Miami Loses for the Second Week in a Row

Reggie Merriweather ran for a career-high 114 yards and three touchdowns, including a two-yard score in overtime Saturday night to cap visiting Clemson’s 24-17 comeback victory over No. 11 Miami.

Clemson needed five plays to score in the extra session, with the Tigers benefiting from a pass-interference penalty against cornerback Kelly Jennings. That moved Clemson to the 10, and Merriweather scored three plays later to cap the Tigers’ rally from a 17-3 halftime deficit.

On its overtime possession, Miami moved to the Clemson five, but three consecutive incompletions by Brock Berlin sealed the Hurricanes’ second loss in a row. Berlin’s final attempt was intended for Lance Leggett in the corner of the end zone, but Clemson’s Tye Hill had him well-covered and the ball bounced away.

The loss knocked the Hurricanes out of first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference, leaving them a game behind Virginia and Virginia Tech in the race for the league title and automatic bowl championship series berth. Miami, which fell to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the conference, plays at Virginia Saturday and plays host to Virginia Tech on Dec. 4 in the regular-season finale.

Clemson (5-4, 4-3) has won four consecutive games for the first time in four seasons.

Frank Gore rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns for Miami, which also lost on the game’s final play a week ago at North Carolina. Clemson outgained Miami, 215-104, after halftime to spark the comeback.

No. 12 Virginia 16, Maryland 0 -- Wali Lundy ran for two touchdowns, giving him 14 this season, and the Cavaliers (7-1, 4-1) remained in a first-place tie in the ACC with a victory over the Terrapins (4-5, 2-4) at Charlottesville, Va.

Virginia wore down Maryland by rushing for 295 yards. Alvin Pearman led the way with 170 yards in 31 carries, and Lundy had 107 yards in 24 attempts.

Virginia’s defense held Maryland quarterback Joel Statham to 10-of-17 passing for 115 yards and two interceptions.

No. 13 Florida State 29, Duke 7 -- Quarterback Wyatt Sexton led three long scoring drives in the second half, and Gary Cismesia tied a school record with five field goals in his college debut to lead the Seminoles (7-2, 5-2) over the Blue Devils (1-8, 0-6) at Tallahassee, Fla.

Sexton completed 11 of 15 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown while taking the Seminoles on drives of 93, 80 and 70 yards to break open a tight game with 20 straight points.

Sexton replaced Chris Rix, who failed to get the Seminoles into the end zone in the first half.

No. 18 Virginia Tech 27, North Carolina 24 -- Mike Imoh ran for 236 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Hokies (7-2, 4-1) over the Tar Heels (4-5, 3-3), who missed a 54-yard field-goal attempt with about a minute left that would have tied the score at Chapel Hill, N.C.

North Carolina drove to the Virginia Tech 26 in the closing minutes, but an 11-yard sack of Darian Durant on third down made kicker Connor Barth’s job much tougher. His 54-yard attempt fell short.

Bryan Randall had a rushing score for Virginia Tech, which has won five consecutive games. Brandon Pace had two field goals for the Hokies, who nearly blew a 13-point second-half lead.

Georgia Tech 24, North Carolina State 14 -- Reggie Ball made up for a poor performance by throwing a one-yard touchdown pass to Levon Thomas midway through the fourth quarter to lead the Yellow Jackets (5-3, 4-3) over the Wolfpack (4-5, 3-4) at Raleigh, N.C.

Ball completed only nine of 28 passes for 91 yards and had three passes intercepted.