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Week 5 Saturday Preview: No. 4 Miami-Clemson Primetime Showdown Highlights Eight-Game ACC Football Saturday Slate

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Atlantic Coast Conference football continues Saturday, October 3, with eight games across three broadcast windows, including four games at noon ET, three at 3:30 p.m. ET and a primetime conference showdown on ABC. The full Saturday slate will air across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ACC Network, The CW and CBS Sports Network.
 
Saturday opens with No. 3 Notre Dame at North Carolina on ESPN, Boston College at No. 21 SMU on The CW, Stanford at Wake Forest on ACC Network and Syracuse at UConn on CBS Sports Network. The 3:30 p.m. ET window features Virginia at Florida State on ESPN2, Louisville at NC State on ACC Network and California at UNLV on CBS Sports Network, before No. 4 Miami visits Clemson at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
 

Saturday, October 3
#3 Notre Dame at North Carolina | Noon ET
Series: Notre Dame leads series, 21-2
Last meeting: Notre Dame, 45-32 (2022)
TV: ESPN
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 85
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 85
  • Notre Dame and North Carolina meet for the 24th time, with the Fighting Irish holding a 21-2 series advantage. Notre Dame has won five straight meetings, including a 45-32 victory in Chapel Hill in 2022.
  • Saturday will be Notre Dame's 10th trip to Chapel Hill. Both of North Carolina's victories in the series have come at home — 12-7 in 1960 and 29-24 in 2008.
  • Notre Dame has opened the season with victories over Wisconsin, Rice, Michigan State and Purdue, outscoring those four opponents 169-33. The Irish are averaging 42.3 points while allowing just 8.3 per game.
  • Since its 41-13 season-opening win over Wisconsin, Notre Dame has allowed only 20 total points over its last three games, beating Rice 52-0, Michigan State 27-10 and Purdue 49-10.
  • Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr has completed 67-of-95 passes for 963 yards with nine touchdowns against just one interception.
  • UNC enters at 2-1 after leading Clemson 17-3 in the first half and 17-6 at halftime before the Tigers rallied for a 28-20 victory. Carolina outgained Clemson 195-117 in the opening half.
  • Running back Benjamin Hall rushed for a career-high 130 yards on 18 carries at Clemson, helping North Carolina record a season-best 214 rushing yards against the Tigers.
  • UNC defensive lineman Xavier Lewis recorded two sacks at Clemson, giving him six sacks through the Tar Heels' first three games. He enters the contest leading the nation in sacks per game and tackles-for-loss per game. 
 

Saturday, October 3
Stanford at Wake Forest | Noon ET
Series: Wake Forest leads series, 2-1
Last meeting: Wake Forest, 27-24 (2024)
TV: ACC Network
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 175 / SiriusXM 234 / SiriusXM 258
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 258 / SiriusXM 958
  • Wake Forest leads the series 2-1, with Saturday marking just the second meeting in Winston-Salem and the second since Stanford joined the ACC. The Demon Deacons won the first ACC matchup, 27-24 at Stanford in 2024.
  • Stanford and Wake Forest enter Saturday with momentum. The Cardinal rallied past Georgia Tech 34-27, while the Demon Deacons earned a 30-27 road win at then-No. 16 Louisville.
  • Stanford erased a 20-10 deficit by scoring touchdowns on three consecutive second-half possessions in its win over Georgia Tech, giving first-year head coach Tavita Pritchard his first ACC victory.
  • Stanford QB Davis Warren threw for a career-high 396 yards and three touchdowns against Georgia Tech, earning ACC Quarterback of the Week honors. His 396 yards rank among the top 15 single-game performances in Stanford history.
  • Warren has opened the season with 143 consecutive pass attempts without an interception, the longest active streak in the FBS. He enters Saturday with 1,071 passing yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions.
  • Linebacker Matt Rose ranks second in the ACC in tackles and earned ACC Linebacker of the Week honors after recording 11 tackles, eight solo stops and 2.5 tackles-for-loss against Georgia Tech.
  • Wake Forest is one of just five FBS teams nationally with two Power Four road wins this season, earning victories at Maryland and Louisville.
  • Wake Forest handed then-No. 16 Louisville its first ACC loss with a 30-27 victory on the road, improving to 3-1. The Demon Deacons produced 402 yards of offense in the victory.
  • Wake Forest WR Carlos Hernandez posted nine receptions for 194 yards, including a 77-yard touchdown, in the win at Louisville. He was named the ACC Offensive Receiver of the Week for his performance.
  • The Demon Deacons enter Saturday averaging approximately 426.5 yards of total offense per game, including 279.5 through the air and 147.0 on the ground.
 

