ACC Football

The Virginia Tech Hokies fell to the Old Dominion Monarchs 20-17 in their season opener on Friday night at S.B. Ballard Stadium, but that's not all they lost.

Virginia Tech revealed that it had items stolen from its locker room during the loss, via ESPN's David M. Hale:

"The Virginia Tech athletic department confirmed there were items missing from the Virginia Tech locker room following the football game against Old Dominion in Norfolk Friday night. The university is working with law enforcement and Old Dominion University on the matter, and will have no further comment."

Friday's game was full of chaos for the Hokies.

In addition to having items stolen, the game was delayed at halftime because the Hokies had members of their coaching staff stuck in an elevator at the stadium. The delay lasted about 15 minutes.

Virginia Tech tight end Connor Blumrick also had to issue an apology after punching a fan who rushed the field following Old Dominion's win:

“I would like to sincerely apologize to ODU and Hokie Nation for my actions after last night’s game. Following an emotional loss, in trying to get to the locker room safely, there was an incident including contact between myself and a fan, that I regret. This is not an accurate reflection of my character and I am truly sorry to those I have let down including my coaches, teammates and fans."

It was a rough day overall for the Hokies, especially on offense. Quarterback Grant Wells completed just 21 of 36 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown against an unacceptable four interceptions. He also rushed for 45 yards and a score.

Running backs Keshawn King, Chance Black and Jalen Holston combined for 156 yards on the ground, and tight end Nick Gallo led all receivers with seven catches for 49 yards.

The win marked Old Dominion's second-ever victory against a Power Five opponent. The first came in 2018, also against Virginia Tech.

The Hokies will look to regroup ahead of a big matchup against Boston College on Sept. 10. The Eagles opened the season with a 22-21 loss to Rutgers on Saturday.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes 21-10 on Saturday in their 2022 season opener at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, and the team's offense had an abysmal evening.

Quarterback Tyler Buchner completed just 10 of 18 passes for 177 yards. Buchner, Chris Tyree, Audric Estime and Logan Diggs also combined for just 76 yards and one touchdown on the ground.

This is Buchner's first season as the team's starting quarterback as he takes over for Jack Coan, and he and the rest of the offense will need to be much better moving forward if it wants to compete with some of college football's best.

After an underwhelming start to the season, fans expressed their frustrations with the Fighting Irish offense and play calling on social media. One of the biggest complaints was that the offense let the defense down.

There's still plenty of time for the Notre Dame offense to figure things out and, after Saturday's loss, they'll get back in the lab with offensive coordinator Tommy Rees early this week to figure out what went wrong.

The Fighting Irish also have a slightly easier schedule coming up. They will face Marshall next weekend before closing out September with games against California and North Carolina.

The North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the Appalachian State Mountaineers 63-61 on Saturday to move to 2-0 on the season, and head coach Mack Brown is more than happy with the victory despite his team allowing 40 points in the fourth quarter.

"You take a win and go," Brown told reporters after the game. "We were underdogs and hadn't won a road game all of last year, so anybody who thinks I'm going to be mad or disappointed over this one doesn't understand coaching. I'm excited to win against a really good team on the road."

The Tar Heels entered the fourth quarter up 41-21 and added another 22 points in the final frame. However, the team's defense struggled to contain Mountaineers quarterback Chase Brice in the fourth quarter.

Brice led Appalachian State on a whopping six touchdown drives in the game's final 15 minutes, and the Mountaineers would have tied the game at 63 had he not been stopped while trying to rush into the end zone on a two-point conversion.

Brice completed 25-of-38 passes for 361 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for 36 yards.

UNC freshman quarterback Drake Maye, meanwhile, completed 24-of-36 passes for 352 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 76 yards and one touchdown.

It's clear that Maye and the offense have things under control, especially considering this is the second straight week they have posted at least 56 points. Last week, the Tar Heels defeated Florida A&M 56-24.

The defense, on the other hand, has some work to do ahead of next weekend's game against Georgia State.

Brown has coached North Carolina since 2019, going 23-17. He led the team to a win in the Military Bowl in his first season, but it has lost each of its last two bowl games.

The 71-year-old previously coached the Tar Heels from 1988-97 and is 92-63-1 in 14 total seasons with the team. Considering all of his experience, UNC should be just fine moving forward.

Wake Forest announced Wednesday that starting quarterback Sam Hartman is out indefinitely for treatment on a "non-football-related medical condition."

