Week 9 - ACC Football Schedule
 
Thursday, Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m. ET
Syracuse at #19 Pitt
Series: Pitt leads series, 43-33-3
Last meeting: Syracuse, 28-13 (2023 at Yankee Stadium)
ESPN: Matt Barrie (play-by-play), Dan Mullen (analyst), Harry Lyles Jr. (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 137 / SiriusXM 193 / SiriusXM 371
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 371 / SiriusXM 955
 
Friday, Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. ET
Louisville at Boston College
Series: Louisville leads series, 9-7
Last meeting: Louisville, 56-28 (2023)
ESPN2: Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst), Paul Carcaterra (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 84 / SiriusXM 371
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 84 / SiriusXM 371
 
Saturday, Oct. 26, Noon ET
Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech
Series: Virginia Tech leads series, 11-8
Last meeting: Georgia Tech, 28-27 (2022)
ACCN: Chris Cotter (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (analyst), Coley Harvey (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 137 / SiriusXM 193 / SiriusXM 371
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 371 / SiriusXM 955
 
Saturday, Oct. 26, Noon ET
North Carolina at Virginia
Series: North Carolina leads series, 65-59-4
Last meeting: Virginia, 31-27 (2023)
The CW: Thom Brennaman (play-by-play), Max Browne (analyst), Carla Gebhart (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 138 / SiriusXM 194 / SiriusXM 390
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 956 / SiriusXM 970
 
Saturday, Oct. 26, 3:30 p.m. ET
Wake Forest at Stanford
Series: Series tied, 1-1
Last meeting: Stanford, 68-24 (2010)
ACCN: Jorge Sedano (play-by-play), Orlando Franklin (analyst), Morgan Uber (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 137 / SiriusXM 193 / SiriusXM 371
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 371 / SiriusXM 955
 
Saturday, Oct. 26, 4 p.m. ET
Oregon State at California
Series: Cal leads series, 39-37
Last meeting: Oregon State, 52-40 (2023)
ESPN2: Mike Monaco (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (analyst), Dawn Davenport (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 138 / SiriusXM 194 / SiriusXM 385
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 956 / SiriusXM 975
 
Saturday, Oct. 26, 7 p.m. ET
Florida State at #6 Miami
Series: Miami leads series, 35-33
Last meeting: Florida State, 27-20 (2023)
ESPN: Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst), Taylor McGregor (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 137 / SiriusXM 193 / SiriusXM 391 / SiriusXM 392
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 955 / SiriusXM 981 / SiriusXM 982
 
Saturday, Oct. 26, 8 p.m. ET
#22 SMU at Duke
Series: Duke leads series, 2-0
Last meeting: Duke, 14-6 (1956)
ACCN: Wes Durham (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Dana Boyle (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 138 / SiriusXM 194 / SiriusXM 371
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 371 / SiriusXM 956
 
 
ACC NOTES
Undefeated Starts in 2024

• Two of the remaining 10 undefeated teams in all of FBS hail from the ACC - Miami (7-0) and Pitt (6-0).
• The Miami Hurricanes are 7-0 for the first time since 2017. The Canes started the 2017 season at 10-0 and reached the ACC Football Championship Game.
• The Pitt Panthers are 6-0 to start a season for the first time since 1982. The Panthers went 4-0 in non-conference play for the first time in program history and are now 2-0 in ACC play.

 
Five Teams and Counting from the ACC

• The ACC has five bowl-eligible teams – Miami, Pitt, Clemson, SMU and Duke – the second-most among all FBS conferences heading into Week 9.

 
Four Teams Ranked in the Top 25 Polls

• The ACC had four teams ranked in the most recent Associated Press Top 25 Poll (October 20) - Miami (No. 6), Clemson (No. 9), Pitt (No. 19) and SMU (No. 22).
• The same four ACC teams are ranked in the most recent top 25 of the US LBM Coaches Poll (October 20) - Miami (No. 5), Clemson (No. 9), Pitt (No. 20) and SMU (No. 22).
• Both Syracuse and Louisville received votes in both polls.
• The ACC is one of only three leagues to have multiple teams ranked in the top 10 in both the AP and Coaches polls. In addition, the ACC is one of only three conferences that have at least four teams ranked in each of the top 25 polls this week.

