Tag: ACC

ACC reveals ‘26 schedule: Some play 9 league games, others 8

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Atlantic Coast Conference revealed Tuesday that not all 17 of its football members will make the move to a nine-game conference schedule in 2026.

Instead, 12 teams will play nine games while Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and North Carolina will have eight games in what the league called a “transition year” to its new scheduling policy.

The ACC said in a news release that the unique format for 2026 was “designed to balance competitive equity, honor existing nonconference game contracts and account for the league’s unique 17-team footprint.”

Beginning in 2027, 16 teams will play a nine-game ACC schedule and also be required to schedule one other Power 4 opponent. Because of the odd number of member institutions, one team each season will be scheduled for eight ACC games and must schedule two Power 4 opponents elsewhere.

“Today’s announcement of our 2026 football league opponents is another significant and intentional step forward for ACC Football,” commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement. “Transitioning to a nine-game conference schedule strengthens our competitive framework, aligns us with the other Power Four conferences and provides greater consistency for our student-athletes, coaches and fans. This phased approach reflects our commitment to competitive equity, scheduling flexibility and delivering a premier football product across all 17 institutions.”

The league announced its decision to join the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC with a nine-game conference schedule back on Sept. 22.

The ACC also said in its release that its tiebreaker policy will be updated and announced sometime before the 2026 season.

The league caught flak for 7-5 Duke winning a five-way tiebreaker among 6-2 ACC teams to qualify for the championship game against Virginia. The unranked Blue Devils upset the Cavaliers for the conference title, and come College Football Playoff selection time, two Group of Five champions — Tulane and James Madison — were ranked higher than Duke and got in the field as the No. 11 and 12 seeds.

–Field Level Media

Big 12 commish Brett Yormark calls Notre Dame AD’s remarks ‘egregious’

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Big 12 Conference commissioner Brett Yormark said Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua was “totally out of bounds” for how he’s gone about criticizing the Atlantic Coast Conference this week.

Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a full member of the conference in other sports. Bevacqua has claimed the ACC damaged Notre Dame’s chances at making the College Football Playoff as an at-large with how it campaigned for Miami’s inclusion.

Miami was the last at-large selected — with the committee reasoning that the Hurricanes’ head-to-head win over the Irish only mattered once they were side-by-side in the rankings. Bevacqua said Tuesday that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media campaign over multiple weeks showing it favored Miami’s inclusion in the field over Notre Dame.

“We were definitely being targeted,” Bevacqua said. “And for better or for worse, we have a different relationship with the ACC than any other team in college football, other than the (football) teams that are in the ACC. Because we’re in the ACC for 24 sports, we have a scheduling agreement with the ACC. The ACC does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring tremendous football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would go out of your way to try to damage us in this process.”

Later Tuesday, Yormark appeared at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum and addressed Bevacqua’s criticism of the league.

“I think his behavior has been egregious,” Yormark said. “He is totally out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”

The public pushback is notable given Bevacqua’s unique standing as Notre Dame’s AD. For example, Bevacqua sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the 10 FBS conference commissioners, representing the interests of football independent Notre Dame.

Rumors have also spread about Notre Dame’s next moves if it wants to split with the ACC, which included partnering up with the Big 12.

Consider that one less likely after Yormark took Bevacqua to task on Tuesday. Yormark pointed out that the ACC gave Notre Dame a lifeline during the COVID-affected 2020 season by giving the Irish a full 10-game conference slate and a berth in its championship game against Clemson.

“His behavior has been egregious,” Yormark said. “It’s been egregious going after Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during COVID. … The chair said that as Notre Dame and Miami got closer together, head to head would be a factor, OK?”

–Field Level Media

Notre Dame AD says ACC caused ‘permanent damage’ with Miami campaign

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Notre Dame is not taking its perceived College Football Playoff snub lightly.

After announcing the Fighting Irish would opt out of a bowl on Sunday, Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua embarked on a media tour to voice the school’s concerns.

He took aim at the Atlantic Coast Conference, with which Notre Dame has a football scheduling agreement, during an appearance Monday on the Dan Patrick Show.

“We were mystified by the actions of the conference to attack their biggest business partner in football and a member of their conference in 24 of our other sports. I wouldn’t be honest with you if I didn’t say that they have done permanent damage to the relationship between the conference and Notre Dame,” Bevacqua said.

“We didn’t appreciate the fact that we were singled out repeatedly and compared to Miami, not by Miami, but it raised a lot of eyebrows here that the conference was taking shots at us. … People might disagree with us, but that’s just not something we’d be comfortable with.”

