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ACC Points of Pride For November 13: Playoff Expands to 24, Final Annual Title Game Set And Miami Closing on Charlotte

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A Georgia Tech ball carrier runs behind his blockers as Florida State defenders close in during the ACC Football Championship Game

The ACC’s November 13 Points of Pride package leads with Commissioner Jim Phillips welcoming the College Football Playoff’s expansion to 24 teams, word that the December 5 title game in Charlotte will be the conference’s final annual football championship, and a fall race in which No. 7 Miami can clinch its championship berth this weekend — alongside 36 NCAA team titles since 2021-22, the new “Receipts” campaign, and basketball starts of 49-7 for the men and 58 wins for the women.

Statement from ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D., on Expansion of College Football Playoff

“The expansion of the College Football Playoff to 24 teams is centered on access—creating more opportunities for student-athletes, programs and fan bases to compete for a national championship,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “Even with this expansion, the CFP will remain the most exclusive postseason format in major American sports. The format also reinforces the importance of the regular season, from compelling non-conference matchups to meaningful conference games that will determine qualification, seeding, byes and home-field opportunities.”

NCAA National Championship Success

The ACC has won 36 NCAA team championships in league-sponsored sports since 2021–22, the most in a five-year span in conference history.

The ACC has won at least six NCAA championships in each of the last five years, highlighted by a league-record nine in 2022–23.

ACC Unveils New Brand Campaign, “Receipts,” Showcasing the Collective Strength of the ACC The Atlantic Coast Conference has launched “Receipts,” its new brand campaign for the 2026–27 academic year that celebrates the passion fans have for their individual schools while showcasing the collective strength of the ACC’s 18 member institutions.

ACC Announces “Two Traditions. One Court.” Initiative with HBCU Programs The ACC announced the launch of “Two Traditions. One Court.,” a new initiative designed to bring greater visibility and storytelling to men’s and women’s basketball games between ACC programs and Historically Black Colleges and Universities during the 2026–27 season.

Tickets on Sale Now for the 2026 ACC Football Championship Game

Championship Saturday returns to Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, December 5, and tickets for the 2026 ACC Football Championship Game are on sale now via Ticketmaster and theACC.com.

ACC Announces 2026 Football Championship Game Will Be Final Annual Game The ACC announced this week that the 2026 ACC Football Championship Game will be the final annual football championship game for the Conference. The decision reflects the continued evolution of college athletics and the College Football Playoff’s expansion to a 24-team format beginning with the postseason following the 2027 regular season.

YellaWood Becomes Official Pressure Treated Pine Sponsor of ACC and ACC Network The ACC and Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated (makers of YellaWood® brand pressure treated pine) announced a new sponsorship, welcoming one of the nation’s most recognized pressure-treated lumber brands as the Official Pressure Treated Pine Sponsor of the ACC and ACC Network. The sponsorship is part of a new agreement between the ACC, Great Southern Wood, and Disney Advertising.

Florida State University Names Jeff Purinton Vice President and Director of Athletics Jeff Purinton, a highly respected and veteran athletics administrator who began his career in Seminole Athletics more than 30 years ago, is returning to his alma mater as Vice President and Director of Athletics.

2026 ACC Fall Championship Season Continues

The ACC’s 2026 fall championship season continues, with the ACC Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championship matches set for November 15. ACC champions have already been crowned in cross country and field hockey.

2026 ACC Cross Country Champions – NC State (Women) and Wake Forest (Men)
2026 ACC Field Hockey Championship – Syracuse
2026 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship – Championship Match on November 15
2026 ACC Women’s Soccer Championship – Championship Match on November 15
2026 ACC Football Championship Game – December 5

Across the ACC

ACC Announces Championship Schedule for 2026–27
ReliaQuest Named Official Cybersecurity Sponsor of the ACC
ACC Announces Conference Leadership for 2026–27
ACC Announces 2026–27 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Executive Board
SiriusXM and the ACC Launch Exclusive 2026 ACC Fall Sports Season Preview Shows
ACC Radio on SiriusXM
ACC Network Unveils Expansive 2026 Fall Sports Live Programming Slate
Air Force and ACC Announce Official Sponsorship and Presenting Sponsor of ‘ACC Huddle’
ACC Continues Partnership with College Football Playoff Foundation to Support Educators
ACC Once Again Tops All FBS Conferences in 2027 U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” Rankings
ACC Announces 2026 ACC UNITE Award Recipients
ACC Names Niko Roberts Senior Vice President for Men’s Basketball
ACC Extends RefScore Partnership Across Men’s and Women’s Basketball
ACC Joins Catapult Film Room as Launch Partner

Football

The race to Charlotte could see Miami become the first team to clinch a berth in the 2026 ACC Football Championship Game this weekend.

