ACC Football

The No. 5 Clemson Tigers defeated the No. 21 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 51-45 on Saturday in double overtime, but head coach Dabo Swinney isn't too happy with his defense.

Swinney's defense didn't force a single turnover and allowed Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman to complete 20-of-29 passes for 337 yards and a whopping six touchdowns.

Demon Deacons wide receiver Jahmal Banks also torched the Clemson defense, catching six passes for 141 yards and two scores, and the team's rushing offense managed 110 yards for a total of 447 yards of offense.

However, Clemson was without some key defensive pieces in the secondary on Saturday, including safety Andrew Mukuba and cornerbacks Sheridan Jones and Malcolm Greene, due to injury.

So, it's safe to say at least some of the team's struggles on defense were due to those losses in the secondary.

The Tigers are back in action next weekend against No. 12 NC State.

DJ Uiagalelei's five passing touchdowns allowed No. 5 Clemson to survive No. 21 Wake Forest's upset bid Saturday.

The Tigers held on for a 51-45 double-overtime victory over their ACC rival thanks to Davis Allen's 21-yard touchdown catch from Uiagalelei to start the extra frame.

Wake Forest got the ball last with an opportunity to win the game, but the offense only managed to gain four yards, and Sam Hartman's pass to A.T. Perry on fourth-and-6 was incomplete.

Despite being ranked No. 4 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll, Clemson had a lot to prove this season.

Uiagalelei, in particular, was going to be under the microscope after a disappointing sophomore campaign in 2021 when he had more interceptions (10) than passing touchdowns (nine). The California native arrived at Clemson with a lot of hype as a 5-star prospect and top-ranked pro-style quarterback in the 2020 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.

Through four games, it certainly looks like Uiagalelei has taken a huge step forward. His five touchdowns Saturday gave him 10 for the season. He went 26-of-41 for 371 yards against Wake. The 21-year-old has only thrown one interception on 129 attempts so far.

The Tigers defense did get challenged in its first major test of the season. Clemson allowed 447 yards of offense to Wake Forest. Hartman was terrific in the loss, completing 20 of 29 attempts for 337 yards with six scores and no interceptions.

The Demon Deacons put up 21 points in the third quarter and took a 38-35 lead with 8:07 remaining in the fourth quarter on Matthew Dennis' 29-yard field goal.

Antonio Williams set his team up with good field position thanks to a 26-yard kickoff return that got the Tigers out to their own 48-yard line. Their drive stalled after seven plays, but B.T. Potter drilled a 52-yard field goal to tie the score.

After trading touchdowns in the first overtime period, Uiagalelei hit Allen on 3rd-and-6 from Wake's 21-yard line for the game-winning score.

The loss drops Wake Forest to 3-1 on the season, but head coach Dave Clawson's squad continues to play well coming off an 11-win campaign in 2021.

Clemson is off to a 4-0 start with possibly its most difficult regular-season opponent looming. Head coach Dabo Swinney's squad will host No. 12 North Carolina State on Oct. 1. No. 25 Miami is the only other currently ranked team still on the schedule (Nov. 19).

Hykeem Williams, a 4-star wide receiver out of Stranahan High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has decided to play college football at Florida State.

Williams announced his decision Friday, picking the Seminoles over other finalists, including Miami, Georgia, Alabama and Texas A&M.

The 6'3", 200-pound Williams is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 26 overall prospect in the class of 2023. He is also the No. 5 wideout in the country and No. 6 overall prospect in Florida.

Williams received 35 offers and made visits to Florida State, Georgia and Pitt. 247Sports also listed Williams as having an interest in Texas A&M as well. Other schools that offered include Alabama, Auburn and Michigan.

Williams had 40 catches for 750 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2021. He also stars on the basketball court and averaged a double-double during his junior year.

Andrew Ivins of 247Sports provided a scouting report for Williams and compared him to Chicago Bears wide receiver N'Keal Harry, a former first-round pick:

"Figures to eventually emerge as an impact player at the Power 5 level given rare movement patterns and competitive drive (has been utilized throughout prep career as a pass rusher when needed). Will likely need some time to get adjusted to the everyday demands of the college game but should be viewed as a potential go-to target in a modern pro-style spread attack. NFL upside."

Williams has the potential to be a college superstar, especially given his size and ability to provide a big target for quarterbacks. A lengthy and productive NFL career certainly isn't out of the question, either, but for now, Williams looks ready to tear up college fields soon enough.

Opting to stay close to home, Williams has given Florida State's 2023 class a big boost. The Seminoles came into the day with the No. 19 recruiting class in the nation, per 247Sports composite rankings.

Head coach Mike Norvell hasn't brought Florida State up to the level of the nation's elite programs in recruiting, but his classes over the previous three seasons have been solid.

Since taking over the program in December 2019, Norvell has had the Seminoles ranked in the top 25 recruiting classes every year. The 2022 class was his highest-ranked thus far at No. 20 overall.