 
Three Days of ACC Play Once Again this Week

• For the second straight week, the ACC will have conference games across three consecutive days - Thursday, Friday and Saturday - in Week 9.
• Over the seven conference contests this week, three of the ACC’s four top-25 ranked teams will be in action this week. No. 19 Pitt will host Syracuse on Thursday, October 24, (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), while on Saturday, October 26, No. 6 Miami will welcome Florida State (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) to Hard Rock Stadium and No. 22 SMU will travel to Duke (8 p.m. ET, ACCN).

 
Another Thursday Night Primetime Contest

• For the second consecutive week, an ACC matchup will be the ESPN College Football Thursday Primetime contest, as Syracuse will take on No. 19 Pitt on Thursday, October 24, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
• The Thursday night kickoff on ESPN will be the second of three ESPN College Football Thursday Night Primetime games this season for the ACC, as Georgia Tech will host NC State (Thursday, November 21) on ESPN. Virginia Tech defeated Boston College 42-21 (October 17) last week in the Thursday night primetime game on ESPN.
• The contest set for Thursday night is the fifth overall on the season for schools in the ACC. Wake Forest defeated NC A&T, NC State downed Western Carolina and North Carolina beat Minnesota on Thursday, August 29, in Week 1, prior to the VT and BC conference contest last Thursday night in Blacksburg, Virginia.

 
Friday Night Lights Continue

• The ACC returns to ESPN College Football Friday Primetime on ESPN2 for the second consecutive week. Louisville will travel to Boston College for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, this Friday.
• The Friday night contest this week will mark the fourth ACC matchup on Friday over the last six weeks and the fourth of five conference meetings for the ACC on Friday nights this season.
• The matchup between the Cardinals and Eagles will also be the eighth out of 12 games on Friday nights involving an ACC team this season.

 
Close Games Abound in ACC Play

• The ACC has been known for close games each year throughout conference play the last few years. Before the start of this season, the ACC had 73 league games decided by eight points or less over the last three years (2021-23).
• The 73 one-touchdown score games came over 168 total conference games during the three-year span, a mark of 43.5 percent.
•  The trend has continued this season in 2024, as 17 of the 31 ACC league games to date have been decided by less than eight points, 54.8 percent.
•  In Week 7, four of the five conference games were decided by one score or less than eight points.

 
No Home Field Advantage Against the ACC

• The ACC has proven that its teams can win on the road, as a conference ACC teams are a combined 28-18 in true road games this season, the best mark among all FBS conferences.
• This season, the road team (16-14) has been victorious in 16 of the 30 ACC conference games, not including the neutral site game in Ireland between Florida State and Georgia Tech in Week 0.
•  In Week 6, the road team won six of the eight ACC matchups, which was followed by four more road victories over conference play in Week 7.

