representative of the kind of tolerance people should embrace

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Miami didnt back away from its ground game, even as it went nowhere against one of the nations top run defenses through Saturdays first half.Eventually, coach Mark Richt figured, the Hurricanes would break a few runs.Mark Walton responded by running for three second-half touchdowns, turning in a huge performance to help the Hurricanes beat North Carolina State 27-13.Walton ran 120 yards for the Hurricanes (7-4, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) to crack the 1,000-yard mark on the season. The last of that production came when he bounced off two tacklers and sprinted free for the 24-yard clinching score with 2:06 left.The line did a great job for me, coach was trusting in me, Walton said. The first half, it didnt go so well for our running game. The second half we came out and we ran the ball well.Indeed. Walton ran for 102 yards after halftime, including a 30-yard score as one of two third-quarter touchdowns against a run defense ranked fourth in the Bowl Subdivision and tops in the ACC by holding opponents to 99.4 yards per game.Those two TDs broke a 3-3 halftime tie to put the Wolfpack (5-6, 2-5) in catch-up mode.Sometimes youve got to chip away -- youve got to chip away and eventually something will break, Richt said. And youve got to stay patient running the ball. You cant just avoid the running game completely and chuck it every down. Its not healthy for anybody.Matt Dayes ran for 76 yards and a touchdown to become N.C. States first 1,000-yard rusher since 2002. But the Wolfpack committed just too many mistakes to make comeback, including an end-zone interception thrown by Ryan Finley, a penalty negating a fourth-quarter TD run by Dayes and BraLon Cherrys fumbled punt return -- all in the second half.Finally, cornerback Jack Tocho committed a pass-interference penalty on third down with 2:56 left, giving Miami a first down and setting up Waltons clinching run.We didnt make enough plays when we needed to, Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said. It was a hard-fought first half but we just didnt play well enough to win.BIG PICTUREMIAMI: A week after securing bowl eligibility for the ninth straight season, the Hurricanes closed the regular season at 4-2 on the road after managing a combined three road wins over the past two seasons -- another positive sign in Richts first year.N.C. STATE: This game just about summed up the Wolfpacks season full of missed opportunities as N.C. State tried to become bowl eligible for the third straight year, falling right in line with a dropped late interception to potentially seal a win against Florida State and a missed short field goal to upset Clemson on the road.Its tough right now because theres a lot of mistakes made out on the field and a lot of missed opportunities, Dayes said. Thats why it hurts so bad.MILESTONESIn addition to Dayes and Walton reaching 1,000 yards on the season, Miami receiver Ahmmon Richards broke the Hurricanes single-season freshman receiving record (840 yards) set by program great Michael Irvin in 1985. He finished with nine catches for 117 yards.UP NEXTMIAMI: The Hurricanes close the regular season at home against Duke, a year after beating the Blue Devils on an eight-lateral, final-play kickoff return that officials later determined shouldnt have counted in a controversial finish.Hopefully we wont get to that point next week, said Walton, who was on the field during that final return. Were not trying to get to that moment again. ... I dont want to revisit that play.N.C. STATE: N.C. State closes the regular season with a trip to rival North Carolina for a Friday afternoon matchup over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in a final shot to go to a bowl. The Wolfpack won the last visit there, a 35-7 romp in 2014.Weve still got one more game left, safety Josh Jones said. Its not too late.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap---More AP college football at http://collegefootball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25 Wholesale Sneakers Australia . -- Whether Jeremy Hill deserves a prominent role in LSUs offence this early in the season is a matter for debate. Sneakers Online Australia . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse. http://www.cheapsneakersaustralia.com/ . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Wholesale Sneakers Online . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Cheap Sneakers Australia . The 15th-ranked Canadian men lost the opening two games of their European tour: 19-15 to No. 17 Georgia and 21-20 to No. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith is not someone prone to making public statements, especially the kind that could be construed as political, controversial or divisive.So when he showed up to a news conference after a victory at Carolina last Sunday, and there was a tiny silver safety pin on his shirt, a subtle act intended to promote tolerance stood out.Its funny, Smith said Wednesday, I didnt even think it got noticed at the time.Wearing safety pins has become commonplace following the presidential election as people in all walks of life, many of whom are concerned about Donald Trumps proposed policies, have made public their desire for a more inclusive and diverse society.Ill tell you what it wasnt: It wasnt anything political. Nothing to do with the presidential election. For me, just everything to do with tolerance, understanding, Smith explained before heading out to practice.Something I found out about at my kids school where they were teaching about diversity and tolerance, and I dont know why. Just felt like it was pertinent at the time.Some athletes have expressed their dissatisfaction with Trumps election, including Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans, who sat during the national anthem before last weeks game against Chicago.The Chiefs play the Buccaneers this Sunday.That wasnt Smiths intent, though. The safety pin was meant to draw attention to the divisiveness in the country.The election may have been part of it, but so has racial discrimination that led to the Black Lives Matter movement, and perceived attacks on sexual orientation and gender equality that have been linked to North Carolinas controversial House Bill 2.Theres a lot going on right now. Things are crazy. I think theres a lack of understanding across the spectrum between people of different beliefs, Smith said. It had nothing to do with the presidential election or the outcome and everything to do with tolerance and diversity.The Chiefs have supported their players freedom to speak on social issues.In the season opener, cornerbackk Marcus Peters raised a gloved fist during the national anthem in a black power salute that was reminiscent of Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.ddddddddddddPeters said the act was meant to increase awareness of racial inequality, and that he stood in solidarity with 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has been kneeling for the anthem this season.Thats what is so great about America, right? Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. The NFL does a great job of letting people express themselves not only on the field as players, but also as people.Were just a microcosm of what this country is, Reid added. Its all healthy. Thats what makes this country the greatest place in the world to live.Smith said he didnt mean to draw attention away from the win over the Panthers, nor did he want to create a stir in the locker room.But he did say the locker room can be representative of the kind of tolerance people should embrace, pointing out that the 53 guys on the Chiefs roster come from different states with different social and economic backgrounds and varying religious beliefs.Growing up, playing team sports, theres guys in this locker room that think a vast variety of ways, Smith said. That comes back to respect and understanding, and theres a lot of respect and understanding in this locker room.Smith didnt say whether he would continue to wear a pin this season, but he did underscore that he didnt want the small act intended to promote unity to become disruptive.Like I said, its about understanding of all humans. I dont care what you believe, where you stand -- Muslim, Jewish, Christian, you name it, Smith said.I do know its been tied here or there, but thats certainly not why I wore it. It originated from my kids school and theyre trying to teach about diversity. I wasnt trying to be a distraction.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '