CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Eight Atlantic Coast Conference games will take center stage during a jam-packed slate on Saturday, October 5. ACC newcomers Cal and Stanford will be playing their first-ever conference home games Saturday. Stanford will welcome Virginia Tech, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET, while Cal will host No. 8 Miami at 10:30 p.m. ET. The wildly popular
ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot will also be airing live from Berkeley, California, for the first time ever.
Saturday, Oct. 5, Noon ET
Wake Forest at NC State
Series: NC State leads series, 69-42-6
Last meeting: NC State, 26-6 (2023)
The CW: Thom Brennaman (play-by-play), Max Browne (analyst), Treavor Scales (sideline)
School Radio Feed: Wake Forest /
NC State
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 139 / SiriusXM 193 / SiriusXM 380
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 955 /
SiriusXM 970
The Demon Deacons and Wolfpack have played each other more than any other teams in the ACC. NC State holds a 69-42-6 advantage in the all-time series against Wake Forest. Five of the last seven games between the two schools have been decided by 10 points or less.
Wake Forest has been led this season defensively by Nick Andersen, who leads the ACC in both total and solo tackles. Anderson is averaging 12.3 tackles per game, ranking fifth nationally, and 6.5 solo tackles per game, which is also the fifth-best nationally. The Demon Deacons also boast the fifth-best offense in the ACC this season, averaging 460.0 yards per game.
NC State’s Devin Vann leads the conference in forced fumbles this season with three, averaging 0.60 turnovers created per game. The Wolfpack have also scored three defensive touchdowns in its first five games this season. The three defensive scores are the most in a season by the Wolfpack since 2011. NC State looks to build off of last season's 26-6 victory over the Demon Deacons in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Saturday, Oct. 5, Noon ET
(RV) SMU at #22 Louisville
Series: SMU leads series, 2-0
Last meeting: SMU, 41-7 (1984)
ESPN: Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Louis Riddick (analyst), Kris Budden (sideline)
School Radio Feed: SMU /
Louisville
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 83 / SiriusXM 371
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 83 /
SiriusXM 371
SMU will look to improve on its perfect 2-0 record in the all-time series with Louisville with the two squads last meeting in 1984. The Mustangs are also coming off of their first-ever ACC football game on September 28 – a 42-16 win at home. The Mustangs’ quarterback Kevin Jennings was 16-of-23 passing against the Seminoles with career-highs of 254 passings yards and three passing touchdowns.
Quarterback play will be at the center of the Saturday showdown as Louisville’s Tyler Shough has been off to a phenomenal start to the season. Shough set a new Louisville record for the most pass attempts without an interception to begin a career as a Cardinal, avoiding a pick in each of his first 86 pass attempts. Louisville is looking to bounce back from a loss to No. 16 Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, in a top-20 showdown. Caullin Lacy, a transfer from South Alabama, made his Louisville debut after missing the first three games, hauling in five passes for 71 yards in the defeat.
Saturday, Oct. 5, Noon ET
(RV) Pitt at North Carolina
Series: North Carolina leads series, 12-5
Last meeting: North Carolina, 41-24 (2023)
ESPN2: Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Sam Acho (analyst), Taylor Davis (sideline)
School Radio Feeds: Pitt /
North Carolina
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 94 / SiriusXM 203 / SiriusXM 381
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 965 /
SiriusXM 971
Pitt heads to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, looking to reverse the Tar Heels’ recent success in the series. North Carolina leads the all-time series against Pitt, 12-5, including eight wins in the last 10 games. The Panthers are off to a perfect 4-0 start for the first time since 2000 and just the second time since 1991. Before this season, Pitt had never gone undefeated in non-conference play.
The Tar Heels will look to bounce back from a pair of crushing losses to James Madison and Duke. Omarion Hampton has been the best running back in the ACC to begin the season, rushing for a league-leading 658 yards and 131.6 yards per game. Hampton leads the Tar Heels’ running game which averages an ACC-best 208.6 rushing yards per game. North Carolina has had a 100-yard rusher in each of its first five games for just the second time in program history, joining the 1981 team.
Saturday, Oct. 5, Noon ET
(RV) Boston College at Virginia
Series: Boston College leads series, 7-1
Last meeting: Boston College, 27-24 (2023)
ACCN: Jorge Sedano (play-by-play), Orlando Franklin (analyst), Morgan Uber (sideline)
School Radio Feeds: Boston College /
Virginia
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 158 / SiriusXM 194 / SiriusXM 382
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 956 /
SiriusXM 972
Boston College has been one of the most interesting stories in college football this season, jumping out to a 4-1 start under first-year head coach Bill O’Brien. Under O’Brien, the Eagles have climbed as high as No. 24 in the AP Top 25 poll, marking just the second season since 2008 in which Boston College has been ranked. The Eagles have also won seven of the last eight meetings against Virginia and will look to continue that trend this weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The Cavaliers are being led defensively by Antonio Cary, who has logged the second-most tackles in the ACC this season, averaging 10.3 per game. Cary’s mark also ranks 11th throughout FBS football. The Cavaliers have been a well-rounded offensive unit, averaging at least 195 yards per game both on the ground and through the air. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea is averaging 258.0 passing yards per game while adding an average of 33.8 yards per game on the ground. Colandrea has thrown seven touchdown passes this season with two apiece going to Malachi Fields, Trell Harris and Tyler Neville.