Notre Dame, which won its final 10 games after an 0-2 start that included a loss to Miami, was ahead of the Hurricanes throughout the College Football Playoff rankings until Miami jumped the Fighting Irish on Sunday to claim the final at-large bid.

The Irish joined the ACC in all sports aside from football and hockey in 2013 and agreed in 2014 to play five football games against ACC opponents each season to fill out their schedule.

The official ACC Football account on X posted a direct Miami-Notre Dame comparison graphic on Dec. 1 with the caption, “The best part about football? You get to settle it on the field.”

The ACC Network also re-broadcast Miami’s season-opening win over Notre Dame at least 13 times in the days leading up to the CFP field announcement.

The ACC would have been excluded from the field — and missed out on quite a bit of money — had Miami not made it due to five-loss Duke winning the conference championship.

–Field Level Media

No. 17 Virginia and Duke chasing rare ACC championship

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Whichever team comes out on top, we’ll have a first-time Atlantic Coast Conference championship game winner this weekend.

No. 17 Virginia (10-2) has never won an outright ACC football title, last winning a share in 1995, a decade before the first ACC title game.

Unranked Duke (7-5) has won seven ACC titles, but just one of them (1989) has come since 1962.

The two teams will face off in Charlotte on Saturday night for the ACC crown and a possible College Football Playoff spot just 21 days after Virginia beat Duke 34-17 in Durham, N.C, on Nov. 15.

Cavaliers coach Tony Elliott knows the first win over the Blue Devils means nothing for this rematch.

“You’ve got to throw out what you did in the previous game,” Elliott said Sunday on an ACC media teleconference. “This game is going to come down to execution, and I’m sure we’re going to get Duke’s best effort. Since our game, (Duke) has gotten back into rhythm offensively and been able to score a bunch of points.”

For much of the season, Virginia was living on the right side of the edge. The Cavaliers rattled off four straight one-score wins, including consecutive overtime wins over Florida State and Louisville, before taking their only ACC loss to Wake Forest on Nov. 8.

But Virginia bounced back from that well, finishing the regular season with resounding wins over Duke and rival Virginia Tech to finish atop the conference.

Virginia can set a school record for wins by beating Duke, having only recorded one other 10-win season (10-3 in 1989).

The Cavaliers are a balanced team, third in the ACC in total offense (433.2 yards per game) and total defense (311.7). Chandler Morris (2,586 passing yards, 14 passing touchdowns, five rushing TDs) and J’Mari Taylor (997 rushing yards, 14 TDs) anchor the offense.

ACC officials certainly won’t be playing favorites Saturday but it would certainly be better for the league if Virginia wins the game. The Cavaliers would comfortably be in the CFP with an automatic bid.

If the Blue Devils were to win, an ACC CFP team would be at least marginally in doubt. Duke was one of five teams that finished ACC play with a 6-2 record, somewhat controversially beating out Miami — the highest-ranked ACC team at No. 12 — on a conference opponent win percentage tiebreaker to earn the spot in the title game.

While Duke largely ran through conference play, it picked up nonconference losses to Illinois and on the road against Tulane and UConn, which would likely keep the Blue Devils out of the rankings even with a win Saturday.

The current CFP format awards automatic bids to the five highest-ranked conference champions.

With American Conference title game competitors Tulane (20th) and North Texas (24th) as well as 12-1 Sun Belt team James Madison (25th) all ranked this week by the CFP committee, the ACC needs a James Madison loss this weekend or it could be left out of the CFP entirely if the Blue Devils win.

It’s safe to say Duke coach Manny Diaz does not agree with this potential outcome.

“Absolutely,” Diaz said when asked if his team deserves a CFP spot with a win this week.

” … The whole argument of should a Group of 5 conference be in the playoff at the ACC’s expense? Well, you can forget about ever booking a home-and-home game and encouraging teams to go play good competition.”

Duke quarterback Darian Mensah leads the ACC in passing yards (3,450) and touchdowns (28). Nate Sheppard has rushed for 865 yards and nine scores.

Both teams were pounded in their only previous appearances in the ACC championship game: Florida State routed Duke 45-7 in 2013 and Clemson thrashed Virginia 62-17 in 2019.

–Field Level Media

No. 13 Miami maintains mission focus at Virginia Tech

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Miami hopes to find its way into the College Football Playoff, and with help, possibly into the ACC Championship Game.

But that only happens for the 13th-ranked Hurricanes if they win their final two games, starting Saturday afternoon against host Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va.

Miami (8-2, 4-2 ACC) has put together back-to-back wins for the first time since its 5-0 start. The Hurricanes were ranked as high as No. 2 in the country before losses to Louisville and SMU put them in their current predicament.

