Associated Press
Today’s college roundup …
BOSTON ó Boston College looks to finish up an undefeated season at home Saturday when it plays North Carolina in Chestnut Hill.
The Eagles have an outside chance at an ACC division title. They must win their last two games and hope Clemson loses to Virginia. That would give BC a third straight berth in the ACC championship game.
Carolina’s conference title hopes were squelched when they lost their first three ACC games. But the Tar Heels have won three straight in the league, beating ranked Virginia Tech and Miami.
“After the Florida State game, a lot of people were pretty much saying Carolina football is done and get ready for next year,” cornerback Kendric Burney said. “As a captain of this team, I would never let any of my teammates just give up. … We love the fact we’re playing good football right now, and we just need to carry it to the next month of football.”
Both teams are hoping to improve their bowl berths with a victory.
N.C. STATE-VIRGINIA
Virginia Tech is focusing on what it can do, not what it can’t.
The No. 16 Hokies can’t win a third consecutive ACC championship. They won’t get another national title shot.What they can do is have a sixth straight 10-win season.
That means not looking past defense-challenged North Carolina State when the Wolfpack arrives at Lane Stadium Saturday for the final home game for Virginia Tech’s seniors.
“That’s a tradition we have around here,” wide receiver Jarrett Boykin said of the 10-win plateau. “We’re going to do everything we can to get to 10 wins.”
The Hokies (7-3, 4-2 ACC) have won two in a row in impressive fashion, and need to also win at Virginia and in their bowl game to hit the mark for the sixth season in a row. Only Southern California and Texas have also done it the past five years, and USC (7-3) also needs to win its last two and a bowl game to get to 10 this year.
The visit from the struggling Wolfpack (4-6, 1-5) also falls on the day that 21 seniors will play their final game at home.
DUKE-MIAMIMIAMI ó Duke’s Thaddeus Lewis and Miami’s Jacory Harris grew up together on the same fields in South Florida, a couple of quarterbacks learning their way.
They’ll be on the same field again Saturday, maybe for the final time as competitors.
Harris and No. 21 Miami (7-3, 4-3 ACC) close out league play and the home schedule against Lewis and Duke (5-5, 3-3), which is still in contention for its first bowl bid since 1995.
ECU-UAB
GREENVILLE ó East Carolina is looking to once again take control of Conference USA’s East Division.
The defending league champion Pirates (6-4, 5-1) have won three straight league games entering Saturday’s showdown with UAB.
After a pair of easy wins at Memphis and Tulsa, they’re back home for their final two games knowing that they can clinch a second straight East Division championship by winning out. That would send them to the league championship game for the Pirates to defend their crown.
Coach Skip Holtz said the Pirates have positioned themselves so that they don’t have to worry about what’s going on in other league games.
“We’re in a single-elimination tournament,” Holtz said. “We’ve put ourselves in a great situation, but it’s all about finishing strong. Let’s let everybody else worry about the projections and who won and who lost and who’s in second.”
Then again, a loss to UAB (5-5, 4-2) could change all that. In fact, a win by the Blazers would lift them into a tie with the Pirates and create a jumbled division race