Miami (8-1, 6-0 ACC) can clinch a berth with:

A win over Duke; PLUS
A Louisville loss to North Carolina; AND
Either a Clemson loss to Georgia Tech or an SMU loss to Wake Forest.

If Clemson loses, the Wake Forest-SMU result is irrelevant to Miami’s clinching scenario.

Miami has already defeated Wake Forest and Clemson head-to-head.

ACC Announces New Football Championship Tiebreaker Policy

The ACC placed two teams in the CFP Selection Committee’s top 13: No. 7 Miami and No. 13 Wake Forest.

Miami remains firmly in the playoff picture with eight wins and six Power Four victories.

Wake Forest climbed three spots from No. 16 to No. 13 after its sixth consecutive win. The Demon Deacons own six P4 wins and four true-road P4 victories.

Miami (8-1): Leads the FBS in scoring offense and rushing defense; owns six P4 wins and fell by one score at then-No. 11 Notre Dame without Malachi Toney.

Wake Forest (8-1): Six straight wins, four P4 road victories, a top-20 win at Louisville and an FBS-best +247 scoring differential. WF is No. 10 in strength of record, No. 8 in average in-game win percentage, No. 11 in the AP poll and No. 12 in SP+. It has beaten its last five opponents by an average of 47 points.

SMU (7-2): Five P4 wins; both losses came on the road by a combined 13 points. The Mustangs, who are No. 18 in SP+, rank top 30 nationally in both total offense and total defense.

Duke (7-2): Five P4 wins, three P4 true-road victories and two losses by a combined seven points; one of six FBS teams top 15 in scoring, rushing and total defense.

Louisville (6-3): Five P4 wins, four straight victories and an FBS-leading 7.81 yards per play; all three losses came by exactly three points. Louisville’s SP+ is No. 14 nationally, ahead of BYU, Iowa, Oregon, USC and a number of other supposed top-25 teams.

Clemson (6-3): Four P4 wins, including three road victories; allows an FBS-low 3.46 yards per play on third down.

Pitt (6-3): Four P4 wins, including at Virginia Tech; ranks No. 2 nationally in rushing defense and has not allowed 150 rushing yards in a game.

Virginia Tech (6-3): Four P4 wins and three P4 true-road victories; leads the FBS in tackles-for-loss.

The ACC has 10 teams in ESPN’s top 50 FPI, one of only three conferences with double-digit representation. Miami (No. 4), Wake Forest (No. 13), Louisville (No. 15), Duke (No. 29) and SMU (No. 32) lead the way.

Eight ACC teams rank in ESPN’s top 50 Strength of Record, led by Miami (No. 3) and Wake Forest (No. 10).

Nine ACC teams rank in the top 50 of SportSource Analytics Schedule Strength ratings.

Four ACC teams enter Week 11 with two losses or fewer, while nine are .500 or better overall.

The ACC has seven teams at 6-3 or better — one fewer than the Big Ten and SEC, one more than the Big 12.

The ACC’s conference games are must-see TV, as the ACC has produced:

44 second-half lead changes and 23 fourth-quarter lead changes this season.

24 ACC conference games have been decided by eight points or fewer, including 12 decided by three points or fewer.

ACC teams are scheduled for 25 non-conference games against Power Four opponents and Notre Dame—the most of any conference.

Every ACC program will play at least 10 games against Power Four opponents and Notre Dame.

Boston College, Georgia Tech and Louisville are three of only five FBS teams scheduled to play 11 such games.

Through Week 10, ACC teams have played 18 non-conference games against P4 opponents and Notre Dame, including eight true road games.

The ACC is 4-1 against the Big Ten this season, with three of its four wins coming on the road.

Eight ACC teams own at least four P4 victories: Miami and Wake Forest (six); Duke, Louisville and SMU (five); Clemson, Pitt and Virginia Tech (four).

