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CFB Week 2 Previews: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

Friday, Sept. 9
Louisville (0-1, 0-1 ACC) at UCF (1-0, 0-0 AAC)
7:30 p.m.; ESPN2
UL leads series,2-1
Last meeting: UL, 42-35 (2021)

Head Coaches:
Louisville – Scott Satterfield (18-20 in fourth season at Louisville; 69-44 in 10th overall)

UCF – Gus Malzahn (10-4 in second season at UCF; 87-42 in 11th season overall)

Notes: As they meet in prime time on a Friday night for the second straight season, the Cardinals and Knights could be hard-pressed to match the drama of last year’s game in Louisville, when freshman LB Jaylin Alderman returned an interception off a tipped pass for a 66-yard touchdown with 13 seconds remaining to provide the home team with the winning score • Louisville and UCF have met three previous times on the gridiron • The two schools were together in the American Athletic Conference for one season in 2013, with the Knights knocking off the Cardinals 38- 35 in Louisville • The Cardinals defeated the Knights 42-21 in the first meeting between the two schools on Nov. 2, 1985 at Cardinal Stadium • Friday night’s game is the first of three for the Cardinals versus Florida schools • Louisville welcomes Florida State for a second consecutive Friday game on Sept. 16 and plays host to South Florida on Sept. 24.

Friday, Sept. 10
North Carolina (2-0, 0-0 ACC) at Georgia State (0-1, 0-0 SBC)
Noon; ESPNU
UNC leads series, 1-0
Last meeting: UNC, 59-17 (2021)

Head Coaches:
UNC – Mack Brown (92-63-1 in 14th season at UNC; 267-139-1 in 34th season overall)

Georgia State – Shawn Elliott (30-31 in sixth season at Georgia State; 31-36 in seventh season overall)

Notes: After traveling to Appalachian State last weekend, North Carolina faces its second consecutive noon road game versus a Sun Belt Conference opponent • UNC faced Georgia State for the first time last year in Chapel Hill, where QB Sam Howell threw for three touchdowns and scored himself on runs of 22 and 62 yards to lead the Tar Heels’ 59-17 win • UNC limited the Panthers to 90 yards passing • Georgia State will face UNC one week after opening against SEC opponent South Carolina, where current Panthers head coach Shawn Elliott worked as an assistant coach under Steve Spurrier and served as Gamecocks interim head coach following Spurrier’s midseason resignation in 2015 • Following Saturday’s game, UNC has an open date before wrapping up its non-conference schedule against Notre Dame at Kenan Stadium on Sept. 24.

Saturday, Sept. 10
Duke (1-0, 0-0 ACC) at Northwestern (1-0, 1-0 Big Ten)
Noon; FS1
Duke leads series, 11-10
Last meeting: Duke, 30-23 (2021)

Head Coaches:
Duke – Mike Elko (1-0 in first season at Duke and overall)

Northwestern – Pat Fitzgerald (111-90 in 17th season at Northwestern and overall)

Notes: The Blue Devils’ 30-23 win in Durham last season was their third straight versus the Wildcats • Duke took the lead in the overall series and continued to reverse a trend that had seen Northwestern win eight of the previous nine prior to 2017 • Duke appeared to take total control early in last year’s meeting, racing out to a 27-0 lead before using a stout defensive effort to fend off the Wildcats in the second half • QB Gunnar Holmberg, WR Jake Bobo and RB Mataeo Durant became the 17th trio in Duke history to record 300-plus passing yards, 100-plus receiving yards and 100-plus rushing yards, respectively, in a single game • This Saturday’s game will be the 22nd between the schools on the gridiron since the series began in 1985 • It will be the second game of a four-year home-and-home set between the Blue Devils and Wildcats, and Duke’s first road game under first-year head coach Mike Elko.

Saturday, Sept. 10

23 Wake Forest (1-0, 0-0 ACC) at Vanderbilt (2-0, 0-0 SEC)

Noon; SECN
Vandy leads series, 10-6
Last meeting: Vandy, 23-21 (2013)

Head Coaches:
Wake Forest – Dave Clawson (52-48 in ninth season at Wake Forest; 142-128 in 23rd season overall)

Vanderbilt – Clark Lea (4-10 in second season at Vanderbilt and overall)

Notes: Though the teams are meeting for the first time since 2013 on Saturday, Wake Forest has become Vanderbilt’s most frequently played non-Southeastern Conference opponent in the past two decades • In the last 17 years, the teams have squared off on six occasions, with the Commodores winning the most recent three more recent head-to-head meetings • The series dates to a 9-6 Vanderbilt win in 1964 • This year’s team is led by QB Mike Wright, who accounted for six touchdowns (four passing, two rushing) in last week’s 42-31 win over Elon • Wake Forest received a solid effort from under center in last week’s 44-10 season-opening win over VMI, as QB Mitch Griffis threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start • The Commodores have already matched head coach Clark Lea’s win total for all of his 2021 debut season.

