After posting a 10-2 mark in non-conference games through the first week of the season, the ACC’s week two schedule features 11 non-conference matchups and one league game – Boston College at Virginia Tech (Saturday, 8 p.m./ACCN). Four ACC teams face Power 5 opponents on Saturday, and three of those games are on the road – Duke at Northwestern (Noon/FS1), Wake Forest at Vanderbilt (Noon/SECN) and Virginia at Illinois (4 p.m./ESPNU). The lone Power 5 matchup at an ACC school is Tennessee at Pitt (3:30 p.m./ABC). There are four games against Group of 5/Independent opponents this weekend and three against FCS competition.
The action begins Friday night when Louisville travels to Orlando to face UCF (7:30 p.m./ESPN2). Last year – also on a Friday night – the Cardinals’ Jaylen Alderman returned an interception 66 yards for a touchdown with 13 seconds remaining for a 42-35 victory. Louisville and UCF have met three previous times on the gridiron with the Cardinals holding a 2-1 advantage.
Duke and Northwestern will be meeting for the 22nd time since the series began in 1985. The Blue Devils’ 30-23 win in Durham last season was their third straight versus the Wildcats. This is the second game of a four-year home-and-home set between the Blue Devils and Wildcats, and Duke’s first road game under first-year head coach Mike Elko.
Reigning ACC Atlantic Division Champion Wake Forest plays its first road game of the year after knocking off VMI, 44-10, last weekend. The Deacs received a solid effort from under center from QB Mitch Griffis who threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start. On Sept. 6, Wake Forest announced that QB Sam Hartman – who missed the first game of the year with a non-football medical issue – has been medically cleared and is available to play this weekend.
In one of the marquee matchups of the early season, No. 17 Pitt looks to improve to 2-0 when it plays host to No. 24 Tennessee in the series known as “The Johnny Majors Classic.” Majors coached at both schools. This is Tennessee’s first visit to Pittsburgh and marks the first time Pitt has ever hosted an SEC team. It is Tennessee’s first road game against an ACC team since losing at Georgia Tech in 1986.
After securing its first-ever series win versus the Illini last season in Charlottesville, Virginia is set to make the return trip to Champaign on Saturday. The Cavaliers rolled to a 42-14 victory in last season’s meeting as QB Brennan Armstrong completed 27 of 36 passes for 405 yards and five touchdowns.
With both teams looking to bounce back from season-opening losses, Boston College travels to Virginia Tech for an important early-season conference contest. The game kicks off in prime time and will be televised nationally by ACC Network. Virginia Tech and Boston College have met at least once every year since both became ACC members. The Eagles have won three of the last four meetings, including last season’s 17-3 win at Chestnut Hill.
The ACC is 10-2 against non-conference competition following week one of the 2022 season. That matches the ACC’s previous high for most wins through the first week of the season, accomplished three previous times in 2010, 2015 and 2016.
The ACC finished 2-1 vs. Power 5 opponents last weekend, including Florida State’s 24-23 win over LSU and Pitt’s 38-31 win over West Virginia. Both games had dramatic finishes. Florida State blocked an extra point with no time remaining in regulation to secure the victory. Pitt captured the “Backyard Brawl” after M.J. Devonshire picked off a pass and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown in the closing minutes.
Miami (70) and North Carolina (63) were two of six teams nationally to score 60 or more points in week one.
Six ACC games were decided by one possession in the first week, including three games by one point, one by two points, one by three points and one by seven points.
Clemson’s current seven-game win streak is the longest of any Power 5 school and is the second-longest in the nation behind Louisiana (14). Clemson also has the nation’s longest home win streak at 34 games. NC State and Wake Forest are tied for the 10th longest current home streak, each winning their last 10 games at home. Pitt has won six consecutive road games, which is the second-longest in the country behind Georgia (7).
Five ACC teams are ranked in the AP Top 25 poll (Sept. 6). The five teams are the second-most of any conference. No. 5 Clemson leads the way and is joined by No. 15 Miami, No. 17 Pitt, No. 18 NC State and No. 23 Wake Forest. Florida State and North Carolina also received votes. No. 4 Clemson leads a group of five ACC teams ranked among the top 25 of the USA TODAY Sports AFCA coaches poll. The Tigers are joined by No. 13 NC State, No. 14 Pitt, No. 16 Miami and No. 21 Wake Forest. The ACC’s five ranked teams are second-most among all conferences. Florida State, Syracuse and North Carolina also received votes.
Pitt junior defensive back, M.J. Devonshire, earned the first Thorpe Player of the Week honors after providing the winning score during the No. 17 Panthers thrilling, 38-31, victory over border state rival West Virginia. Devonshire intercepted West Virginia for what would be the game winning score. The Pennsylvania native also contributed three tackles and two pass breakups to go along with the pick six.
