Week 1 didn’t exactly hand the ACC a clean bill of health.
For five straight days, the league had teams on the field, with plenty of nationally televised matchups and a few chances to make a real statement against power-conference opponents. Instead, the opening weekend delivered a mixed bag: one heavyweight got rolled, a couple of middle-tier teams slipped in winnable spots, and a few others did exactly what they were supposed to do.
The ugliest headline belonged to Clemson. Even after a long weather delay, the attention stayed on Dabo Swinney’s team for Saturday night’s road trip to LSU.
What followed was a 51-10 blowout that left no room for spin. Getting hammered by LSU on the road is one thing, but Clemson did the ACC no favors by taking that kind of loss on national TV.
Louisville, meanwhile, came much closer to landing a statement win of its own. The Cardinals hung around with Ole Miss, then made things interesting late by scoring 14 points in the final five minutes to tie the game at 38. They still walked away with a 41-38 loss after giving up a last-second field goal, but the performance suggested Louisville can play at a higher level than expected.
Florida State’s Monday game brought its own share of oddness, with the stadium lights becoming part of the story before kickoff. Once the game finally got going, the Seminoles were at least competitive and lost on a late field goal.
SMU, though, may have come away with the bigger takeaway. The Mustangs piled up 585 yards of total offense, but they also turned it over four times.
That kind of offense looks capable of reaching championship level, but the self-inflicted mistakes nearly derailed it against Florida State.
Two ACC teams sitting in the middle of the preseason power rankings also took non-conference hits against power-conference competition. Georgia Tech, a home favorite, fell 14-13 to Colorado on Thursday.
Cal followed with a much rougher outing on Saturday, losing 45-24 at home to UCLA. Neither result was catastrophic, but both were missed opportunities for the league.
At the top end, Miami looked every bit like the ACC’s best team. Against Stanford, the Hurricanes rolled to a 45-6 win behind Darian Mensah, who threw for 401 yards and five touchdowns.
That result reinforced the gap between Miami and the rest of the conference. Stanford, on the other hand, looked like the ACC’s weakest team, though Boston College may have something to say about that after its 34-15 loss to Cincinnati.
Elsewhere, a handful of ACC teams handled business the way they were supposed to. Syracuse crushed New Hampshire 66-3, Pitt beat Miami (Ohio) 59-14, Virginia Tech routed VMI 73-3, and Wake Forest took care of Akron 38-16 at home.
In Other News...
Syracuse Just Lost A Backcourt Piece It Was Counting On
Dominique Darius will not be back with Syracuse womens basketball after the NCAA denied her petition for a seventh season of eligibility, coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. Darius had been seeking one more year after a midyear transfer and a redshirt season, a path that would have given the Orange another experienced option in the backcourt.
Instead, Darius is moving on to pursue opportunities overseas, leaving Syracuse to keep sorting out its rotation as it blends in new transfers and freshmen. The Orange had already been reshaping the roster around offseason departures, but Darius exit removes a player the staff had been counting on for added depth and experience. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuses New Era Will Get An Early ACC Reality Check
Syracuses mens basketball reset under Gerry McNamara appears set to get tested almost immediately. According to CBS Sports insider Jon Rothstein, the Orange are expected to open their 2026-27 ACC schedule on Dec. 29 with a road trip to Florida State, a first conference game that would also mark McNamaras debut in league play after replacing Adrian Autry following the 2025-26 season.
It is the kind of early measuring-stick game that can quickly shape the mood around a new era, especially for a program still sorting out its roster and trying to build momentum after recent uneven results. Syracuse also has an upcoming game against Cal, another reminder that the next stretch will help reveal how quickly McNamara can get the Orange settled before the ACC grind really begins. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Fans Have A New Reason To Watch Demetres Samuel Jr
Demetres Samuel Jr. gave Syracuse a little extra to think about in the season opener, flashing return ability with four punt returns for 82 yards and hinting that the Orange may have found a playmaker who can change a game in a hurry. Now he has added another layer to the watchability, pledging to pay each member of the punt return team $100 for every punt return touchdown he scores this season.
Fran Brown confirmed Syracuse has a similar reward system for interception return touchdowns, which fits the broader tone around the program and the way big special-teams and defensive plays are being valued. For fans, it means Samuels returns are no longer just about field position or momentum, but about the possibility of a celebration that comes with a little financial incentive for the guys helping make it happen. [Read more 🡒]