2024 SCHEDULE – WEEK 1
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29
TIME, TV SIRIUSXM APP/WEB
Western Carolina at #24 NC State
7 p.m. ET, ACCN 160 or 201 963
Series: NC State leads series, 7-0;
Last meeting: NC State, 41-0 (2019)
ACCN: Wes Durham (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Dana Boyle (sideline)
North Carolina A&T at Wake Forest
7 p.m. ET, ACCNX / ESPN+ 85, 194, or 382 956 or 972
Series: Wake Forest leads series, 1-0;
Last meeting: Wake Forest, 42-3 (2004)
ACCNX: Matt Schick (play-by-play), Charles Arbuckle (analyst)
North Carolina at Minnesota
8 p.m. ET, Fox 84, 132, or 193 84 or 955
Series: North Carolina leads series, 1-0;
Last meeting: North Carolina, 31-13 (2023)
Fox: Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Brock Huard (analyst), Allison Williams (sideline)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30
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Elon at Duke 7:30 p.m. ET, ACCN 83 83
Series: Duke leads series, 7-0-1;
Last meeting: Duke, 52-13 (2014)
ACCN: Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Steve Addazio (analyst), Justin Walters (sideline)
TCU at Stanford
10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN 84 or 382 84 or 972
Series: TCU leads series, 3-0;
Last meeting: TCU, 39-37 (2017)
ESPN: Dave Fleming (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (analyst), Stormy Buonantony (sideline)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 31
TIME, TV SIRIUSXM APP/WEB
#14 Clemson vs. #1 Georgia
Noon ET, ABC / ESPN+ 81, 82, or 381 81, 82, or 971
Series: Georgia leads series, 43-18-4;
Last meeting: Georgia, 10-3 (2021)
ESPN: Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst), Molly McGrath (sideline)
Virginia Tech at Vanderbilt
Noon ET, ESPN 106, 113, 190, or 202 960 or 964
Series: Virginia Tech leads series, 6-3;
Last meeting: Virginia Tech, 18-0 (1989)
ESPN: Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst), Taylor Davis (sideline)
Kent State at Pittsburgh
Noon ET, ESPNU 139 or 194 956 or 983
Series: Pitt leads series, 7-0;
Last meeting: Pitt, 43-3 (2003)
ESPNU: Matt Schumacker (play-by-play), Dustin Fox (analyst)
Austin Peay at Louisville
Noon ET, ACCN 138 or 193 955
Series: Duke leads series, 7-0-1;
Last meeting: Duke, 52-13 (2014)
ACCN: Jorge Sedano (play-by-play), Orlando Franklin (analyst), Morgan Uber (sideline)
Ohio at Syracuse
3:30 p.m. ET, ACCN 139 or 194 956 or 984
Series: Syracuse leads series, 3-0;
Last meeting: Syracuse, 29-9 (2021)
ACCN: Chris Cotter (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (analyst), Coley Harvey (sideline)
#19 Miami at Florida
3:30 p.m. ET, ABC / ESPN+ 132, 138, 192, or 193 955 or 962
Series: Miami leads series, 29-27;
Last meeting: Florida, 24-20 (2019)
ESPN: Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst), Katie George (sideline)
UC Davis at California
5 p.m. ET, ACCNX / ESPN+ 113 or 202 964
Series: Cal leads series, 11-0;
Last meeting: Cal, 34-13 (2022)
ACCNX: Roxy Bernstein (play-by-play), Craig Haubert (analyst), Sherree Burruss (sideline)
Richmond at Virginia
6 p.m. ET, ACCNX / ESPN+ 103 or 203 965
Series: Virginia leads series, 30-3-2;
Last meeting: Virginia, 34-17 (2022)
ACCNX: Chris Carlin (play-by-play), Forrest Conoly (analyst)
Georgia State at Georgia Tech
8 p.m. ET, ACCN 138 or 193 955 or 985
Series: First meeting;
Last meeting: N/A
ACCN: Wes Durham (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Dana Boyle (sideline)
Houston Christian at SMU
8 p.m. ET, ACCNX / ESPN+ 139 or 194 956
Series: First meeting;
Last meeting: N/A
ACCNX: Doug Sherman (play-by-play), Tyoka Jackson (analyst)
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
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Boston College at #10 Florida State 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN 84, 106, or 193 84 or 955
Series: Florida State leads series, 16-5;
Last meeting: Florida State, 31-29 (2023)
ESPN: Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Louis Riddick (analyst), Kris Budden (sideline)
ACC NOTES
GREATNESS JUST GOT GREATER
The ACC Board of Directors voted on Sept. 1, 2023, to formally admit the University of California (Cal), Southern Methodist University (SMU) and Stanford University to the Atlantic Coast Conference. Cal, SMU and Stanford joined the ACC as full members with full voting participation effective July 1, 2024 (SMU) and August 2, 2024 (Cal and Stanford). The decision followed the submission of letters of application from all three institutions.