The ACC is the Conference of Quarterbacks (QBs) once again this season

• The ACC is the only conference with multiple quarterbacks ranked in the top five nationally in total yards per game, passing yards per game, passing touchdowns, passing efficiency, and Total QBR on the season.
• Seven QBs have thrown 14 touchdown passes or more this season – the most of any conference.
  • 25 percent of the quarterbacks with 14 passing touchdowns or more this season are from the ACC (7-of-28)
  • Cam Ward (Miami) leads the nation with 24 passing touchdowns.
• Six QBs are ranked in the top 30 of ESPN’s Total QBR – the most of any conference.
  • Cam Ward (Miami) leads the nation with a 92.3 Total QBR on the season.
• Six QBs are ranked in the top 25 of FBS in passing efficiency – tied for the most of any conference.
• Six QBs were named to the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Top 25 watch list – tied for the most of any conference.
• Five QBs are ranked in the top 25 of FBS in total yards per game – tied for the most of any conference.
  • ACC has two of the top four players nationally in total yards of offense per game.
  • Cam Ward (Miami) leads the nation at 389.7 total yards of offense per game.
  • Kyle McCord (Syracuse) is fourth nationally at 358.0 total yards of offense per game.
• Six QBs are ranked in the top 25 of FBS in completion percentage – the second-most of any conference.
• Five QBs, including the top two spots, are ranked in the top 25 of FBS in passing yards per game – the second-most of any conference.
  • Cam Ward (Miami) leads the nation with an average of 362.6 passing yards per game.
  • Kyle McCord (Syracuse) is second nationally with an average of 360.0 passing yards per game.
• Five QBs are ranked in the top 25 of FBS in points responsible for – the second-most of any conference.
  • Cam Ward (Miami) leads the nation with 166 points responsible for this season.
• Five QBs, including four in the top 20, are ranked in the top 30 of FBS in total passing yards – tied for the second-most of any conference.
  • Cam Ward (Miami) leads the nation with 2,538 passing yards on the season.
  • Cam Ward (Miami) and Kyle McCord (Syracuse) are the only quarterbacks in all of FBS to throw for at least 300 yards in every game that they have played this season.
• Fourteen different ACC quarterbacks have thrown for at least 300 yards in a game this year.
  • Four quarterbacks – Jacolby Criswell (North Carolina), Cam Ward (Miami) and Hank Bachmeier (Wake Forest) – have recorded at least one game of over 400 passing yards this season, with Ward posting two 400-plus yard passing games this year.
    • Jacolby Criswell’s 475 passing yards in Week 4 versus James Madison are the most by a quarterback in a single game this season.
• Miami quarterback Cam Ward has thrown for over 15,000 yards passing in his career, making him the 13th player recognized by the NCAA to have reached that milestone.
• ACC had the most of any conferences on the following QB preseason watch lists: Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (13); Maxwell Award preseason watch list (10); and Davey O’Brien Award (8).
• The ACC had the top-ranked group of quarterback transfers in 2024 by CBS Sports.
• Since 2018, the ACC has had at least one quarterback drafted in the first round in five different drafts — the only conference to do that.

