BRENNAN ARMSTRONG

After five years at Virginia, the veteran quarterback announced Saturday that he will play his final season of college football at NC State. At NC State, Armstrong will reunite with Robert Anae, his offensive coordinator for his first four years at Virginia. Anae spent the 2022 season as the offensive coordinator at Syracuse before being hired by NC State last month. NC State went 8-5 this season despite having to start four different quarterbacks over the course of the season. He helped NC State beat North Carolina, but struggled in losses to Louisville and Maryland in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

RJ Young takes a look at the top impact transfers in the portal and shares where he believes they could end up.

Another accomplished quarterback has hit the transfer portal. Brennan Armstrong, a three-year starter at Virginia, entered the portal as a graduate transfer on Thursday. Several notable QBs in portal before transfer window opensArmstrong is the latest notable quarterback to hit the portal since the end of the regular season. Players like Armstrong who have already graduated can enter the portal at any time, as can players whose head coaches have been fired. The first transfer window — when any player can enter — begins Dec. 5.

No reason to hedge anymore: Alabama is out of the College Football Playoff race. The 10th-ranked Crimson Tide beat No. 11 Mississippi, but all that did was clinch the SEC West for No. 7 LSU, which beat Arkansas earlier Saturday to eliminate Alabama. Without a path to the Southeastern Conference championship game, the slim chance Alabama had to reach the CFP for the eighth time in its nine-year history is now none.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — (AP) — Pittsburgh got off to as fast a start as a defense can Saturday at Virginia, returning passes by quarterback Brennan Armstrong on the first two plays from scrimmage for touchdowns. M.J. Devonshire did the trick first, jumping in front of a pass near the Panthers' sideline and scampering easily 29 yards for the score at the 14:55 mark. After a second touchback, Armstrong tried throwing deeper, also near the Pitt sideline, and Marquis Williams jumped in front of that one and also took it 39 yards for a touchdown. After 16 seconds, the Panthers led 14-0 and Virginia fans were booing. Saturday was the first time Virginia has allowed two interception returns for a touchdown in the same game since 2015, when Boise State did it in a 56-14 rout.

Pittsburgh got off to as fast a start as a defense can at Virginia.

Saturday’s game vs. Pittsburgh did not get off to a positive start for Virginia. Virginia has lost five of its last six games, but three of those games were decided by three points or fewer. So there was some reason for optimism that the Cavaliers could pull off an upset at home vs. the Panthers. Virginia received the opening kickoff and senior quarterback Brennan Armstrong threw an interception on the team’s first offensive snap. And on Virginia’s very next offensive play, disaster struck yet again.

J.C. Price hasn't masked his emotions or love for Virginia Tech since he was chosen to replace Justin Fuente as the Hokies interim coach early last week. The former Hokies player was able to unleash them Saturday night, celebrating on the field with the Hokies, their fans and his family after a 29-24 victory at Virginia. Braxton Burmeister threw for one touchdown, caught a pass for another and Virginia Tech ran for 320 yards and handed Virginia its fourth straight loss, 29-24.

North Carolina Pittsburgh Football Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett throws a pass against North Carolina during the second half of an NCAA college football game Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021, in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has Kenny Pickett, who vaulted himself into the Heisman Trophy conversation with 32 touchdown passes this season. The All-ACC selections, which are expected to be announced early next month, have a first team, a second team and a third team. “It comes down to the senior leadership, Kenny Pickett leadership,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. Uiagalelei and Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec also got preseason ACC player of the year votes.

In addition, Wake Forest was picked as the most surprising team so far, with Pittsburgh as runner-up. They returned all but a handful of starters, creating an experienced and deeper roster that generally avoids self-inflicted damage. Maybe so, but Clawson has made the right moves with a team picked to finish fifth in the seven-team Atlantic Division. MOST SURPRISING PLAYERThe surprise with Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong has been just how much he has elevated his game. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardapCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson and Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett headline The Associated Press' list of midseason football honorees for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Dontayvion Wicks had a circus catch for a touchdown, Brennan Armstrong passed for 268 yards and Virginia added to Miami’s struggles by beating the Hurricanes 30-28.

There’s no question who Virginia will start at quarterback. That’s not the case with Miami.

11 Miami outlasted Virginia 19-14 on Saturday night. Harley's big night for Miami (5-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) started with a 43-yard touchdown grab on the Hurricanes’ second play from scrimmage. Don Chaney had a 1-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth for Miami. Points had been a rare commodity the past two Miami vs. Virginia games — the Cavaliers winning one 16-13, the Hurricanes winning the other 17-9 — and this one followed suit. Virginia, however, was out of time-outs at that point and Miami punted the ball away with only 23 seconds left.

CLEMSON, S.C. – Trevor Lawrence was happy with Clemson's win over Virginia. Lawrence threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns as Clemson opened 3-0 for the sixth straight year with a 41-23 victory over the Cavaliers on Saturday night. However, like so often the past few years when pressed, Clemson and Lawrence found what it took to succeed. Rodgers had two TD catches in the final six minutes of the opening half to give Clemson a 24-3 lead that Virginia could not overcome. That's when Lawrence found Etienne for a final scoring throw to restore Clemson's momentum.