AARON BEARD
Central Florida wide receiver Ryan O'Keefe (4) runs the ball as East Carolina defensive back Warren Saba (17) chases during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Greenville, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Gabriel, No. 13 UCF beat East Carolina 51-28 in AAC opener

By Aaron Beard Sep. 26, 2020 04:12 PM EDT
GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) — For the second straight week, Dillon Gabriel and No. 13

East Carolina head coach Mike Houston looks from the sidelines against Cincinnati during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Greenville, N.C., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. Houston opens his second season with the Pirates on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020 against No. 13 UCF. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
No. 13 UCF opens conference play with trip to East Carolina

By Aaron Beard Sep. 24, 2020 10:06 AM EDT
Dillon Gabriel and and his Central Florida teammates aren’t spending time

Person, NC State hold on to beat Wake Forest 45-42 in opener

By Aaron Beard Sep. 20, 2020 12:12 AM EDT
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Ricky Person Jr. scored the short go-ahead touchdown with

Miami quarterback D'Eriq King (1) leaps for a second-quarter touchdown against UAB during an NCAA college football game in Miami Gardens, Fla., Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald via AP)
No. 17 Miami, No. 18 Louisville meet to top ACC schedule

By Aaron Beard Sep. 17, 2020 04:00 AM EDT
Here are things to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference in Week 2:

North Carolina head coach Mack Brown watches his team warm up before an NCAA college football game against Syracuse on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020 in Chapel Hill, N.C. (Robert Willett/The News & Observer via AP, Pool)
ACC teams look to fix opening-week miscues for Week 2 games

By Aaron Beard Sep. 16, 2020 12:38 PM EDT
North Carolina coach Mack Brown knows his team started the season with too many

Syracuse quarterback Tommy DeVito (13) scrambles to avoid North Carolina defender Jahlil Taylor (52) in first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020 in Chapel Hill, N.C.(Robert Willett/The News & Observer via AP, Pool)
Williams' 3 TDs help No. 18 UNC pull away from Syracuse 31-6

By Aaron Beard Sep. 12, 2020 03:28 PM EDT
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Javonte Williams ran for three fourth-quarter

FILE - North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Dyami Brown during the first half of the Military Bowl NCAA college football game against Temple, Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, in Annapolis, Md. No. 18 North Carolina has plenty of hype with quarterback Sam Howell leading an offense full of returning playmakers for Mack Brown's second season. The Tar Heels open Saturday against Syracuse with a chance to prove the hype is deserved. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
No. 18 Tar Heels eager to see Howell's next act at QB

By Aaron Beard Sep. 11, 2020 01:24 PM EDT
Sam Howell rarely looked like a rookie at North Carolina last season, rolling

FILE - North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Dyami Brown during the first half of the Military Bowl NCAA college football game against Temple, Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, in Annapolis, Md. No. 18 North Carolina has plenty of hype with quarterback Sam Howell leading an offense full of returning playmakers for Mack Brown's second season. The Tar Heels open Saturday against Syracuse with a chance to prove the hype is deserved. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
No. 18 Tar Heels open season against Orange in ACC matchup

By Aaron Beard Sep. 10, 2020 02:48 PM EDT
North Carolina coach Mack Brown hasn’t tried to dismiss the high expectations

FILE - North Carolina State head coach Dave Doeren watches his team warm up prior to the start of an NCAA college football game against Ball State in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019. Doeren said the team had three positive coronavirus tests over 2½ months before students returned. Clusters followed and the school soon paused all athletics activities, including football practices for about a week before postponing this weekend's game at Virginia Tech to Sept. 26. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker, File)
For ACC campuses, replicating pro-sports bubbles a challenge

By Aaron Beard Sep. 09, 2020 05:04 PM EDT
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Braden Galloway is seeing shorter lines at fast-food

FILE - In this Nov. 16, 2019, file photo, North Carolina State's Devin Leary (13) passes the ball against Louisville during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Raleigh, N.C. The Wolfpack will try to regroup after winning just four games last season. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker, File)
Doeren, Wolfpack aim for strong bounceback from 4-win season

By Aaron Beard Sep. 01, 2020 04:48 PM EDT
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren saw his program