 
The ACC’s Preeminent Players ranked among FBS leaders

• The ACC has the FBS leader in interceptions – Nohl Williams (Cal) leads the nation with six interceptions on the season.
• The ACC has the FBS leader in punt average – Alex Mastromanno (Florida State) leads the nation with a punt average of 49.4 yards per punt.
• Six of the top 25 FBS punters in yards per punt average are in the ACC.
  • Alex Mastromanno (Florida State) – 49.4; Lachlan Wilson (Cal) – 45.8; Ivan Mora (Wake Forest) – 45.1; Caden Noonkester (NC State) – 44.5; Kade Reynoldson (Duke) – 44.5; and Daniel Sparks (Virginia) – 44.3.
• The ACC has the FBS leader in total sacks – Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Virginia Tech) is tied for the national lead with 11.0 sacks on the season.
• The ACC has six of the top 25 ranked players in all of FBS in total sacks this year.
  • Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Virginia Tech) – 11.0; Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College) – 9.0; Xavier Carlton (Cal) – 6.5; Alex Howard (Duke) – 5.0; Jahvaree Ritzie (North Carolina) 5.0; and T.J. Parker (Clemson) – 5.0.
• Six of the top 25 NCAA leaders in sacks per game this season are in the ACC, including three in the top 10.
  • Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Virginia Tech) – 1.57; Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College) – 1.29; Xavier Carlton (Cal) – 0.93; Alex Howard (Duke) – 0.71; Jahvaree Ritzie (North Carolina) – 0.71; and T.J. Parker (Clemson) – 0.71.
• The ACC has seven of the top 25 ranked players in all of FBS in total tackles-for-loss this season.
  • Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College) – 12.0; Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Virginia Tech) – 11.5; Alex Howard (Duke) – 11.0; Davin Vann (NC State) – 10.0; Kyle Louis (Pitt) – 8.5; Rasheem Biles (Pitt) – 8.0; and Fadil Diggs (Syracuse) – 8.0.
• The ACC has five of the top 25 ranked players in tackles per game this season in all of FBS.
  • Nick Anderson (Wake Forest) – 10.9; Teddye Buchanan (Cal) – 10.1; Donovan McMillon (Pitt) – 9.3; Cade Uluave (Cal) – 9.1; and Kyle Louis (Pitt) 9.0.
• The ACC has four of the top 25 ranked players in rushing yards per game this season in all of FBS.
  • Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) – 128.7; Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech) – 124.4; Desmond Reid (Pitt) – 98.8; and Phil Mafah (Clemson) – 97.4.
• The ACC has three of the top 20 ranked players in rushing yards this season in all of FBS.
  • Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) – 901; Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech) – 871; and Phil Mafah (Clemson) – 682.
• Three of the top 20 leaders in rushing touchdowns in all of FBS this season are in the ACC.
  • Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech) – 12; Jamal Haynes (Georgia Tech) – 8; and Demond Claiborne (Wake Forest) – 8.
• Three of the top 20 leaders in receiving yards in all of FBS this season are in the ACC.
  • Xavier Restrepo (Miami) – 686; Ja’Corey Brooks (Louisville) – 679; and Malachi Fields (Virginia) – 606.
• Three of the top 25 leaders in receiving yards per game in all of FBS this season are in the ACC.
  • Xavier Restrepo (Miami) – 98.0; Ja’Corey Brooks (Louisville) – 97.0; and Malachi Fields (Virginia) – 86.6.
• The ACC has four players that rank in the top 15 in all of FBS in all-purpose yards per game.
  • Desmond Reid (Pitt) – 182.60; Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) – 148.00; Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech) – 141.86; and Brashard Smith (SMU) – 138.43.
• Seven of the top 25 punt returners in yards per punt return in all of FBS this season are from the ACC.
  • Taylor Morin (Wake Forest) – 15.6; Jaylin Lane (Virginia Tech) – 14.7; Tiger Bachmeier (Stanford) – 12.3; Roderick Daniels, Jr. (SMU) – 11.0; Antonio Williams (Clemson) – 10.2; Ray Ray Joseph (Miami) – 8.9; and Que’Sean Brown (Duke) – 8.8.
• Eight different players from the ACC have returned a punt for a touchdown – the most of any conference.
• Four of the top 30 kickoff returners in yards per kickoff return in all of FBS this season are from the ACC.
  • Nate McCollum (North Carolina) – 25.5; Chris Johnson Jr. (Miami) – 25.4; Peyton Jones (Duke) – 23.5; and Brashard Smith (SMU) – 21.8.
• Three different players from the ACC have returned a kickoff for a touchdown – tied for the second-most among all FBS conferences.

The ACC’s non-conference schedule continues to be the most challenging in the country

• 26 games against Power 4 opponents, including Notre Dame – the most of any conference.
• Nine non-conference games against teams ranked in the final 2023 Associated Press Top 25 Poll – the most of any conference.
• 10 non-conference games against teams in ESPN’s 2024 Way-Too-Early Top 25 – the most of any conference.

ACC Features Elite Coaching Leadership

• Four ACC head coaches were named to both the 2024 Dodd Trophy Midseason Watch List and the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Watch List. 
• Two of the three active coaches in the country who won a national title reside in the ACC (Mack Brown and Dabo Swinney).
• Four current ACC head coaches have recorded over 100 career wins at the collegiate level (only 30 active FBS coaches have reached this mark).
• Among active FBS head coaches, the ACC has nine coaches that rank among the top 50 in the nation in career winning percentage.
• Six ACC head coaches named to the 2024 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List – no other conference had more.
• Proven veterans and dynamic young coaches.

 
The 20th ACC Football Championship Game will kick off in primetime at 8 p.m. ET on ABC on Saturday, December 7, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tickets for the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Football Championship Game are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and through the ACC’s official website at theACC.com.