Miami and Wake Forest are two of only seven FBS teams with at least six P4 wins.

Miami and Wake Forest lead the FBS with four P4 true-road wins apiece.

The ACC is the only conference with five teams owning at least three P4 true-road victories: Miami, Wake Forest, Clemson, Duke and Virginia Tech.

The ACC is the Conference of Quarterbacks, with ACC QBs leading the FBS with:

35 300-yard passing games.
Eight 400-yard passing games.
Six QBs in the top 25 of passing yards per game.
Nine QBs in the top 35 of total passing yards.
Six QBs in the top 25 of completions per game.

Award-Worthy Talent:

Miami QB Darian Mensah leads the FBS in passing efficiency (190.8) and ESPN Total QBR (89.1), while ranking No. 1 nationally in completion percentage (76.8%).

Duke RB Nate Sheppard leads the FBS in total touchdowns (21), points (126) and scoring (14.0 ppg); No. 2 in rushing yards and rushing yards per game.

Miami WR Malachi Toney leads the FBS in receptions per game; ranks No. 3 in receiving yards, receiving yards per game and receiving touchdowns.

Wake Forest QB Gio Lopez is PFF’s No. 3-graded quarterback nationally and he has powered Wake Forest’s No. 4 scoring offense and No. 2 team passing-efficiency attack.

SMU QB Kevin Jennings ranks No. 2 nationally in completion percentage (73.9%), No. 3 in passing efficiency and No. 5 in passing yards per game, leading SMU to five Power Four wins and a 7-2 record.

Clemson K Nolan Hauser leads the FBS with 27 field goals and 3.00 field goals per game.

Virginia P Daniel Sparks leads the FBS in punting average at 50.8 yards per punt.

Clemson CB Ashton Hampton is No. 2 nationally in passes defended; California DB Kingston Lopa, Clemson CB Elliot Washington II and Louisville S Kaleb Beasley are tied for No. 2 with five interceptions.

TV Viewership Highlights:

Clemson at LSU led ESPN’s Week 1 Saturday slate with 5.8 million viewers, peaking at 8.7 million, while Louisville–Ole Miss averaged 4.7 million viewers on ABC and peaked at 6.2 million.

SMU at Florida State drew 4.1 million viewers on ESPN, while Colorado at Georgia Tech averaged 3.7 million, making it ESPN’s second-most-watched Thursday season opener since 2017.

The strong audiences followed Week 0, when North Carolina–TCU averaged 4.9 million viewers on ESPN and NC State–Virginia drew 3.2 million viewers.

Florida State–New Mexico State averaged 1.96 million viewers and peaked at 2.4 million, delivering the largest audience for a sports broadcast in The CW’s history.

Florida State–Alabama averaged 7.0 million viewers and peaked at 8 million on ABC, making it the most-watched afternoon game of Week 3.

Despite a lengthy weather delay, North Carolina–Clemson averaged 3.6 million viewers and peaked at 4.7 million on ESPN in Week 3.

Miami–Clemson averaged 4.6 million viewers and peaked at 5.5 million on ABC in Week 5.

North Carolina–Notre Dame averaged 3.0 million viewers and peaked at 3.4 million viewers on ESPN in Week 5.

Florida State–Miami in Week 7 averaged 3.6 million viewers and peaked at 5.0 million viewers in the Saturday night contest on ESPN.

Miami–North Carolina in Week 9 averaged 4.6 million viewers and peaked at 6.1 million viewers.

Miami–Notre Dame was the most-watched matchup of Week 10, averaging 8.5 million viewers and peaking at 9.1 million viewers on NBC.

Cross Country

All 18 ACC programs will participate in NCAA Cross Country Regionals on Friday, November 13.

NC State won the 2026 ACC Women’s Cross Country Championship, as Wolfpack standout Hannah Gapes earned the individual title.

Wake Forest claimed the 2026 ACC Men’s Cross Country Championship, while Louisville’s Elsingi Kipruto won the individual title.

The NC State women’s team is ranked No. 2 nationally in the USTFCCCA Week 5 Coaches Poll, leading eight ranked ACC teams.

A season-high five ACC men’s cross country teams are ranked in the USTFCCCA Week 5 Coaches Poll, led by Syracuse at No. 8.

