the-last-six against the Hokies and own an 11-9 advantage in the series. • Syracuse and Virginia Tech met every year from 1992-2003 when both were members of The BIG EAST Conference. After meeting just once in the Orange’s first eight years in the ACC, the teams will meet for the third time since 2021. • The Hokies will make their first trip to the JMA Dome since 2016.
Virginia Tech Hokies Notes
MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
NOV. 2 at SYRACUSE
• Saturday’s meeting between the Hokies and Orange will be the 21st overall meeting between the two teams in a series that dates to 1964.. • Virginia Tech is 9-11 against Syracuse all-time, including a 2-8 mark in games played in Syracuse, including a 2-7 mark at the JMA Wireless Dome. • The home team has won 15 of the 20 games in the series. • The Hokies’ last win at Syracuse was on Oct. 21, 2000, when Michael Vick led Tech to a 22-14 win. • Tech beat the Orange 38-10 last season in Blacksburg. • Syracuse and Virginia Tech spent more than a decade as heavyweights of the old BIG EAST conference, meeting annually from 1992-2003. The Hokies & Orange split those 12 games 6-6. • The two teams have met just three times as ACC members. • Six players on the Orange roster call the Commonwealth of Virginia home: WR Umari Hatcher (Woodbridge, Va.), K Jackson Kennedy (Aldie, Va.), OL Joshua Miller (Chesterfield, Va.), K Jadyn Oh (Chantilly, Va.), LB Anwar Sparrow (Virginia Beach, Va.), and TE Elijah Washington-Baker (Norfolk, Va.)
LAST TIME OUT
• Virginia Tech is coming off its 21-6 victory against Georgia Tech – the Hokies’ third straight win. • Syracuse is 5-2 (2-2 ACC), coming off its 41-13 loss at Pitt.
DRONES FOR THREE
• QB Kyron Drones threw his 10th touchdown pass of the season to Benji Gosnell in the second quarter against Georgia Tech. He followed that up by hauling in a 6-yard TD catch from Jaylin Lane on a reverse and added a 1-yard touchdown run, giving him a receiving touchdown, a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown in the same game. • Drones is the first player since 1985 to record a touchdown passing, rushing, and receiving in the same game. • The last time a player scored a touchdown three different ways in a game was André Davis in 2000 against West Virginia. In that game, Davis scored on a 30-yard rush, a 64-yard reception and a 76-yard punt return.
IN THE FAST LANE
• WR Jaylin Lane’s touchdown toss to Drones now gives him a touchdown by passing, rushing, receiving and punt return this season. • The four different touchdowns ties him with DeAngelo Hall and Tony Kennedy for most different ways of scoring a touchdown in a single season. DeAngelo Hall had a rushing, receiving, fumble return and three punt return touchdowns in 2003 while Tony Kennedy had a passing, receiving, kick return and three rushing touchdowns in 1992. • Lane is one of four ACC players in the last 20 years to register scores passing, rushing, receiving, and by punt return, joining Clemson’s C.J. Spiller (2009) and Jacoby Ford (2009), along with Miami’s Graig Cooper (2008).
GOSNELL BROTHERS MAKING PLAYS
• TE Benji Gosnell registered his second touchdown catch of the season against Georgia Tech and recorded a career-high in receptions (5) against the Yellow Jackets. • The Pilot Mountain, North Carolina product has recorded at least four receptions in each of the past two contests. • The redshirt sophomore was wide open for a 20-yard catch and run for the Hokies’ first score and corralled the longest reception of his career for 31 yards. • Benji’s brother Stephen continues to be a dependable target for Drones, hauling in a 28-yard reception on a flea flicker in the third quarter to set up a score. •Stephen now has 19 receptions this season for 344 yards and a touchdown.
DEFENSIVE STOPS
• The Lunch Pail Defense stopped Georgia Tech four times on fourth down last Saturday. The four stops tie for the most by the Tech defense since 1987. The other times were against Boston College in 1996 (1-5) and North Carolina in 2014 (0-4) & 2016 (0-4).
JENKINS THRIVING AT STAR
• STAR Keonta Jenkins tallied a team-high 10 tackles against Georgia Tech, including two tackles for loss along with a quarterback hurry. • The grad student from Jacksonville delivered a huge hit on a critical fourth down in the red zone late in the game. The TFL allowed the Hokies to maintain momentum and preserve the win. • Jenkins now has 36 tackles on the season (23 solo, 4 TFLs), an interception and a quarterback hurry.
