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\n Miami Athletic Communications
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\n Football
\n October 14, 2025
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\n Story Links
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) \u2013\u00a0The spotlight shines brightly on ACC Football in Week 8 as the conference takes over Friday night with a nationally televised doubleheader on ESPN, setting the stage for a weekend packed with marquee matchups.
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\nFriday night kicks off with No. 2 Miami hosting Louisville for the Schnellenberger Trophy at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, followed by California hosting North Carolina for the first time in ACC play at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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\nSaturday\u2019s slate features a battle of unbeatens in conference play as No. 12 Georgia Tech heads to Durham, North Carolina, to take on Duke at Noon ET on ESPN, high-stakes rematch of the 2024 ACC Football Championship Gamem that was decided on a last-second field goal as SMU visits Clemson at 3:30 p.m. ET on ACCN, the historic rivalry between Pitt and Syracuse at 7:30 p.m. ET on ACCN, and a first-ever meeting between Florida State and Stanford, adding a fresh chapter to the ACC\u2019s expanding national footprint, at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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\nThe two other Saturday contests are out of conference play, as Virginia looks to become bowl eligible as the Cavaliers host Washington State at 6:30 p.m. ET on The CW, while Boston College will host UConn in a regional rivalry that dates back to 1908 at Noon ET on ACCN.<\/p>\n
Week 8 – ACC Football Schedule
\n(all times Eastern Time)
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\nFriday, October 17
\nLouisville at #2 Miami | 7 p.m. | ESPN
\nSeries:\u00a0Miami leads series, 12-4-1
\nLast meeting:\u00a0Miami, 52-45 (2024)<\/p>\n
North Carolina at California | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
\nSeries:\u00a0California leads series, 2-0-0
\nLast meeting:\u00a0California, 24-17 (2018)<\/p>\n
Saturday, October 18\u00a0
\n#12 Georgia Tech at Duke | Noon | ESPN
\nSeries:\u00a0Georgia Tech leads series, 55-35-1
\nLast meeting:\u00a0Georgia Tech, 24-14 (2024)
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\nUConn at Boston College | Noon | ACC Network
\nSeries:\u00a0Boston College leads series, 13-1-2
\nLast meeting:\u00a0Boston College, 21-14 (2023)<\/p>\n
SMU at Clemson\u00a0| 3:30 p.m. | ACC Network
\nSeries:\u00a0Clemson leads series, 1-0-0
\nLast meeting:\u00a0Clemson, 34-31 (2024)
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\nWashington State at #18 Virginia | 6:30 p.m. | The CW
\nSeries:\u00a0First Meeting
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\nPitt at Syracuse\u00a0| 7:30 p.m. | ACC Network
\nSeries:\u00a0Pitt leads series, 44-33-3
\nLast meeting:\u00a0Pitt, 41-13 (2024)
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\nFlorida State at Stanford | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
\nSeries:\u00a0First Meeting
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ACC Football Notes
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\nFuture ACC Football Scheduling Model
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\n\tThe Athletic Directors of the 17 ACC football-playing institutions overwhelmingly supported a regular season schedule that includes nine conference games and a minimum of 10 games each year against Power 4 opponents.
\n\tThis positions the ACC as one of only two leagues committed to having every team annually play a minimum of 10 games against Power 4 teams.
\n\tMost teams will begin playing nine conference games plus one P4 game in 2026; however, multiple teams will play eight conference games and two P4 non-conference opponents to accommodate for currently scheduled non-conference games as part of the transition to the new model.
\n\tThe nine-game league schedule will be fully implemented in 2027, with 16 teams playing nine league games and one that will play eight conference games plus two P4 non-conference games.
\n\tPer the Conference constitution, the 9+1 scheduling model will be presented to the FAR for formal adoption.
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\nACC and ESPN\/ACCN Enhanced Instant Replay Transparency<\/p>\n
\n\tWeek 8of the ACC Football season will see a season-high four games utilize the ACC Enhanced Instant Replay Access, including both games of the doubleheader on Friday, October 17 (Louisville at No. 2 Miami, 7 p.m. ET\/ESPN and North Carolina at California, 10:30 p.m. ET\/ESPN) as well as two games on Saturday, October 18 (No. 12 Georgia Tech at Duke, Noon ET\/ESPN and SMU at Clemson, 3:30 p.m. ET\/ACCN).
