NORTH CAROLINA-VIRGINIA
Virginia set to host North Carolina in ACC matchup
The numbers suggest Virginia could find a cure for its offensive inconsistency on Saturday.
That’s when the Cavaliers (4-3, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference host North Carolina, which according to statistics has one of the more porous defenses in the country.
The Tar Heels (3-4, 1-2) are allowing 43.3 points per game, ranking 124th out of 128 FBS teams.
Virginia coach Mike London doesn’t want his team to buy into the numbers.
He says it’s important to look at who the Tar Heels have played, noting that their losses have come against No. 18 East Carolina, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 21 Clemson and Virginia Tech.
North Carolina also has a high-powered offense led by explosive dual-threat quarterback Marquise Williams.
BOSTON COLLEGE-WAKE FOREST
Murphy, BC set to take on slumping Wake Forest
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) β Tyler Murphy does everything on offense for Boston College. Wake Forest is still looking for someone to do anything.
Two teams trending in opposite directions meet Saturday when the Eagles visit the struggling Demon Deacons.
BC (4-3, 1-2) has been one of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s pleasant surprises.
Wake Forest (2-5, 0-3) has slogged through a season that has been pretty much what the outsiders expected a few months ago when the Demon Deacons were picked last.
The Eagles can move one step closer to their 14th bowl appearance in 16th seasons by taking care of a Demon Deacons team that has one of the nation’s worst offenses and is headed for its sixth straight losing season.
Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson says his offense is taking “baby steps.”
PANTHERS-INJURIES
Panthers without 7 players against Seahawks
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β The Panthers will be without seven players because of injuries for Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Running backs DeAngelo Williams and Fozzy Whittaker, wide receiver Philly Brown, guards Amini Silatolu and Trai Turner, linebacker Chase Blackburn and cornerback Bene Benwikere are all listed as out Friday on the team’s injury report.
Left tackle Byron Bell is probable and is expected to play despite suffering an elbow injury last Sunday against Green Bay.
SEAHAWKS INJURIES
Maxwell, Unger, Walters all out for Seattle
RENTON, Wash. (AP) β Seattle Seahawks center Max Unger will miss his third straight game on Sunday with a foot injury, while kick and punt returner Bryan Walters will be out with a concussion.
Seattle coach Pete Carroll said the team hopes Unger will be able to return to practice next week. He was hurt during Seattle’s Week 5 win over Washington.
Walters suffered a concussion during practice this week and was not cleared. Wide receivers Doug Baldwin and Paul Richardson will handle the duties on kick and punt returns with Walters sidelined.
Also out for Seattle is cornerback Byron Maxwell, who suffered a strained calf against Dallas two weeks ago. But Tharold Simon recovered quickly from an ankle injury suffered last week against St. Louis and is expected to make his second NFL start with Maxwell out.
