Top 10 individual performances of 2010

There are some performances you'll never forget -- record-setting days and jaw-dropping numbers that changed the course of a game. There were more than 10 such performances in the ACC this past season, but these are the ones I didn't need a reminder about. Here's a look back on the top-10 performances from 2010:

[+] Enlarge

AP Photo/Chuck BurtonTyrod Taylor was on top of his game in leading the Hokies to the ACC title.

1. Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor vs. Florida State: It was a championship performance in the ACC title game, as Taylor threw for 263 yards and three touchdowns. His 5-yard scramble for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter sealed the 44-33 win for the Hokies.

2. FSU cornerback Greg Reid vs. South Carolina: He was named the defensive MVP of the Chick-fil-A Bowl and was an obvious choice. He finished with five tackles, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles (one that came with his hit that ended Marcus Lattimore’s night on the first series), and he had two punt returns for 53 yards leading to scores.

3. Maryland receiver Torrey Smith vs. NC State: He set the school’s single-game record with four touchdown receptions, while setting career highs with 14 receptions and 224 receiving yards as Maryland knocked off No. 21 NC State 38-31. His 224 receiving yards were the third most in a single game in school history. Smith also had 48 kickoff return yards, giving him 272 all-purpose yards in the game. He broke Lamont Jordan’s school record (4,960) for career all-purpose yards and his 5,183 rank seventh on the ACC career list.

4. Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien vs. NC State: He became the first Maryland quarterback to throw for 400 yards in a game since Scott Milanovich in 1993, racking up a career-high 417 yards while completing 33 of 47 passes (70 percent) for four touchdowns and no interceptions. The 417 passing yards were the fourth most in a single game in school history.

5. Duke quarterback Sean Renfree vs. Navy: He completed 28 of 30 pass attempts for 314 yards and a touchdown, and ran for two more touchdowns in the Blue Devils’ 34-31 win over Navy. It was a school record for single-game completion percentage (.933), and he equaled a school record with 16 straight completions.

6. NC State linebacker Nate Irving vs. Wake Forest: He set an NCAA record with eight tackles for loss in the win over Wake Forest, also breaking the previous school record of six set by Mario Williams in 2005 .

7. Wake Forest tailback Josh Harris vs. Virginia Tech: He rushed for a career-high 241 yards on 19 carries and scored on touchdown runs of 33 and 87 yards in the 52-21 loss. He accounted for 241 of Wake's 346 yards total offense. The 87-yard touchdown run was the longest given up by Virginia Tech since 1987, Frank Beamer’s first game as head coach of the Hokies. Harris’ 241 yards were the most Virginia Tech has ever allowed on the ground by an individual.

8. Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers vs. Maryland: He had a career-high three sacks and four tackles for loss in the Tigers’ 31-7 win over Maryland. Bowers became the first Clemson player to record three sacks in a game since 2001 when Bryant McNeal had three against Duke. Gaines Adams never had more than 2.5 in a game.

9. BC running back Montel Harris vs. Clemson: He was named the team’s MVP of the game after rushing 36 times for 142 yards in the 16-10 win over Clemson. He also caught a 36-yard touchdown pass that put BC up 13-10. It was his 18th game with at least 100 yards rushing.

10. FSU quarterback Christian Ponder vs. Florida: He completed 16 of 24 passes for 221 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the 31-7 win over rival Florida. FSU won the state championship and beat the Gators for the first time since 2003. It was the most points FSU had scored against Florida since 2003.

Honorable mentions

FSU kicker Dustin Hopkins vs. Clemson: He kicked the game-winning 55-yard field goal for the 16-13 win over Clemson as time expired, and the Noles wouldn't have won without his two other field goals in the game.

NC State quarterback Russell Wilson vs. Florida State: He threw the game-winning touchdown pass to tight end George Bryan with 2:40 left in a 28-24 upset of the Seminoles. Wilson threw for 178 yards and a touchdown, and he ran for three more touchdowns.

UNC quarterback T.J. Yates vs. NC State: Despite the loss, his record-setting performance was impossible to ignore. Yates finished 33-for-44 for 411 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in his final home game. He also set the school's single-season and career passing yardage records.

Virginia Tech running back David Wilson vs. Georgia Tech: He returned a kickoff 90 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 2:23 left in a 28-21 win over Georgia Tech and scored on a 15-yard run to tie the score at 14 in the fourth quarter.

What did I miss?

What were your most memorable performances of 2010? Any glaring omissions in this list? Let me know. Drop me a line in the mailbag, and if I get enough, I'll do a separate post.