Football

Week 10 Saturday Preview: Seven-Game Saturday Slate Continues ACC Football Action

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Week 10 of Atlantic Coast Conference football continues Saturday with seven games across the league, led by a marquee matchup as No. 1 Miami travels to No. 11 Notre Dame for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff on NBC and Peacock. The Hurricanes enter the weekend as one of college football’s remaining undefeated teams and will face the Fighting Irish in one of the season’s premier national contests.
 
Saturday’s conference schedule also features ACC contests with Clemson at Syracuse, Florida State at Boston College, Duke at NC State and Louisville at Georgia Tech. North Carolina travels to UConn in non-conference action, while No. 16 Wake Forest hosts Merrimack as the Demon Deacons look to extend their five-game winning streak.
 

Saturday, November 7
Clemson at Syracuse | Noon ET
Series: Clemson leads series, 10-3
Last meeting: Syracuse, 34-21 (2025)
TV: ESPN2
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 179 / SiriusXM 235 / SiriusXM 263
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 959 / SiriusXM 973
  • Clemson (5-3, 3-2 ACC) visits Syracuse (4-4, 2-4) for a noon ET kickoff Saturday on ESPN2.
  • Saturday presents a pivotal ACC opportunity for Clemson, which sits in a five-team tie in the loss column near the top of the league standings at 3-2 in conference play.
  • The Tigers have won five of their last seven games and enter following a 36-24 road win at Florida State.
  • Clemson’s three losses have come against teams that are currently 6-2 or better. The Tigers led in two of those three games and own Power 4 road wins at California and Florida State.
  • Clemson brings one of the conference’s strongest defensive profiles: No. 18 nationally in relative total defense, No. 24 in relative scoring defense, No. 11 in starting-field-position differential and second nationally in third-down yards per play allowed (3.08).
  • The Tigers have recorded multiple sacks while allowing fewer than 90 rushing yards in five games this season—second nationally only to Miami. Clemson also ranks No. 11 nationally in sacks per game.
  • Clemson’s special teams have been a major advantage all season behind Nolan Hauser, who is 23-for-24 on field goals, leads the FBS in field goals made and ranks fourth nationally in field-goal percentage (95.8).
  • Syracuse has won back-to-back games, including last week’s 30-27 upset of then-No. 19 SMU at home.
  • Clemson’s secondary will be tested by Syracuse wide receiver Umari Hatcher, who ranks fourth nationally in receiving yards per game (119.0) and total receiving yards (952), while tying for seventh in receptions (60).
  • Hatcher closed October with 670 receiving yards, the most by a power-conference player in a calendar month since Alabama’s DeVonta Smith in October 2020.
  • Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli has helped fuel the Orange’s late-game surge. In the overtime win at North Carolina two weeks ago, he connected with Calvin Russell III for both the tying touchdown and decisive two-point conversion.
 
 
Saturday, November 7
Florida State at Boston College | Noon ET
Series: Florida State leads series, 15-6
Last meeting: Boston College, 28-13 (2024)
TV: ACC Network
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 176 / SiriusXM 234 / SiriusXM 258
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 258 / SiriusXM 958
  • Florida State (3-5, 1-4 ACC) travels to Boston College (4-4, 2-3) for a noon ET kickoff Saturday on ACC Network.
  • Boston College is 3-1 at home this season and returns to Alumni Stadium after a road loss at Duke. The Eagles have shown their ceiling in ACC play, including a 49-27 road win at Georgia Tech behind 399 rushing yards.
  • The Eagles’ ground game is led by Bo MacCormack III, who rushed for a career-high 155 yards and three touchdowns in the Georgia Tech win. Quarterback Mason McKenzie adds another dimension as a runner.
  • Boston College’s defense has created takeaways throughout the season, tying for eighth nationally with 11 interceptions. Defensive back Charlie Comella has four interceptions, tied for seventh nationally.
  • Florida State enters Saturday’s game at Boston College under interim head coach Rick Stockstill, who was elevated following the program’s November 1 leadership change after a 36-24 loss to Clemson the day before.
  • Florida State faces one of the nation’s most demanding schedules, ranking No. 12 in ESPN strength of schedule and No. 18 in Sport Source Analytics schedule strength.
  • Seminoles’ quarterback Ashton Daniels remains one of the ACC’s most dynamic players, ranking in the national top 25 in 12 statistical categories. He is second nationally in passing yards per completion (15.50), seventh in rushing touchdowns (12) and 20th in ESPN Total QBR (78.3).
  • Daniels has accounted for 160 points this season, sixth most nationally, and averages 292.9 yards of total offense per game—18th in the FBS.
 

