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ACC Football Weekend Preview: Both spots in Charlotte are on the line

Chris Graham
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Photo: © Jamie Lamor Thompson/Shutterstock

Virginia and SMU both win in primetime on Saturday night, and it’s easy – they’re in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 6.

The way the 2025 ACC Football season has been playing out, it’s not likely to be that easy.

The suits in Charlotte would love Miami to play its way into the title game; so would the talking heads in Bristol, Conn., who couldn’t contain themselves from slotting the ‘Canes into the ACC’s automatic-bid slot on last night’s College Football Playoff rankings reveal show.



News flash: for Miami (9-2, 5-2 ACC) to get to the ACC title game, it’s going to take a lot of doing.

The best hope would be, Miami getting the dub at Pitt (8-3, 6-1 ACC) on Saturday, then a couple of the teams from among #8 Oklahoma (9-2), #9 Notre Dame (9-2, with a loss to Miami in Week 1), #10 Alabama (9-2, with a loss to FSU in Week 1) and #11 BYU (10-1) suffering Ls.

Likelihood of that: meh.

  • Oklahoma is a 10.5-point favorite over LSU (7-4).
  • Notre Dame is a 31.5-point favorite at Stanford (4-7).
  • ‘Bama is a 6.5-point favorite at Auburn (5-6).
  • BYU is a 17.5-point favorite over Central Florida (5-6).

The situation with #7 Ole Miss (10-1), a 7.5-point favorite at Mississippi State (5-6), is interesting.

Lane Kiffin is almost certainly bolting after the Egg Bowl, and the CFP Selection Committee folks signaled last night that Kiffin’s status for the postseason would factor into its thinking on ranking Ole Miss going forward.

Let’s say, for giggles, Ole Miss loses, Kiffin leaves town, Miami wins, one from among the 8-11 group loses, Miami doesn’t get to Charlotte – I think Miami gets us a second CFP invite.

Stay tuned, I guess.


#4 Georgia at #23 Georgia Tech | Friday 3:30 p.m. | ABC

Series: Georgia leads series, 72-41-5
Last meeting: Georgia, 44-42 (8OT) (2024)
Line: Georgia -13.5
Over/under:
59.5
Projected final score: Georgia 37, Georgia Tech 23


#12 Miami at #22 Pitt | Saturday, noon | ABC

Series: Miami leads series, 29-12-1
Last meeting: Pitt, 42-16 (2022)
Line: Miami -6.5
Over/under: 50.5
Projected final score: Miami 28, Pitt 23


Kentucky at Louisville | Saturday, noon | ACC Network

Series: Kentucky leads series, 19-16-0
Last meeting: Louisville, 41-14 (2024)
Line: Louisville -3.5
Over/under: 47.5
Projected final score: Louisville 26, Kentucky 21


Clemson at South Carolina | Saturday, noon | SEC Network

Series: Clemson leads series, 73-44-4
Last meeting: South Carolina, 17-14 (2024)
Line: South Carolina -3.5
Over/under: 46.5
Projected final score: South Carolina 24, Clemson 22


Boston College at Syracuse | Saturday, 3 p.m. | The CW

Series: Syracuse leads series, 33-24-0
Last meeting: Boston College, 37-31 (2024)
Line: Boston College -3.5
Over/under: 52.5
Projected final score: Boston College 28, Syracuse 24


Wake Forest at Duke | Saturday, 3:30 p.m. | ACC Network

Series: Duke leads series, 61-41-2
Last meeting: Duke, 23-17 (2024)
Line: Duke -1.5
Over/under: 54.5
Projected final score: Duke 28, Wake Forest 27


Florida State at Florida | Saturday, 4:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Series: Florida leads series, 38-28-2
Last meeting: Florida, 31-11 (2024)
Line: Florida -1.5
Over/under: 51.5
Projected final score: Florida 27, Florida State 25


Virginia Tech at Virginia | Saturday, 7 p.m. | ESPN

Series: Virginia Tech leads series, 62-38-5
Last meeting:
Virginia Tech, 37-17 (2024)
Line: Virginia -8.5
Over/under: 53.5
Projected final score: Virginia 31, Virginia Tech 24


North Carolina at NC State | Saturday, 7:30 p.m. | ACC Network

Series: North Carolina leads series, 68-40-6
Last meeting: NC State, 35-30 (2024)
Line: NC State -7.5
Over/under: 47.5
Projected final score: NC State 27, North Carolina 20


#21 SMU at Cal | Saturday, 8 p.m. | ESPN2

Series: SMU leads series, 2-0-0
Last meeting: SMU, 38-6 (2024)
Line: SMU -13.5
Over/under: 52.5
Projected final score: SMU 38, Cal 24


#9 Notre Dame at Stanford | Saturday, 10:30 p.m. | ESPN

Series: Notre Dame leads series, 23-14-0
Last meeting: Notre Dame, 49-7 (2024)
Line: Notre Dame -31.5
Over/under: 51.5
Projected final score: Notre Dame 41, Stanford 10

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Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to Substack or his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].