KELLER BREAKS OUT
• LB Jaden Keller got the start against Georgia Tech registering eight tackles to go with a pass breakup. That followed up the best outing of his career against Boston College, when he recorded a career-high 10 tackles. • The junior from Bristol, Tennessee is now tied with Caleb Woodson for the team lead in tackles (47). Keller also has two quarterback hurries, a breakup and a fumble recovery.
THRIVING ON TAKEAWAYS
• Tech’s defense has had a knack for forcing turnovers this season. The Hokies have registered 14 takeaways through eight games, ranking in a tie for 25th in the country in that category. • Last Saturday, LB Keli Lawson registered the third interception of his career, his second against Georgia Tech, and the first this season, while S Jaylen Jones tallied the first interception of his career in the closing minutes to seal the 21-6 victory. • Since 2012, the Hokies have a record of 58-12 when wining the turnover battle for an 82.8 winning percentage.
MOSE HAS A NOSE FOR THE FOOTBALL
• As a true sophomore, Mose Phillips has been a tackling machine for defensive coordinator Chris Marve’s defense. • After leading the team with double-digit (11) tackles against Rutgers, the Nashville, Tennessee native showcased his ball-hawking ability against Miami and Stanford. Phillips recorded his first career interception against the Hurricanes and followed that up with a forced fumble against the Cardinal. • Phillips has 45 tackles this season (22 solo) through eight games. He also has a forced fumble and two pass breakups
MOORE GETTING HIS KICKS
• Redshirt senior punter Peter Moore has made quite the impact on field position in recent weeks. • The Davidsonville, Maryland product punted 10 times against Georgia Tech for 490 yards, averaging 49 yards per punt, placing five punts inside the 20-yard line. • Moore’s 490 yards punting is the second most punting yards in a game for a Tech player behind A.J. Hughes’ 586 yards against Alabama in 2013. • Half of his punts were 50-plus yards including 57, 57, 54, 53 and 51 yards. • Moore is now second in the ACC in punting, averaging 45.8 yards per kick, and he is one of two Hokies, along with Hughes, to surpass 10,000 punting yards for his career.
SCORING STEAK IS ALIVE
• The 21 points against Georgia Tech marked the 378th consecutive game during which Virginia Tech has scored. • The Hokies are in fourth place on both the all-time and active streak lists.
Syracuse Orange Notes
OPENING DRIVE
ORANGE RETURN HOME TO FACE VIRGINIA TECH
• Syracuse will play its first home game in more than a month when it hosts Virginia Tech. • The game will air on The CW, with Thom Brennaman (PxP), Max Browne (analyst) and Treavor Scales (reporter) on the call. • Saturday is Orange Central/Homecoming for Syracuse at the JMA Wireless Dome.
DOME SWEET DOME
• Syracuse returns to the JMA Wireless Dome Saturday for the first time since hosting Holy Cross on Sept. 28. • The Orange completed a 35-day stretch without a game played in the JMA Dome. • It marks the second-straight year that Syracuse did not play a home game in October and go 30+ days between home games. • Prior to the 2023 season, the last Ɵ me the Orange did not have a home game in the month of October was in 2008 when two byes and two road games accounted for the stretch. MCCORD RISING • QB Kyle McCord is already puƫting his name in the Syracuse record book seven games into his ‘Cuse career. • He recorded a career-high 385 yards passing against Holy Cross to become the first Orange quarterback to throw for 300 yards in four-straight games. He extended the streak to seven with 321 yards at Pittsburgh. It marks the first time a ‘Cuse quarterback has thrown for 300 yards in seven games in a season, bettering Ryan Nassib’s previous record of six in 2012. • McCord ranks second in the nation in passing yards per game, averaging 354.4 per contest. In addition, he leads the nation in completions per game (31.43). • McCord is just the third ‘Cuse quarterback to record seven or more 300-yard passing performances in his career. Eric Dungey holds the school career record for 300-yard passing games (12). • McCord’s 2,481 yards passing is the highest total for a ‘Cuse quarterback through the first seven games of a season in program history.