Saturday, October 3
Boston College at #21 SMU | Noon ET
Series: SMU leads series, 3-1
Last meeting: SMU, 45-13 (2025)
TV: The CW
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 176 / SiriusXM 235 / SiriusXM 263
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 959 / SiriusXM 973
  • SMU leads the all-time series 3-1, including a 2-0 mark in Dallas. Boston College's lone victory was a 23-14 win in the 2023 Fenway Bowl. SMU has won the last two meetings, 38-28 in 2024 and 45-13 last season.
  • No. 21 SMU hosts Boston College in the Mustangs' first ACC home game of 2026. SMU is 2-0 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium this season.
  • BC enters Saturday following a 21-14 loss to Virginia Tech in its ACC opener. The Eagles led 14-6 in the second half before the Hokies scored the game's final 15 points.
  • Quarterback Mason McKenzie has rushed for 363 yards through four games, sixth-most in the ACC and inside the top 30 nationally. He also has thrown for 759 yards, accounting for 1,122 yards of total offense.
  • McKenzie rushed for a career-high 138 yards and two touchdowns against Virginia Tech, becoming the first BC quarterback since Tyler Murphy in 2014 to have at least 363 rushing yards through the season's first four games.
  • Boston College has recorded six interceptions through four games, tied for fifth-most nationally and the most in the ACC entering Week 5. The BC defense is allowing only 165.8 passing yards per game.
  • SMU enters at 3-1, highlighted by a 27-24 road win at Florida State. The Mustangs' lone setback came at Louisville, 41-31.
  • SMU enters Week 5 ranked among the nation’s top five in total offense at 543.5 yards per game, including 363.3 passing yards per contest, with the Mustangs averaging 38.8 points per game through their first four contests.
  • SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings has thrown for 1,453 yards through four games, while adding to one of the nation's most productive passing attacks. He enters Saturday averaging a nation-best 363.3 passing yards per game.
  • Yamir Knight leads SMU with 345 receiving yards, while running back Kendrick Raphael has rushed for 373 yards.
 

Saturday, October 3
Syracuse at UConn | Noon ET
Series: Syracuse leads series, 8-6
Last meeting: Syracuse, 27-20 (2025)
TV: CBS Sports Network
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 180 / SiriusXM 236
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 960
  • Syracuse leads the all-time series 8-6 and enters Saturday riding a six-game winning streak against UConn. This will be the 15th meeting between the programs.
  • Syracuse has scored 27 or more points in each of the last six meetings, including victories of 27-20 (2025), 31-24 (2024), 48-14 (2022) and 51-21 (2018).
  • Syracuse returns to action following an open week and will look to snap a two-game skid. The Orange opened the season with a 66-3 win over New Hampshire before narrow and road setbacks against Cal (21-18) and Pitt (27-13) in conference play.
  • Syracuse enters Saturday ranked sixth nationally in passing defense (134.7 ypg) and 18th in total defense (258.7 ypg).
  • Quarterback Steve Angeli has thrown for 731 yards through three games, averaging 243.7 yards per contest, while Umari Hatcher leads Syracuse with 282 receiving yards
  • Syracuse wide receiver Calvin Russell III, the highest-rated recruit in the program's modern recruiting era, is nearing his collegiate debut after missing the first three games due to injury.
  • UConn enters Saturday at 2-2, posting wins over Lafayette (56-7) and Southern Miss (48-20), with losses to Maryland (38-14) and Miami (Ohio) (24-21). The Huskies have already scored 48 or more points twice this season.
  • Quarterback Kalieb Osborne has accounted for 12 total touchdowns through four games.
  • UConn is led by first-year head coach Jason Candle, while Syracuse defensive coordinator Vince Kehres previously worked under Candle at Toledo.
 