The additions of Cal, SMU and Stanford enhance and strengthen the ACC academically, athletically and financially and create a true national conference that spans coast to coast. The incoming universities enrich the league’s competitiveness in all sports and further demonstrate the ACC’s commitment to broad-based programs for both women and men. n Cal, SMU and Stanford will begin competing in the ACC across their respective sponsored sports starting this year, 2024-25.
GREATNESS IS WHAT WE DO
The ACC announced its new creative campaign, “ACCOMPLISH GREATNESS,” a multi-part brand campaign highlighting the vast success of the ACC’s athletics and academics alike ahead of the ACC’s official college football season on Week 1 of last year. The campaign is set to commence its second year around the start of the 2024 ACC football season.
WEEK 0 TV VIEWERSHIP LOVE
The 2024 college football season opener between Georgia Tech and No. 10 Florida State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic Game in Dublin, Ireland, Week 0 (August 24) had 5.0 million viewers.
The conference contest was the most-watched Week 0 game on any network since 2019. The viewership was up 40 percent over 3.56 million viewers that watched last year’s Aer Lingus College Football Classic in 2023 between Notre Dame and Navy on NBC.
ACC FOOTBALL ON LABOR DAY
Boston College and No. 10 Florida State will cap off Week 1 of the 2024 college football season with a Labor Day showdown in ACC play on Monday, September 2, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. n All 17 teams will be in action over Labor Day weekend, August 29 through September 2, with 16 games spanning four days – Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Monday.
1 OF 3 TOP-25 MATCHUPS IN WEEK 1
The ACC will be part of one of the only three top-25 matchups set for Week 1, when No. 14 Clemson takes on No. 1 Georgia in the Aflac Kickoff Game on Saturday, August 31, at Noon ET on ABC in Atlanta, Georgia.
ONLY CONFERENCE CONTEST AGAIN IN WEEK 1
The ACC will be the only FBS conference in Week 1 to play a conference game, as Boston College will take on No. 10 Florida State in Tallahassee, Florida, on Monday, September 2, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. n The conference contest will mark the second straight week in which the ACC was the lone FBS conference to have a conference game, as Georgia Tech defeated No. 10 Florida State 24-21 in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland, over Week 0.
ACC KICKED OFF 2024 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON
Florida State and Georgia Tech kicked off the 2024 college football season at the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Saturday, August 24, at noon ET in Dublin, Ireland. n Georgia Tech upended No. 10 Florida State 24-21, as Yellow Jackets’ kicker Aidan Birr made a 44-yard field goal as time expired in the first major college football game of the 2024 season.
1 WEEK, 1 TOP-10 WIN
With the first set of games for Week 0 complete, the ACC has already recorded a top-10 win, albeit in conference play as Georgia Tech defeated No. 10 Florida State 24-21 on a game-ending field goal in Ireland. n The Yellow Jackets are the only team in all of FBS with a top-10 win so far this season.
BIG WIN TO START THE 2024 SEASON
Georgia Tech kicked off the 2024 college football season in a big way with a 24-21 win over No. 10 Florida State in Dublin, Ireland.
