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ACC Leads the Way in U.S. News & World Report 2026 “Best Colleges” Rankings

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference has once again set the benchmark for academic excellence among Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences, topping the U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” rankings for an unprecedented 19th straight year.

The 2026 edition of the prestigious rankings was released on Tuesday, September 23, reaffirming the ACC’s position as the national leader in combining elite academics with top-tier athletics.

“ACC schools remain steadfast in their commitment to providing student-athletes with a world-class education while competing at the highest level athletically,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “This unwavering dedication to excellence—both in the classroom and in competition—continues to be nationally recognized. Maintaining the strong academic foundation of intercollegiate athletics is a significant point of differentiation for the ACC as it’s essential to the long-term success and well-being of our student-athletes. We are proud that ACC institutions collectively uphold this national standard of academic and athletic achievement.”

Notable details from this year’s rankings include:
  • The ACC once again boasts the best average ranking among all FBS conferences, with an impressive 50.7 average, outpacing its peers for the 19th year in a row.
  • Two ACC institutions rank among the nation’s top 10, making it the only FBS conference with multiple universities in the top 10.
  • Four ACC schools landed in the top 25, more than any other FBS conference.
  • Six ACC schools are ranked in the top 30, leading all FBS conferences.
  • A record 16 ACC schools are ranked among the top 75, the most of any FBS conference.
  • 11 of the 18 ACC institutions either maintained or improved their position from last year’s rankings.
For more information and the complete list, visit U.S. News and World Report “Best Colleges” rankings: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges.

About the Atlantic Coast Conference 
The Atlantic Coast Conference, in its 73rd year and 18 members strong, stands as one of the most competitive and revered intercollegiate conferences in the nation. ACC members including Boston College, Cal, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest are dedicated to upholding the league's founding values of academic excellence, athletic competition at the highest level, and integrity. The ACC supports 28 NCAA sports, with 15 for women and 13 for men, and its member institutions span 12 states. In August 2019, the ACC and ESPN partnered to launch ACC Network (ACCN), a 24/7 national network exclusively devoted to ACC sports and original programming. For more information, visit theACC.com and follow the ACC on Instagram (@accsports), Twitter (@theACC) and Facebook (facebook.com/theACC).