Field Hockey

Duke, North Carolina and Syracuse earned bids to the 2026 NCAA Field Hockey Championship with the ACC’s three selections being tied for the most of any conference.

The ACC’s three teams will be in NCAA Championship action on Friday, November 13. Duke and Syracuse play at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+, while North Carolina plays at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Syracuse claimed its first ACC Field Hockey Championship in program history, defeating Boston College 1-0 after prevailing 2-0 in a shootout following a scoreless match.

California junior forward Liz Klompmaker was named the 2026 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, while Wake Forest junior back Mia Montag defended her title as the 2026 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Louisville senior goalkeeper Emily Young earned 2026 ACC Goalkeeper of the Year honors and North Carolina midfielder/back Sofia Ferri received 2026 ACC Freshman of the Year honors. Duke’s Pam Bustin was selected as the 2026 ACC Coach of the Year.

The ACC ranks No. 2 in conference RPI but leads all conferences in Opponent Success, Opponent Strength of Schedule, Road RPI and Road Success.

Wake Forest forward Mia Schoenbeck was named the NFHCA Division I National Offensive Player of the Week on Wednesday, November 4.

Three ACC field hockey student-athletes have earned NFHCA Division I National Defensive Player of the Week honors this season: Duke sophomore goalkeeper Kaiya Chepow (Sept. 30), California freshman defender Flore Uges (Sept. 16) and Louisville senior goalkeeper Emily Young (Sept. 2).

Men’s Soccer

SMU and North Carolina advanced to the title game of the 2026 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship with semifinal wins on Thursday, November 12. SMU is seeking its second straight ACC crown, while UNC is vying for its first ACC title since 2011.

The 2026 Men’s Soccer All-ACC teams and end-of-year award winners were announced on Wednesday, November 11.

Six ACC teams are ranked in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll. That is the second-most of any conference: SMU (No. 1), Clemson (No. 5), North Carolina (No. 12), Louisville (No. 13), Wake Forest (No. 20) and Pitt (No. 21).

In the latest NCAA RPI, released Friday, November 13, 11 ACC teams rank among the top 40, including six in the top 20: SMU (No. 2), Clemson (No. 3), Pitt (No. 8), North Carolina (No. 9), Louisville (No. 13) and Stanford (No. 18). Both totals lead all conferences.

ACC teams finished 78-20-18 (.750) against non-conference competition this season. Both the winning percentage and total number of wins are the most of any conference.

Tickets remain available for the championship match of the 2026 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.

Women’s Soccer

North Carolina and Virginia will play for the title of the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship on Sunday, November 15.

The 2026 Women’s Soccer All-ACC teams and end-of-year award winners were announced on Wednesday, November 11.

A nation-best eight ACC teams are ranked among the top 30 in the latest RPI, led by North Carolina (No. 1) and Wake Forest (No. 5).

A nation-best seven ACC teams are in the top 25 of the latest IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Poll.

The ACC has recorded a nation-best 86 non-conference victories this season. ACC teams are 6-2-4 (.667) against top-25 opponents in non-conference play.

Tickets remain available for the championship match of the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.

Volleyball

The ACC led all conferences with five semifinalists for the 2026 AVCA Division I Player of the Year: Pitt’s Olivia Babcock and Izzy Starck, Louisville’s Nayelis Cabello and Chloe Chicoine, and SMU’s Favor Anyanwu.

Pitt (24-1) and Louisville (24-3) are tied atop the ACC standings at 14-1 in conference play. SMU (21-4) is second at 13-2.

Pitt is the ACC’s highest-ranked team at No. 2 in the latest AVCA/Taraflex Poll, followed by Louisville (No. 3), SMU (No. 5), North Carolina (No. 20) and Stanford (No. 24). The ACC leads all conferences with three teams ranked in the top five.

ACC teams finished non-conference play with a 119-64 (.650) record, highlighted by 17 wins over top-25 opponents.

ACC players have earned three AVCA Division I National Player of the Week honors this season: Pitt’s Olivia Babcock (Aug. 26), Louisville’s Chloe Meester (Sept. 8) and SMU’s Suli Davis (Sept. 15).

Louisville, Pitt and Stanford will compete in AVCA Match Point, an elite two-day women’s volleyball event scheduled for April 10–11, 2027, at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky.