With the top-10 win, Georgia Tech moved to 5-0 against nationally ranked ACC opponents under head coach Brent Key.
The top-10 win was the first for the Yellow Jackets since GT defeated No. 9 Florida State on October 24, 2015, in what has been named the “Miracle on Techwood Drive”.
The top-10 win was Georgia Tech’s first in a season opener since a 24-21 win at No. 4 Alabama on September 12, 1981. n Georgia Tech became one of five unranked teams to beat an AP Top 10 conference opponent in its season opener in the last 40 years.
SMU WINS IN DEBUT AS ACC MEMBER
In its first game football game as an official member of the ACC, the SMU Mustangs outscored Nevada 16-0 in the fourth quarter to defeat the Wolf Pack 29-24 on Saturday, August 24. n SMU joins nine other schools in recording a win in its first-ever football game as a full-time member of the ACC.
AROUND THE ACC
Boston College: Thomas Castellanos emerged as the clear starter at the quarterback position last year after coming off the bench in week one. He went on to produce a 2,000-yard passing, 1,000-yard rushing season, marking just the fifth such season by an ACC quarterback since 1996.
California: Cal has added 56 players to its roster since the end of the 2023 season and a lot has been made of Cal’s 2024 transfer portal class ranking No. 15 nationally according to On3, while the Bears’ 24 scholarship transfers ties for the seventh-most in the nation. But Cal also has 16 returning players who started at least six games for the Bears in 2023.
Clemson: The Tigers have won at least nine games in 13 straight seasons, the nation’s second-longest active streak (Alabama, 16) and tied for the fourth-longest in major college football history. After winning five consecutive games to close to the 2023 season, Clemson’s five-game winning streak is the third-longest active streak in the country behind only Michigan (15) and Arizona (7).
Duke: Duke enters its first season under new head coach Manny Diaz coming off back-to-back successful seasons the last two years. Over the last two years, Duke has gone 17-9 (.654) overall and 9-7 (.563) overall in ACC play. The Blue Devils have posted an 11-2 (.846) overall home record over the last two seasons and have won its last five bowl games, which is the longest active streak in the ACC (2015 Pinstripe, 2017 Quick Lane, 2018 WalkOn’s Independence, 2022 Military, and 2023 Birmingham).
Florida State: Florida State is coming off its first conference loss since 2022, seeing its ACC winning streak snapped at 12 games in the season-opening loss to Georgia Tech in Ireland. In the season opener, FSU had eight different receivers catch a pass led by Ja’Khi Douglas with four catches for 55 yards, while running backs Roydell Williams and Lawrance Toafili accounted for the two touchdowns, both on the ground.
Georgia Tech: Georgia Tech improved to 5-0 versus ACC nationally ranked top 25 opponents under head coach Brent Key with a 24-21 win over No. 10 Florida State in the season opener in Ireland. Georgia Tech’s defense limited Florida State, which 401.6 yards per game in 2023, to just 291 yards of total offense in the win. GT held the Seminoles to just 98 rushing yards on 31 carries (3.2 avg.). Last year, GT allowed 221.3 yards per game on the ground.
Louisville: The Cardinals’ defense, which was ranked ninth nationally last season against the rush, returns seven starters, including its top two defensive players in defensive lineman Ashton Gillotte and cornerback Quincy Riley, as well as the leading tackler from last year in linebacker T.J. Quinn. The defense also led the nation in red zone defense last season.
Miami: The Hurricanes added ACC Preseason Player of the Year in transfer quarterback Cam Ward from Washington State. In addition to his leadership skills, Ward’s 14,140 career yards of total offense are the most of any active player entering the 2024 season. The top two targets from the Miami offense last year in wide receivers Xavier Restrepo (1,092 receiving yards) and Jacolby George (864 receiving yards) return for 2024. The 2023 season was the first time in at least 20 years that two players from the same school ranked in the top three in receiving yards in the ACC in the same year – Restrepo and George accomplished that feat.
