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Atlantic Coast Conference teams are getting it done with some of the top defenses in the country.Four league teams rank in the top 11 in FBS total defense this week with Boston College (292.9 yards allowed per game) leading the pack at No. 7 just ahead of Clemson (298.6) at No. 8. Louisville (301.3) and Virginia Tech (302.0) are close behind at 10th and 11th respectively.All but BC have winning records, are in the Top 25 and have chance to win their respective divisions.How stingy their defenses play will likely determine how far they go.Every week you come in and its like, `OK, its the No. 1 defense, its the No. 8 defense, its the No. 10, Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said of what he faces each week. But I dont think our guys would have it any other way. ... As a coach youre like, `Man, when are you going to get one not ranked in the top 10? but at the same time, thats what really motivates your guys to perform.Stout defenses are not new in the ACC. Six teams ranked in the top 20 this time last season and five in the top 15 just last week.Former NFL Pro Bowl linebacker and current ESPN analyst Jonathan Vilma believes the defensive success is the result of schools finding recruits who can play right away and develop through experience. He also believes the ACC plays a more wide-open style that dictates having versatile athletes.You look at how North Carolina and Clemson like to open it up, Vilma said, so the style of defense is about having athletes can cover men and play good man defense on the outside with slot corners or (linebackers). Theyre physical at the point, can run sideline to sideline and can cover and/or tight ends.Continuity also helps.A key move by first-year Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente was convincing defensive coordinator Bud Foster to stay on staff and help rebuild a unit that ranked 42nd at this point last year.Opponents have converted less than 25 percent on third down this season against the Hokies, tops in the ACC, and they are second in the league in pass defense efficiency and red zone conversions. Take away a 31-17 loss at Syracuse and theyve outscored four recent opponents 174-36, including a 34-3 win at North Carolina.Any time youre together that long with a group of guys that youve recruited and really built a defense around what you want to do, youll be pretty good, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said of Fosters defense.Yards might be hard to come by Thursday night in Pittsburgh when the Hokies visit to face the Panthers, who rank fifth against the run (96.6 yards).No matter where teams are ranked, Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson expects ACC foes to make it challenging to score points and gain yardage.Its getting harder and harder, Johnson said. Its like Ive said all along, this is the best the league has been defensively, I think, from top to bottom. There have been good teams in the past but overall top to bottom, this is the best its been defensively -- at least the teams weve played so far.The stinginess displayed by Clemson and Louisville has demonstrated there is much more to the Tigers and Cardinals than their respective dynamic quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson.Practicing against those dual-threat players every day has helped the teams defenses.I think our defensive players understand the attention on Jackson, said Louisville coach Bobby Petrino, whose team has held Duke and North Carolina State to 489 combined yards the past two weeks.I tell them every day that we score points because our defense gets turnovers and gets short fields and scores, (along with) our special teams. Its all about the team and when you score points, its the team that scores points.But numbers only tell part of the story.Timely defensive stops have decided several big ACC matchups this season, few bigger than Clemsons overtime interception against N.C. State two weeks ago that sealed a 24-17 win . The Tigers committed four turnovers and had one converted into a touchdown before getting the takeaway that kept them unbeaten.That game capped a challenging stretch in which Clemson faced Louisville, BC and N.C. State, which ranked 26th at the time. The Tigers return from a bye to face another hurdle Saturday night at No. 12 Florida State, which is 55th defensively nationally but doesnt give ground in Doak Campbell Stadium.These days, not many ACC teams are giving up much of anything.---AP Sports Writers Hank Kurz Jr. in Blacksburg, Virginia, Pete Iacobelli in Clemson, South Carolina, and Charles Odum in Atlanta contributed to this report.---The APs college football page: collegefootball.ap.org Tracy McGrady Rockets Jersey . Q: Team Canada announces their Olympic roster three weeks from today. Who is general manager Steve Yzerman watching? LeBrun: Over the last 48 hours, hes taken in the home-and-home between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche with Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene being the obvious targets. Austin Rivers Jersey . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. https://www.rocketsrookiesshop.com/Michael-Frazier-City-Edition-Jersey/ .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Austin Rivers Rockets Jersey . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Clint Capela Rockets Jersey . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. Chicago Bears rookie linebacker Leonard Floyd was taken off the field on a backboard and a cart after a frightening neck injury Sunday in his teams 22-16 loss to the New York Giants.Floyd was taken to a hospital for medical observation, as is standard NFL protocol, and released. He was expected to accompany the team back to Chicago.While Floyd and teammate Akiem Hicks?were converging on Giants running back Rashad Jennings, the crown of Floyds helmet led into Hicks leg and compressed. The injury happened with 5 minutes, 53 seconds remaining in Sundays game.The entire Bears team and several Giants players gathered around in a show of support. Floyd pumped his fist and showed some movement while being carted off.It hurt us mentally and physically to see Leonard go down like that, Bears linebacker Pernell McPhee said. Thats one of our young bucks. Thats one of our playmakers. Thats one of the guys we depend on. Hes a great guy. Hopefully its nothing serious, and our prayers go out to him. Hopefully hes back soon.Bears coach John Fox said following thhe game that Floyds movement looked good and was encouraging.ddddddddddddIts difficult to see a young guy like that [who has] made the strides that hes made get hurt, Bears linebacker Willie Young said. Its definitely tough. But Ive been around long enough to know thats just the game that we play.The first-round pick joined tight end Zach Miller, left guard Josh Sitton and cornerback CreVon LeBlanc as Bears knocked out of Sundays game.Floyd was taken with the No. 9 pick of the 2016 NFL draft. The Bears traded the No. 11 pick and a fourth-round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to move up to get him.He started the season slowly and was sidelined for three games after hurting a calf in Week 4. Since returning to the field in Week 7, Floyd has had 10 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown.His five sacks this season lead all rookies.ESPNs Jeff Dickerson and The Associated Press contributed to this report. ' ' '