DEVIN LEARY

Devin Leary threw two touchdown passes in a 26-second span, with No. 24 North Carolina State recovering an onside kick in between, to stun North Carolina 34-30 on Friday night and remain alive in the ACC Atlantic Division title chase.

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.

Devin Leary threw for 314 yards and four touchdowns as North Carolina State jumped ahead of Florida State early and held off the Seminoles for a 28-14 win on Saturday.

Tyler Van Dyke passed for 325 yards and four touchdowns, two of them to Charleston Rambo, and Miami knocked off No. 18 N.

North Carolina State forced D.

“If I’m a quarterback who’s looking at the SEC, ACC schools, big schools, that might be a big thing,” Boston College graduate offensive lineman Zion Johnson said. Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald offered his own blunt assessment, which seemed like a practice run at debunking any NIL-based recruiting pitches by competitors. “‘We’ve got the greatest NIL.’ They’re all full of it. At least in the ACC, multiple coaches weren’t ready to commit to major changes to their recruiting approach with NIL. Boston College coach Jeff Hafley figures he will use it as part of the pitch for a school in a major media market.

College coaches are trying to get a handle on the recruiting impact of athletes' ability to profit off their fame.

North Carolina's Sam Howell is a Heisman Trophy candidate and the headliner of the Atlantic Coast Conference's class of experienced returning quarterbacks.

24 North Carolina State (8-3) is a 2 ½-point underdog against Kentucky (4-6) in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, a number the Wolfpack consider a slight heading into Saturday's game in Jacksonville. Kentucky was so bad offensively that coach Mark Stoops fired two assistants less than 24 hours after the regular-season finale. “They can put us down all they want, but we know what we have in the locker room, and that’s it,” NC State quarterback Bailey Hockman said. FAMILY AFFAIRHockman has an uncle who played at Kentucky, and the Gator Bowl matchup has prompted some trash talk. It’s family before everything,” said Bailey, who landed at NC State after transferring from Florida State.

23 North Carolina State 48-21 on Saturday in the first meeting with both rivals ranked in the AP Top 25 since 1993. And it came two weeks after Carter and Williams powered the Tar Heels to 399 yards rushing in a win against Virginia Tech. But N.C. State managed 34 yards rushing and had four turnovers. UNC: The Tar Heels had won six straight games before last weekend’s loss at FSU. UNC: The Tar Heels visit Virginia next Saturday.