North Carolina: The Tar Heels have had a quarterback competition all preseason long to find the replacement for Drake Maye, who was drafted in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Returner Conner Harrell, transfer Max Johnson and former Tar Heel Jacolby Criswell, who returned to Chapel Hill after a year at Arkansas, are all competing for the starting job heading into the season opener in week 1 at Minnesota.
NC State: NC State head coach Dave Doeren is now in his 12th season at the helm of the Wolfpack. That marks the second-longest tenure in the school’s history and is tied for sixth among current FBS coaches. In Doeren’s previous 11 campaigns at NC State, his teams have boasted seven 8-plus win seasons, four nine-win seasons and have qualified for nine bowl games. In the past four years, Doeren’s Wolfpack teams have posted more victories than any other ACC school except Clemson (34).
Pittsburgh: Over the past five seasons (2019-23), Pitt’s defense has collected a combined 230 quarterback sacks, the highest total in the nation. During that same span, the Panthers have finished in the nation’s top 12 in rushing defense four times. Pitt fielded the ACC’s top rushing defense for four consecutive seasons from 2019-22. Over the past three seasons (2021-23), the Panthers scored an ACC-best 12 defensive touchdowns, second nationally to only Ohio State (13).
SMU: The Mustangs were victorious in their first game as an official member of the ACC with a 29-24 come-from-behind win at Nevada in Week 0. The duo of quarterback Preston Stone (17-for-30, 254 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and tight end RJ Maryland (8 rec., 162 yards, 1 TD), connected eight times for 162 yards, including the go-ahead touchdown with 1:18 left in the contest. After Week 0, Stone leads all FBS in passing yards with 254, while Maryland leads in receiving yards with 162 and receptions with eight.
Stanford: The Cardinal head coach Troy Taylor returns for his second season and returns his entire coaching staff from last year. Stanford is one of seven teams in the FBS that returns its entire coaching staff for the 2024 season and one of five from the ACC (Utah, Liberty, Louisville, NC State, Wake Forest and Florida State). The continuity in the coaching staff will be key as Stanford was seventh in the country in 2023 in snaps by freshmen. A total of 20 players made their collegiate debuts and 18 made their first collegiate starts a year ago.
Syracuse: First-year head coach Fran Brown immediately infused the Orange with talent as he landed Syracuse’s highest-ranked recruiting class. According to 247Sports’ composite ranking, the 2024 class ranked No. 37 nationally and On3 ranked the incoming transfer class at No. 9 nationally. The Orange also return 2023 All-ACC performers LB Marlowe Wax (second team), RB LeQuint Allen (second team RB/HM AP), P Jack Stonehouse (third team) and S Justin Barron (HM), plus 2022 First Team All-ACC tight end Oronde Gadsden, who was sidelined for the final 11 games last season due to injury.
Virginia: The Cavaliers return a quartet of graduate students on the defensive line – Kam Butler, Jahmeer Carter, Chico Bennett and Ben Smiley. The four linemen have played in 162 collegiate games, combined for 111 starts and totaled 34 career sacks. Butler will play his seventh year of college football and third at UVA this season. He has played 2,502 snaps of college football between his time at Miami (OH) and Virginia.
Virginia Tech: The Hokies return 47 lettermen from last season, including quarterback Kyron Drones, running back Bhayshul Tuten, wide receivers Jaylin Lane, Da’Quan Felton and Ali Jennings, as well as defensive lineman Antwaun Powell-Ryland and cornerbacks Dorian Strong and Mansoor Delane. Virginia Tech ranks first in the country in returning production at 86 percent entering the season.
Wake Forest: Head Coach Dave Clawson is entering his 11th season in Winston-Salem and has built one of the most consistent programs in the Power Five. Since the start of the 2016 season, the Deacs have recorded the third-most wins in the ACC, not counting the COVID-shortened 2020 season. The Demon Deacons are in the winningest stretch of football in their program’s history, with the 35 wins from the 2019-23 season ranking fifth in five years in program history.
