ATLANTIC COAST ROUNDUP : Stanicek Gives North Carolina a Lift

North Carolina quarterback Jason Stanicek was questionable for Saturday’s game against North Carolina State after suffering a shoulder injury in the Tar Heels’ 33-7 loss to No. 1 Florida State last week.

But Stanicek stepped in after starter Mike Thomas was knocked from the game on the first series and completed 10 of 12 passes in the first half, then ran the option attack to perfection as the 18th-ranked Tar Heels defeated No. 19 North Carolina State, 35-14, at Raleigh, N.C.

“You can’t go into the game saying you don’t want to keep the ball because of your shoulder,” Stanicek said. “On the first series when I was running I wasn’t thinking about my shoulder, I was thinking about taking the team down the field and scoring. As the game went on the pain sort of disappeared.

The first half ended with a helmet-swinging fight between the rivals, who are separated by 30 miles, after Ricky Bell ran Stanicek into the Tar Heels bench, and two assistants got into a postgame scuffle on the field.

As the second half progressed, the Tar Heels, who outgained the Wolfpack 301-86 on the ground, began waving fists. They also scored 25 unanswered points on the Wolfpack (2-1, 1-1).

Running back Curtis Johnson, the ACC rushing leader, gained 153 yards in 18 carries, including a 50-yard touchdown, to lead the Tar Heels (4-1, 2-1).

No. 22 Virginia 35, Duke 0--Symmion Willis threw for a career-high 246 yards and three touchdowns the Cavaliers recorded their 500th victory at Charlottesville, Va.

The game continued the recent bad blood between the teams as four players were ejected after Willis’ lone interception triggered a benches-clearing brawl early in the fourth quarter.

The Cavaliers (4-0, 3-0 ACC) scored on four of their first five possessions to build a 28-0 lead on the way to beating Duke for the fifth consecutive time and ninth in their last 11 meetings. In the last five games, Virginia has outscored Duke, 232-59.

The Blue Devils (1-3, 0-2) was held to 113 yards in the first half, and in the second they did not get inside Virginia’s 40-yard line until there was 4:15 left.

Clemson 16, Georgia Tech 13--Derrick Witherspoon rushed for 111 yards, including 26 on Tigers’ winning drive, at Clemson, S.C.

The Tigers (2-1, 1-1) went ahead in the third quarter after defensive end Brentson Buckner intercepted a pass by Donnie Davis at the Tech 35. Freshman Milt Shaw ended the seven-play drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Quarterback Louis Solomon carried in for the two-point conversion to make it 16-13.

Georgia Tech (1-2, 0-2) had a chance to tie but kicker Tyler Jarrett missed a 41-yard field goal with 2:50 remaining.

Virginia Tech 55, Maryland 28-- Maurice DeShazo passed for 256 yards and four touchdowns in a nonconference game at Blacksburg, Va.

Maryland quarterback Scott Milanovich, ranked No. 2 nationally in total offense, passed for a school-record 498 yards and four touchdowns. But he had three passes intercepted and missed on 28 of 57 passes as Maryland (0-4) sputtered in key situations.

Reserve tailback Tommy Edwards ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns to lead Virginia Tech (3-1) after starter Dwayne Thomas was ejected for throwing punches during a first-half brawl that cleared both benches.