The winning percentage of NC State head coach Tom O’Brien against nationally ranked teams in his six seasons in Raleigh is .615. During that time O’Brien has posted an 8-5 record against ranked teams, including Saturday’s 17-16 last-second upset of 3rd-ranked Florida State.

Since the 2003 season, O’Brien’s teams at Boston College and NC State have faced 24 nationally-ranked teams and have beaten 15 of them, a .625 winning percentage.

NC State 17, #3/4 Florida State 16
QB Mike Glennon connected with WR Bryan Underwood on 2-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 16 seconds to play, and PK Niklas Sade added the extra point to lift the homestanding Wolfpack (4-2 overall, 1-1 ACC) to a dramatic 17-16 win over the third-ranked Seminoles (5-1, 2-1). FSU led 16-0 at the half, thanks to PK Dustin Hopkins’ three fi eld goals and QB EJ Manuel’s 4-yard touchdown pass to TE Nick O’Leary. But the Wolfpack defense held the Seminoles, who had averaged 51 points in their fi rst fi ve games, scoreless in the second half.

Sade’s 27-yard field goal cut into FSU’s lead in the third quarter. Then, following an interception by DB Juston Burris, Glennon led a 67-yard scoring drive that was capped by a 24-yard touchdown pass to RB Shadrach Thornton that brought the home team within 16-10 with just over 11 minutes to play. The Wolfpack’s winning score was set up when DE Mike Rose blocked a punt to set up NC State at the FSU 43-yard line with 2:27 to play. The Wolfpack marched to the end zone from there in 12 plays, converting on three fourth downs including the winning TD.

Duke 42, Virginia 17
WR Conner Vernon caught two touchdown passes and set the Atlantic Coast Conference record for career receptions as the Blue Devils (5-1, 2-0) recorded their second straight ACC win and continued their fastest start to a season since 1994. That year also marked the Blue Devils’ last appearance in a postseason bowl game. QB Anthony Boone, filling in for injured Blue Devil starter Sean Renfree, threw four touchdown passes. Vernon caught seven passes and now has 239 receptions for his career, breaking the previous ACC mark of 232 set by Clemson’s Aaron Kelly (2005-08). RBs Kevin Parks and Perry Jones rushed for first half touchdowns for Virginia (2-4, 0-2).

Duke takes its four game-winning streak on the road to face the Virginia Tech Hokies Saturday at Lane Stadium (12:30 p.m., ACC Network). A win by Duke would make the Blue Devils bowl eligible. Since joining the ACC in 2004, Virginia Tech has won eight straight against the Blue Devils and overall has 11 straight wins in the series, with Duke’s last win coming in 1981 in Durham. Duke has never won in Blacksburg.

North Carolina 48, Virginia Tech 34
RB Giovani Bernard rushed for a career-high 262 yards, and WR Sean Tapley delivered a pair of big play touchdowns to lead the homestanding Tar Heels (4-2, 1-1). Bernard’s big day included a 62-yard touchdown run. Bernard’s rushing yardage was the 11th-best in the 60-year history of the ACC. It was also the 5th-best mark by a
UNC running back since the school began play in the conference in 1953. Tapley raced 94 yards on a kickoff return for a game-tying touchdown after UNC had spotted the Hokies an early 7-0 lead and also scored on a 19-yard touchdown pass from QB Bryn Renner. RB A.J. Blue added a pair of rushing touchdowns for the Tar Heels. WR Demetri Knowles returned a kickoff 93 yards for a Virginia Tech touchdown. QB Logan Thomas passed for 354 yards and two touchdowns and also had a 13-yard touchdown run for the Hokies (3-3, 1-1).

UNC is not eligible for the Coastal title due to NCAA sanctions, but that hasn’t slowed down their fast-paced offense which has racked up 114 points in its last
two games.