The 2022 SubwayACC Football Championship Game will kick off at 8 p.m. on ABCon Saturday, Dec. 3, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game will feature the winner of the Atlantic Division vs. the winner of the Coastal Division. This is the 13th time in the last 14 years that the game has been held in primetime, and 12 different teams have competed in the game since it began in 2005.
Clemson is favored to claim the 2022 ACC football title for the seventh time in the last eight years, according to a preseason poll of 164 media voters. The Tigers, who recorded their 11th consecutive double-digit win season with a 10-3 finish in 2021, were also chosen as likely Atlantic Division winners. Miami was picked to finish atop the Coastal Division following a 7-5 campaign last season that included wins in five of the final six games.
NC State Quarterback Devin Leary, who tallied 35 touchdown passes last season with only five interceptions, was voted the ACC Preseason Player of the Year. Clemson led all schools with six players on the 27-member2022 All-ACC Preseason Football Team. NC State followed with five selections.
Conference of Quarterbacks:
Twelve ACC quarterbacks have been named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List – Boston College’s Phil Jurkovec, Clemson’s DJ Uiagalelei, Florida State’s Jordan Travis, Georgia Tech’s Jeff Sims, Louisville’s Malik Cunningham, Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke, NC State’s Devin Leary, Pitt’s Kedon Slovis, Syracuse’s Garrett Shrader, Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong, Virginia Tech’s Grant Wells and Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman. The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is presented annually to the nation’s top quarterback who best exemplifies character, scholastic and athletic achievement. Pitt’s Kenny Pickett won the award last year.
Five ACC quarterbacks have been named to the Davey O’Brien Award Watch List – Louisville’s Malik Cunningham, Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke, NC State’s Devin Leary, Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong and Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman. The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award.
The ACC has four of the top 12 returning quarterbacks in the country based on last season’s passing yards per game. Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong is the top returning player in the country after finishing last season with 404.5 passing yards per game, Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman is eighth (302.0 ypg), Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke is 11th (293.1 ypg) and NC State’s Devin Leary is 12th (286.1 ypg). Hartman is third among returning quarterbacks in TD passes with 39 last season, while Leary is seventh with 35.
Three of the top seven quarterbacks in the country entering the 2022 season are from the ACC, according to USA Today. They are No. 3 Sam Hartman of Wake Forest, No. 4 Tyler Van Dyke of Miami and No. 7 Devin Leary of NC State.
The ACC leads all conferences with six former players in the WNBA Finals, which starts Sunday in Las Vegas and features the Las Vegas Aces versus the Connecticut Sun.
Five former players from current ACC schools are on the Las Vegas Aces roster: Chelsea Gray (Duke), Dearica Hamby (Wake Forest), Aisha Sheppard (Virginia Tech), Riquna Williams (Miami) and Jackie Young (Notre Dame). Jasmine Thomas (Duke) plays for the Connecticut Sun.
Reigning NCAA women’s champion NC State was the unanimous choice to claim its seventh consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference title, while Wake Forest received the nod on the men’s side in the ACC Cross Country Coaches Preseason Polls. The Wolfpack and Demon Deacon are scheduled to launch their seasons Sept. 16 at the Adidas XC Challenge in Cary, North Carolina.
The Wolfpack, which also earned a No. 1 preseason national ranking from the USTFCCCA, received all 15 first-place votes in the ACC women’s poll for 225 total points. North Carolina (193 total points), Notre Dame (188) and Florida State (173) followed in the balloting.
The Wake Forest men, seeking the program’s fifth ACC title and first since 1994, received eight first-place votes and finished with 210 total points. The Demon Deacons place just ahead of two-time defending ACC champion Notre Dame (five first-place votes, 205 points). North Carolina (193 points) and Virginia (164) each picked up one first-place vote to round out the top four.
The USTFCCCA national poll saw the NC State women ranked No. 1 for the first time in preseason history. No 9 Wake Forest led ACC teams on the men’s side.
No. 6 Notre Dame also ranked among the top 10 women’s teams in the USTFCCCA poll, while North Carolina checked in at No. 14 and Florida State at No. 30. The ACC led all conferences with four teams among the men’s top 25 with Wake Forest followed by No. 14 Notre Dame, No. 16 North Carolina and No. 21 Syracuse.
For the fifth consecutive year, Wake Forest track & field and cross country associate head coach Ashley Bastron has been selected to serve as a coaching mentor in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Female Coaches Mentorship Program. The program, which began in 2018, is designed to increase the representation, depth of knowledge and advancement of female coaches in the field of cross country and track & field coaching at every level, as well as create accessibility within the industry.
