Kickoff Time Announced for Clemson-Virginia
By: Jason Priester October 7, 2024

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference and its television partners announced the following football game times and networks for Week 8, October 17-19.

 Thursday, October 17

  • Boston College at Virginia Tech – 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN – previously announced

 Friday, October 18

  • Florida State at Duke – 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2 – previously announced

 Saturday, October 19

  • Miami at Louisville – Noon ET on ABC
  • Virginia at Clemson – Noon ET on ACC Network
  • Wake Forest at UConn – Noon ET on CBS Sports Network – previously announced
  • Notre Dame at Georgia Tech – 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN (from Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
  • NC State at California – 3:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network
  • SMU at Stanford – 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network

 ACC Football Notes

Through Week 6 of the 2024 season:

  • Week 0 – Florida State versus Georgia Tech saw 5.0 million viewers and was the most-watched Week 0 game on any network since 2019.
  • College GameDay from Ireland was the most-watched Week 0 episode ever – 41 percent over the previous most-watched Week 0 show (2022) and averaged 1.6 million viewers, including 2.0 million in the final hour.
  • Week 1 – ACC was part of a historical day on Saturday, August 31, as it was ABC’s second-most-watched Kickoff Saturday on record.

·         7.9 million viewers – The Clemson versus Georgia Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta was the most-watched Week 1 Noon Game on record, peaking at 9.5 million viewers.

·         6.6 million viewers – The in-state rivalry contest between Miami and Florida in Gainesville, Florida, was the most-watched Week 1 Late Afternoon Game since 2017.

  • Week 5 – ACC matchup with Virginia Tech and Miami on Friday, September 27, was the top college football game of the night across all networks and is ESPN’s second-most watched Friday game since 2018 with 3.3 million viewers and peaking at 4.4 million.
  • Week 6 of the 2024 season saw all 17 ACC teams in action, a first in ACC history.
  • Two of the 12 remaining undefeated teams in all of FBS hail from the ACC – Miami (6-0) and Pitt (5-0).
  • Miami is one of just two teams in all of FBS to be bowl-eligible after six weeks of the season (Indiana).
  • The ACC is 41-13 overall in non-conference play.
  • The ACC has eight non-conference wins versus fellow Power 4 foes.
  • The ACC had 73 league games decided by eight points or less over the last three years (2021-23).

·         This year, 10 of the 20 ACC league games to date have been decided by less than eight points.

 

This Week in Week 7

  • Four teams are ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll this week – Miami (No. 6), Clemson (No. 10), Pitt (No. 22) and SMU (No. 25).

·         Syracuse (6) and Louisville (4) also received votes.

  • Four teams are ranked in the Top 25 Coaches Poll this week – Miami (No. 6), Clemson (No. 11), Pitt (No. 24) and SMU (No. 25).

·         Three other ACC teams received votes in the coaches poll – Virginia (7), Louisville (2) and Syracuse (1).

  • Week 7 includes just six games on the docket, with all six coming on Saturday, October 12.

·         The schedule includes five conference games and one non-conference contest, as Stanford travels to No. 11 Notre Dame to compete for the Legends Trophy.

 

The ACC is the Conference of Quarterbacks (QBs) once again this season:

  • The ACC is the only conference with multiple quarterbacks ranked in the top five nationally in total yards per game, passing yards per game, passing yards, passing touchdowns and total QBR.
  • Seven QBs are ranked in the top 30 of FBS in total yards per game – the most of any conference.

·         ACC has three of the top five players nationally in total yards of offense per game.

·         Cam Ward (Miami) leads the nation at 396.7 total yards of offense per game.

  • Seven QBs have thrown 12 touchdown passes or more this season – the most of any conference.

·         Cam Ward (Miami) leads the nation with 20 passing touchdowns.

·         Kyle McCord (Syracuse) is second in the nation with 17 passing touchdowns.

  • Miami’s Cam Ward and Pitt’s Eli Holstein are the only two quarterbacks in all of FBS to have thrown at least three touchdown passes in at least five games this season.
  • Six QBs are ranked in the top 25 of FBS in total passing yards – the most of any conference.

·         Cam Ward (Miami) leads the nation with 2,219 passing yards on the year.

  • Five QBs are ranked in the top 25 of ESPN’s Total QBR – the second-most of any conference.
  • Four QBs are ranked in the top 25 of FBS in passing yards per game, including four in the top 15.

·         Cam Ward (Miami) leads the nation with 369.8 passing yards per game.

·         Kyle McCord (Syracuse) leads the nation with 362.8 passing yards per game.

  • Five QBs are ranked in the top 25 of FBS in passing efficiency, including four in the top 15.
  • Twelve different ACC quarterbacks have thrown for at least 300 yards in a game this year.
  • Four quarterbacks – Jacolby Criswell (North Carolina), Cam Ward (Miami) and Hank Bachmeier (Wake Forest) – have recorded at least one game of over 400 passing yards this season.

·         Jacolby Criswell’s 475 passing yards in Week 4 versus James Madison are the most by a quarterback in a single game this season.