Saturday, November 7
North Carolina at UConn | Noon ET
Series: North Carolina leads series, 3-1
Last meeting: UConn, 27-14 (2024 Fenway Bowl)
TV: CBS Sports Network
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 167
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 999
  • North Carolina (4-4, 2-3 ACC) travels to UConn for a noon ET kickoff Saturday on CBS Sports Network in the Tar Heels’ final non-conference game of the regular season.
  • The Tar Heels have been battle-tested throughout the season, ranking No. 13 nationally in ESPN strength of schedule. North Carolina has faced a demanding slate that includes games against top-ranked Miami, Notre Dame, Duke, Pitt and Clemson.
  • North Carolina pushed No. 1 Miami to the wire last week in Chapel Hill, falling 38-35 after quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. completed 28-of-34 passes for 341 yards and a career-high four touchdowns.
  • Edwards was named ACC Quarterback of the Week following his performance against Miami. He has thrown 15 touchdown passes this season and ranks No. 27 nationally in ESPN Total QBR (75.2).
  • The Tar Heels own one of the ACC’s best road results this season: a 21-17 victory at then-No. 25 Pitt that handed the Panthers their first loss. Edwards passed for 249 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard go-ahead strike to Shamar Easter.
  • North Carolina also reclaimed the Victory Bell with a 24-20 road win at Duke, scoring the decisive touchdown with 1:53 remaining after driving 78 yards for the go-ahead score.
  • Linebacker Derek McDonald anchors the North Carolina defense and ranks fourth nationally with 10.4 tackles per game. He has totaled 83 tackles this season.
  • UConn provides a non-conference road test before North Carolina returns to ACC play for its final three regular-season games: Louisville at home, Virginia on the road and NC State at home.
  • UConn enters Saturday at 4-4 in its first season under head coach Jason Candle. The Huskies have four remaining regular-season opportunities to reach bowl eligibility.
  • The Huskies are averaging 34.4 points and 439.6 yards per game, including 192.8 rushing yards per contest and 5.4 yards per carry.
  • Quarterback Kalieb Osborne has thrown for 1,857 yards and 14 touchdowns against only two interceptions, helping UConn produce 38 offensive touchdowns through eight games.
 