All seven ACC teams remain ranked among the nation’s top 20 in this week’s NFHCA Coaches Poll, including three teams among the top seven. North Carolina remains at No. 2, while Louisville moved up to No. 5 and Syracuse to No. 7. Each of those teams is off to a 4-0 start.
Virginia moved up three spots to No. 9 following a pair of wins last weekend to give the ACC four teams among the top 10. No. 16 Duke and No. 18 Wake Forest each moved up two spots this week, and No. 20 Boston College completes the ACC contingent.
The ACC’s seven teams among the top 20 tie for the most of any conference.
The busy upcoming weekend schedule includes a Sunday noon battle between No. 5 Louisville and visiting No. 4 Michigan on ACC Network, while Virginia makes a road trip to top-ranked Northwestern. Syracuse faces a couple of road tests versus fellow top-25 ranked teams, and both North Carolina and Wake Forest are set for West Coast road swings.
Conference play begins on Friday, Sept. 16.
Syracuse continues to lead the nation in scoring, averaging 5.5 points through its first four matches. North Carolina has averaged 3.83 points to rank fifth. The Orange’s Quirine Comans ranks fourth nationally in points scored with 15 in four games, while UNC’s Erin Matson (11 points) is tied for 11th.
Matson has pushed her all-time ACC record for career goals scored to 114, 13 more than the next-closest player. Her 282 career points rank second all-time behind the 306 scored by former Maryland All-American Katie O’Donnell from 2007-10.
Five ACC coaches own at least 300 career victories to rank among the top 20 all-time and among the 12 currently active – North Carolina’s Karen Shelton (all-time leader with 728 wins), Virginia’s Michele Madison (432), Wake Forest’s Jen Averill (417), Syracuse’s Ange Bradley (369) and Duke’s Pam Bustin (301).
Six ACC student-athletes have been named to the 2022-23 preseason Haskins Award Watch List – Georgia Tech’s Christo Lamprecht, Louisville’s Jiri Zuska, North Carolina’s David Ford, Austin Greaser and Dylan Menante and Wake Forest’s Michael Brennan. The Haskins Award honors the player of the year in college men’s golf, as selected by college golfers, coaches and members of the college golf media.
Seven ACC teams are ranked in Golf Channel’s preseason top 25 – No. 1 North Carolina, No. 3 Georgia Tech, No. 11 Florida State, No. 20 Notre Dame, No. 23 Virginia, No. 24 Wake Forest and No. 25 Duke. In the Golfweek preseason rankings, North Carolina is No. 2, Georgia Tech is No. 4, Florida State is No. 16, Wake Forest is No. 20, Notre Dame is No. 21 and Virginia is No. 23.
Seven ACC student-athletes have been named to the 2022-23 preseason ANNIKA Award Watch List – Duke’s Erica Shepherd, Florida State’s Charlotte Heath and Amelia Williamson, Virginia’s Amanda Sambach and Wake Forest’s Carolina Chacarra, Rachel Kuehn and Emilia Migliaccio. The ANNIKA Award is given annually to the most outstanding women’s college golfer, as voted on by players, coaches and media.
Four ACC teams are ranked in Golf Channel’s preseason top 25 -No. 2 Wake Forest, No. 6 Florida State, No. 13 Virginia and No. 22 Duke. In the preseason Golfweek preseason rankings, Wake Forest is No. 3, Florida State is No. 11 and Virginia is No. 14.
Seven ACC teams are ranked in the latest United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, the most of any conference. Clemson leads the poll at No. 1 and is followed by Pitt (2), Wake Forest (5), North Carolina (13), Syracuse (15), Duke (17) and Notre Dame (22).
Conference play begins Friday, and there is a full slate of matches scheduled for this weekend, the first of eight straight weekends of ACC action.
Seven ACC teams are ranked in the latest United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, including five in the top 10 – both totals are the most of any conference. Clemson leads the poll at No. 1 and is followed by Wake Forest (4), Duke (7), Louisville (T10), Pitt (T10), Notre Dame (22) and Syracuse (24).
Clemson, Duke and Wake Forest are three of 18 teams nationally that remain unbeaten and untied.
ACC teams are 29-10-5 (.716) in non-conference action, outscoring their opponents 93-43. The win percentage is the best of any conference.
Duke is one of three teams nationally that have yet to concede a goal. Five ACC teams rank among the top 20 nationally in goals-against average: Duke (1, 0.00), Syracuse (4, 0.25), NC State (13, 0.33) and Clemson/Wake Forest (17, 0.50).