Louisville’s September 6 sweep of No. 9 Texas averaged 809,000 viewers, the second-most-watched NCAA regular-season volleyball match ever on ESPN networks.

Ten ACC student-athletes were named to the 2026 AVCA Division I Player of the Year Watch List.

Men’s Basketball

ACC teams are 49-7 (87.5%) through the first 12 days of the season.

Four ACC teams are ranked in both of the latest national polls: Duke (No. 2 AP/USA Today), Virginia (No. 6 AP/USA Today), Louisville (No. 10 AP/USA Today) and Miami (No. 17 AP/No. 18 USA Today).

ACC teams face challenging schedules again this season and are currently scheduled to play 86 games against teams from other power conferences, the most of any conference. This total does not include potential additional matchups in MTEs.

Nine ACC players were named to the Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List: John Blackwell, Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje and Patrick Ngongba II (Duke), Shelton Henderson, Acaden Lewis and Malik Reneau (Miami), Flory Bidunga and Jackson Shelstad (Louisville) and Thijs De Ridder (Virginia).

Duke was selected as the preseason favorite in the annual ACC Men’s Basketball Preseason Projected Order of Finish, while Virginia’s Thijs De Ridder was tabbed as the ACC Preseason Player of the Year and Duke’s Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje was selected as the Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year.

Eighty alumni from current ACC men’s basketball programs earned spots on Opening Day NBA rosters for the 2026–27 season, which began Tuesday.

Women’s Basketball

ACC teams have combined for 58 victories through the first two weeks of the regular season.

A total of 11 ACC standouts were named to the 2026–27 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List.

Duke was projected as the preseason favorite, while Notre Dame standout guard Hannah Hidalgo was named the ACC Preseason Player of the Year for the third consecutive season.

Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo was one of five players nationally to be named a Preseason Associated Press All-American.

Duke’s Toby Fournier, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and Virginia’s Kymora Johnson were named to the Wade Watch List.

With Duke (No. 5) and Louisville (No. 7) leading the way, four ACC teams are ranked in both the AP Poll and USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

Swimming & Diving

ACC Women’s Swimming & Diving programs lead the nation in 11 separate events, headlined by Virginia holding eight of the top marks.

ACC Men’s Swimming & Diving programs lead the nation in eight events, headlined by California holding half of the top marks.

NC State won the first-ever College Swimming League (CSL) Championship title on Friday, November 6, after finishing atop the championship standings with 519.5 points. NC State’s Eneli Jefimova (50 breast, 100 breast & 200 breast), Max Carlson (500 free), Kaii Winkler (50 free, 100 fly) and Jan Gajda (100 breast) all claimed first place individual finishes, while Winkler, Quintin McCarty, Jerry Fox and Wells Walker teamed up to win the 200 free relay.

Virginia is the No. 1 team in the current CSCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Top 25 Poll, followed by No. 6 California, No. 7 Louisville, NC State and Stanford tied at No. 8, No. 15 North Carolina, No. 21 Duke and No. 23 Virginia Tech.

California leads the ACC contingent at No. 3 in the current CSCAA Men’s Swimming & Diving Top 25 Poll, followed by No. 7 NC State, No. 8 Virginia, No. 9 Louisville, No. 10 Stanford, No. 12 Virginia Tech, No. 19 North Carolina, No. 23 Notre Dame and No. 24 SMU.

Wrestling

The 2026–27 wrestling season continues this weekend with four teams in action.

Listen to SiriusXM ACC Radio’s 2026–27 ACC Wrestling Season Preview Show Five ACC programs are ranked in the November 10 NWCA Division I Men’s Wrestling Coaches Poll, including four in the top 16: Virginia Tech (No. 5), Stanford (No. 7), NC State (No. 15), North Carolina (No. 16) and Pitt (No. 21). The same five programs are also ranked in the latest InterMat Dual Rankings and WrestleStat Dual Rankings.

Following the first two weekends of competition, 47 ACC wrestlers are nationally ranked in the latest InterMat individual rankings, with at least five ACC wrestlers ranked in six of the 10 weight classes.

Six ACC programs have five or more wrestlers ranked in the top 33 of the most recent InterMat individual rankings: Virginia Tech (10), Pitt (10), Stanford (9), North Carolina (7), NC State (6) and Virginia (5).

