ACC finalizes 2026 Friday football schedule

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has officially released its 2026 Friday football schedule, emphasizing primetime games and national exposure. The season opens on September 4 with Miami traveling to Stanford at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. Week 2 features four ACC games, including the Rutgers at Boston College contest on September 11, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of 9/11 as the Red Bandanna Game. Key matchups later in the season include Miami at Wake Forest (Week 3), Clemson at California (Week 4), and a Virginia Tech vs. Pitt rivalry clash in Week 5. Notable rematches and rivalries appear in Weeks 8 and 12, with Duke at Virginia and Clemson at Duke, respectively. The season concludes with a marquee in-state rivalry on Black Friday, November 27, as Florida State hosts Florida at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The ACC also announced adjustments, including moving the Virginia Tech at Miami game from November 20 to Saturday, November 21. Game times and television details for the first three weeks and all Thursday/Friday games will be revealed on May 27. Additionally, the ACC will host the 2026 Championship Game on December 5 at noon ET on ABC from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Fans can sign up for updates on ticket offers and pricing via the ACC Football mailing list. The ACC’s non-conference schedule remains the toughest in college football, featuring 25 games against Power Five opponents and Notre Dame. This includes nine SEC matchups, five Big Ten games, five Big 12 clashes, and six games against Notre Dame. The slate also includes 12 games against teams ranked in the 2025 College Football Playoff or AP Top 25, along with 27 games against bowl-eligible opponents from 2025.