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By the end of the weekend, the first month of the college football season will be in the books. The Atlantic Coast Conference has had a strong start to the season, with four teams remaining perfect heading into the final weekend of September. Three ACC teams are ranked in both major polls, and this weekend features five league matchups as the conference schedule ramps up.
In the latest AP Top 25, Miami sits at No. 6, receiving one first-place vote and 1,445 points. The Louisville Cardinals, coming off a big 41-31 victory over SMU last weekend, made a solid jump, moving up seven spots from No. 23 to No. 16. Despite the loss, the Mustangs remained in the poll at No. 22. In the US LBM Coaches Poll, Miami is ranked No. 5 with 1,552 points and one first-place vote, while Louisville checks in at No. 19 and SMU at No. 25.
The ACC has also enjoyed early-season success against the Big Ten, boasting a 4-1 record against the rival conference. Three of those victories came on the road. After losing the initial matchup between the two leagues this season, the ACC has ripped off four consecutive wins. This ties the conference’s longest winning streak against the Big Ten in the last 30 years, matching a run that spanned from Dec. 30, 2016, to Sept. 9, 2017.
More ACC Football coming 🔜 pic.twitter.com/bu4XOUJyub
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) September 22, 2026
As for this weekend’s slate of conference games, the action begins on Friday night as Clemson takes on California. This marks only the second all-time meeting between the two schools, and it will be the first conference game the Tigers have ever played on the West Coast. Clemson takes a two-game winning streak into the contest. Tigers wide receiver T.J. Moore has recorded a reception in 30 consecutive games, tying him for fifth nationally among active streaks.
The Golden Bears, meanwhile, are making their home debut after playing their first two games on the road. California also rides a two-game winning streak into the matchup. Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw for a career-high 413 yards in a win over Wagner last Saturday. Cal’s passing attack averages 321.7 yards per game, ranking fourth in the ACC and inside the top 15 nationally. On defense, safety Kingston Lopa leads the country with five interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.
Elsewhere, Virginia Tech visits Boston College in a matchup that could be heavily impacted by looming weather issues. Quarterback play will likely be the difference for both programs. For the Hokies, Ethan Grunkemeyer ranks fifth in the nation in completion percentage (78.2%), sixth in completions per game (26.33), and 13th in Total QBR (86.4). For the Eagles, Mason McKenzie is fifth in the ACC in total offense, averaging 291 yards a game. He also ranks eighth in the league in both total rushing yards (225) and rushing yards per game (75). Defensively, BC linebacker Anthony Palano is tied for second in the conference with 11.3 tackles per game and sits third in total tackles with 34. The Eagles’ defense is also tied for sixth nationally in forced turnovers with seven.
Wake Forest travels to take on Louisville in a battle of high-powered quarterbacks. Demon Deacons signal-caller Gio Lopez is 10th nationally in total offense with 323 yards per game. He also ranks 12th in passing yards per game (295.7), 15th in total passing yards (887), and 19th in completions per game (22), having thrown seven touchdowns so far this season. On the other sideline, Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz ranks third in the country in yards per completion (17.0). Kienholz is also 10th in total offense (323 yards per game), 11th in passing efficiency (186.8), and 14th in Total QBR (83.6).
Finally, Georgia Tech heads west to face Stanford. Special teams play has been a major asset for the Yellow Jackets. Rahkeem Smith leads the nation in kickoff return average at 51.8 yards per return and is tied for first with one kickoff return for a touchdown. Teammate Elgin Sessions is tied for fifth nationally with one punt return for a score. Stanford, meanwhile, has protected the football well, avoiding a single lost turnover battle through its first three games to build a +2 turnover margin. Cardinal quarterback Davis Warren has yet to throw an interception this season, attempting 107 passes without a pick. Defensively, linebacker Matt Rose is second in the ACC with 27 total tackles.
Author Profile
- John is VP of NGSC Sports and head of our New England operations. He covers sports in the America East, Big East, ACC, Hockey East conferences.
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