beIN SPORTS

by Des Norris

Scholars

Michigan 78-0 Rutgers

With the halfway point of the regular season almost upon us, unbeaten teams are getting harder to come by - with only 11 such programs still in existence after six weeks of action.

The Wolverines are among this select group of 100% starters, and boy did they hammer that point home on Saturday in the Garden State.

Wins don't get much more emphatic than Michigan's four quarter long demolition job of the Scarlet Knights in which New Jersey native Jabrill Peppers led the charge, running a career high two touchdowns and assisting with another.

Dropouts

FSU 20-19 Miami

Miami may have been one of the few fortunate places on Florida’s eastern coastline to escape the violent wrath of Hurricane Matthew, but the effects of Saturday night’s defeat to arch rivals FSU would have felt equal in measure to any catastrophic climatic event for the many green and orange-clad fans who bore witness to the agonizing finish inside a sellout Hard Rock Stadium.

While there were no cataclysmic weather events forecast in the Magic City, a force of nature by the name of DeMarcus Walker managed to suck all the oxygen out of the UM arena with 1:38 left on the clock, with an overtime-preventing block.

This was UM’s golden opportunity to overturn an abysmal six-consecutive-defeat run against the Noles. Mark Richt’s men came into this game 5-0 and hadn’t yet known what it felt like to trail in 2016.

However, game six was against an opponent that has had UM’s number in recent years. Florida State hasn’t lost to the Hurricanes since 2012 and, while getting off to an uncharacteristically stuttery start to the season, the 3-2 record before yesterday’s showdown was a misnomer.

The Seminoles are always going to be a tough proposition for any team, but that seems to be especially true for UM.

And that’s how it would play out once again.

The home program flew out of the traps like a greyhound juiced up on nitrous oxide, taking a deserved ten-point lead into the half-time break.

But Dalvin Cook swung the balance in the visitors’ favor with a 59-yard catch and run touchdown in the third quarter, and a Ricky Aguayo field goal extended the Noles’ lead to 20-13.

The Canes rallied though. Stacy Coley scored the late touchdown that handed Michael Badgley a chance to level matters, but the usually reliable kicker was foiled by the Walker’s deciding play.

Class Clowns

Virginia Tech 34-3 North Carolina

The Tar Heels couldn't cope with the blustery and rainy conditions in Chapel Hill. 

And the Hokies took full advantage as their hosts' floundered in the mud, forcing turnovers, making them count (Jerod Evans throwing two TD and running another) and limiting Larry Fedora's Rams to 131 yards.  

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