\n\tFirst-of-its-kind collaboration modernizing the fan experience.
\n\tFans will hear real-time officiating deliberations on ESPN\/ESPN2\u2019s Friday night games and ACCN primetime Saturdays.
\n\tACC was the only league providing this level of access in select games in 2024 and the start of 2025, setting a new standard for college football.
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\nFive ACC Teams Remain Unbeaten in League Play<\/p>\n
\n\tHeading into Week 8, five ACC teams are unbeaten in conference play \u2013 Georgia Tech (3-0), Duke (3-0), Virginia (3-0), SMU (2-0) and Miami (1-0).
\n\tThe five undefeated teams in conference play are the most of any conference \u2013 ACC (5), American (4), Big 12 (3), CUSA (3), MAC (3), Mountain West (3), SEC (3), Sun Belt (3) and Big Ten (2).
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\nUndefeated Teams Overall<\/p>\n
\n\tThe ACC is one of only five FBS conferences with multiple undefeated teams through the first seven weeks of the season \u2013 Georgia Tech (6-0) and Miami (5-1).
\n\tThe ACC has two of the 11 remaining overall unbeaten teams this season in all of FBS, tied for the most of any conference.
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\nACC with Multiple Top-10 Wins<\/p>\n
\n\tThe ACC is one of three conferences with multiple top-10 victories so far this season: Florida State over No. 8 Alabama (August 30), Miami over No. 6 Notre Dame (August 31) and Virginia over No. 8 Florida State (September 26).
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\u00a0
\nLooking to Go Bowling<\/p>\n
\n\tGeorgia Tech became the first ACC team to become bowl eligible this season, picking up its sixth win with a 35-20 victory over Virginia Tech (Oct. 11) in Week 7.
\n\tThe Yellow Jackets are one of 10 teams in all of FBS that have already clinched a postseason bowl spot.
\n\tTwo other ACC teams can become bowl eligible with a win in Week 8, as Miami and Virginia both enter play this week with five wins.
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\nClose Finishes Highlight ACC Play<\/p>\n
\n\tACC league play is off to a thrilling start, with close finishes, overtimes and last-possession drama.
\n\t10 (10 of 23; 43.5%) conference games so far this season have been decided by one score (8 points or fewer).
\n\tIn Week 5, there were two conference games in the ACC that went to overtime, marking the first time multiple ACC league games went past regulation in the same week since Week 8 of 2019. (Stats Perform)
\n\tFrom 2021\u201324, 107 of 236 ACC conference games (45.3%) were decided by eight points or fewer.
\n\tIn 2024 alone, 34 of 68 league games (50%) were one-possession outcomes.
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\nACC Football Fridays<\/p>\n
\n\tACC Football is set to dominate Fridays this fall, with a league-record 12 games scheduled for Fridays in 2025, the most of any conference.
\n\t12 of the ACC\u2019s 17 football programs will participate in at least one primetime Friday night game.
\n\tACC Football Fridays continues in Week 8 with a doubleheader, as Louisville will travel to No. 2 Miami at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, while North Carolina will travel across the country to visit California at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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\nStrongest Non-Conference Schedule<\/p>\n
\n\tThrough the first seven weeks of the season, ACC teams have played 18 non-conference games against peer Power 4 opponents and Notre Dame \u2013 the most of any conference \u2013 ACC \u2013 18; Big 12 \u2013 14; SEC \u2013 14; Big Ten \u2013 11.
\n\tThe ACC has eight games remaining against peer P4 and Notre Dame this season, three more than the other three conferences combined \u2013 SEC (4), Big Ten (1) and Big 12 (0).
\n\tACC teams are scheduled to play 26 games against peer Power 4 conference opponents and Notre Dame in 2025, the most of any conference by at least eight games \u2013 ACC \u2013 26; SEC \u2013 18; Big 12 \u2013 14; Big Ten \u2013 12.
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\nACC is Again the Conference of Quarterbacks<\/p>\n
\n\tThe ACC has nine different quarterbacks across nine different teams that have thrown 10 or more touchdown passes thus far this season, tied for the most among all FBS conferences.
\n\tThe ACC has had 10 different quarterbacks this season who have thrown four or more touchdowns in a game, the most by any FBS conference.
\n\tThe ACC has six quarterbacks that rank among the nation’s passing leaders this season with an average of 250.0 or more passing yards per game – the second-most of any conference.