Here's a statement from the Demon Deacons' athletic department:

Following a workout on Tuesday, Aug. 9, redshirt junior quarterback Sam Hartman sought medical attention for a non-football-related condition. The results of those tests and subsequent treatment will remove Sam from team activities indefinitely. The timeline for his return to competition is uncertain. In respect for Sam's privacy and in compliance with HIPAA, no additional details will be shared at this time. Wake Forest Athletics medical and athletics training staff are providing Sam and his family with constant support. More updates will be shared when appropriate.”

Hartman, a 23-year-old North Carolina native, enjoyed a breakout season for Wake in 2021. He completed 58.9 percent of his throws for 4,228 yards with 39 touchdowns and 14 interceptions across 14 appearances as the team went 11-3.

He was named to this year's preseason watch list for the Davey O'Brien Award, which is given to the nation's top quarterback.

"Tuesday was a frustrating day, but I am extremely grateful for our medical staff and for Dr. Chris Miles and Niles Fleet for staying with me throughout this process," Hartman said. "I look forward to attacking this rehabilitation process and I am so appreciative of the support I have received from my family, teammates and coaches."

Other members of the Wake Forest staff also released statements about the news.

Head coach Dave Clawson:

Sam Hartman is the true embodiment of a leader and is one of the finest young men I have ever had the pleasure to coach. As a two-time captain and coming off record-setting seasons in 2020 and 2021, Sam was intensely focused on the betterment of his teammates throughout the entire offseason and helping our program continue to achieve great things on the field. Additionally, he is an incredible person in the community and in the classroom. We'll look forward to having Sam back on the field as soon as he can, and in the meantime Sam and his family have the full support of our coaching staff and program in his recovery.

Athletic director John Currie:

Our No. 1 priority at Wake Forest is always the health and safety of our student-athletes. As we rally around Sam and his family, we are grateful for the expert care and attention provided by our entire sports medicine team led by head physician Dr. Chris Miles and head trainer/associate athletics director Niles Fleet. Sam Hartman represents everything right about intercollegiate athletics and the unparalleled team culture Coach Clawson has built at Wake Forest. We know all of Deacon Nation is in his corner.

Michael Kern will likely take the reins of the Deacs offense. Mitch Griffis, Brett Griffis and Troy Hoilman are the other quarterbacks on the roster.

Wake's season gets underway Sept. 1 when it hosts VMI at Truist Field.

Four-star edge prospect Malik Bryant announced Wednesday that he is headed to Miami.

The IMG Academy star chose the Hurricanes over Florida, Alabama and Maryland. He is considered the No. 61 overall prospect in the 2023 class and fourth-ranked linebacker, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Bryant previously outlined the areas that would factor into his decision, per Jeff Sentell of DawgNation:

“I would definitely say the culture at the school and the tradition behind the schools. Definitely the history with the school, coaches and the team. Of course, like all the small stuff, too. I'd have to fit into the scheme and stuff like that. I'd definitely say the culture and it definitely has to be the right fit. I have to see myself there."

He is listed at 6'2" and 235 pounds, and he has the frame to add 10-15 pounds of muscle that would make him a potential star at the next level. He already has the burst off the edge and a refined set of moves to get to the quarterback. There's little reason to believe he will have to wait long before he's getting regular snaps on Saturdays.

The Hurricanes are currently the No. 8 overall recruiting class in the nation.

Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson could be one of the top defenders in the country next season after standing out among his teammates in 2021.

"The Clemson defense was trash last year, but Simpson is that dude," an NFL general manager told ESPN's Matt Miller. "He's going to crush the combine and should be the ACC DPOY. Hopefully they unleash him a little more this year because he can really do it all."

The Tigers did rank second in the nation with 14.9 points allowed per game while finishing eighth in yards allowed per contest last year. Inconsistency was an issue as the squad finished 10-3, with its most losses since 2014.

Simpson finished the season with 64 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss, with six sacks and two passes defended.

The 5-star recruit was the top outside linebacker and No. 26 overall player in the 2020 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He appeared in 12 games as a freshman, tallying four sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss mostly coming off the bench.

Simpson showed his potential as a starter last season, and he is now ready to make an even bigger impact in 2022.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. listed Simpson as the No. 25 overall player in the 2023 NFL draft class, noting the linebacker's "explosion at the snap."

With another productive season, he could end up being drafted even earlier next April.

Travon Walker surged up NFL draft boards as the 2021 season unfolded en route to being the No. 1 draft pick, and Notre Dame defensive end Isaiah Foskey could have a similar rise in the eyes of one NFC scout.

"No one is touching [Alabama edge rusher] Will Anderson, but Foskey could push himself into the top 10 this year," the scout told ESPN's Matt Miller. "He's that naturally talented. You just don't hear about him because there are so many studs at defensive end."