Saturday, November 7
Duke at NC State | 12:30 p.m. ET
Series: Duke leads series, 44-37-5
Last meeting: Duke, 45-33 (2025)
TV:  The CW
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 121 / SiriusXM 236 / SiriusXM 266
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 962 / SiriusXM 976
  • Duke (6-2, 3-2 ACC) travels to Raleigh to face NC State (4-4, 2-3) on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET on The CW.
  • Saturday marks the 87th all-time meeting between the in-state rivals. Duke leads the series, 44-37-5, and has won each of the last three matchups, including last season’s 45-33 victory in Durham.
  • Duke will look for its first four-game winning streak in the series since 1962, while NC State seeks its first win over the Blue Devils since 2020.
  • The Blue Devils enter the weekend coming off one of the ACC’s most dominant Week 9 performances, a 47-2 win over Boston College that secured bowl eligibility.
  • Duke owns four Power Four wins this season, with road victories at Illinois and Virginia, and its two losses have come by a combined seven points—three at Georgia Tech and four against North Carolina.
  • The Blue Devils have been one of the nation’s top defensive teams, ranking ninth nationally in scoring defense (14.3 points allowed per game), 16th in total defense (290.3 yards per game) and fifth in third-down defense (27.5 percent).
  • Duke RB Nate Sheppard leads the nation in scoring and rushing touchdowns after a five-touchdown performance against Boston College. He enters Saturday with 972 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, one shy of Duke’s single-season rushing touchdown record.
  • QB Walker Eget has thrown for 1,641 yards and nine touchdowns, while the Blue Devils have complemented their balanced offense with a defense that has allowed just 114 total points through eight games.
  • NC State rebounded from its coaching transition with a 31-10 home win over California last Saturday in interim head coach Todd Goebbel’s debut.
  • Wolfpack QB CJ Bailey leads NC State with 1,955 passing yards and 13 touchdown passes. He threw for 192 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Cal, while Davion Gause added 104 rushing yards and a touchdown.
  • Senior LB Popo Aguirre anchors the NC State defense and enters the week as the ACC’s third-leading tackler with 76 stops. He earned his second ACC Linebacker of the Week honor this season after totaling a game-high 16 tackles, two tackles for loss and a quarterback hit in the Wolfpack’s 31-10 win over Cal.
 

Saturday, November 7
Merrimack at #16 Wake Forest | 3:30 p.m. ET
Series: First-ever meeting
Last meeting: N/A
TV: ACC Network
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 176 / SiriusXM 234
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 958
  • No. 16 Wake Forest (7-1, 5-1 ACC) returns home Saturday to host Merrimack (4-5) at 3:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium.
  • The matchup marks the first all-time meeting between the Demon Deacons and Warriors. Wake Forest has won 20 consecutive games against FCS opponents, a streak dating to 2000.
  • Wake Forest enters the week riding a five-game winning streak and is one of only four FBS teams with six Power Four victories this season.
  • The Demon Deacons were dominant in October, outscoring their four opponents by a combined 187-31 while recording four wins of 24 or more points.
  • Wake Forest is coming off a 51-7 victory over Virginia, its fourth consecutive win by at least 24 points. The Deacons have scored at least 38 points in each of their last five games.
  • The Deacons own four Power Four road wins—at Purdue, Louisville, NC State and California—including a 30-27 win at then-No. 16 Louisville. Wake Forest is the only FBS team with four Power Four true road victories.
  • QB Gio Lopez is day-to-day after leaving the Virginia game late in the third quarter. He has passed for 2,176 yards and 18 touchdowns this season, both the third-best in the ACC, while averaging 272.0 passing yards per game.
  • WR Carlos Hernandez has been one of the ACC’s top playmakers, entering the weekend with 57 receptions for 856 yards and five touchdowns. His 107.0 receiving yards per game ranks among the nation’s leaders.
  • Merrimack brings a two-game winning streak to Winston-Salem after back-to-back victories over New Hampshire and Wagner. The Warriors earned a 19-14 win over Wagner last week behind QB A.J. Hairston’s two rushing touchdowns.
  • Hairston leads Merrimack with 1,362 passing yards and has added 295 rushing yards and five touchdowns. RB Matthias Latham has rushed for a team-best 626 yards, while safety Danny Simms leads the Warriors with 57 tackles.
 

