CLEMSON – Each week The Clemson Insider takes a deep dive into the Atlantic Coast Conference as a whole.
On this week’s slate, No. 14 SMU hosts Boston College looking to avoid an upset loss at home to keep the pace in the ACC Championship race. The 20th-ranked Clemson Tigers, currently No. 2 in the ACC standings, head up to Pittsburgh for their final ACC game. The Tigers desperately need a victory to keep their slim ACC championship hopes alive. Virginia and head coach Tony Elliot and the Cavalier are heading up to South Bend, Ind., to hopefully get their first ever win against No. 8 Notre Dame.
Saturday
No. 20 Clemson (7-2, 6-1 ACC) at Pitt (7-2, 3-2 ACC) Noon ET; ESPN
Latest Line: CLEM -10
Notes: Clemson and Pitt have not met since the 2021 season when the Panthers won 27-17 in Pittsburgh. The two squads have met five times, including the 2018 ACC Championship Game and the 1977 Gator Bowl. Clemson is still among the ACC leaders at 6-1 in league play. After dropping back-to-back games, Pitt sits in sixth place in the ACC. Clemson is 3-0 in true road games this season and 39-8 in true road games since 2015. The test at Pitt will be Clemson’s final road game of the regular season.
Syracuse (6-3, 3-3 ACC) at California (5-4, 1-4 ACC) 3 p.m. ET; The CW
Latest Line: CAL -9
Notes: Cal and Syracuse have only met twice, playing a home-and-home series in 1967 and 1968. Both teams won at their home stadiums. Syracuse’s Kyle McCord leads the country in passing yards per game, averaging 350.3. McCord is just the second player in Syracuse history to throw for 3,000 or more yards and the first since the Orange joined the ACC. Ryan Nassib holds the school’s single-season record with 3,749 passing yards in 2012. McCord’s 23 passing touchdowns also rank second in Syracuse history for a single season, trailing Nassib’s 26 in 2016. Cal is coming off of its first-ever win in ACC play. The Golden Bears beat Wake Forest, 46-36, to move within one win of bowl eligibility.
No. 19 Louisville (6-3, 4-2 ACC) at Stanford (2-7, 1-5 ACC) 3:30 p.m. ET; ACC Network
Latest Line: LOU -20.5
Notes: Saturday’s contest will be the first-ever meeting between Louisville and Stanford. Louisville defeated No. 11 Clemson for its first-ever win over the Tigers. The victory snapped Clemson’s 11-year winning streak in home night games. Louisville’s victory over No. 11 Clemson marked the program’s highest-ranked road win ever, surpassing the previous mark of No. 13 Southern Miss in 2000. Stanford Ashton Daniels tied the program record for rushing yards by a quarterback, logging 129 yards on 11 carries against NC State. Daniels led the Cardinal to rush for over 200 yards and three touchdowns as a team for the first time since 2022.
Boston College (5-4, 2-3 ACC) at No. 14 SMU (8-1, 5-0 ACC) 3:30 p.m. ET; ESPN
Latest Line: SMU -19.5
Notes: Boston College is one win away from becoming bowl eligible for the second straight season. The Eagles have not been to bowl games in back-to-back seasons since 2016-17. BC’s Donovan Ezeiruaku ranks fourth nationally in both sacks (1.22 per game) and tackles-for-loss (1.6 per game). He leads the ACC in tackles-for-loss while ranking second in sacks per game. SMU remains firmly in the race for a trip to the ACC Championship Game in its first season in the league. The Mustangs are a perfect 5-0 in ACC play this season.
Virginia (5-4, 3-3 ACC) at No. 8 Notre Dame (8-1) 3:30 p.m. ET; NBC
Latest Line: ND -23
Notes: Virginia is looking to notch its first-ever win over Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish hold a 4-0 advantage in the series including a 2-0 record in South Bend, Indiana. Virginia is looking to record its second straight Top 25 win after toppling No. 23 Pitt last week. The Cavaliers have not beaten two Top 25 opponents in the same season since 2011. The Cavaliers are 3-1 on the road this season. The three road wins are the most by Virginia since 2011.
Wake Forest (4-5, 2-3 ACC) at North Carolina (5-4, 2-3 ACC) 8 p.m. ET; ACC Network
Latest Line: UNC -11.5
Notes: North Carolina has dominated the all-time series against Wake Forest, leading the series 72-36-2. The Tar Heels have won three straight games in the series with all three games being decided by one score. Wake Forest’s Nick Andersen ranks sixth nationally and first in the ACC while averaging 10.4 tackles per game. Andersen’s 94 tackles are 11 more than the next closest individual in the ACC. The Demon Deacons are a perfect 3-0 away from home this season with wins over NC State, UConn, and Stanford. All three wins have been by four points or less. Wake Forest is one of just 12 FBS teams to remain undefeated on the road.