WEEK 9 ACC PREVIEWS

Thursday, Oct. 27
Virginia Tech (2-5, 1-3 ACC) at #24 NC State (5-2, 1-2 ACC)
7:30 p.m.; ESPN
VT leads series, 28-18-4
Last meeting: VT, 45-24 (2020)

Head Coaches:
Virginia Tech – Brent Pry (2-5 in first season at Virginia Tech and overall)

NC State – Dave Doeren (68-50 in 10th season at NC State; 92-54 in 12th season overall)

Notes: The teams meet in Raleigh for the first time since 2010 • The Wolfpack claimed a 17-16 win in the first ACC meeting between the teams in Blacksburg in 2004 • The Hokies have since won five straight in the series, which was first played in 1900 • The schools met 22 times at neutral sites between 1906 and 1959, with Virginia cities Richmond, Norfolk, Roanoke and Portsmouth, plus Bluefield, West Virginia, all hosting games • Virginia Tech won 45-24 in Blacksburg in the most recent meeting two seasons ago despite playing most of the game with its third-string quarterback • With starting QB Hendon Hooker unavailable to play due to quarantine and backup Braxton Burmeister injured in the opening minutes, Hokies sophomore Quincey Patterson II completed 4-of-6 passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns, and also carried the ball 10 times for 47 yards and a score.

Saturday, Oct. 29
Georgia Tech (3-3, 2-1 ACC) at Florida State (4-3, 2-3 ACC)
Noon; ACCN
FSU leads series, 14-11-1
Last meeting: GT, 16-13 (2020)
Head Coaches:
Georgia Tech – Brent Key, interim (2-0 in first season at Georgia Tech and overall)

Florida State – Mike Norvell (12-15 in third season at FSU; 50-30 in seventh season overall)

Notes: Georgia Tech seeks its third consecutive win versus the Seminoles after winning the previous two matchups by a 22-16 score in 2015 (in Atlanta) and 16-13 at Tallahassee (2020) • QB Jeff Sims led the way two years ago as a Georgia Tech team picked to finish last in the ACC preseason poll stunned the Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium • But the 2015 game was even more stunning, as Lance Austin returned a blocked field goal 78 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the game to lift Tech to the 22-16 win over the No. 9 Seminoles • FSU owns a 6-2 record versus the Yellow Jackets in Tallahassee, with Tech’s other road win coming in 2009 (a high-scoring 49-44 contest) • Each of the last seven meetings between the programs has been decided by less than a touchdown, including a pair of FSU wins in ACC Football Championship Games (21-15 in 2012 and 37-35 in 2014).

Saturday, Oct. 29
Boston College (2-5, 1-4 ACC) at UConn (3-5)
Noon; CBSSN
BC leads series, 12-0-2
Last meeting: BC, 39-16 (2017)
Head Coaches:

Boston College – Jeff Hafley (14-16 in third season at Boston College and overall)

UConn – Jim Mora (3-5 in first season at UConn; 49-35 in seventh season overall)

Notes: UConn takes on its third ACC opponent this season after losing to Syracuse at home and to NC State on the road in September • The game versus Boston College is the first of a home-and-home set, with the Huskies scheduled to visit Chestnut Hill next season • UConn is also slated to play host to Duke and NC State in 2023 • Boston College most recently met the Huskies in November of 2017 at Fenway Park, winning 39-16 to clinch bowl eligibility • RB AJ Dillon rushed for 200 yards and two touchdowns to lead Boston College, including runs of 48 and 53 yards • This Saturday’s game will be the second of two consecutive road trip for the Eagles, who played at Wake Forest last weekend • Following a Friday night home game versus Duke on Nov. 4, Boston College will hit the road again for consecutive road tests at NC State (Nov. 12) and Notre Dame (Nov. 19).