Saturday, October 3
Louisville at NC State | 3:30 p.m. ET
Series: Louisville leads series, 9-4
Last meeting: Louisville, 13-10 (2023)
TV: ACC Network
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 175 / SiriusXM 234 / SiriusXM 258
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 258 / SiriusXM 958
  • Louisville leads the all-time series 9-4, including a 4-2 record in Raleigh, and has won each of the last two meetings.
  • The Cardinals have won six of the last 10 meetings and are 5-3 against NC State since joining the ACC.
  • Louisville makes its first true road trip of the season when the Cardinals visit NC State. The Wolfpack are 2-0 at Carter-Finley Stadium this season.
  • The Cardinals' two losses have each come by three points — 41-38 against then-No. 9 Ole Miss and 30-27 against Wake Forest — while Louisville owns a 41-31 victory over then-No. 17 SMU.
  • The Cardinals are averaging 41.2 points and 486.3 yards per game, both ranked 18th nationally entering Week 5.
  • Louisville QB Lincoln Kienholz has thrown for 1,140 yards and is tied for the ACC lead with six rushing touchdowns. After rushing for two scores against Wake Forest, he became the first Louisville quarterback to score six rushing TDs through his first four games with the Cardinals.
  • NC State enters Saturday following a 41-31 win over App State, its second 40-plus-point performance of the season. The Wolfpack also put up 31 points in a four-point road loss at Vanderbilt and scored 73 against Richmond.
  • NC State quarterback CJ Bailey has completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 893 yards and six touchdowns, while running back Jayden “Duke” Scott leads the Wolfpack with 346 rushing yards.
  • NC State wide receiver Keenan Jackson leads the Wolfpack with 295 receiving yards on 19 catches, while his four touchdown receptions are tied for second in the ACC entering Week 5.
  • Louisville enters the matchup with an ACC-best +6 turnover margin, while NC State linebacker Popo Aguirre has totaled 37 tackles, third-most in the conference.
 

Saturday, October 3
Virginia at Florida State | 3:30 p.m.  ET
Series: Florida State leads series, 14-5
Last meeting: Virginia, 46-38 (2OT) (2025)
TV: ESPN2
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 176 / SiriusXM 235 / SiriusXM 268
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 959 / SiriusXM 978
  • Virginia travels to Florida State for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff on ESPN2. It begins a stretch in which UVA plays ACC opponents in each of its final eight regular-season games, while FSU begins a run of seven straight conference contests.
  • The teams meet one year after Virginia knocked off then-No. 8 Florida State 46-38 in double overtime in Charlottesville. The game drew 6.9 million viewers, the most-watched Friday college football game on record at the time.
  • Florida State owns a 15-5 advantage all-time, but Virginia has won three of the last four meetings and will be looking for its fifth victory in the last eight matchups.
  • FSU is 9-1 all-time against Virginia at Doak Campbell Stadium. UVA's lone victory in Tallahassee came in 2011, a 14-13 win that was sealed when Florida State missed a field goal with three seconds remaining.
  • Saturday represents Virginia's first true road game of 2026. The Cavaliers' only game away from Scott Stadium was their 38-27 loss to West Virginia at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
  • Virginia responded to its loss to West Virginia with a 42-3 victory over Delaware, racing to a 28-3 halftime lead. The Cavaliers' three victories this season have come by a combined 121-14 margin against NC State, Norfolk State and Delaware.
  • Virginia quarterback Beau Pribula accounted for five touchdowns against Delaware, throwing four TD passes and adding another on the ground as the Cavaliers produced their third 40-plus-point performance in four games.
  • The Seminoles enter Saturday coming off a 34-7 victory over Central Arkansas, snapping a two-game skid. FSU opened with a 34-17 win over New Mexico State before close losses to SMU (27-24) and at Alabama.
  • Seminoles quarterback Ashton Daniels has thrown for 928 yards and six touchdowns while adding 142 rushing yards and four scores. He has accounted for multiple touchdowns in each of FSU's first four games.
  • Running back Ousmane Kromah enters the weekend with 397 rushing yards, while Duce Robinson leads the Seminoles with 262 receiving yards, giving FSU multiple weapons around Daniels.
 