Virginia Tech (3-7, 2-4), losers of four of its past five, is playing its home finale. Already out of the picture even for a bowl game, the Hokies will fall short of finishing a regular season above .500 for the sixth consecutive year.

But Virginia Tech gave its fanbase a reason for optimism. The Hokies hired former Penn State coach James Franklin as head coach starting at the end of the season.

For now, though, the Hokies can only play the role of spoiler after their 34-14 loss at Florida State last Saturday ended any shot at earning bowl eligibility.

“It’s a tough loss. That being said, I feel for those guys in that locker room,” Virginia Tech interim coach Philip Montgomery said. “The way they work, the way they prepare, the way they battle, they’re relentless with their effort. The way they’ve stuck together through everything so far this season, you can never question their hearts.”

Virginia Tech has not beaten Miami since 2019, trail the all-time series 26-15, and haven’t beaten the Hurricanes at home since 2016.

Pulling an upset likely hinges on a team with a minus-5 turnover margin playing mistake-free football to keep the ball away from a tough Miami defense that has the second-most forced turnovers in the ACC (18).

Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones has been a dual-threat bright spot for the Hokies, leading the team with 1,717 yards passing, 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions while rushing for 578 yards and nine touchdowns. Drones ranks second on the team in rushing behind only Marcellous Hawkins’ 677 yards.

Drones will face one of the best pass rushes in the nation led by Reuben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor. The Hurricanes’ front has helped compensate for a short-handed secondary that’s been without starters Keionte Scott, who is dealing with a “serious” injury per coach Mario Cristobal, and OJ Frederique, who has a chance to return Saturday. Several players have stepped up, including defensive back Jakobe Thomas, who has created four turnovers over the past two games.

On offense, it’s unclear whether Miami’s backfield will get starter Mark Fletcher Jr. back from injury. But the Hurricanes have shown off their depth on that side as well, as freshman Girard Pringle Jr. has rushed for 171 yards (7.13 yards per carry) on 24 attempts over the past two games. Miami may also have receiver CJ Daniels back this week as well.

“It’s always a next-man-up mentality, so everybody has to be ready,” Mesidor said. “Everybody takes the same amount of mental reps — maybe not physical, but you’re going to take a ton of mental reps — so you’re ready to step up whenever somebody goes down.”

–Field Level Media

One-time ACC powers FSU, Va. Tech cling to postseason hope

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When Florida State and Virginia Tech face off Saturday in Tallahassee, Fla., both will be close to the brink of losing bowl eligibility.

The Seminoles (4-5, 1-5 in Atlantic Coast Conference) lost for the fifth time in six games Saturday at Clemson. A season that began with remarkable promise, seeing Florida State skyrocket from unranked into the top 10 of the Associated Press poll, will now need two wins in the last three games or it will end without a bowl for the second straight year.

Florida State’s offense, which led the nation in yards per game (510.5) and was seventh in scoring offense (40.0 points per game) entering the game, was held to a season-low 360 yards and 10 points at Clemson. Quarterback Tommy Castellanos was sacked six times.

Mike Norvell has lost 16 of his last 22 games at Florida State since a 19-game winning streak from 2022-23, leading to quite a hot seat. That hasn’t affected his belief that things will improve in the future.

“I’ve got an elite level of confidence for what’s ahead for this program,” Norvell said. “I believe in it. I believe in the guys.”

The Hokies (3-6, 2-3 in ACC) are right on the bowl-eligibility edge.

To keep playing beyond the regular season, Virginia Tech needs to win their final three games. A loss means missing a bowl for the third time in six seasons.

“We’ve got a really unbelievable three-game stretch right here in front of us. We’re still writing that story of what it’s going to be,” interim coach Philip Montgomery said. “For the next three weeks, we get to continue to do that and try to write the ending that we want.”

Virginia Tech seemed to get an initial burst from the interim promotion of Montgomery with wins in his first two games. That has worn off. Virginia Tech’s Nov. 1 loss to Louisville prior to its bye week was the team’s third loss in the last four games.

The Hokies rank last in the ACC in passing offense (176.9 yards per game). Quarterback Kyron Drones has less than 180 yards in each of the last five games, including a season-low 76 against Louisville.

–Field Level Media

State rivals North Carolina, Wake Forest wrestle for critical win

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Fresh off defeating what was then the first-place team in the Atlantic Coast Conference, there are bigger topics on the table for Wake Forest this week.

Bill Belichick and in-state rival North Carolina arrive Saturday for an anticipated meeting in Winston-Salem, N.C.