As the scout alluded to, Anderson might be untouchable as the top pass-rusher in the 2023 NFL draft class. The Crimson Tide star had 101 tackles, 31 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks in 2021.

Anderson aside, there isn't another can't-miss defensive end at this stage.

In May, ESPN's Todd McShay projected Anderson to land third overall and had Clemson's Myles Murphy as the next DE off the board at No. 16. Miller had Murphy in the same position in his June mock but ranked Army's Andre Carter II slightly ahead at No. 13.

Considering the continued importance of pressuring the quarterback, it stands to reason one or more edge-rushers will join Anderson as top-10 candidates when the draft rolls around next spring.

Foskey took a big step forward in his junior season, finishing with 52 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and six forced fumbles. If he follows up with a similarly strong 2022 campaign, then he might fulfill the NFC scout's prediction.

Notre Dame's schedule will afford him plenty of opportunities to showcase his skills, too.

The Fighting Irish open with Ohio State on the road, and Foskey's stock could soar if he's routinely making C.J. Stroud's life a nightmare in the pocket.

Clemson, Boston College and USC are on tap later in the year. That clash with the Trojans and Caleb Williams could be the perfect way for Foskey to end his regular season on a high note.

Plenty of NFL fans will be watching Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec this year, but Eagles wide receiver Zay Flowers might steal the spotlight in Chestnut Hill.

"He's the best deep threat in CFB," an NFC scout told ESPN's Matt Miller. "He's undersized and there were some drops last year, but with the QB returning, he'll have a ton more targets."

Through three seasons, Flowers has caught 122 passes for 1,979 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was also a bit of a dual threat as a freshman, carrying the ball 27 times for 195 yards and one touchdown.

Flowers is the proverbial home run threat. He has the speed to beat secondaries over the top and possesses the agility to elude would-be tacklers and turn short throws into long gains.

Jurkovec was limited to six games in 2021 after suffering a hand injury. Now that he's healthy again, Flowers could be headed for a monster 2022 season.

Going back to Jurkovec could also allow the 5'10" pass-catcher to showcase his downfield potential. Dennis Grosel averaged 6.3 yards per attempt while running the BC offense last year. Prior to the injury, Jurkovec was averaging 9.5 yards per throw.

Pro Football Focus' Michael Renner didn't rank Flowers among his top 50 prospects for the 2023 NFL draft class. He may not even be a lock for a Day 2 selection.

But now might be a great time to buy low on Flowers and look a lot smarter later.

The Miami Hurricanes added one of the best defensive players in the entire 2023 recruiting class Saturday.

Defensive lineman Jayden Wayne announced he will attend Miami during an appearance on CBS Sports HQ.

Wayne, who checks in at 6'5" and 245 pounds, is a 5-star prospect, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He is also the No. 30 overall player, No. 5 EDGE and No. 9 player from the state of Florida in the 2023 class.

One look at the list of schools that offered him scholarships during the recruiting process underscores his overall talent level.

A laundry list of some of the top programs in the country was interested, including Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Oklahoma, Florida, Auburn, Penn State, Texas and USC.

It is no surprise so many schools wanted to add him to their defenses.

After all, Adam Gorney of Rivals was so impressed with Wayne's play at the Pylon 7on7 Tournament that he compared the pass-rusher to Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux. It was quite high praise considering the Ducks defensive end has been widely considered the best prospect for the 2022 NFL draft for some time.

Brandon Huffman of 247Sports pointed to Arizona Cardinals star Chandler Jones as a pro comparison for Wayne and highlighted the prospect's "length and quickness to beat blockers off the ball and the explosiveness at the LOS to quickly get into the backfield."

Huffman suggested Wayne's athleticism alone gives him the ceiling of an elite pass-rusher as someone who could quickly develop into a key playmaker on his new team's defensive front.

Defenses need athletic linemen who can use their speed and burst both against the run and to prevent quarterbacks from establishing a rhythm in the no-huddle, fast-paced offensive approach so many take in today's college football.

If Wayne lives up to his potential, he will be just that for the Hurricanes.

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal and his staff are building up a strong roster of good, young prospects going into their first season with the program.

Even before Cristobal's arrival, the previous coaching staff did a good job of bringing in talent. The Hurricanes finished in the top 20 of 247Sports' national team rankings in 2021 and 2022.

Cristobal has already secured 13 commitments for the 2023 class. Wayne and offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, teammates at IMG Academy, are 5-star recruits on their way to Miami next year.

It will be on Cristobal and his coaches to maximize the potential of high-ceiling players like Wayne to get the program back among the nation's elite.