\n\tSix quarterbacks in the ACC rank in the top 30 in ESPN\u2019s QBR on the season.
\n\tSix quarterbacks in the ACC rank in the top 26 of the NCAA in passing efficiency this season.
\n\tFive quarterbacks in the ACC that rank among the nation\u2019s passing leaders with an average of 255.0 or more passing yards per game this season.
\n\tQuarterbacks in the ACC have recorded a total of 23 300-yard passing games this season, the most of all FBS conferences.
\n\tThe ACC has 13 different quarterbacks who have recorded at least one 300+ yard passing game this season, the most of all FBS conferences.
\n\tThe ACC had six quarterbacks named to the 2025 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Top 25.
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\nACC is Loaded with Preeminent Players<\/p>\n
\n\tThe ACC has had 18 different players rush for 100+ yards in a game this season. Seven have done it twice \u2014 Isaac Brown (Louisville), Mark Fletcher Jr. (Miami), Micah Ford (Stanford), Malachi Hosley (Georgia Tech), Adam Randall (Clemson), Kendrick Raphael (California), while Haynes King (Georgia Tech) and Demond Claiborne (Wake Forest) have done it three times and Hollywood Smothers (NC State) has done it four times.
\n\tThe ACC has had 26 different players record at least one 100-yard receiving game, with Clemson\u2019s Bryant Wesco Jr. and Stanford\u2019s CJ Williams each with three 100-yard games on the season and five other players in Chris Barnes (Wake Forest), Chris Bell (Louisville), Romello Brinson (SMU), Micahi Danzy (Florida State) and Duce Robinson (Florida State) posting two games.
\n\tThe ACC has seven players who rank in the top 40 in the NCAA in total receptions on the season.
\n\tThe ACC has four players who rank in the top 30 in the NCAA in receiving yards per game this season.
\n\tThe ACC has four players who rank in the top 26 in the NCAA in tackles-for-loss per game this season.
\n\tCalifornia defensive back Hezekiah Masses leads the nation in passes defended (11), while also tied for third in all of FBS with four interceptions.
\n\tNC State\u2019s Hollywood ranks third nationally in rushing yards (739) and 10th in rushing yards per game (105.6), both of which lead the ACC.
\n\tWake Forest\u2019s Demond Claiborne also ranks in the top 25 in FBS in both rushing yards (22nd; 539) and rushing yards per game (23rd; 89.8).
\n\tThe two also rank in the top 15 of the NCAA in rushing yards per carry: Demond Claiborne (3rd; 7.81) and Hollywood Smothers (15th; 6.60).
\n\tSyracuse\u2019s Jack Stonehouse ranks fourth nationally in punting with an average of 48.5 yards per punt this season.
\n\tLouisville\u2019s Caullin Lacy is the only FBS player this season with two punt return touchdowns of at least 75 yards. It\u2019s already tied for the second most any ACC player has had in a single season over the last 30 years, trailing only Maryland\u2019s Steve Suter in 2002 (three).
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\nACC = Big Plays<\/p>\n
\n\tThis season, ACC teams have combined for 238 offensive \u201cbig plays\u201d that have gone for at least 30 yards, the most of any conference.
\n\tACC teams have combined to record 387 pass plays of 20 yards or more this season, the most of any conference.
\n\tIn the ACC this season, there have been 42 touchdown runs of at least 25 yards, the most of any FBS conference.
\n\tDuke leads the nation with a total of 53 pass plays of 15+ yards this season, while Syracuse and Pitt are tied for sixth overall with 46 pass plays of 15 yards or more.\u00a0
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\nACC x NFL<\/p>\n
\n\tNo conference blends college football and NFL experience quite like the ACC in 2025, with three former NFL head coaches now leading programs: Bill O\u2019Brien (Boston College), Bill Belichick (North Carolina) and Frank Reich (Stanford), the most of any conference.
\n\tBelichick (six Super Bowl wins) and Reich (one) are the only two college football head coaches who have also won a Super Bowl as either head coach or coordinator in the NFL.
\n\tSeveral ACC programs also feature General Managers with deep NFL ties, including Ron Rivera (Cal), John Garrett (Duke), Michael Lombardi (North Carolina) and Andrew Luck (Stanford), along with a growing number of former NFL stars contributing across coaching staffs and player development roles. \u00a0
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Miami Athletic Communications
Football
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