The results look to be paying off this season. Florida State is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2015, highlighted by a dramatic 24-23 win over LSU on Sept. 4.

Adding a playmaker with the potential that Williams boasts has the potential to open things up for the Seminoles offense starting next season.

Marcus Freeman is finally in the win column as Notre Dame's head coach after the Fighting Irish earned a 24-17 victory over California on Saturday in South Bend, Indiana.

Drew Pyne hit Michael Mayer on a six-yard touchdown pass to put Notre Dame ahead 24-17 with 9:16 left in the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately for Freeman, his team's performance won't help to get the skeptics off his back.

The logic behind promoting Freeman to the top job was sound. The 36-year-old was a high-level assistant on the rise and poised to get a head coaching opportunity somewhere in the near future. Given his age, he can lead a program for a decade or more and provide a lot of long-term stability as well.

But the extent of Freeman's learning curve was clearly underestimated.

Freeman's defensive influence was evident toward the end, though. Isaiah Foskey in particular wreaked havoc on the Cal offensive line in the fourth quarter.

Things don't get much easier for Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish hit the road to play 3-0 North Carolina, which has had a week off to prepare. From there, they have a date with 12th-ranked BYU on Oct. 8 in Las Vegas.

Maybe Saturday represents a turning point. Freeman will certainly hope so.

Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee will not play in Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech following the death of his younger sister, Ella Bresee, who was just 15 years old, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).

Ella Bresee died Thursday after being diagnosed with brain cancer 17 months ago.

Bresee played in Clemson's win over Furman last week before returning home to be with his family. A service for Ella Bresee will be held Tuesday in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said that he learned a lot from Ella Bresee.

"I am stronger today for having experienced Ella's strength and courage," he said.

Bresee committed to Clemson in April 2019 out of Damascus High School in Maryland. In two games this season, he has posted 0.5 sacks, 6.0 tackles and 2.0 tackles for a loss.

Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee announced Thursday his 15-year-old sister, Ella, died from cancer.

The Associated Press reported Ella was "battling an aggressive form of brain cancer." Bryan posted a statement on Instagram alongside pictures with his sister:

"My beautiful sister Ella you amazed me every single day with the fight that you put up and how joyful you were constantly through this battle. Never did I think I would be sitting here today saying bye to you. I want to thank you for bringing happiness to not only me but so many people. You are the best sister a brother could ask for and I know for a fact heaven has gained a beautiful angel today, Love you forever and always Ella bear."

The Tigers honored Bresee's sister by wearing "Ella Strong" shirts before Saturday's win over Furman after she returned to the family's home state of Maryland for treatment following a visit with the team early last week:

Bresee traveled back to Maryland following the game, and Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said football was not relevant when asked about the standout lineman's availability for this Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech.

"I don't know and really don't care," Swinney told reporters Wednesday.

He added: "As I said, yesterday there are bigger things than football. He needs to focus on what he's doing, and when he's ready to be back and ready to play, we'll be here. But right now, he's right where he needs to be."

Bresee is a redshirt sophomore who joined the Tigers program in 2020.

Cam Newton revealed to Eli Manning that he nearly committed to Virginia Tech because he liked their uniforms.

"I considered a school just because of the uniform: Virginia Tech," the longtime pro quarterback told the two-time Super Bowl-winning signal-caller on the latest episode of Eli's Places (h/t TMZ Sports). "That maroon orange collab."

Newton also raved about a few other schools' uniforms.

"I was hoping to get recruited by Oregon," he said. "Never happened. Hawaii: They had that dark green, black."

The Atlanta native, who played for Florida before transferring to Blinn College and then Auburn, wasn't very impressed with the SEC's looks, though.

"A lot of schools in the SEC really isn't, like, fashion," Newton said.

Newton is a free agent who played in the NFL from 2011-21. He starred for the Carolina Panthers and notably won the 2015 NFL MVP award en route to leading the team to an NFC title.

The 33-year-old is also well known for his bold fashion choices and style.

He never ended up playing for the Hokies but starred for Auburn in 2010, winning the Heisman Trophy and a national championship before the Panthers selected him No. 1 overall in the 2011 NFL draft.

Marcus Freeman's first season as Notre Dame head coach is shaping up to be a long one.

Freeman announced Monday that quarterback Tyler Buchner suffered an AC sprain to his non-throwing shoulder and is expected to miss four months. Buchner is slated for surgery Tuesday.

The sophomore was injured late in Saturday's loss to Marshall and replaced by Drew Pyne, who will likely take over under center for the remainder of the 2022 season. Pine struggled in his limited action against Marshall, throwing for 20 yards and a touchdown against an interception as Notre Dame tried to fight its way back into the game.

Freeman's team is off to the program's first 0-2 start since 2011 after back-to-back losses to Ohio State and Marshall. Brian Kelly's replacement has lost each of his first three games as a head coach dating back to last year's Fiesta Bowl.

