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WINSTON-SALEM -- After beating Clemson 12-7 on Thursday, Wake Forest is the first team to win two ACC games in the same season while scoring 12 or fewer points since the Tigers defeated the Deacons 10-9 and Duke 3-0 in 1971.

That wasn't just another era chronologically; it was a different game.

Since that time, the NCAA has adopted a half-dozen major rules changes designed to aid the offense. In many cases, actions that constituted holding in 1979 were permissible in 1980, for example. Scoring at the end of each half became considerably more feasible when quarterbacks were permitted to spike the ball at the line of scrimmage (1990) and to throw away a pass without penalty when out of the tackle box (2000) to kill the clock.

Today's game features 31 percent more scoring than the average contest in the era of Vietnam and Attica.

As odd as it sounds, it's true: the Deacs are 2-0 in the ACC for the first time since 1987. They have never been 3-0, and they'll be trying at Maryland next week. If they get there, they'll be in prime position to win their second Atlantic Division title in three years.

The Deacs' biggest concern is the health of kicker Sam Swank, who missed the Clemson game with a quadriceps injury. His replacement, redshirt freshman Shane Popham, punted admirably and went 2-for-4 on field-goal attempts. His first miss resulted from a mishandled snap.

The question becomes whether Swank, if healthy, will be relieved of punting duties in order to keep his leg fresh. His punting average of 37.6 is down from the two previous campaigns.

Coach Jim Grobe said Popham's elevation to first-team punter is possible and will be determined by assistant head coach Billy Mitchell, who handles such decisions.

Aside from red-zone stagnation, an issue for Wake all year, the coaches won't have much to gripe about Thursday's game. The Deacons committed only three penalties and did not turn over the ball.

Contact Rob Daniels at 373-7028 or rob.daniels@news-record.com

NORTH CAROLINA: North Carolina's decade-long rebuilding project finally is showing signs of traction, complete with the Tar Heels' first national ranking in seven years. The biggest thing missing for coach Butch Davis' club is a win against a big-name opponent.

Notre Dame, with its storied tradition, provides the opportunity, not to mention quite a buzz considering the Fighting Irish are making their first trip to the state in more than three decades.

Today's matchup is about a lot more than just one game -- even if Davis wants to treat it that way. It's symbolic of whether the No. 22 Tar Heels really are as good as the number in front of their name implies, and whether they are ready to handle the kind of prosperity that hasn't been seen here in a long time.

CLEMSON: From preseason player of the year to a seat on the bench, Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper has had a miserable fall. Tigers coach Tommy Bowden said Friday he'd start freshman backup Willy Korn against Georgia Tech on Oct. 18.

GEORGIA TECH: Coach Paul Johnson is tired of seeing lackluster performances from Georgia Tech's special teams.

So when the Yellow Jackets (4-1) host Gardner-Webb (2-3) today, Johnson expects to see immediate improvement in the kicking game.

EAST CAROLINA: East Carolina beat two ranked foes and climbed as high as No. 14 before losing two in a row and dropping out of the rankings.

Virginia was embarrassed 31-3 by Duke before being nearly flawless in a 31-0 rout of heavily favored Maryland.

Now, the teams still searching for their true identity meet today in Charlottesvile.