ACC Friday Night Duals return to ACC Network on Friday, January 15, when Stanford travels to NC State. The Friday night series runs through February 19 and will feature NC State, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Pitt, plus a wildcard matchup on the final Friday Night Duals date.

Baseball

The ACC landed eight of the top 25 2027 recruiting classes, according to Baseball America.

The ACC landed seven of the top 25 2027 recruiting classes, according to Perfect Game.

Former Notre Dame head coach Pat Murphy was named the National League Manager of the Year for the third consecutive season.

Former Florida State infielder Taylor Walls won the American League shortstop Rawlings Gold Glove Award.

Former Florida State pitcher Parker Messick was named a finalist for both the American League Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year.

Men’s Golf

Five ACC teams are ranked in the Bushnell/Golfweek Division I Coaches Poll: No. 10 Georgia Tech, No. 15 North Carolina, No. 18 Notre Dame, No. 19 Clemson and No. 22 Wake Forest. Stanford and Virginia are receiving votes.

Five ACC teams are ranked in the top 25 of the latest Scoreboard Rankings.

Three ACC players are ranked in the top 25 of the Scoreboard Individual Rankings.

Four ACC players were named to the Haskins Award Final Fall Watch List.

Four ACC players are ranked in the top 25 of the PGA TOUR U Rankings.

Women’s Golf

Led by No. 1 Wake Forest, seven ACC teams are ranked in the latest WGCA Rankings.

Led by No. 1 Virginia, the ACC has four teams in the top five and seven teams in the top 25 of the Scoreboard Team Rankings.

A total of 12 ACC golfers are ranked in the top 25 in the latest Scoreboard Individual Rankings, the most of any conference.

Eleven ACC players were named to the ANNIKA Award Final Fall Watch List.

Eight ACC players are ranked in the top 25 in the latest LPGA Collegiate Advancement Pathway (LCAP) Rankings.

Seven ACC standouts were named to the PING WGCA Player of the Year Watch List, the most of any conference. In addition, three newcomers were named to the WGCA Freshman of the Year Watch List.

Men’s Lacrosse

SMU announced Jim Mitchell as the program’s first head coach. Mitchell arrives on the Hilltop from Princeton, where he served as offensive coordinator and helped build the highest-scoring offense in program history as the Tigers won the 2026 NCAA national championship.

The program will begin competition in the spring of 2028.

With the addition of SMU, the ACC will reach the six-team threshold required for automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship, pending NCAA approval and satisfaction of all eligibility requirements.

Softball

ESPN Events revealed the matchups for the 2027 Shriners Children’s Clearwater Softball Invitation set for February 18-21, featuring Clemson, Florida State and Virginia Tech.

Men’s Tennis

The ACC had 13 singles players and nine doubles teams selected for the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Individual Championships held November 17–22 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Georgia.

Six ACC men’s tennis players were ranked among the top 25 in the ITA Division I Men’s Preseason Singles Rankings, highlighted by Virginia’s Dylan Dietrich at No. 1.

Six ACC men’s doubles teams were ranked among the top 25 in the ITA Division I Men’s Preseason Doubles Rankings, including four in the top 10.

Women’s Tennis

The ACC had 16 singles players and four doubles teams selected for the 2026 NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Individual Championships held November 17–22 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Georgia.

North Carolina’s Susanna Maltby and Maddy Zampardo won the 2026 ITA All-American Doubles Championship on September 27.

Six ACC women’s tennis players were ranked among the top 25 in the ITA Division I Women’s Preseason Singles Rankings.

Ten ACC women’s doubles teams were ranked among the top 25 in the ITA Division I Women’s Preseason Doubles Rankings, including the nation’s top two teams: Duke’s Mimi Xu and Nina Vargova at No. 1, and NC State’s Roisin Gilheany and Victoria Osuigwe at No. 2.

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We Speak College Football

Benedict Rallies From 24 Points Down to Beat Kentucky State 52-45 in Overtime and Win the SIAC Championship

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A Benedict receiver in a purple jersey leaps high above a Kentucky State defender to catch the football during the SIAC Championship game.
A Benedict receiver climbs above a Kentucky State defender to pull down a catch during the Tigers' 52-45 overtime win over Kentucky State in the SIAC Championship. Photo by KJ Butler.