Saturday, November 7
Louisville at Georgia Tech | 7:30 p.m. ET
Series: Series tied, 2-2
Last meeting: Louisville, 31-19 (2024)
TV:  ACC Network
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 176 / SiriusXM 234 / SiriusXM 258
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 258 / SiriusXM 958
  • Louisville (5-3, 4-2 ACC) visits Georgia Tech (2-6, 1-4) on Saturday night, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field on ACC Network.
  • Saturday is only the fifth all-time meeting between Louisville and Georgia Tech, with the series tied 2-2. Louisville won the two most recent matchups—in 2023 and 2024—while Georgia Tech won the only previous meeting at Bobby Dodd Stadium, 46-27, in 2020.
  • The Cardinals enter riding a three-game winning streak, having scored 44 points against Florida State, 34 at Syracuse and 52 against Stanford. Louisville has topped 40 points in three of its last four games.
  • Louisville owns four Power Four wins this season, including a 41-31 victory over then-No. 16 SMU, and all three of its losses have come by exactly three points.
  • The Cardinals feature one of college football’s most explosive offenses, ranking fifth nationally in scoring (40.4 points per game), eighth in total offense (492.1 yards per game) and ninth in rushing offense (225.1 yards per game).
  • Louisville leads the FBS in yards per play (7.81), big-play percentage (19.25 percent), gains of 20-plus yards and gains of 30-plus yards. The Cardinals have produced 12 touchdown plays of at least 50 yards.
  • QB Lincoln Kienholz has thrown for 2,094 yards, while RB Isaac Brown has rushed for 707 yards. WR Tre Richardson leads the Cardinals with 633 receiving yards and is coming off a 10-catch, 140-yard performance against Stanford.
  • Louisville rushed for 296 yards at a 9.0-yard-per-carry clip and totaled 545 yards in last week’s win over Stanford. The Cardinals did not allow a sack in the game.
  • Georgia Tech returns home looking to halt a three-game skid.
  • Georgia Tech TE Kevin Roche Jr. has 35 receptions this season, the most by a Yellow Jacket tight end since 1968. He is 10 catches away from the program’s single-season record for a tight end.
  • Georgia Tech QB Alberto Mendoza has completed 70.4 percent of his passes (169-of-240) for 1,795 yards and 10 touchdowns through eight games.
 

Saturday, November 7
#1 Miami at #11 Notre Dame | 7:30 p.m. ET
Series: Notre Dame leads series, 18-9-1
Last meeting: Miami, 27-24 (2025)
TV: NBC / Peacock
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 82
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 82
  • No. 1 Miami (8-0, 6-0 ACC) travels to No. 11 Notre Dame (7-1) for a nationally significant primetime matchup Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock from Notre Dame Stadium.
  • Saturday marks the 29th meeting in the storied series, with Notre Dame holding an 18-9-1 advantage. Miami has won the last two meetings, including a 27-24 victory in last season’s opener, and the programs meet with both teams ranked for the 10th time.
  • The game features the nation’s No. 1 team in Miami against AP No. 4 Notre Dame and will be ESPN College GameDay’s 13th visit to South Bend. Notre Dame is No. 11 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
  • Miami is one of three remaining unbeaten FBS teams and owns six Power Four victories, including four true road wins—the most in the country. The Hurricanes are the only FBS team to score at least 30 points in every game this season.
  • The Hurricanes lead the nation in scoring offense at 47.6 points per game and own a +29.9 scoring margin. Miami is also one of only six FBS teams ranked among the top 25 nationally in both total offense and total defense.
  • QB Darian Mensah leads the nation in passing efficiency (202.7), ranks first in the ACC and eighth nationally with 2,425 passing yards, and is tied for the national lead with 25 touchdown passes against only one interception.
  • The Hurricanes will be without WR Malachi Toney, who leads the team with 73 receptions for 1,027 yards and 13 touchdowns.
  • RB Mark Fletcher Jr. leads the Hurricanes with nine rushing touchdowns.
  • Notre Dame has won seven of its first eight games, with its only loss coming at BYU. The Fighting Irish responded with a 35-13 win over Navy last week.
  • The Irish are averaging 40.4 points and 442.8 yards per game while allowing just 13.4 points and 236.3 yards per contest. Notre Dame has held opponents to fewer than 14 points in six of eight games.
  • Notre Dame QB CJ Carr has completed 67 percent of his passes for 1,849 yards and 16 touchdowns, while RB Nolan James Jr. has rushed for 519 yards and eight scores. WRs Jordan Faison and Micah Gilbert each have more than 400 receiving yards.