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Key Matchups Highlight ACC Football Halloween Weekend Slate

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – As the 2025 ACC Football season enters its final month of the regular season in November, Week 10 brings a critical slate of conference and non-conference showdowns across Halloween weekend. Action kicks off Friday night, October 31, and continues through Saturday, November 1, with several teams jockeying for position in the race toward the 2025 ACC Championship Game and postseason bowl eligibility.
 
All four nationally ranked ACC teams – No. 8 Georgia Tech, No. 10 Miami, No. 15 Virginia and No. 16 Stanford – will play on the road this weekend, while five-win teams California, SMU and Wake Forest will look to secure a bowl bid with a win.

Week 10 - ACC Football Schedule
(all times Eastern Time)
 
Friday, October 31
North Carolina at Syracuse | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Series: North Carolina leads series, 4-3-0
Last meeting: North Carolina, 40-7 (2023)


Saturday, November 1
#10 Miami at SMU | Noon | ESPN
Series: SMU leads series, 1-0-0
Last meeting: SMU, 7-3 (1965)
 
Duke at Clemson | Noon | ACC Network
Series: Clemson leads series, 37-17-1
Last meeting: Duke, 28-7 (2023)

#16 Louisville at Virginia Tech | 3 p.m. | The CW
Series: Virginia Tech leads series, 6-3-0
Last meeting: Louisville, 34-3 (2023)
 
#12 Notre Dame at Boston College | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN
Series: Notre Dame leads series, 18-9-0
Last meeting: Notre Dame, 44-0 (2022)
 
Pitt at Stanford | 3:30 p.m. | ACC Network
Series: Series tied, 2-2-0
Last meeting: Stanford, 14-13 (2018)

#15 Virginia at California | 3:45 p.m. | ESPN2
Series: First Meeting
 
#8 Georgia Tech at NC State | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2
Series: Georgia Tech leads series, 21-11-0
Last meeting: Georgia Tech, 30-29 (2024)

Wake Forest at Florida State | 7:30 p.m. | ACC Network
Series: Florida State leads series, 31-9-1
Last meeting: Florida State, 41-16 (2023)
 

ACC Football Notes
 
Future ACC Football Scheduling Model
  • The Athletic Directors of the 17 ACC football-playing institutions overwhelmingly supported a regular season schedule that includes nine conference games and a minimum of 10 games each year against Power 4 opponents.
  • This positions the ACC as one of only two leagues committed to having every team annually play a minimum of 10 games against Power 4 teams.
  • Most teams will begin playing nine conference games plus one P4 game in 2026; however, multiple teams will play eight conference games and two P4 non-conference opponents to accommodate for currently scheduled non-conference games as part of the transition to the new model.
  • The nine-game league schedule will be fully implemented in 2027, with 16 teams playing nine league games and one that will play eight conference games plus two P4 non-conference games.
  • Per the Conference constitution, the 9+1 scheduling model will be presented to the FAR for formal adoption.

ACC and ESPN/ACCN Enhanced Instant Replay Transparency
  • Week 10 will once again feature multiple games with ESPN/ACCN Enhanced Instant Replay Access - the Friday night contest between North Carolina and Syracuse (7:30 p.m. ET/ESPN) and ESPN’s Saturday noon contest between No. 10 Miami and SMU.
  • First-of-its-kind collaboration modernizing the fan experience.
  • Fans will hear real-time officiating deliberations on ESPN/ESPN2’s Friday night games and ACCN primetime Saturdays.
  • ACC was the only league providing this level of access in select games in 2024 and the start of 2025, setting a new standard for college football.
 
Four Teams Ranked in the Top 25
  • The ACC had four teams ranked in both the AP Top 25 and US LBM Coaches Poll this week, Week 10 (October 26).
    • AP Poll: Georgia Tech (No. 8), Miami (No. 10), Virginia (No. 15) and Louisville (No. 16)
    • Coaches Poll: Georgia Tech (No. 7), Miami (No. 9), Virginia (No. 15) and Louisville (No. 17)
  • The ACC is one of only two conferences with four or more teams ranked in the top 16 of the AP Top 25 poll this week.
  • The ACC is also one of two conferences with four or more teams ranked in the top 17 of the Coaches poll this week.
 
 ACC with Multiple Top-10 Wins
  • The ACC is one of three conferences with multiple top-10 victories so far this season: Florida State over No. 8 Alabama (Aug. 30), Miami over No. 6 Notre Dame (Aug. 31), Virginia over No. 8 Florida State (Sept. 26), and Louisville over No. 2 Miami (Oct. 17).
  • The ACC has had four different teams defeat an AP Top 10 opponent (at the time of the game) this season. That is tied for the second-most among all FBS conferences. (Stats Perform)
 
Looking to Go Bowling
  • The ACC has five teams that have already clinched bowl eligibility with at least six wins this season.
  • Georgia Tech became the first ACC team to become bowl eligible this season, picking up its sixth win with a 35-20 victory over Virginia Tech (Oct. 11) in Week 7.
  • Virginia became the second ACC team to earn bowl eligibility with its 22-20 win over Washington State (Oct. 18) in Week 8.
  • Three teams earned bowl eligibility with their sixth win in Week 9, as Pitt defeated NC State, 53-34, Miami downed Stanford, 42-7, and Louisville ran past Boston College, 38-24.
  • Three other ACC teams can become bowl eligible with a win in Week 10, as California, SMU and Wake Forest all enter this week with five wins.
 