Benedict College is a champion again. The Tigers came back from 24 points down on Saturday in Columbia, beating Kentucky State 52-45 in overtime to win the SIAC Championship, the third conference title in program history, and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs came with it.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — November 14, 2026

What started as a competitive conference championship matchup turned into an unforgettable day at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium, as Benedict College delivered a remarkable comeback to defeat Kentucky State 52-45 in overtime, capturing its third conference football championship in program history.

A Benedict receiver in a purple jersey leaps high above a Kentucky State defender to catch the football during the SIAC Championship game.
A Benedict receiver climbs above Kentucky State’s No. 7 to haul in a catch during the SIAC Championship in Columbia. Photo by KJ Butler.

With the SIAC Championship on the line, both teams came out ready to compete. The opening quarter featured an evenly matched battle, with both offenses finding opportunities while the defenses worked to establish control. Benedict struck first, taking a 14-7 lead into the second quarter.

Kentucky State Takes Over

However, the momentum quickly shifted in favor of Kentucky State.

The Thorobreds delivered a dominant second quarter, outscoring Benedict 17-0 before continuing their offensive surge in the third. Kentucky State eventually built a 24-point lead after putting together 31 unanswered points, leaving the Tigers with a mountain to climb.

The Comeback

But Benedict wasn’t ready to surrender its championship hopes.

Benedict's quarterback in a purple No. 3 jersey leaps over a diving Kentucky State defender while carrying the football.
Benedict’s quarterback hurdles a diving Kentucky State tackler as the Tigers rally in the SIAC Championship. Photo by KJ Butler.

The Tigers found another gear in the fourth quarter, putting together a furious comeback and scoring 24 points in the final period to pull even at 45-45. After trailing by as many as 24 points, Benedict had turned what appeared to be a comfortable Kentucky State victory into a championship thriller.

A Wild Final Minute

The final minute of regulation brought even more drama.

With approximately one minute remaining, Kentucky State punted the ball to Benedict, but the Tigers muffed the return, giving the Thorobreds another opportunity to steal the game. Kentucky State moved into position to score, but Benedict’s defense came up with a crucial stop, keeping the Thorobreds out of the end zone.

Benedict's No. 13 in a purple jersey leaps to catch the football with two Kentucky State defenders closing in and fans behind the sideline wall.
Benedict’s No. 13 pulls down a catch between two Kentucky State defenders during the championship game. Photo by KJ Butler.

With Kentucky State out of timeouts, clock management became critical. A delay-of-game penalty with nine seconds remaining resulted in a 10-second runoff, sending the game into overtime. The sequence proved costly for the Thorobreds, as a late-game miscommunication and clock-management mishap ended their opportunity to attempt a field goal before regulation expired.

Overtime Decides It

One more possession would determine the championship.

In overtime, Benedict wasted little time making its opportunity count. Quarterback Glenn Foreman connected with Demetris McKelvey on a touchdown pass, giving the Tigers the advantage and putting the pressure squarely on Kentucky State.

Two Benedict defenders collide with a Kentucky State ball carrier in the end zone, knocking the carrier's helmet into the air, with the Benedict band in the background.
Benedict’s defense delivers a hit that knocks a Kentucky State helmet loose in the end zone during the SIAC Championship. Photo by KJ Butler.

The Thorobreds were unable to match the score, and Benedict’s sideline erupted in celebration.

After overcoming a 24-point deficit, surviving a dramatic final minute, and finishing the job in overtime, the Tigers walked away with a 52-45 victory and their third conference football championship in program history.

At Charlie W. Johnson Stadium, fans witnessed a comeback that will forever be remembered.

What Is Next

Benedict’s season rolls on into the NCAA Division II playoffs. The SIAC championship carries the conference’s automatic bid, and the Tigers entered the weekend as the No. 1 team in Super Region Two. Benedict learns its first-round opponent at the NCAA Division II selection show on Sunday, November 15 at 6 p.m. ET, with first-round games set for Saturday, November 21.

Kentucky State’s season is not finished either. The Thorobreds close at 8-3 after their first SIAC title game appearance since 2016, and they are expected to land an at-large playoff berth when the bracket is revealed on Sunday night. If their name is called, their first-round game is also Saturday, November 21.

Photo Gallery

Photos by KJ Butler.

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