SOUTH ROUNDUP : Clemson Revives Bowl Bid With Victory

Looking to its celebrated past for direction in a troubling present, Clemson knew what it had to do Saturday against No. 18 North Carolina.

“We felt like if we played Clemson football and played up to our capabilities, we could dominate,” middle guard Brentson Buckner said.

The Tigers found their rhythm in beating the Tar Heels, 40-7, in an Atlantic Coast Conference game before 78,000 at Clemson, S.C. It was the Tigers’ largest victory margin ever over North Carolina or a nationally ranked team.

“They totally dominated the game in every phase,” said Mack Brown, North Carolina coach. “They didn’t do anything wrong.”

On offense, the Tigers set a record for time of possession at 42:58. Rodney Blunt, who rushed for 105 yards in 21 carries, scored on runs of 10, three and one yards in the second half as the Tigers (5-4, 3-4) kept their bowl hopes alive by beating the Tar Heels for the seventh consecutive time.

One reason for the Tar Heels’ problems: Natrone Means missed most of the game after suffering bruised ribs with about five minutes left in the first quarter.

“Obviously, Natrone has been a big part of our offense,” Brown said. “But we weren’t blocking well when he was in there. Maybe he could have pulled us out of it. You never know.”

The Tar Heels’ lone touchdown came on a 76-yard run by freshman Curtis Johnson 38 seconds into the second half to cut the led to 12-7. But Clemson responded with Blunt’s two quick touchdowns.

He scored on a 10-yard run with 6:44 left to cap a 16-play, 73-yard drive that took 7:38. Then Darnell Stephens set up Blunt’s next score when he returned the first of two interceptions eight yards to the Tar Heel 25. Five plays later, Blunt went three yards to make it 26-7 with 3:25 left.

No. 17 North Carolina State 31, Virginia 7--Mike Reid blocked a punt, forced a fumble and stuffed a big fourth down play to help the Wolfpack end a six-game losing streak to the Cavaliers in an ACC game at Charlottesville, Va.

“It certainly has been frustrating,” Coach Dick Sheridan said. “It’s a relief to finally beat this team.”

Reid’s big defensive plays--all in the first half--enabled the Wolfpack (7-2-1, 4-2) to build a 17-0 lead, and not even a quarterback change could stop Virginia (6-4, 4-4) from losing its fourth consecutive conference game.

“It’s a load off everyone’s shoulders who’s associated with the N.C. State program,” Reid said.

The Wolfpack, who had been outscored, 73-10, in its last two games against Virginia, gained an early advantage. Within the first five minutes Reid blocked Patrick Harkleroad’s punt. The Wolfpack’s Dewayne Washington scooped up the bouncing ball at the Virginia six-yard line and ran it in.

Tailback Anthony Barbour, who rushed for 107 yards in 21 carries, made it 17-0 less than a minute into the second quarter when he took a pitch to the left, cut back and went 59 yards for a touchdown.

Virginia put together two drives before halftime, but Reid killed both of them.

“He’s been playing like that all year,” Sheridan said. “He really does seem to come through for us.”

Wake Forest 28, Duke 14--Keith West completed 23 of 37 passes and Todd Dixon had three touchdown receptions as the Demon Deacons moved into bowl contention with a victory at Durham, N.C.

Retiring Bill Dooley won his 96th ACC game, tying him with former Clemson coaches Frank Howard and Danny Ford as the league’s all-time winningest coach.

Wake Forest (6-3, 3-3) was picked to finish last in the league, but has played error-free to win five in a row, matching the school’s best winning streak since 1987. Duke fell to 2-7, 0-6.

Wake Forest is within a half-game of third place in the conference, but must finish its season on the road against Georgia Tech and North Carolina State.

The Demon Deacons last played in a bowl game in 1979, losing 34-10 to LSU in the Tangerine Bowl.