ACC & Big 12 Week 9 Recap: Syracuse, Boston College make statement, Texas upset
ACC
Big 12
AP Top 10
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. LSU
5. Michigan
6. Georgia
7. Oklahoma
8. Ohio State
9. UCF
10. Washington State
Boston College beats Miami in Red Bandanna Game
More field-level highlights from the 27-14 win over Miami.#WeAreBC pic.twitter.com/yn9lU6ahb0
— Boston College Football (@BCFootball) October 28, 2018
Boston College tallied 433 yards of total offense against the nation’s No. 2 defense as the Eagles defeated Miami 27-14 on Saturday in Chestnut Hill. The Eagles are now 6-2 overall, 3-1 in the ACC and 5-0 at Alumni Stadium in 2018. It is the best start for Boston College through eight games since starting 8-0 in 2007.
The Eagles put up 209 yards of total offense in the first quarter as they scored on each of their first three possessions (two touchdowns, one field goal). Running back AJ Dillon returned to the Eagles lineup and rushed for 149 yards in the win.
The Eagles put the game away in the third quarter as back-to-back turnovers by the Hurricanes led to a 10 straight points for the Eagles. Hamp Cheevers started the rally with his fifth interception of the season, setting up a field goal to make it 20-14. On the ensuing Hurricanes possession, Taj-Amir Torres tallied his interception on the year, setting up a Dillon rushing touchdown.
The Eagles held Miami to 49 total yards and two first downs in the fourth quarter to seal the win, as Boston College improved to 6-0 when it gains more than 400 total yards in a game.
BC travels to Virginia Tech on Saturday, while the Hurricanes will host Duke.
Oklahoma State upsets Texas
Texas fell behind by 17 points two different times, but was able to close the game to three points on two separate occasions in the fourth quarter before falling 38-35 on the road to Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have now won four straight meetings with Texas, extending its longest win streak in the series.
Oklahoma State took a 31-14 lead into halftime, as the ‘Pokes scored on a 36-yard touchdown pass with 1:17 to play in the first half. Texas responded in the third quarter off a 22-yard pass from Sam Ehlinger to Keaontay Ingram to cut the lead to 10.
After forcing a punt, the Longhorns scored again with 11:47 left in the game to close the deficit to 31-28. The two teams then exchanged punts before Oklahoma State scored on a Taylor Cornelius run 5:44 to play.
The Longhorns responded and went 75 yards in 13 plays to close the gap to 38-35 with 1:46 left but failed to recover the ensuing onside kick, as Oklahoma State held on for the victory.
Texas returns home next week to host West Virginia while Oklahoma State travels to take on Baylor in Waco.
Syracuse defeats NC State, Orange bowl eligible
🔥 Visual Recap 🔥
We’re bowl bound for the first time in 5 years after taking down #22 NC State in the Dome! pic.twitter.com/lJBFYg1hWl
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) October 28, 2018
Syracuse became bowl eligible for the first time since 2013 with a 51-41 win over NC State on Saturday. The victory also snapped a four-game losing streak to the Wolfpack and propelled the Orange into the AP Top 25 for the first time in 17 years.
Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey completed 27-of-38 for 411 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for another score in a game that featured plenty of offense. Syracuse (561 yards) and NC State (541 yards) combined for 1,102 yards, however it was the ‘Cuse defense that sealed the deal.
NC State took over at its own 15-yard line down 44-41 with 3:12 to play, but NC State quarterback Ryan Finley, who finished with 443 passing yards, was pressured by Alton Robinson and had a pass intercepted by Andrew Armstrong, who returned it to the NC State 21.
On the ensuing possession, Orange ran down the clock and clinched the contest on a 5-yard touchdown run by Dontae Strickland with 1:05 to play.
Syracuse travels to take on Wake Forest next week, while NC State hosts Florida State.
Georgia Tech runs wild, beats Virginia Tech
Led by redshirt freshman quarterback Tobias Oliver, who was making his first career start, Georgia Tech defeated Virginia Tech 49-28 in Blacksburg on Thursday night. The Yellow Jackets became the first visiting team with three straight wins at Lane Stadium since Miami accomplished the feat in 1967, 1982 and 1992.
Oliver paced the Georgia Tech offense, which rushed for 465 yards, with 215 yards and three touchdowns. Oliver’s 40 carries were the second-most in school history, regardless of position.
The teams traded touchdowns over the first five possessions of the game but momentum shifted when a Virginia Tech muffed punt was recovered by Tech’s Jalen Johnson at VT’s 12-yard line early in the second quarter. Two plays later, running back Jordan Mason scored the first of his three touchdowns to pull the Yellow Jackets even at 21-21.
From there, the Jackets scored 35 consecutive points to pull away. Georgia Tech has now won three straight games over Virginia Tech, and each of Georgia Tech’s last two wins in Blacksburg were engineered by quarterbacks making their first-career starts – Matthew Jordan led the Yellow Jackets’ 30-20 win at Lane Stadium in 2016.
Next week, Georgia Tech travels to Chapel Hill to take on North Carolina, while Virginia Tech hosts Boston College.
Iowa State wins late against Texas Tech
Another big win for Iowa State today against Texas Tech, 40-31. Brock Purdy throws for 250 yards, Cyclones improve to 4-3. Highlights courtesy of @Admire_OnAir pic.twitter.com/uHiAEdNALL
— SoundOFF (@SoundOFF13) October 27, 2018
Iowa State surged to its third consecutive victory with a 40-31 win over Texas Tech on Saturday afternoon. The Cyclone defense came up with three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Marcel Spears, and also tacked on a safety to vault Iowa State to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in Big 12 play. Texas Tech drops to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in conference action.
In a game that went back and forth, Texas Tech’s defense tied the score at 31 early in the fourth off a fumble from a strip sack by Rico Jeffers that linebacker Dakota Allen recovered in the end zone. Iowa State’s defense responded and took the lead late for the Cyclones when Alan Bowman was forced into a safety with less than five minutes left.
Hakeem Butler added a 48-yard touchdown catch from Brock Purdy just over two minutes later and Iowa State held on to beat the Red Raiders.
Next week, Iowa State travels to Kansas to take on the Jayhawks while Texas Tech hosts Oklahoma.
Vote for the Play of the Week!
Week 9 was filled with memorable plays in the ACC and Big 12. Here were two of our favorites. Make sure you vote for the best in the poll below!
1.) Texas Tech’s Thomas Leggett blocks the punt and recovers it in the end zone for the score.
https://twitter.com/the_LGG/status/1056216686506991616
2.) Georgia Tech’s Tobias Oliver weaves and dodges his way to a first down.
Getting through the week like…#TogetherWeSwarm 🐝🏈(@GeorgiaTechFB, @tobiasoliver_8) pic.twitter.com/BMFfJy0J0b
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) October 26, 2018
Click here to check out weekly recaps from earlier this season.