  • Miami quarterback Cam Ward has thrown for over 15,000 yards passing in his career, making him the 13th player recognized by the NCAA to have reached that milestone.
  • Cam Ward leads the nation in all of FBS in points responsible for this year with 142.
  • ACC had the most of any conferences on the following QB preseason watch lists: Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (13); Maxwell Award preseason watch list (10); and Davey O’Brien Award (8).
  • The ACC has the top-ranked group of quarterback transfers in 2024 by CBS Sports.
  • 13 QBs in the league enter the 2024 season with over 20 career touchdown passes and 3,500 career passing yards.
  • Since 2018, the ACC has had at least one quarterback drafted in the first round in five different drafts — the only conference to do that.

 

The ACC’s Preeminent Players ranked among FBS leaders:

  • The ACC has the FBS leader in interceptions – Nohl Williams (Cal) has an FBS-leading five interceptions on the season.
  • The ACC has the FBS leader in total sacks – Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College) is tied for the lead with 9.0 sacks on the year.
  • The ACC has five of the top 25 ranked players in all of FBSi in total sacks this year.

·         Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College) – 9.0; Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Virginia Tech) – 7.0; Jahvaree Ritzie (North Carolina) – 5.0; Tyler Baron (Miami) – 4.5; and Xavier Carlton (Cal) – 4.5.

  • Four of the top 20 NCAA leaders in sacks per game this season are in the ACC.

·         Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College) – 1.50; Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Virginia Tech) – 1.40; Xavier Carlton (Cal) – 0.90); and Jahvaree Ritzi (North Carolina) – 0.83.

  • The ACC has the FBS leader in punt average – Alex Mastromanno (Florida State) leads the nation with a punt average of 49.3 yards per kick.
  • Five of the top 25 FBS punters in yards per punt average are in the ACC.

·         Alex Mastromanno (Florida State) – 49.3; Daniel Sparks (Virginia) – 48.2; Lachlan Wilson (Cal) – 45.6; Caden Noonkester (NC State) – 45.6; and Kade Reynoldson (Duke) – 45.2.

  • The ACC has seven of the top 25 ranked players in all of FBS in total tackles-for-loss this season.

·         Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College) – 11.5; Alex Howard (Duke) – 9.0; Rasheem Biles (Pitt) – 8.0; Fadil Diggs (Syracuse) – 8.0; Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Virginia Tech) – 7.5; Patrick Payton (Florida State) – 7.5; and Tyler Baron (Miami) – 7.5.

  • The ACC has five of the top 25 ranked players in tackles per game this season in all of FBS.

·         Nick Anderson (Wake Forest) is third nationally at 12.0 tackles per game.

·         Nick Anderson (Wake Forest) – 12.0; Antonio Clary (Virginia) – 9.6; Teddye Buchanan (Cal) – 9.6; Cade Uluave (Cal) – 9.4; and Donovan McMillon (Pitt) – 9.0.

  • The ACC has four of the top 25 ranked players in rushing yards this season in all of FBS.
  • The ACC has three of the top 25 ranked players in rushing yards per game this season in all of FBS.

·         Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) ranks in the top five in all of FBS in both rushing yards (third, 764) and rushing yards per game (fifth, 127.3).

  • Three of the top 20 leaders in rushing touchdowns in all of FBS this season are in the ACC.

·         Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech) – 9; Brashard Smith (SMU) – 7; and Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) – 7.

  • The ACC has four players that rank in the top 25 in all of FBS in all-purpose yards per game.

·         Desmond Reid (Pitt) – 193.50; Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) – 147.83; Brashard Smith (Miami) – 137.50; and Demond Claiborne (Wake Forest) – 124.00.

  • Seven different players from the ACC have returned a punt for a touchdown – the most of any conference.
  • Four of the top 25 punt returners in yards per punt return this season are from the ACC.

·         Jaylin Lane (Virginia Tech) – 15.9; Roderick Daniels, Jr. (SMU) – 12.7; Tiger Bachmeier (Stanford) – 12.3; and Antonio Williams (Clemson) – 12.2.

 

The ACC’s non-conference schedule continues to be the most challenging in the country:

  • 26 games against Power 4 opponents, including Notre Dame – the most of any conference.
  • Nine non-conference games against teams ranked in the final 2023 Associated Press Top 25 Poll – the most of any conference.
  • 10 non-conference games against teams in ESPN’s 2024 Way-Too-Early Top 25 – the most of any conference.

 

ACC Features Elite Coaching Leadership:

  • Six ACC head coaches named to the 2024 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List – no conference has more.
  • Two of the three active coaches in the country who won a national title reside in the ACC (Mack Brown and Dabo Swinney).
  • Four current ACC head coaches have recorded over 100 career wins at the collegiate level (only 30 active FBS coaches have reached this mark).
  • Among active FBS head coaches, the ACC has nine coaches that rank among the top 50 in the nation in career winning percentage.
  • Proven veterans and dynamic young coaches.

 

The 20th ACC Football Championship Game will kick off in primetime at 8 p.m. ET on ABC on Saturday, December 7, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tickets for the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Football Championship Game are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and through the ACC’s official website at theACC.com.