Clemson has been chosen as the favorite to capture the 2022 ACC Championship following a vote of the league’s 12 head coaches. The reigning national champs were picked as the ACC favorite by six coaches. Clemson also was selected as the favorite to win the ACC’s Atlantic Division, while Pitt was voted the Coastal Division favorite for the second straight season.
Seven ACC head coaches rank among the top 50 in NCAA Division I in career wins by active head coaches: Clemson’s Mike Noonan (seventh, 368), UVA’s George Gelnovatch (10th, 353), Pitt’s Jay Vidovich (15th, 332), Duke’s John Kerr (37th, 220), Syracuse’s Ian McIntyre, 40th, 214), NC State’s George Keifer (45th, 201) and Wake’s Bobby Muuss (50th, 193).
Six ACC teams are ranked in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll, most of any league: North Carolina (2), Duke (3), Virginia (5), Florida State (8), Notre Dame (12) and Wake Forest (t24).
ACC teams have combined to post a 67-10-14 record (.813 win percentage) against non-ACC opponents during non-conference action. That is the best win percentage of any league.
ACC teams have more than tripled their opponents on the scoreboard, outscoring their foes 220-60.
Conference play begins next Thursday, with Notre Dame playing at Clemson. There are three openers on Friday, two on Saturday and one on Sunday.
Notre Dame and Virginia are two of only nine remaining teams nationally (out of 337) that are unbeaten and untied.
Notre Dame, Virginia and Wake Forest are among 17 teams nationally that have conceded one or no goals this season. Each team has given up just one score.
In the ACC preseason coaches poll, Duke was narrowly selected as the preseason favorite. The top four teams in the poll were separated by just 13 total points: Duke (156), Virginia (153), UNC (150), FSU (143).
Three ACC head coaches rank among the top five in NCAA Division I for most victories by an active head coach. Long-time UNC head coach Anson Dorrance leads the way with 907 wins. Virginia’s Steve Swanson is fourth with 458, while Pitt’s Randy Waldrum is fifth with 437 career victories. Duke’s Robbie Church is 13th among active coaches with 364 career wins, while Wake Forest’s Tony da Luz is 16th (336).
Three ACC teams are ranked in the AVCA Top 25 Poll and all three are in the top 10. Reigning ACC Champion Louisville is No. 4 in the Sept. 6 poll, followed by No. 5 Georgia Tech and No. 7 Pitt. Miami is the first team receiving votes. Georgia Tech’s No. 5 ranking ties the second highest ranking received by the Yellow Jackets in program history, joining the 2003 squad, which held the mark through four consecutive weeks.
Boston College (7-0), Miami (6-0) and Georgia Tech (5-0) all enter the third weekend of the year undefeated.
The fifth-ranked Yellow Jackets (5-0) play two ranked non-conference opponents this week as they look to continue their unblemished start. Georgia Tech hosts No. 10 BYU on Thursday (7 p.m./ACCNX) and No. 8 Ohio State on Sunday (1 p.m./ACCNX) as part of the Georgia Tech Classic in O’Keefe Gymnasium.
In another battle of ranked teams, No. 4 Louisville hosts No. 9 Purdue on Friday (7 p.m./ACCNX). It is the Cardinals’ fourth-straight match against a ranked opponent after going 2-1 last week against top 25 teams.
Duke and North Carolina both face Michigan and Michigan State of the Big Ten this weekend. On Friday, North Carolina hosts Michigan State at 6 p.m. in a match televised nationally by ACC Network, while Duke hosts Michigan at 6:30 p.m. on ACCNX. On Saturday, the Tar Heels welcome Michigan to Chapel Hill (6 p.m./ACCNX) and Duke faces Michigan State in Durham (6:30 p.m./ACCNX).
Friday’s ACC slate also features Florida State at No. 17 Creighton (6 p.m.) in the Omaha Invite.
Pitt, Virginia and Syracuse play their first home matches of the season this weekend. Pitt hosts American, Bowling Green and Towson in the Panther Challenge, while the Orange hosts Army, Hofstra and Yale in the Syracuse Tournament. Virginia hosts a pair of matches against Charlotte. Miami plays in the UCF Invitational in Orlando, and after this weekend, the Hurricanes will be the lone ACC squad that has yet to play at home.
Four ACC teams are ranked among the top 25 nationally in hitting percentage. Florida State is eighth (.318), Louisville is 16th (.299), Miami is 18th (.297) and Georgia Tech is 21st (.293).
Two-time ACC Player of the Week Julia Bergmann of Georgia Tech leads the nation in points per set (6.32) and is third in kills per set (5.41). Duke’s Gracie Johnson is fourth nationally in total points (142) and 15th in points per set (5.26). Johnson also ranks second in the country with 23 service aces.