Saturday, Oct. 29
Miami (3-4, 1-2 ACC) at Virginia (3-4, 1-3 ACC)
12:30 p.m.; RSN
UM leads series, 11-8
Last meeting: UVA, 30-28 (2021)
Head Coaches:

Miami – Mario Cristobal (3-4 in first season at Miami; 65-64 in 12th season overall)

Virginia – Tony Elliott (3-4 in first season at UVA and overall)

Notes: The teams have split the last four meetings in the series, including last year’s 30-28 UVA win at Miami Gardens • WR Dontayvion Wicks had a circus catch for a touchdown and QB Brennan Armstrong passed for 268 yards to lead the Cavaliers, who survived a missed Miami field goal attempt at the end to win on the road versus the Hurricanes for the first time since 2011 • Miami holds a 10-8 edge in ACC games between the schools, but Virginia is 6-3 versus the Hurricanes in Charlottesville, including a 16-13 win in the most recent game there in 2018 • The lone non-ACC meeting between the teams came in the 1996 Carquest Bowl, with Miami winning 31-21 • Saturday’s game opens a four-game homestand for the Cavaliers, who do not play on the road again until Nov. 26, when they are scheduled to close out the regular season at rival Virginia Tech.

Saturday, Oct. 29

10 Wake Forest (6-1, 2-1 ACC) at Louisville (4-3, 2-3 ACC)

3:30 p.m.; ACCN
UL leads series, 6-3
Last meeting: WF, 37-34 (2021)
Head Coaches:

Wake Forest – Dave Clawson (57-49 in ninth season at Wake Forest; 147-129 in 23rd season overall)

Louisville – Scott Satterfield (22-22 in fourth season at Louisville; 73-46 in 10th season overall)

Notes: Wake Forest’s 37-34 victory in Winston-Salem last season snapped a three-game Louisville winning streak in what has evolved into a high-scoring series • It marked the sixth consecutive year in which the winning team scored at least 42 points • PK Nick Sciba kicked a 29-yard field goal with 22 seconds left to account for the winning points, and Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman threw for 324 yards and two touchdowns • The Cardinals won 45-21 in the most recent meeting in Louisville in 2020 as QB Malik Cunningham threw for 195 yards and accounted for three scores • The combined 121 points scored by the two teams in 2019 (a 62-59 Louisville win in Winston-Salem) are second-most in ACC history, trailing only the 137 scored in Pitt’s 76-61 victory over Syracuse in 2016 • The Cardinals hold a 3-1 edge versus the Demon Deacons in games played at Louisville.

Saturday, Oct. 29
Notre Dame (4-3) at #16 Syracuse (6-1, 3-1 ACC)
Noon; ABC
ND leads series, 7-3
Last meeting: ND, 45-21 (2020)
Head Coaches:

Notre Dame – Marcus Freeman (4-4 in first full season at Notre Dame and overall)

Syracuse – Dino Babers (35-44 in seventh season at Syracuse; 72-60 in 11th season overall)

Notes: Syracuse plays host to Notre Dame for the first time since 2003, when the Orange defeated the Fighting Irish by a 38-12 score • Notre Dame has won each of the last four meetings, including a 45-21 victory two seasons ago in South Bend • The teams played three games at neutral sites between 2014 and 2018 • Notre Dame claimed a 36-3 victory at Yankee Stadium in 2018 • Recent series history also includes a 2016 game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., which the Orange lost 50-33 despite piling up 489 total yards • The teams also played at MetLife Stadium in 2014, with Notre Dame posting a 31-15 win before a crowd of 76,802 that was the largest ever to watch a college game at the venue • The teams first met on the football field in 1914, but this Saturday’s game will be only the 11th in the series and only the third ever played in Syracuse.

Saturday, Oct. 29
Pitt (4-3, 1-2 ACC) at #21 North Carolina (6-1, 3-0 ACC)
8 p.m.; ACCN
UNC leads series, 10-5
Last meeting: Pitt, 30-23, ot (2021)
Head Coaches:

Pitt – Pat Narduzzi (57-40 in eighth season at Pitt and overall)

North Carolina – Mack Brown (96-64-1 in 14th season at UNC; 271-140-1 in 34th season overall)

Notes: Saturday night’s prime time game carries huge Coastal Division implications and matches two programs that have played an inordinate number of close games head-to-head in previous years • Pitt won the last two such meetings in overtime, including last season’s 30-23 game at Heinz Field • The Tar Heels won all six ACC meetings between the teams prior to 2019, when Pitt broke through with a 34-27 overtime victory • QB Kenny Pickett had a hand in both game-winning TDs for the Panthers, throwing for the go-ahead score last season and scoring himself in 2019 on a 3-yard keeper • Each of the last 10 series games – and 12 of 15 overall – have been decided by a touchdown or less • UNC won 38-35 in the most recent game played at Kenan Stadium in 2018 and is 6-0 versus the Panthers at home • The series began with six nonconference meetings between 1974 and 2000.