Close Finishes Highlight ACC Play
  • ACC league play continues to not disappoint as the season heads into Week 10 this week.
  • 16 (16 of 36; 44.4%) conference games so far this season have been decided by one score (8 points or fewer).
  • In Week 5, there were two conference games in the ACC that went to overtime, marking the first time multiple ACC league games went past regulation in the same week since Week 8 of 2019. (Stats Perform)
  • The ACC matched that in Week 9, as again, two conference games went into overtime in the same week.
  • From 2021–24, 107 of 236 ACC conference games (45.3%) were decided by eight points or fewer.
  • In 2024 alone, 34 of 68 league games (50%) were one-possession outcomes.
 
Road Warriors in Conference Play
  • Through the first nine weeks of the season, ACC road teams have posted a 19-17 record in conference contests.
 
ACC Football Fridays
  • ACC Football is set to dominate Fridays this fall, with a league-record 12 games scheduled for Fridays in 2025, the most of any conference.
  • 12 of the ACC’s 17 football programs will participate in at least one primetime Friday night game.
  • ACC Football Fridays continues in Week 10 with Syracuse hosting North Carolina on Friday, October 31, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Strongest Non-Conference Schedule
  • Through the first nine weeks of the season, ACC teams have played 18 non-conference games against peer Power 4 opponents and Notre Dame – the most of any conference – ACC – 18; Big 12 – 14; SEC – 14; Big Ten – 12.
  • The ACC has eight games remaining against peer P4 and Notre Dame this season, four more than the other three conferences combined – SEC (4), Big Ten (0) and Big 12 (0).
  • ACC teams are scheduled to play 26 games against peer Power 4 conference opponents and Notre Dame in 2025, the most of any conference by at least eight games – ACC – 26; SEC – 18; Big 12 – 14; Big Ten – 12.
  • The ACC has the strongest non-conference strength of schedule among the Power 4 conferences, with its non-conference opponents’ winning percentage at 47.4 percent. (Sport Source Analytics)

ACC is Again the Conference of Quarterbacks
  • Quarterbacks in the ACC have recorded a total of 27 300-yard passing games this season, the most of all FBS conferences.
  • 18 different quarterbacks in the ACC this season have thrown three or more touchdowns in a game, the most by any FBS conference.
  • 15 different quarterbacks in the ACC have recorded at least one 300+ yard passing game this season, the most of all FBS conferences.
  • 9 different quarterbacks across 9 different teams in the ACC have thrown 11 or more touchdown passes this season.
  • 8 quarterbacks in the ACC rank in the top 30 of the NCAA in completions per game, the most of all FBS conferences.
  • 6 quarterbacks in the ACC rank in the top 35 of the NCAA in passing efficiency this season.
  • 6 quarterbacks in the ACC were named to the 2025 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Top 25.
  • 5 quarterbacks in the ACC rank among the nation's passing leaders this season with an average of 255.0 or more passing yards per game – the most of any conference.
 
ACC is Loaded with Preeminent Players
  • 31 different players in the ACC have recorded at least one 100-yard receiving game this season.
  • 22 different players in the ACC have rushed for 100+ yards in a game this season.
  • 8 players in the ACC rank in the top 35 in the NCAA in receiving touchdowns on the season.
  • 8 placekickers in the ACC have made 10 field goals or more on the season.
  • 6 players in the ACC have rushed for seven or more touchdowns on the season.
  • 5 players in the ACC rank in the top 30 in the NCAA in average yards per punt return.
  • 4 players in the ACC rank in the top 15 in the NCAA in yards per carry, the most of any conference.
  • 4 players in the ACC rank in the top 20 in the NCAA in receptions per game, the most of any conference.
  • 4 players in the ACC rank in the top 20 in the NCAA in points per game.
  • 4 players in the ACC rank in the top 20 in the NCAA in tackles-for-loss per game.
  • 4 players in the ACC rank in the top 20 in the NCAA in tackles per game.
  • 4 players in the ACC rank in the top 25 in the NCAA in all-purpose yards per game.
  • 4 players in the ACC rank in the top 30 in the NCAA in rushing yards per game.
 
ACC = Big Plays
  • The ACC has 10 teams that rank in the top 40 of the NCAA in passing offense, the most among all conferences.
  • This season, ACC teams have combined for 291 offensive “big plays” that have gone for at least 30 yards, the most of any conference.
  • ACC teams have combined to record 479 pass plays of 20 yards or more this season, the most of any conference.
  • In the ACC this season, there have been 48 touchdown runs of at least 25 yards, the most of any FBS conference.
 
ACC x NFL
  • No conference blends college football and NFL experience quite like the ACC in 2025, with three former NFL head coaches now leading programs: Bill O’Brien (Boston College), Bill Belichick (North Carolina) and Frank Reich (Stanford), the most of any conference.
  • Belichick (six Super Bowl wins) and Reich (one) are the only two college football head coaches who have also won a Super Bowl as either head coach or coordinator in the NFL.
  • Several ACC programs also feature General Managers with deep NFL ties, including Ron Rivera (Cal), John Garrett (Duke), Michael Lombardi (North Carolina) and Andrew Luck (Stanford), along with a growing number of former NFL stars contributing across coaching staffs and player development roles.