 
Saturday, October 3
California at UNLV | 3:30 p.m.  ET
Series: Series tied, 1-1
Last meeting: UNLV, 24-13 (2024 LA Bowl)
TV: CBS Sports Network
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 266
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 976
  • Cal and UNLV will meet for just the third time, with the series tied 1-1. Cal won the inaugural meeting 20-14 in Berkeley in 2022, while UNLV earned a 24-13 victory in the 2024 LA Bowl. Saturday marks the first meeting in Las Vegas.
  • Saturday marks Cal’s final non-conference game of the regular season before the Bears turn their attention to seven consecutive ACC contests.
  • Cal enters the weekend 1-0 on the road, earning a 21-18 ACC victory at Syracuse in its only road contest of the season.
  • The Bears are averaging 277.5 passing yards per game, ranking 31st nationally.
  • Sophomore quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has thrown for 4,439 yards in his first 17 collegiate games, including 985 yards through four games this season. He has thrown 25 career touchdown passes.
  • Cal has been equally strong against the pass, allowing just 173.8 passing yards per game, 32nd in the FBS. The defense has intercepted six passes while allowing only two passing touchdowns through four games. Opposing quarterbacks are completing just 53.2 percent of their attempts.
  • The Bears look to respond following a 24-10 setback to Clemson, a game in which Cal trailed just 14-10 entering the fourth quarter before the Tigers pulled away.
  • Running back Adam Mohammed has rushed for 336 yards through four games, ranking ninth in the ACC, while also hauling in 17 receptions. His 336 rushing yards are 281 more than any other Cal player.
  • UNLV enters Saturday 2-2 overall and 1-0 in Mountain West play, with wins at Hawai’i (21-6) and Akron (38-10) and losses to Memphis (27-21) and North Texas (44-6).
  • UNLV rolled to a 38-10 road win at Akron, producing a season-high 493 yards of total offense while holding the Zips to 301. The Rebels outscored Akron 24-0 in the second half.
  • UNLV has rushed for 200+ yards twice in four games, totaling 248 at Hawai’i and 203 at Akron. The Rebels averaged 6.0 yards per carry in last week's win.
  • Jai'Den “Jet” Thomas accounted for three touchdowns at Akron, catching two touchdown passes and adding a 16-yard rushing score.
  • UNLV’s offense is averaging 404.5 total yards and 179.5 rushing yards per game. The Rebels enter Saturday coming off a 38-10 road win at Akron.
 
 

Saturday, October 3
#4 Miami at Clemson | 7:30 p.m.  ET
Series: Series tied, 7-7
Last meeting: Miami, 28-20, (2023)
TV: ABC
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 85 / SiriusXM 175 / SiriusXM 234
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 85 / SiriusXM 958
  • No. 4 Miami visits Clemson in a 7:30 p.m. ET primetime matchup on ABC, featuring two teams unbeaten in ACC play.
  • Miami and Clemson enter Saturday tied 7-7 in the all-time series. Miami won the most recent meeting in 2023, while Clemson is 5-2 against the Hurricanes under Dabo Swinney.
  • Miami will be looking for its first victory at Clemson since 2010.
  • The Hurricanes rank No. 1 nationally in total offense (588.8 ypg) and No. 2 in total defense (224.5 ypg).
  • Miami is averaging 51.8 points per game, third nationally, while surrendering just 9.0 points per contest, fourth in the FBS.
  • Miami QB Darian Mensah leads the nation in completion percentage (88.7%), passing efficiency (228.2) and ESPN Total QBR (93.9) and has thrown 14 touchdown passes with zero interceptions.
  • With his 14 touchdown passes compared with only 12 incompletions through four games, Mensah is the only FBS quarterback since at least 2004 with at least 50 pass attempts through four games to have more touchdown passes than incompletions.
  • The Hurricanes enter Saturday ranked No. 1 nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 39.5 yards per game, and have held opponents to 224.5 total yards per contest.
  • Clemson has responded to its season-opening loss at LSU with three consecutive victories, including ACC wins over North Carolina and California. The Tigers held Cal to just 231 total yards in last week's 24-10 road victory.
  • Clemson running back Gideon Davidson rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns at California.
  • The Tigers have held three straight opponents to 17 points or fewer, including just 10 points at California last week.