Miami Targets Notre Dame in Top-Four Clash
The undefeated Hurricanes face the Fighting Irish Saturday, while Virginia Tech and SMU fight for a spot in the ACC championship.
By Martin Reynolds ·
No. 1 Miami (8-0) travels to No. 4 Notre Dame (7-1) for a Saturday evening game at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. The matchup carries weight from the previous season, when Miami defeated the Fighting Irish in a contest that influenced the College Football Playoff selection process. Miami advanced to the title game that year, while Notre Dame declined a postseason invitation.
The Hurricanes enter the game with the highest scoring offense in the country, averaging 47.6 points per contest. Quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Malachi Toney are both contenders for the Heisman Trophy. Miami's defense faced challenges in a recent comeback victory against North Carolina. Notre Dame has lost only once this season, falling to No. 7 BYU on Oct. 17. This contest begins a four-game stretch against ACC opponents for the Irish.
Virginia Tech (6-2) hosts SMU (6-2) on Friday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The game determines which team advances in the race for the ACC championship. SMU dropped behind No. 14 Wake Forest after a loss to Syracuse. Both teams are currently tied at two losses in conference play. James Franklin enters his first season in Blacksburg with the Hokies. The outcome of the game will separate the two programs in the standings.
Clemson (5-3) visits Syracuse (4-4) on Saturday at noon ET on ESPN2. The Tigers cannot afford another defeat given their current record. Clemson has lost to Miami and Virginia Tech this season. Syracuse began its conference schedule with a 0-4 record but has gained momentum. The Orange beat North Carolina in overtime and defeated SMU last week.
N.C. State running back Davion Gause is emerging as a key contributor. Starter Duke Scott remains sidelined with an injury. Gause rushed for 104 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries in the win over California. That performance marked his best output since transferring from UNC. He played in the first game under interim coach Todd Goebbel. Gause is entering Saturday's game against Duke with a path to a larger role when Scott returns to the lineup.
Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz leads a Cardinal offense that cannot afford to stumble. The team travels to Georgia Tech on Saturday. Kienholz has run for five touchdowns during Louisville's current three-game winning streak. His rushing production provides a critical dimension to the offensive attack.
Duke running back Nate Sheppard ranks fifth nationally in rushing average at 121.5 yards per game. He also ranks third in rushing touchdowns with 14. Sheppard scored five times in a decisive win against Boston College. Florida State visits Boston College on Saturday in its first game under interim head coach Rick Stockstill. Mike Norvell was fired from the position earlier this month.
The Boston College offense showed volatility recently. The Eagles scored 27 points in a win against Pittsburgh and 49 points in a win at Georgia Tech. They then lost 47-2 to the Blue Devils last weekend. North Carolina defensive line coach Bob Diaco returns to UConn on Saturday. He served as head coach at the Huskies program from 2014 to 2016. Diaco compiled a 11-26 record during those three seasons.
Wake Forest (5-1 in ACC play) hosts Merrimack this weekend. The Demon Deacons have scored at least 38 points in four consecutive games. That includes a 51-7 victory over Virginia last week. California, Pittsburgh, Stanford, and Virginia are on bye this week.
