The ACC will be featured throughout the Labor Day Weekend with 12 games over a five-day span, Sept. 1-5. No other league plays across all five days in Week One. This is the fourth time in the last six years the ACC has played over five consecutive days in Week One.
The Labor Day weekend begins on Thursday with both of last year’s ACC division champions in action. ACC and Coastal Division Champion Pitt hosts West Virginia in the “Backyard Brawl” and Atlantic Division champion Wake Forest opens against VMI in Winston-Salem. On Friday, Duke plays host to Temple and Virginia Tech travels to Old Dominion.
Saturday’s slate includes the first conference game of the year – Louisville at Syracuse (8 p.m./ACCN) – and a non-conference Power 5 matchup between Boston College vs. Rutgers (Noon/ACCN). Other games on Sept. 3 include North Carolina at Appalachian State (Noon/ESPNU), NC State at East Carolina (Noon/ESPN), Richmond at Virginia (12:30 p.m./RSN) and Bethune-Cookman at Miami (3:30 p.m./ACCN).
On Sunday, Florida State travels to New Orleans to face LSU at the Caesars Superdome (7:30 p.m./ABC). The 2022 season opener is the first of two games between the teams over the next two seasons. In 2023, the teams will play in Orlando, Florida.
In the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game on Labor Day Monday, Georgia Tech hosts Clemson at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (8 p.m./ESPN). The Tigers, who beat Iowa State in the Cheez-It Bowl, won 10 games for the 11th consecutive season in 2021.
ESPN College GameDay headed to Pitt
A special Thursday edition of ESPN College GameDay will broadcast live from Pittsburgh on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. in advance of the game vs. the Mountaineers. Hosted by Rece Davis and joined by analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and David Pollack, the show will be making its third visit to Pitt. College GameDay will be live from inside Acrisure Stadium ahead of the “Backyard Brawl” rivalry game and will rejoin the telecast during halftime of the game.
Florida State, North Carolina post wins in Week Zero
Florida State and North Carolina posted wins in week zero to kick off the college football season. FSU QB Jordan Travis completed 11 of 15 passes for 207 yards and three Seminole running backs rushed for over 100 yards each in FSU’s 47-7 win over Duquesne. Running back Treshaun Ward led the rushing attack with a career-high 127 yards on 14 carries for a career-high 9.1 yards per carry average. Trey Benson (105) and Lawrance Toafili (101) also gained over 100 yards, marking the first time in school history that three running backs gained 100 rushing yards in the same game.
Drake Maye threw four of his five touchdown passes in the first half in his first collegiate start and North Carolina beat undermanned Florida A&M 56-24. Six different North Carolina players scored touchdowns, with Josh Downs making two touchdown catches. Maye is the first North Carolina player to throw five touchdowns in a season opener and the first to connect for five touchdowns in a first career start.
Five ACC teams in AP Top 25
Five ACC teams are ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. The five teams are the second-most of any conference and match the league’s highest ever total set previously on four occasions (2017, 2010, 2005, 2004).
No. 4 Clemson leads the way and is joined by No. 13 NC State, No. 16 Miami, No. 17 Pitt and No. 22 Wake Forest. Clemson has been ranked in the preseason AP Top 5 each of the last six seasons – the second-longest active streak in the country.
NC State equaled its highest preseason ranking ever in the AP poll, matching the 1975 Wolfpack, which also began the year at No. 13. Wake Forest claimed its highest ever ranking in the preseason poll at No. 22. Defending ACC champ Pitt holds its highest preseason spot since 2010.
Five ACC teams in USA Today Coaches Top 25
No. 4 Clemson leads a group of five ACC teams ranked among the top 25 of the preseason USA Today AFCA coaches poll.
The Tigers are joined by No. 13 NC State, No. 16 Pitt, No. 17 Miami and No. 19 Wake Forest. The ACC’s five ranked teams are second-most among all conferences.
NC State and Wake Forest claimed their highest preseason ranking ever in the coaches poll, and defending ACC champ Pitt holds its highest preseason spot since 2010.
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Chris Graham