FILE - In this Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, file photo, Duke head coach David Cutcliffe reacts during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Virginia Tech in Durham, N.C. Cutcliffe is taking over playcalling duties in hopes of helping the Blue Devils find an offensive spark in 2020 after struggling to some of their lowest totals under Cutcliffe the previous season. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
Cutcliffe takes on playcalling as Duke seeks offensive spark

By Aaron Beard Sep. 01, 2020 11:16 AM EDT
Duke coach David Cutcliffe knows the Blue Devils have to get more from their

FILE - In this Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, file photo, Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman looks to pass against Florida State in the second half of an NCAA college football game in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Demon Deacons have been to four straight bowl games but will have to overcome significant personnel losses on offense in coach Dave Clawson's seventh season. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond, File)
Wake Forest's Clawson eager to see offense grow up quickly

By Aaron Beard Sep. 01, 2020 11:14 AM EDT
Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson sees the holes left throughout his offense after

FILE - In this Dec. 28, 2019, file photo, Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley, center, stands with his team before the Peach Bowl NCAA semifinal college football playoff game against LSU in Atlanta. College football teams set to play this fall are trying to help their depth amid the coronavirus pandemic by finding players capable of playing multiple positions. Riley says it is “something every coach in the country is thinking about right now.” That's because positive tests, contact tracing and quarantines could abruptly alter any roster. (AP Photo/John Amis, File)
Multi-position players boost options in pandemic season

By Aaron Beard Aug. 28, 2020 02:16 AM EDT
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina's Trey Morrison entered preseason camp set

FILE - In this Feb. 5, 2020, file photo, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney speaks during an NCAA college football news conference at the Allen Reeves Football Complex in Clemson, S.C. Clemson came up short of a national title last January, but are one of the frontrunners to capture the crown in whatever season college football is able to fashion amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Ken Ruinard/The Independent-Mail via AP, File)
Notre Dame opens ACC play against Duke, won't play Navy

By Aaron Beard Aug. 06, 2020 12:25 PM EDT
Notre Dame opens its season as an Atlantic Coast Conference football member

FILE - In this July 17, 2019, fil photo, Commissioner John Swofford speaks during the Atlantic Coast Conference NCAA college football media day in Charlotte, N.C. There are 130 major college football teams, spread across 41 states and competing in 10 conferences, save for a handful of independents. The goal is to have all those teams start the upcoming season at the same time — whether that's around Labor Day as scheduled or later — and play the same number of games. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)
More than half of ACC football schools aim to reopen in fall

By Aaron Beard May. 06, 2020 03:52 PM EDT
Nine of the 14 football-playing members of the Atlantic Coast Conference are

FILE - In this July 24, 2019 file photo, Washington State offensive lineman Liam Ryan answers questions during the Pac-12 Conference NCAA college football Media Day, in Los Angeles. Football players and other college athletes are facing challenges when it comes to following nutrition plans amid the coronavirus pandemic. Ryan says he's been focused on eating plenty of protein, brown rice and healthy snacks while continuing to watch his weight amid the pandemic that has shut down college and professional sports. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
The menu: College athletes get cooking classes, grocery tips

By Aaron Beard May. 03, 2020 12:45 PM EDT
Nevada offensive lineman Nate Brown is doing his best to eat right, like many

Mistrial declared for ex-football player in NC agents case

By Aaron Beard Mar. 02, 2020 03:12 PM EST
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (AP) — A judge has declared a mistrial in the case of a

Quinn testifies he doesn't recall payments in NC agents case

By Aaron Beard Feb. 27, 2020 06:40 PM EST
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (AP) — Dallas Cowboys defensive end Robert Quinn testified

College hoops corruption witness testifies in NC agents case

By Aaron Beard Feb. 26, 2020 05:43 PM EST
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (AP) — A cooperating witness from the federal corruption

In this Saturday Jan, 4, 2020, photo, New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson looks up during a workout before the Pelicans played the Sacramento Kings in an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif. Williamson, who is recovering from a knee injury, has now participated in full-court and five-on-five drills as the top overall draft choice moves closer to making his league debut. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Injured NBA prospects deal with shut-it-down conversations

By Aaron Beard Jan. 15, 2020 02:55 PM EST
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — When college stars like Cole Anthony are injured, they