Saturday, Sept. 10
Southern Miss (0-1, 0-0 SBC) at #15 Miami (1-0, 0-0 ACC)
Noon; ACCN
First meeting

Head Coaches:
Miami – Mario Cristobal (1-0 in first season at Miami; 63-60 in 12th season overall)

Southern Miss – Will Hall (3-19 in second season at Southern Miss; 59-30 in eighth year overall)

Notes: Miami closes out a season-opening two-game homestand by welcoming Southern Miss to Hard Rock Stadium for the first-ever meeting between the programs • It is the second of four consecutive nonconference games on the Hurricanes’ schedule before they launch exclusively into ACC play, beginning with a home date versus North Carolina on Oct. 8 • Southern Miss is beginning its first season in the Sun Belt Conference after moving over from Conference USA • Heading into the second year of the Will Hall era in Hattiesburg, Southern Miss was picked to finish fifth in the West Division in the 2022 Sun Belt Football Preseason Coaches Poll • The Southern Miss roster features running back Frank Gore Jr. – the son of the former Hurricanes and NFL standout – who has been a key contributor for the Golden Eagles the past two seasons • The Eagles have been to bowl games four of the past seven season, most recently in 2019.

Saturday, Sept. 10
Charleston Southern (0-1, 0-0 BSC) at #18 NC State (1-0, 0-0 ACC)
12:30 p.m.; RSN
First meeting
Last meeting: ASU, 34-31 (2019)

Head Coaches:
NC State – Dave Doeren (65-49 in 10th season at NC State; 88-53 in 12th season overall)

Charleston Southern – Autry Denson (12-15 in fourth season at Charleston Southern and overall)

Notes: After opening with a road win at East Carolina, NC State welcomes Charleston Southern for its 2022 home opener • The Wolfpack is coming off a 2021 season in which it became the first team in program history since 1986 (35 years) to post an unbeaten record at home and became one of just six teams in school history (1967, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1986 and 2021) to go undefeated at Carter-Finley • Overall, NC State has won 10 consecutive home games since dropping a tough 44-41 decision to No. 11 Miami on Nov. 6, 2020 • This week’s game opens a three-game non-conference homestand for the Wolfpack • NC State’s current roster includes former Charleston Southern quarterback Jack Chambers, who came on board for his fifth season with the Wolfpack after throwing for more than 5,700 yards and rushing for more than 1,300 as a Buccaneer.

Saturday, Sept. 10
Furman (1-0, 0-0 SoCon) at #5 Clemson (1-0, 1-0 ACC)
3:30; ACCN
Clemson leads series, 43-10-4
Last meeting: CU, 48-7 (2018)

Head Coaches:
Clemson – Dabo Swinney (151-36 in 15th season at Clemson and overall)

Furman – Clay Hendrix (33-23 in sixth season at Furman and overall)

Notes: The Tigers seek their 32nd consecutive win over the neighboring Paladins • Furman’s last series victory came in 1936, and the teams tied the following season before Clemson began its current run • The teams last met in 2018, with Clemson winning by a score of 48-7 • The game marked the collegiate debut of freshman QB Trevor Lawrence, who came off the bench to throw three touchdown passes and led the Tigers to touchdowns on all five of his drives • Saturday’s game will be the 12th straight between the teams at Clemson’s Death Valley • The Tigers last traveled to Furman in 1962, posting a 44-3 victory • Clemson played its first football game in school history against Furman on October 31, 1896, winning by a score of 14-6 on the road • Clay Hendrix, a former standout Paladin offensive guard and assistant coach, has led Furman to four winning seasons and two FCS playoff berths since taking the reins in 2017.

Saturday, Sept. 10
Western Carolina (1-0, 0-0 SoCon) at Georgia Tech (0-1, 0-1 ACC)
7 p.m.; ACCNX
GT leads series, 5-0
Last meeting: GT, 63-21 (2011)

Head Coaches:
Georgia Tech – Geoff Collins (9-26 in fourth season at Georgia Tech; 24-36 in sixth season overall

Western Carolina – Kerwin Bell 5-7 in second season at Western Carolina; 98-49 in 13th season overall

Notes: Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins leads his team against his alma mater as the Yellow Jackets continue their season-opening homestand in Atlanta • It will be the first of three consecutive non-conference games for Georgia Tech, which is slated to play host to Ole Miss on Sept. 17 before traveling to UCF on Sept. 24 • Western Carolina and Georgia Tech played the first of five previous games in this series in 1986 and met most recently on Sept. 1, 2011, when the Yellow Jackets posted a 63-21 season-opening win in Atlanta • Orwin Smith scored two of Georgia Tech’s four first-quarter touchdowns, and Stephen Hill caught two touchdown passes from Tevin Washington to lead the home team • Western Carolina will be playing its second consecutive road game to open the season following its 52-38 win at Charleston Southern in week one.

