CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - For the past two years, Louisville has been best known for its offense.
The Cardinals defense seems determined to change that.
Eric Shelton ran for three touchdowns and Louisville earned its second shutout of the season with a 34-0 victory over North Carolina on Saturday. Shelton rushed for 86 yards to lead the Cardinals, who improved to 3-0 for the second straight season under coach Bobby Petrino. Brian Brohm added a touchdown run and Michael Bush ran for 82 yards.
Louisville averaged 35 points in 15 games under Petrino coming in, but the Cardinals didn't need much offense Saturday. Their defense shut down North Carolina's balanced attack, closing almost every running lane and allowing few gains through the air.
Louisville, which ranked 11th nationally by allowing 10.5 points per game, opened the season with a 28-0 win against Kentucky. Those numbers are quite an improvement from the final five games of last season, when the unit allowed at least 31 points in each game and the Cardinals stumbled to a 2-3 finish.
"We're trying to gain a little respect each game, and hopefully it's working," defensive tackle Bobby Leffew said.
North Carolina came in averaging 36 points and 478 yards, but the Tar Heels finished with 222 total yards. They also had two turnovers inside Louisville's 20.
VIRGINIA 31, SYRACUSE 10: Marques Hagans had 283 total yards with two touchdown runs and a TD pass to lead the host Cavaliers. Wali Lundy added a 27-yard run for his 10th touchdown of the season. The Orange, a 51-0 loser to Purdue in its season opener, drove 68 yards for a field goal on its opening possession, then managed just 41 more yards on four possessions and trailed 21-3 at halftime.
Hagans had scoring runs of 59 and 27 yards in the first half and finished with 81 yards on six carries. The Cavaliers have outscored opponents 120-13 before halftime. The game could prove costly to Virginia. Defensive end and leading tackler Chris Canty left with a leg injury in the late going. The extent of his injury was unknown, and Virginia's policy is not to discuss players who are hurt.
The game featured a few firsts for Virginia. The third quarter marked the first time this season the Cavaliers didn't score a touchdown, and Jerry Mackey's 8-yard sack of Hagans was the first allowed this season by the Cavs.
MARYLAND 55, DUKE 21: Joel Statham threw four touchdowns to offset a host of mistakes and the Terrapins piled up 685 yards in total offense. For the second straight game, Statham was intercepted three times, and he also was charged with three fumbles. That gives him seven interceptions and eight fumbles in four games.
Vernon Davis caught three of the TDs, the first of his career, and Rich Parson had the other as Maryland won its fifth straight over the Blue Devils. Statham finished 22-of-37 for 362 yards, and the Terrapins added 277 on the ground. Their 100th play came on the final snap, and they finished with 35 first downs. The host Blue Devils were held to 185 yards, lowering their average to 223, but they did score a touchdown on special teams, offense and defense for the first time since 1977.
N.C. STATE 17, VA. TECH 16: T.A. McLendon ran for 93 yards and a touchdown for visiting North Carolina State, and Virginia Tech kicker Brandon Pace missed a 43-yard field goal as time expired. N.C. State solidified its reputation as one of the country's best defenses, sacking Tech quarterback Bryan Randall 10 times and holding the Hokies to 192 total yards.
Besides his miss on the final play, Pace also missed a 33-yard attempt in the first quarter. And, with the game tied 10-all in the third quarter, Tech punter Vinnie Burns fumbled a snap that N.C. State's Troy Graham recovered at the Hokies 5. Three plays later, Marcus Stone rushed for a 1-yard touchdown and a 17-10 lead.
WAKE FOREST 17, B.C. 14: Cory Randolph threw a 40-yard touchdown to Willie Idlette with just more than a minute left to lift the host Demon Deacons. Idlette beat Ryan Glasper, who tried to make a diving interception, for the first TD reception of his career. The Eagles, who will join Demon Deacons in the ACC next season, were hurt by three missed field goals from freshman Ryan Ohlinger.