“This is a unique opportunity with two teams that are battling for kind of where they want to finish,” Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert said. “Right now in the moment, we’re competing to do bigger things. I don’t want (last) Saturday to be the pinnacle of our season.”

Wake Forest (6-3, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) knocked off host Virginia 16-9, gaining bowl eligibility in the process. That was nice, but it means there’s more to accomplish.

“We’ve got a lot of time left,” Dickert said. “We’ve got a lot of opportunity left. Proud of our team, proud of where we’re at.”

North Carolina (4-5, 2-3) is trying to rise into the bowl conversation after winning back-to-back games, including last week’s 20-15 decision against visiting Stanford.

“They’re doing what good teams and well-coached teams do – they get better as they go throughout the season,” Dickert said.

For the Tar Heels, this is the first of three consecutive games against in-state opponents.

“We know the intensity is going to be high for this game, as it should be,” North Carolina coach Bill Belichick said.

Belichick did his best to steer conversation to the conference game as his name circulated for the now-vacant NFL job with the New York Giants.

North Carolina and Wake Forest have been most effective defensively. North Carolina recorded nine sacks in the Stanford game. Abou Jaoude has recorded two or more sacks in three straight games.

Dickert and many of his staff members arrived from Washington State last December. While there, they faced Washington, which had Steve Belichick on its staff. Steve Belichick is now overseeing North Carolina’s defense.

“It is an aggressive style,” Dickert said of the Tar Heels’ defense.

Dickert said both teams’ strengths are along the line of scrimmage.

“Defensively, they’re very disciplined,” Bill Belichick said. “They’re tough. They can rush the pass … Very physical, attacking team.”

North Carolina quarterback Gio Lopez had two touchdown throws last week, marking the third time this year he has made multiple TD passes.

Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne has 24 career rushing touchdowns.

Recent games between the teams have been close even though the Tar Heels have won the past four matchups. The margin of victories has been seven points or less in the last five meetings.

Dickert has campaigned this week for Wake Forest fans to create “a program-changing environment” in the second home assignment against an in-state ACC opponent.

–Field Level Media

Streaking No. 22 Pitt, No. 9 Notre Dame collide in Pittsburgh

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Marcus Freeman wants one thing to be clear.

No. 9 Notre Dame (7-2) is taking nothing for granted heading into Saturday afternoon’s game against No. 22 Pitt (7-2) in Pittsburgh. The Fighting Irish are thinking about the Panthers and nothing else, particularly not a potential run in the College Football Playoff.

Freeman clarified his team’s approach after someone he knew sent him a text message describing the matchup against Pitt as a “trap game.”

“I said, ‘This is not a trap game,’” Freeman recalled. “‘This is a challenge. This is a real challenge, a great challenge. So we have to understand the challenge we have ahead of us on Saturday and use that as a reminder to prepare the right way.”

Since losing its first two games of the season against Miami and Texas A&M, Notre Dame has reeled off seven consecutive wins and will look to make it eight straight this weekend. The Fighting Irish are coming off a 49-10 win at home against Navy last weekend.

Pitt also is on a roll with five straight wins, including a 35-20 win on the road against Stanford in their most recent game Nov. 1. The Panthers have a 5-1 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference and know that they also have a path to competing in the CFP tournament.

Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi created a stir this week when he downplayed the matchup against Notre Dame. Narduzzi responded to a question about whether it was a “must-win” game for Pitt.

“Absolutely not,” Narduzzi said. “It is not an ACC game. I’m glad you brought that up. It’s not an ACC game. I would gladly be beat 103 or 110-10 in that game. They can put up 100 on us as long as we win the next two after that.”

It was not the only thing Narduzzi said, but the comment quickly circulated on social media and drew criticism from some fans who thought he was sending the wrong message to his players.

Other comments by Narduzzi reflected his confidence in his team.

“You could play this game at 7 a.m. over at the fieldhouse or in the parking lot,” Narduzzi said. “Doesn’t matter what time, doesn’t matter who we’re playing against. Our guys are coming to play, period.”

The same is likely to be true for Notre Dame.

Fighting Irish first-year starter CJ Carr has passed for 2,275 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions. Jeremiyah Love has rushed for 988 yards and 13 touchdowns, and fellow running back Jadarian Price has rushed for 568 yards and nine touchdowns.

Pitt is led by quarterback Mason Heintschel, who has passed for 1,547 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. Kenny Johnson (37 catches, 573 yards, 4 TDs) and Raphael Williams Jr. (36 catches, 525 yards, 6 TDs) are his top targets in the passing game.

