BLACKSBURG, Va. - N.C. State offensive coordinator Dana Bible did not make the trip to Virginia Tech for today's 3:30 p.m. game, school sports information director Annabelle Myers said this afternoon.

Bible is undergoing medical tests of an undisclosed nature, Myers said. Running backs coach Jason Swepson will move from his usual position on the field up to the coaches' box and call plays for the Wolfpack.

While Friday’s 87-71 loss to Syracuse was both staggering and humiliating for North Carolina’s basketball team, the experience should provide the Tar Heels with a valuable measuring stick.

For an inexperienced, still-uncomfortable team, which Carolina is, Syracuse amounted to the perfect early-season storm.

MIAMI - Duke leads Miami 13-10 at half time at Land Shark Stadium.

SECOND QUARTER

Duke entered the game looking to kick-start a sluggish offense that found its stride midway through the season. It took a quarter to get going, but the Devils rejuvenated a stagnant passing game with senior quarterback Thaddeus Lewis finding his go-to target Donovan Varner.

The pair connected late in the second quarter on a 24-yard touchdown pass to help the Devils take the lead in a first half that featured few offensive outburst. Varner ended the first half with six catches for 126 yards, his fourth game this season with 100 or more yards.

@ Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Helped by two pass interference calls on UNC's Charles Brown, Boston
College has cut UNC's lead to 21-13 with 1:13 left in the first half.
BC quarterback Dave Shinskie found Rich Gunnell -- who also caught
passes of 27 and 16 yards on the drive -- for a 2-yard touchdown.

earlier...

With about 3:30 left in the second quarter, UNC opted to go for it
on a 4th-and-12, rather than let Casey Barth try a 45-yard field goal.
Bad idea. T.J. Yates threw his second interception, picked off by BC’s
Marcellus Bowman – and wasted UNC safety Deunta Williams’ pick (BC’s
third turnover of the game).

UNC still leads 21-6.

earlier...

Carolina’s offense has now turned
the ball over twice, but its defense has held Boston College to two
field goals. On the first play of the second quarter, UNC QB T.J. Yates
rolled right, tried to throw on the run across his body, and Eagles
defensive end Austin Giles tipped it into the air and grabbed the first
interception of his career. BC converted a 20-yard field goal to cut
UNC’s lead to 21-6.

earlier...

No. 12 is back. At least, back on the ice with the Canes.

Eric Staal took part in today's morning skate at the RBC Center but is not fully ready to rejoin the lineup. Canes coach Paul Maurice said today the center should return in the next 10 days but that Staal would make the trip to Dallas and Anaheim next week.

"It's been tough, no question," Staal said. "It's been a learning experience for me because I've never been through something like this before.

"I'm working and doing everything I can to make sure I'm back in the lineup as soon as I can at 100 percent."

Here's the places you'll be headed the day after Thanksgiving if you're off to watch South Johnston or Princeton play in the third round of the NCHSAA prep football playoffs.

3-AA Eastern Regional Semifinal

Douglas Byrd (9-4) at South Johnston (12-1)

1-A Western Regional Semifinal

Princeton (10-3) at Mount Airy (13-0)

Both games will kick off at 7:30. 

We'll have more info on the games, including directions to Mount Airy on the blog this coming week.

48 Hours Mystery (9pm, CBS) - Saturday night is typically a night of network repeats, but 48 Hours has two new back-to-back episodes. The first show is about a con artist who assumes several identities in order to gain admission to Ivy League schools; the second episode is about the murder of a Phoenix art dealer whose Las Vegas showgirl ex-wife is the main suspect in his death.

Saturday Night Live (11:30, NBC) - Joseph Gordon-Levitt ("3rd Rock from the Sun" kid actor turned movie star) is the guest host. Dave Matthews Band is the musical guest. 

Austin City Limits (12midnight, UNC-TV) - Keep your 90s groove going with Pearl Jam, who plays classic songs and songs from their 2009 album "Backspacer."

While it may not be likely, Clay Aiken could actually be prosecuted over voting in last month's school board election.

As noted in today's aricle by Josh Shaffer, the Wake County Board of Elections will hold a hearing on Wake GOP Chairman Claude Pope's challenge of Aiken's voter registration status. Although Pope's press release says they're not seeking punitive action against Aiken, that might not matter.

The Wake Board of Elections will first decide whether Aiken should still be registered to vote in the county. They'll ask Aiken questions such as where his pets spend the night and where he goes to sleep at night.

South Johnston added to its school-record total for wins in a season Friday night, downing Rocky Mount 35-18 in the second round of the NCHSAA 3-A state football playoffs. The Trojans are now 12-1 on the season and will host a third round game next Friday night at Ronald Avery Stadium.

We'll have more on the Trojans' win and next opponent in Wednesday's edition of The Herald of Johnston County.

Princeton earned a 21-13 victory Friday night to move into the third round of the 1-A state high school football playoffs. The Bulldogs (10-3) scored 14 third-quarter points to take control of the game.

David Gurganus threw for 269 yards on the night, while Patrick Jacobs had 155 yards receiving. 

We'll have more on the Bulldogs' win and their next opponent in Wednesday's edition of The Herald of Johnston County.