LAST TIME VS. VIRGINIA TECH
• Virginia Tech scored on its first six possessions on its way to a 38-10 victory over Syracuse in Blacksburg. • QB Garrett Shrader was 12-of-18 for 137 yards and one touchdown. • TE Dan Villari and WR Damien Alford had four catches each. Alford finished with 40 yards, while Villari had 37. • Hokies’ RB Bhayshul Tuten ran for 118 yards on 18 carries, helping Virginia Tech record 528 yards of offense. • LB Marlowe Wax led the Syracuse defense with 14 tackles, including two sacks.
A WIN WOULD …
• Make the Orange bowl eligible for the third-consecutive year for the first time since Syracuse played in five-straight bowls from 1995-99. • Give the Orange a 3-2 record in league play. It would match ‘Cuse’s best mark through five league games since joining the ACC in 2013. • Give Syracuse its 760th all-Ɵ me victory (includes 11 wins from 2004-06 that were vacated by the NCAA). The Orange currently rank 21st on the FBS ledger of winningest programs. Syracuse is one of 34 FBS schools to have accumulated 700+ wins.
HOMECOMING HISTORY
• Dating back to 1949, the Orange are 43-30 (.589) all-Ɵ me in Orange Central/Homecoming games. • The record does not include the 1979 season when Syracuse University did not sponsor Homecoming Weekend due to the construction of the Dome or the 2020 campaign when fans were not permitted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. • Syracuse is 12-15 (.444) against conference opponents on Homecoming, including a 3-5 mark against ACC foes since joining the league in 2013. • Syracuse’s longest Homecoming winning streak is 16 games (1951-66). • Colgate is Syracuse’s most frequent Homecoming foe. The Orange have hosted the Raiders 14 times during Homecoming Weekend, including 13 straight seasons from 1949-61.
ACC NOTES
AROUND THE ACC
• Boston College: The Eagles’ Donovan Ezeiruaku has proven himself to be one of the premiere pass rushers and defensive linemen in the nation. Added to the Bednarik Award watch list, Ezeiruaku ranks fifth nationally with an average of 1.13 sacks per game and sixth in tackles-for-loss per game at 1.5 TFLs per game.
• California: The Golden Bears’ Fernando Mendoza has been playing lights out the last few weeks, including passing for a career-high 364 yards in a blowout win over Oregon State last week. Over the last three games, Mendoza has completed 71 percent of his passes in each of those contests and totaled three touchdowns compared to no interceptions. This season, Mendoza ranks 16th nationally with a 68.5 completion percentage and 15th in total passing yards with 2,095 overall.
• Clemson: The Tigers have run out to a 5-0 start in ACC play and have done it in a big way, averaging 42.0 points per game which ranks fourth in all of FBS. In ACC play, the Tigers have outscored their conference opponents by a 225-107 mark (+118), good for an average margin of victory of 23.6 points per game. Clemson has the third-highest point differential in conference play in the nation this season, trailing only 7-0 Army and 8-0 Indiana.
• Duke: The Blue Devils’ defense continues to be one of the best in the nation. In their last two games, the defense has forced 10 turnovers. Duke ranks second nationally in takeaways with 19, the most among all Power 4 schools, and leads the nation in fumbles recovered with 10. The Blue Devils also rank third nationally in turnover margin at +1.50 per game. The defense also ranks in the top 15 nationally in tackles-for-loss (2nd), team passing efficiency defense (8th), third-down conversion percentage defense (11th) and passing defense (13th).
• Florida State: Punter Alex Mastromanno became Florida State’s all-time leader in punting, recording three punts for 154 yards, a 51.3 average. For his career, Mastromanno is FSU’s leader with 10,478 punt yards and a career punting average leader at 44.6. Mastromanno leads the country with a punting average of 49.6 yards this season.
• Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets’ defense shined in the loss to Virginia Tech, registering a season-high 11.0 tackles-for-loss. Georgia Tech held the Virginia Tech offense to just 233 yards of offense, more than 124 yards below the Hokies’ season average of 357.4 yards per game entering the contest. The 233 yards were the fewest that Georgia Tech has allowed against an NCAA Division I FBS opponent since holding Clemson to 190 in a 28-6 win in 2014. The 233 yards were the fewest that Georgia Tech has allowed in a true road game since it held Virginia to 198 total yards in a 34-9 win in 2009.