On the ground, Ja’Kyrian Turner leads Pitt with 399 rushing yards and a half-dozen touchdowns.

This will be the 74th meeting in series history between the programs. Notre Dame leads the series 51-21-1, including a 28-11-1 advantage at Pittsburgh.

–Field Level Media

No. 20 Louisville anxious to erase Cal clunker, arms up for Clemson, Cade Klubnik

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The No. 20 Louisville Cardinals are eager to return to the field and shake off a bitter overtime loss when they host Clemson in a primetime ACC showdown Friday night.

What was once expected to be a key conference game with ramifications stretching to the College Football Playoff instead features the Cardinals (7-2, 4-2), who were upset by Cal 29-26 last Saturday for their second home overtime defeat in a month, holding barely a longshot chance of cracking the final 12-team bracket.
Preseason No. 4 Clemson (4-5, 3-4) has less profound goals in what has been a disappointing season relative to the Tigers’ traditional expectations and talented roster. They chase a second straight win to inch closer to bowl eligibility.

The Tigers suffered a 33-21 home loss to Louisville last season in a defeat Clemson coach Dabo Swinney called his team’s worst performance last year. He was particularly displeased by the Tigers’ defense. Clemson won the previous eight meetings with Louisville before last season’s loss.

This season, a loss to Clemson could derail any narrow shot Louisville maintains at reaching the playoff.

“They look the part,” Louisville coach Jeff Brohm said of the Tigers’ 2025 defense. “They’re big, they’re fast, they’re athletic, talented.”

Defense is where the Cardinals stand out this season.

The unit is 14th nationally in total defense, allowing just 296.8 yards per game. However, they gave up a season-worst 427 in Saturday’s loss to the Bears. That included 323 in the air to freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.

Clemson signal caller Cade Klubnik has thrown for more than 300 yards twice this season. The senior completed 20 of 27 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown in last Saturday’s 24-10 home win over Florida State.

“These last four games, including the last one, will be the four best quarterbacks we play,” Louisville coach Jeff Brohm said. “And when you do that, you’ve got to be really sharp, and you have to have a good plan.”

Klubnik, ranked fourth among ACC quarterbacks with a 149.3 rating has been battling leg injuries, but he’s expected to play Friday in Louisville.

The Cardinals could have a quarterback issue brewing.

Senior Miller Moss is coming off his worst game of the season. He completed a season-low 52.6% of his passes (20-of-38) for 203 yards and an interception in the loss to California. His 92.2 passer rating was also the lowest he’s had this season. The transfer from Southern Cal has not thrown for more than 248 yards in any of his last four games.

When asked if he would consider a switch, Brohm said the team still believes in its starting quarterback. While he will “always have a plan ready for all of his quarterbacks,” Brohm added, there are some things Moss needs to work through, such as avoiding passes being batted down at the line of scrimmage.

Louisville running back Isaac Brown is unlikely to be available. The sophomore injured his leg late in the win at Virginia Tech two weeks ago.

Keyjuan Brown, no relation, enjoyed his first 100-yard game Saturday, going for 136 yards on 14 carries. Over his last three games, the back has needed just 36 carries to gain 325 yards.

Whether Louisville plays Moss or backups Deuce Adams or Brady Allen, Swinney does not expect much to change.

“I mean they’re not going to change their offense,” Swinney said. “They’ll do what they do. We’re preparing for them schematically. They’re going to run that ball.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 18, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal safety Omari Gaines (17) and defensive back Sam Neely III (28) celebrate after a victory over Florida State Seminoles at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Stanford fined $50K for violating the ACC event security policy

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Stanford was fined $50,000 for violating the Atlantic Coast Conference’s event security policy following Saturday night’s 20-13 victory over Florida State, the conference announced Sunday.

According to the ACC, the violation occurred “when fans entered the field of play after the conclusion of the contest.” Florida State personnel and the officiating crew were attempting to exit the field while the Cardinal and some of their fans were celebrating the victory.

“The conference’s event security policy is designed to protect the safety and well-being of all student-athletes, coaches, officials and fans,” the ACC said in its news release.

The $50,000 fine is for Stanford’s first offense of the policy during a two-year rolling period that applies to football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball. A second offense would draw a $100,000 fine and a third occurrence (and further ones) would be cause for a $200,000 fine.

Proceeds under the policy go to the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Postgraduate Scholarship Fund, which benefits ACC student-athletes pursuing graduate degrees.

Florida State (3-4, 0-4) lost its ninth straight ACC contest. Stanford (3-4, 2-2) is in its second season in the ACC.

–Field Level Media