Saturday, Sept. 10
Tennessee (1-0, 0-0 SEC) at #17 Pitt (1-0, 0-0 ACC)
3:30 p.m.; ABC
Pitt leads series, 3-0
Last meeting: Pitt, 41-34 (2021)

Head Coaches:
Pitt – Pat Narduzzi (54-37 in eighth season at Pitt and overall)

Richmond – John Heupel (8-6 in second season at Tennessee; 36-14 in fifth season overall)

Notes: The Panthers welcome the Vols to Pittsburgh for the first time after winning the first three games in the series at Knoxville’s Neyland Stadium, including last season’s exciting 41-34 victory • QB Kenny Pickett threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score to lead last season’s Pitt win • The Panthers also won a pair of games on the Vols’ home turf in 1980 and 1983 • Those first two Panthers’ wins in the series came with former Pitt head coach Johnny Majors on the Tennessee sidelines • The first win in 1980 came by a 30-6 score in Majors’ first game with the Vols after leaving Pitt, where he coached his Tony Dorsett-led squad captured the 1976 national championship • In honor of Majors’ contributions to both programs, the current two-game series (2021 and 2022) was designated as ‘The Johnny Majors Classic’ • Majors passed away in Knoxville on June 3, 2020, at the age of 85.

Saturday, Sept. 10
Syracuse (1-0, 0-0 ACC) at UConn (1-1)
7 p.m.; CBSSN
UConn leads series, 6-3
Last meeting: SU, 51-21 (2018)

Head Coaches:
Syracuse – Dino Babers (30-43 in seventh season at Syracuse; 67-59 in 11th season overall)

UConn – Jim Mora (1-1in first season at LSU; 47-31 in seventh season overall)

Notes: A The Orange and Huskies meet for the 12th time, continuing a series that was first played in 2002 • UConn officially holds a 6-3 edge in the series ledger, as Big East Conference wins by Syracuse in 2004 and 2006 were vacated • Syracuse has won the last three meetings, including a 30-point victory in the most recent rivalry renewal at the Dome in 2018 that ties for the largest victory margin by either team in the series • QB Eric Dungey rushed for 77 yards and three touchdowns, passed for 286 yards and two more scores without a turnover to lead Syracuse’s 51-21 rout • The win left Syracuse with a 4-0 record for the first time since 1991 • The Orange also posted a 40-10 win at the Dome in 2012 and won 31-24 at East Hartford in 2016 • Veteran NFL and college head coach Jim Mora is in his first season at the helm of the Huskies.

Saturday, Sept. 10
Virginia (1-0, 0-0 ACC) at Illinois (1-1, 0-1 Big Ten)
4 p.m.; ESPNU
Illinois leads series, 2-1
Last meeting: UVA, 42-14 (2021)

Head Coaches:
Virginia – Tony Elliott (1-0 in first season at UVA and overall)

Illinois – Brett Bielema (6-8 in second season at Illinois; 103-66 in 14th season overall)

Notes: After securing its first-ever series win versus the Illini last season in Charlottesville, Virginia is set to make the return trip to Champaign on Saturday • The Cavaliers rolled to a 42-14 victory in last season’s meeting as QB Brennan Armstrong completed 27 of 36 passes for 405 yards and five touchdowns • Last year’s game marked the first regular-season meeting between the programs • The Illini lead the series 2-1 after winning 31-21 in the 1990 Florida Citrus Bowl and 63-21 in the 1999 MicronPC.com Bowl • Illinois owns a 22-13 all-time record against teams currently in the ACC. This Saturday’s game launches a stretch in which the Cavaliers will play three of four games on the road • After returning to Scott Stadium for a Sept. 17 date with in-state opponent Old Dominion, Virginia launches ACC play under first-year head coach Tony Elliott with road trips to Syracuse (Sept. 3) and to Duke (Oct. 1).

Saturday, Sept. 10
Boston College (0-1, 0-0 ACC) at Virginia Tech (0-1, 0-0 ACC)
7:30 p.m.; ACCN
VT leads series, 19-11
Last meeting: BC, 17-3 (2021)

Head Coaches:
Boston College – Jeff Hafley (12-12 in third season at Boston College and overall)

Virginia Tech – Brent Pry (0-1 in first season at Virginia Tech and overall)

Notes: The ACC’s busy week two closes with the lone conference game on Saturday’s schedule, which kicks off in prime time and will be televised nationally by ACC Network • Virginia Tech and Boston College have met at least once every year since both became ACC members • The Eagles have won three of the last four meetings, including last season’s 17-3 win at Chestnut Hill • QB Phil Jurkovec, who was initially thought lost for the season after undergoing hand surgery, returned to the lineup in the week 10 game and ran for a touchdown to spark the Eagles as they halted a four-game losing streak • The schools have met 30 times since 1993 • That includes back-to-back meetings in the 2007 and 2008 ACC Football Championship Games, both won by Virginia Tech • The Hokies are 11-8 in previous ACC meetings between the teams and 8-5 versus BC in Blacksburg.

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