• Louisville: The Cardinals are 2-3 in one-score games this season after coming from behind for a 31-27 victory over Boston College last Friday night. Louisville also won by one score 24-20 at Virginia on October 12. Louisville has lost one-score contests to three nationally ranked opponents this season, falling 31-24 to No. 8 Notre Dame; 34-27 to No. 20 SMU and 52-45 to No. 5 Miami. Last year in Brohm’s first season at the helm, the Cardinals went 5-1 in one-score games — the only loss being a 38-31 home loss to in-state rival Kentucky in the regular-season finale.
• Miami: The Hurricanes’ running back Damien Martinez, the ACC Running Back of the Week, recorded a season-high 148 yards and two touchdowns on 15 attempts on the ground, averaging 9.9 yards per carry, in the Miami home win over Florida State. The transfer running back is coming into form as of late, as Martinez has found the end zone four times over the last three games and has scored seventh touchdowns over the past five games.
• North Carolina: The Tar Heels’ defense exploded for 10.0 sacks in the road win at Virginia last week, matching the most sacks by a team in a single game this season (Ole Miss). The 10 sacks were the most since sacking Wake Forest 10 times in 2000. Returning from injury, Kaimon Rucker led the way with 3.0 sacks, while Beau Atkinson added of his own. Five other Tar Heel defenders add one sack apiece.
• NC State: The Wolfpack will take on the Stanford Cardinal for the first time ever on Saturday afternoon, as NC State returns home to CarterFinley Stadium following an open week. NC State has won 26 of its last 32 games in Carter-Finley Stadium, including 14 of its last 19 home contests versus ACC opponents.
• Pitt: Perhaps the unsung hero for the Panthers’ success this season is senior kicker Ben Sauls. Named the Midseason Lou Groza Award winner by Pro Football Focus, Sauls is yet to miss a kick this season, converting 12-of-12 field goals and each of his 33 extra-point tries for a team-leading 69 points. He has made 14 consecutive field goals dating back to last season, eclipsing the 29-year-old school record set by Chris Ferencik in 1995. Sauls is 4-for-4 on field goals of 50 or more yards this season, booming kicks of 58, 57, 53 and 50 yards. His 58-yarder provided the winning margin in Pitt’s 17-15 win over California on October 12.
• SMU: The Mustangs overcame six turnovers to move to 4-0 in ACC play with a road win at Duke last week. Heading into this week’s top-20 matchup with No. 18 Pitt, the Mustangs are 17-3 in conference play under head coach Rhett Lashlee and a stellar 16-2 in their last 18 games, including a 15-1 mark over their last 16 regular-season contests. When scoring 30 points or more in a game under Coach Lashlee, SMU has posted a record of 22-1 overall.
• Stanford: Stanford will look to snap a five-game losing streak this week, with four of those losses coming in ACC play. The last win for the Cardinal was its inaugural ACC game at Syracuse on September 20. In the last four conference contests, Stanford has trailed 17-0 (at No. 17 Clemson), 21-0 (Virginia Tech and No. 21 SMU) and 14-0 (Wake Forest). In the win at Syracuse, Stanford took a 10-0 lead into the second quarter.
• Syracuse: Quarterback Kyle McCord’s most consistent weapon this year has been out of the backfield in running back LeQuint Allen Jr. Allen has caught at least one pass in 19 straight games, which is the longest current streak for the Orange and ranks 10th on Syracuse’s record list. Allen also has three receiving touchdowns this season, making him one of 10 running backs in all of FBS to have three or more touchdown catches in 2024.
• Virginia: The Cavaliers’ Malachi Fields caught three passes for 48 yards and moved into 12th place on Virginia’s career receiving yards list. His 1,695 career receiving yards are eight yards shy of Heath Miller (2002-04), who finished his career with 1,703. Fields has now caught a pass in each of his last 23 games played. This year, Fields ranks in the top 26 nationally in both receiving yards (654) and receiving yards per game (81.8).
• Virginia Tech: Quarterback Kyron Drones found the end zone three different ways in the Hokies’ win over Georgia Tech, recording a receiving touchdown, a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown in the same game. He’s the first player to ever accomplish the hat trick in Virginia Tech history. The last time a player scored a touchdown three different ways in a game was André Davis in 2000 against West Virginia. Over the last three games, all double-digit wins, Drones has passed for four touchdowns and rushed for four more.
• Wake Forest: Do-it-all running back Demond Claiborne had a stellar game in the Demon Deacons’ win over Stanford, as he rushed 23 times for 127 yards, caught three passes for 62 yards and returned a kickoff for 15 yards for a total of 204 all-purpose yards.