Notre Dame had just one losing record in Kelly's 12 seasons at the helm; no first-year head coach has finished below .500 in his first year with the program since Lou Holtz in 1986. After beginning the year as the fifth-ranked team in the country, the Irish have fallen out of the Top 25.

This Notre Dame roster is not stacked at quarterback. Pyne has thrown only 39 passes in his college career, and the team's new backups are freshman Steve Angeli and sophomore Ron Powlus III, who have taken a combined zero collegiate snaps.

If Freeman turns things around this season, it'll likely be due to his work on the defensive side of the ball.

The No. 8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish were upset by unranked Marshall 26-21 on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, and head coach Marcus Freeman is taking the blame for the team's 0-2 start to the season.

"We have to look at ourselves as individuals, the whole team, starting with the head coach on down, and say, 'What do I have to do?' 'What do we have to do to fix the issues?'" Freeman told reporters after the loss. "We have to look at the lack of execution in all phases of our team."

He added: "This is an evaluation of everything we're doing. It starts with me, it starts with me as a head coach."

Freeman, who took over after Brian Kelly was hired as head coach of the LSU Tigers at the end of last season, is the first Notre Dame head coach to lose his first three games.

The Fighting Irish lost his coaching debut in the Fiesta Bowl last season, which was a 37-35 loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and also lost their 2022 season opener last weekend against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

After using a limited playbook against Ohio State, Freeman opened it up a little more against Marshall, but the offense still failed to find much success.

Quarterback Tyler Buchner completed just 18 of 32 passes for 201 yards and two interceptions. He also led Notre Dame on the ground with 13 carries for 44 yards and two scores.

The Fighting Irish held a 15-12 lead over the Thundering Herd early in the fourth quarter, but Marshall went up 19-15 with a little more than five minutes remaining in the game when quarterback Henry Colombi connected with Devin Miller for a three-yard score.

Marshall put the game just out of reach when Steven Gilmore returned a Buchner interception for a touchdown to extend the Thundering Herd's lead to 26-15.

Drew Pyne replaced Buchner after the pick six, but he tossed an interception on the next drive, which allowed Marshall to run down the clock even further. After the Thundering Herd punted, Pyne led the team on a touchdown drive, but it was too little, too late for the Fighting Irish.

The season won't get any easier for Notre Dame, which will fall even further in the AP Top 25 poll after starting the season ranked No. 5 in the nation. The Fighting Irish are set to face California, North Carolina and BYU over the next three weeks.

The No. 8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish dropped to 0-2 on the season with a 26-21 loss to the unranked Marshall Thundering Herd on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.

It's been a tough start to the season for the Fighting Irish under first-year head coach Marcus Freeman, who previously served as the program's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

Freeman also served as the team's interim coach for the Fiesta Bowl (a 37-35 loss to Oklahoma State) last season after Brian Kelly took the LSU job. As he has yet to record a win as the team's head coach, Freeman has made some unfortunate history:

For Marshall, this is its first win over a top-10 ranked opponent since 2003 when they defeated Kansas State, per Adam Silverstein of CBS Sports. Notre Dame entered Saturday with a 42-game win streak against unranked teams, per The Athletic's Matt Brown.

Both Marshall and Notre Dame were held scoreless through the first quarter.

The Thundering Herd broke through first in the second quarter on a four-yard rushing touchdown from running back Khalan Laborn. However, Rece Verhoff missed the extra-point attempt, leaving Marshall with a 6-0 lead.

Notre Dame didn't respond until quarterback Tyler Buchner rushed in for a one-yard touchdown with three minutes remaining in the second quarter. Blake Grupe made the extra point to give the Fighting Irish a 7-6 lead.

However, Marshall ended the half with a field goal to take a 9-7 lead to the locker room.

The Thundering Herd added another three points on a field goal on their second drive of the second half, and the Fighting Irish didn't respond until early in the fourth quarter on another rushing score from Buchner, who also converted a two-point attempt to put Notre Dame up 15-12.

From there, everything went down hill for the Fighting Irish.

Marshall quarterback Henry Colombi found Devin Miller for a three-yard touchdown pass to give the Thundering Herd a 19-15 lead, which they would not give up, with about five minutes remaining in the game.

Not even one minute later, Buchner threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Marshall's Steven Gilmore to give the Thundering Herd a 26-15 lead.

Drew Pyne replaced Buchner after the pick-six, but he then threw an interception to Marshall's Owen Porter.

After the Thundering Herd punted on the ensuing drive, Pyne connected with Michael Mayer for a five-yard score to cut Marshall's lead to 26-21. However, it was too little, too late, for the team that began the season ranked fifth in the AP Top 25 poll.

Buchner finished the game having completed 18 of 32 passes for 201 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. He also led the team in the running game, having rushed for 44 yards and two scores.

Pyne completed three of six passes for 20 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Mayer led all receivers with eight catches for 103 yards and a touchdown.

If Notre Dame's struggles continue into Week 3, changes could be coming. They'll face another tough opponent in California on Sept. 17 before a matchup against North Carolina on Sept. 24.