ACC FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: Clemson dominates Miami and rolls to 58-0 rout

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Sixth-ranked Clemson dominated from the start to crush Miami 58-0 in an Atlantic Coast Conference mismatch on Saturday.

The Tigers led 42-0 at the half in improving to 7-0 for the season and 4-0 in conference play in recording their biggest victory margin since an 82-24 rout of Wake Forest in 1981, their national championship season.

The Hurricanes fell to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in ACC play in absorbing the worst defeat in the history of their program, which started in 1925.

Miami’s best chance for avoiding its first shutout loss under coach Al Golden came when cornerback Artie Burns recovered a fumbled punt at Clemson’s 38-yard line early in the fourth quarter. But quarterback Malik Rosier, who was subbing for injured starter Brad Kaaya, came up a yard short of a first down on his fourth-down scramble and the Tigers took over on downs.

The game couldn’t have started any better for Clemson or worse for Miami.

The Tigers scored touchdowns on their first four possessions to take a 28-0 lead early in the second quarter and had 180 yards in total offense by that point. Quarterback Deshaun Watson was 12-of-13 passing for 113 yards and a touchdown up to then and had a 63-yard run to set up Clemson’s second score.

Miami had only 70 yards of offense by then and had turned the ball over on Kaaya’s second interception of the season. It came with the Hurricanes facing third-and-7 at Clemson’s 19-yard line on their deepest penetration of the game.

The Tigers didn’t let up after, scoring on a 84-yard drive on Watson’s 6-yard run with less than a minute in the second quarter, then getting a defensive score when cornerback Cordrea Tankersley returned an interception for a touchdown just seconds later.

Reserves played much of the second half for both teams.

No. 23 Duke 45, Virginia Tech 43 (4 OT)

Quarterback Thomas Sirk passed for 270 yards and four touchdowns, and added a team-high 109 rushing yards in No. 23 Duke’s quadruple-overtime victory over Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium.

Sirk scored the game-winning points on a two-point conversion run. That play came after his 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Erich Schneider in the first four-overtime game in ACC history.

Duke wide receiver Max McCaffery had six catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns.

In his first start since sustaining a broken collarbone in the season-opener, Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Brewer passed for 270 yards and three touchdowns.

Running back Travon McMillian rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries for the Hokies. Tight end Bucky Hodges caught all three of Brewer’s touchdown passes. He had five receptions for 101 yards.

Duke (6-1) improved to 3-0 in ACC play for the first time since 1994 and only the fifth time in school history.

Virginia Tech (3-5, 1-3) rallied to tie the game late in the fourth quarter on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Brewer to Hodges and a two-point conversion run by McMillian.

No. 25 Pittsburgh 23, Syracuse 20

A 12-yard pass from punter Ryan Winslow to middle linebacker Matt Galambos kept alive a drive that ended with the winning field goal as Pittsburgh outlasted Syracuse at the Carrier Dome.

Set up to punt on fourth-and-7 from their own 48, the Panthers snapped the ball to Winslow, who raced to the edge of the line of scrimmage and floated a pass to Galambos, who rumbled to the Syracuse 40. Pittsburgh (6-1, 4-0 ACC) moved to the Orange 6 before kicker Chris Blewitt drilled a 24-yard field goal on the last play of the game.

Syracuse freshman quarterback Eric Dungey left the game for two plays and was taken to the locker room early in the third quarter. He tossed interceptions on back-to-back attempts in the third quarter after throwing just one pick in his first 115 attempts this season.

The Panthers wasted the first interception by Galambos. But Pittsburgh cashed in on the second interception by cornerback Lafayette Pitts, who returned his pick 17 yards to the Syracuse 44. Tailback Qadree Ollison, a one-time Syracuse recruit, rushed six times for 37 yards on the drive that ended with his 1-yard touchdown run that gave Pittsburgh a 20-17 lead.

Dungey responded with a 26-yard run as Syracuse drove into position for kicker Cole Murphy’s 37-yard field goal that tied the score 20-20.

North Carolina State 35, Wake Forest 17

Running back Matt Dayes had several big runs as North Carolina State scored 28 first-quarter points on the way to a romp past host Wake Forest at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Dayes rushed for first-quarter touchdowns from 85 and 57 yards as the Wolfpack was on the way to their first road victory in this annual series since 2001. Dayes ended up with 205 rushing yards on 16 carries.

It was an ideal outing for N.C. State (5-2, 1-2 ACC) before its home showdown next week with undefeated Clemson.

Louisville 17, Boston College 14

Senior defensive end Sheldon Rankins scored on a fumble return and Louisville limited Boston College to 79 total yards while delivering a win in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at Louisville, Ky.

True freshman quarterback Lamar Jackson rushed for a touchdown and passed for 230 yards while being intercepted twice for the Cardinals (3-4, 2-2).

North Carolina 26, Virginia 13

Running back Elijah Hood scored on a pair of three-yard touchdown runs and North Carolina defeated Virginia for its sixth consecutive victory at Kenan Stadium.

Quarterback Marquise Williams completed 21-of-26 passes for 226 yards for North Carolina (6-1, 3-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference), which has a key game at nationally ranked Pittsburgh on Thursday night.