Saturday, Oct. 5, 3:30 p.m. ET
Virginia Tech at Stanford
Series: Stanford leads series, 1-0
Last meeting: Stanford, 40-12 (2011 Orange Bowl)
ACCN: Chris Cotter (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (analyst), Coley Harvey (sideline)
School Radio Feeds: Virginia Tech /
Stanford
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 139 / SiriusXM 193 / SiriusXM 371
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 371 /
SiriusXM 955
Stanford will host Virginia Tech in its first-ever ACC football home game. The Cardinal are 1-1 in ACC thus far after winning their first-ever ACC football game 26-24 at Syracuse before falling to No. 17 Clemson 40-14 on the road last week. Through five weeks of the 2024 season, Stanford's run defense ranks eighth in FBS and leads the ACC, allowing just 76.3 rushing yards per game. After running for 122 yards against Clemson, Micah Ford became the first freshman running back to run for over 100 yards for the Card since Kenneth Tolon on November 24, 2001, against Notre Dame.
Virginia Tech wanders west following a heartbreaking loss to No. 7 Miami last week. Bhayshul Tuten has been dominant for the Hokies this season, leading the ACC with eight touchdowns and 532 yards on the ground. Tuten posted his fourth consecutive performance with over 100 yards and a touchdown last week against Miami and has found the end zone in each of the Hokies’ five games this season. Virginia Tech will face an unusual set of adversities against Stanford as Saturday afternoon will mark the first regular season game the Hokies have ever played in the Pacific Time Zone.
Saturday, Oct. 5, 7 p.m. ET
#15 Clemson at Florida State
Series: Florida State leads series, 21-15
Last meeting: Florida State, 31-24 (2023)
ESPN: Mark Jones (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst), Quint Kessenich (sideline)
School Radio Feed: Clemson /
Florida State
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 158 / SiriusXM 194 / SiriusXM 371
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 371 /
SiriusXM 956
Clemson’s Dabo Swinney is tied with the legendary Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden with an ACC record for the most career head coaching victories leading an ACC program with 173. A Clemson win on Saturday on Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium would push Swinney past Bowden for the ACC record. Clemson’s offense has been red-hot, scoring 40 points or more in each of its last three games – all of which have been double-digit point wins.
Florida State defeated Clemson in a 31-24 overtime victory at Memorial Stadium last season, snapping the Tigers’ 25-game ACC home winning streak. Over Florida State’s last three games, the Seminoles have combined for 28.0 tackles-for-loss with 13.0 sacks and three takeaways. Florida State recorded season-high tackles-for-loss in back-to-back games against Memphis (9.0) and Cal (12.0).
Saturday, Oct. 5, 8 p.m. ET
Duke at Georgia Tech
Series: Georgia Tech leads series, 54-35-1
Last meeting: Georgia Tech, 23-20 (2022)
ACCN: Wes Durham (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Dana Boyle (sideline)
School Radio Feed: Duke /
Georgia Tech
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 139 / SiriusXM 193 / SiriusXM 381
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 955 /
SiriusXM 971
Georgia Tech has won three straight meetings against Duke while the Blue Devils’ last win in Atlanta came on October 13, 2018. The Yellow Jackets are one of three teams nationally – and the only team from a Power 4 conference – that has not allowed a sack this season. Georgia Tech has not allowed a sack in six straight games, dating back to the Jackets’ Gasparilla Bowl win last season. When coming off of a loss, Georgia Tech is 10-1 under Brent Key. The Yellow Jackets last played on September 21, when they fell to No. 19 Louisville on the road.
The Blue Devils look to begin the season 6-0 for the first time since 1994 when Duke won seven straight games to open the season. Duke’s Star Thomas was named the ACC Running Back of the Week after rushing for 166 yards and scoring two touchdowns in the Blue Devils’ comeback win over North Carolina. Duke’s Maalik Murphy has already thrown 12 touchdown passes this season while Duke threw for 14 total touchdowns in the 2023 season as a team.
Saturday, Oct. 5, 10:30 p.m. ET
#8 Miami at California
Series: Series is tied, 2-2
Last meeting: Cal, 24-17 (2008 Emerald Bowl)
ESPN: Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (analyst), Sherree Burruss (sideline)
School Radio Feed: Miami /
Cal
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 158 / SiriusXM 194 / SiriusXM 371 / SiriusXM 383
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 371 /
SiriusXM 956 /
SiriusXM 973
ESPN’s
College GameDay Built by The Home Depot makes its first-ever trip to Berkeley, California, for this weekend’s matchup between No. 8 Miami and Cal. The show will be staged on Memorial Glade in the center of campus and is open to the public with the “Pit” – the area closest to the stage – opening at 3:30 a.m. PT. Not only is
College GameDay on campus, the game will also mark Cal’s first-ever ACC home football game.
Cal starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza is a Miami, Florida, native and looks to guide the Golden Bears to victory over his hometown team. Mendoza is averaging 223.0 passing yards per game and has thrown five touchdown passes. The Golden Bears have been phenomenal defensively, intercepting a national-best 10 passes this season, while also being tied for third nationally in turnover margin at +2.00 per game. Defensive back Nohl Williams is tied for the FBS lead in interceptions with four and is tied for third in passes defended with seven.
The eighth-ranked Hurricanes put their perfect record on the line with the West Coast road trip. Miami will be making its 26th appearance on
College GameDay and will be led by quarterback Cam Ward. Under Ward, Miami boasts the nation’s best passing offense, averaging 392.6 yards per game. Ward has been putting together a Heisman Trophy candidate season, leading the country with 18 touchdown passes, ranking second with 1,782 passing yards and third nationally with 356.4 passing yards per game. He also leads the country in points responsible for with 122.