CLEMSON – Each week, The Clemson Insider dives deep into the weekend slate of ACC matchups around the league.
Florida State has yet to right the ship and has another tough matchup this weekend against a first year ACC program in the California Bears, which have already knocked off an SEC opponent in Auburn.
Stanford has its first ever ACC matchup with the Syracuse Orange on Friday night in primetime on ESPN.
Clemson is looking to continue the offensive explosion from the Appalachian State game against a tough physical secondary in the NC State Wolfpack.
Friday
Stanford (1-1, 0-0 ACC) at Syracuse (2-0, 1-0 ACC) 7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN
Latest Line: SYR -8.5
Notes: Stanford will play its first conference game as an ACC member on Friday night at Syracuse. The game will be the first-ever meeting between the Orange and the Cardinal. The Orange have had tremendous success through the air, ranking third nationally and second in the ACC, averaging 367.5 passing yards per game.
Saturday
NC State (2-1, 0-0 ACC) at #21 Clemson (1-1, 0-0 ACC) Noon ET; ABC
Latest Line: CLEM -20.5
Notes: A win on Saturday would make Clemson the first team in ACC history to win 800 games. The Tigers would be the 14th FBS program to ever reach the 800-win mark. Clemson has posted the No. 25 passing offense in FBS (301.0 yds/game) and the 19th-best team passing efficiency (169.22). NC State has recorded a pair of defensive touchdowns, leading the ACC, and tied for third throughout the FBS.
Georgia Tech (3-1, 1-1 ACC) at #19 Louisville (2-0, 0-0 ACC) 3:30 p.m. ET; ESPN2
Latest Line: LOU -10.5
Notes: Louisville boasts the No. 3 scoring offense in college football, averaging 55.5 points per game. The Cardinals’ defense has been stellar this season, allowing just 28 first downs through three games – best in the ACC and third throughout all of FBS. On the contrary, Georgia Tech has picked up the fourth most first downs (89) throughout the FBS this season.
James Madison (2-0) at (North Carolina (3-0) Noon ET; ACC Network
Latest Line: UNC -10.5
Notes: North Carolina ran for an ACC-best 330 yards in Week 3 against N.C. Central, gaining 8.0 yards per carry and scoring five rushing touchdowns. UNC is 3-0 for the third consecutive season. The last time UNC started 3-0 for three straight years was 1979-81. The Tar Heels have the second-best rushing offense in the ACC this season, logging 248.7 yards per game. Omarion Hampton leads the ACC and ranks fourth in the FBS with 416 rushing yards this season.
Virginia (2-1) at Coastal Carolina (3-0) 2 p.m. ET; ESPN+
Latest Line: UVA -3.5
Notes: The Cavaliers fell 27-13 to Maryland in Week 3 to fall to 2-1 on the season. The contest will be Virginia’s final non-conference game before five consecutive ACC games. Virginia has only been penalized 3.33 times per game – the fewest in the ACC. Virginia’s 10 penalties rank as the 12th-fewest throughout the FBS. The Cavaliers have posted the highest kickoff return average in the ACC, logging 26.00 yards per return.
Rutgers (2-0) at Virginia Tech (2-1) 3:30 p.m. ET; ACC Network
Latest Line: VT -3.5
Notes: From 1993 to 2012, Virginia Tech won 12 consecutive games against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights snapped their skid in 2023, winning 35-16 in New Jersey. The Hokies’ Jaylin Lane has the seventh-highest punt return average throughout college football, gaining 21.0 yards per return. Lane is one of 23 FBS players with a punt return touchdown this season. Bhayshul Tuten is tied for the most rushing touchdowns in the ACC with four. Tuten is averaging 89.67 rushing yards per game and 5.17 yards per carry.
Youngstown State (1-2) at Pitt (3-0) 3:30 p.m. ET; ACCNX
Latest Line: PITT -25.5
Notes: Pitt scored 14 unanswered points to overcome a 10-point deficit against West Virginia. Prior to Pitt’s win, teams were 0-150 when trailing by double-digits with four minutes left in the game. Pitt became the first team since Tulsa in 2020 to overcome double-digit fourth-quarter deficits and win in back-to-back games. Pitt had not overcome a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit since 2005, going 0-72 during the stretch. The Panthers have now done so in two consecutive weeks.
TCU (2-1) at SMU (2-1) 5 p.m. ET; The CW
Latest Line: TCU -3
Notes: SMU trails the all-time series against TCU, 53-42-7, in the Iron Skillet Battle. The Horned Frogs have won nine of the last 11 meetings. From 1971 to 1986, SMU won 15 consecutive games against the crosstown rivals. Saturday’s in-state tilt with TCU is the third of four consecutive home games for the Mustangs. Before the BYU loss, SMU had won nine consecutive home games.
No. 8 Miami (3-0) at USF (2-1) 7 p.m. ET; ESPN
Latest Line: MIA -16.5
Notes: The Hurricanes have won three consecutive games against USF, dating back to 2011. Miami’s 62-0 win over Ball State was its largest-ever shutout against an FBS opponent. Miami averaged 10.6 yards per play on its way to racking up a program-record 750 total yards of offense. The Hurricanes rank third in the country, averaging 609.3 yards of offense per game. Cam Ward continues to cement his space as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Ward has thrown for 1,035 yards this season.
Duke (3-0) at Middle Tennessee (1-2) 4 p.m. ET; ESPNU
Latest Line: DUKE -14.5
Notes: Nobody in the ACC has thrown the ball more than Maalik Murphy. Murphy, a Texas transfer, has thrown for 801 yards on 122 attempts, including eight touchdowns. Star Thomas ran for 122 yards on 22 carries against UConn. Thomas’ 122 yards were the third-most in the ACC during Week 3 and his highest total as a Blue Devil.
California (3-0, 0-0 ACC) at Florida State (0-3, 0-2 ACC) 7 p.m. ET; ESPN2
Latest Line: FSU -2.5
Notes: Cal will play its first conference game as an ACC member when it travels to Tallahassee, Florida, to meet Florida State. The Golden Bears remain a perfect 3-0 on the season. Florida State, which was selected as the preseason favorite to win the ACC, is still searching for its first win. Only one other team from California has ever been to Doak Campbell Stadium, as the Seminoles defeated No. 18 USC, 30-10, in 1998.
Michigan State (3-0) at Boston College (2-1) 8 p.m. ET; ACC Network
Latest Line: BC -6.5
Notes: Boston College suffered its first loss in 2024, falling on the road to No. 6 Missouri, 27-21, in Week 3. Saturday will be BC’s “Red Bandana Game”, honoring the legacy of Welles Crowther, a former BC lacrosse player who saved the lives of at least 18 people in the September 11, 2001, attacks. Boston College ranks eighth nationally and first in the ACC, averaging 16.54 yards per completion. BC quarterback Thomas Castellanos ranks second in the ACC and fourth nationally with nine passing touchdowns already this season.