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Thursday, October 15, 2009

This week's games: 10-15-09

Mark Berman takes a look at Saturday's ACC and local games.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

WAKE FOREST AT CLEMSON

Noon | WDBJ

Storyline: Which is the best team in the unimpressive Atlantic Division? Maybe it's Wake (4-2, 2-1), which has won two straight since an OT loss at Boston College.

"We're getting better, and I like that, but this will be a great test for us," Wake coach Jim Grobe said. "Defensively, I think we're still giving up too many big plays."

Wake's Riley Skinner has passed for more than 350 yards in each of the past three games. He ranks fifth nationally in passing efficiency.

"Last year we spent about a half-season trying to throw the ball more, but we were just thin at receiver," Grobe said. "This year we've got a little better speed at wide receiver."

Coach Dabo Swinney of Clemson (2-3, 1-2) is hoping for a good pass rush.

Skinner "will scramble, and he makes a huge throw," Swinney said. "You think you've got a guy sacked and the next thing you know, he's out scrambling and it's a big play down the field. ... We have to affect their quarterback and make him do some things that he doesn't want to do."

N.C. STATE AT BOSTON COLLEGE

3:30 p.m. | WSET

Storyline: In its back-to-back losses, State (3-3, 0-2) has given up 361 yards passing to Wake's Riley Skinner and 459 yards passing to Duke's Thaddeus Lewis. Duke was 13-of-19 on third down.

"We need to do a lot of things better," State coach Tom O'Brien said. "It was our fault that the third-down conversions, we were horrible.

"We're ... for the sixth time this year going with a different secondary. ... Hopefully it's going to be the right one for us."

O'Brien hopes to have a decent pass rush Saturday.

"What we're seeing more and more the last two weeks is a lot of max protection," he said. "People are anticipating that rush up front."

Can QB Dave Shinskie of BC (4-2, 2-2) give State something to worry about?

"State has a very good defense," BC coach Frank Spaziani said. "They ran into the Skinner-Lewis buzz saw. ... We certainly don't have Thaddeus Lewis and Riley Skinner."

O'Brien is 0-2 against his former team since taking over the Wolfpack.

MIAMI AT CENTRAL FLORIDA

7:30 p.m. | CBS College Sports

Storyline: No. 9 Miami (4-1) visits UCF (3-2) for the first time.

Brett Hodges has passed for 908 yards for the Knights.

STONY BROOK AT VMI

1:30 p.m.

Storyline: The Seawolves (2-4, 1-0 Big South) visit VMI for the first time.

"They run the ball really tough, and then they play-action pass off of that, so it makes it really hard," VMI coach Sparky Woods said.

The Keydets (1-4, 0-2) hope to snap a four-game skid.

LB Eric Church, who ranks second on VMI with 42 tackles, will be out at least four weeks with a sprained ankle. OT Aaron Blue (mononucleosis) will miss his third straight game, and C James Boatright (shoulder) could miss his fourth straight game.

W&L AT HAMPDEN-SYDNEY

1 p.m.

Storyline: The Tigers (6-0, 3-0 ODAC) are ranked No. 21 in the Division III coaches poll.

Tigers QB Corey Sedlar ranks second in Division III with 1,945 passing yards.

"They killed us last year in the passing game," W&L coach Frank Miriello said. "Our kids are getting better every week in the secondary, so hopefully they'll continue to improve and slow them down a little."

W&L (2-4, 1-1) leads the ODAC in rushing offense (213.2 ypg), but Miriello is worried about the Tigers' defense.

"We've got to make sure we can rush the ball," he said. "Hopefully we can grind it and keep their offense off the field."

Tigers LB Andrew Sellers (Cave Spring) needs 12 more tackles to reach 200 for his career.

GREENSBORO AT FERRUM

1 p.m.

Storyline: Ferrum (3-2, 1-1 USA South) will try to beat Greensboro for the 10th straight year.

Ferrum ranks sixth in Division III in rushing offense (299.2 ypg).

"We're throwing the ball better. That's helping our running game a lot," coach Dave Davis said.

Mike Caparaso has thrown for 808 yards for Greensboro (2-3, 0-2).

"They're spread out all over the field, ... so the whole package is a little bit of a concern," Davis said.

GEORGE MASON AT SVU

1 p.m.

Storyline: The Knights are 0-6, but their homecoming foe is a club team.

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