Can the ACC Still Produce Two Teams for the College Football Playoff: Inside the ACC
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The College Football Playoff is starting to look grim for the ACC. With the Miami Hurricanes struggling to regain their position inside the top 10, the ACC appears to be a single-bid league, with the chance of Virginia and Georgia Tech playing each other in the Championship game producing the lone team.
However, the ACC Championship game has not been decided just yet. The Hurricanes, SMU, and Pitt still have a chance to sneak into the game with so many different scenarios.
The ACC Championship Game Winner Scenarios...
Georgia Tech will make the ACC title game if:
- Beat Pittsburgh
Virginia will make the ACC title game if:
- Beat Virginia Tech
- SMU loses to Louisville or Cal
- Pittsburgh loses to Georgia Tech or Miami
Miami will make the ACC title game if:
- Beats Virginia Tech and Pitt
- Virginia beats Virginia Tech
- Pitt beats Georgia Tech
- Duke beats North Carolina
- SMU beats Louisville
- Cal beats SMU
- Wake Forest beats Duke
Miami can also make the ACC title game in the scenario above if Louisville beats SMU and SMU then beats Cal. Wake Forest would still have to beat Duke as well for the 'Canes to win the tiebreakers.
Pittsburgh will make the ACC title game if:
- Beats Georgia Tech and Miami
- SMU loses to Louisville or Cal
- Virginia beats Virginia Tech
Pittsburgh could also make the ACC title game in the scenario above if SMU beats Louisville and Cal and then Virginia beats Virginia Tech.
SMU will make the ACC title game if:
- Beats Louisville and Cal
- Virginia Tech beats Virginia
- Pittsburgh beats Georgia Tech
- Miami beats Pittsburgh
Miami Inside the top 10?
Outside of the ACC Championship game, the Hurricanes can still try to find a way in as the No. 10 team in the country. There is a lot of work to be done, especially with how the CFP Committee views the Canes compared to other schools like Utah, BYU, and Notre Dame.
Miami has to win out and hope some upsets happen against the Cougars, Utes, and even a team like Alabama. The Iron Bowl is in Jordan-Hare Stadium, so anything could happen during that night game. Miami's chances are starting to get slimmer and slimmer, which also gives the Canes a lower chance of making the CFP and ACC Championship game.
2025 College Football Playoff Rankings
1. Ohio State, 10-0
2. Indiana, 11-0
3. Texas A&M, 10-0
4. Georgia, 9-1
5. Texas Tech, 10-1
6. Ole Miss, 10-1
7. Oregon, 9-1
8. Oklahoma, 8-2
9. Notre Dame, 8-2
10. Alabama, 8-2
11. BYU, 9-1
12. Utah, 8-2
13. Miami (FL), 8-2
14. Vanderbilt, 8-2
15. Southern Cal, 8-2
16. Georgia Tech, 9-1
17. Texas, 7-3
18. Michigan, 8-2
19. Virginia, 9-2
20. Tennessee, 7-3
21. Illinois, 7-3
22. Missouri, 7-3
23. Houston, 8-2
24. Tulane, 8-2
25. Arizona State, 7-3
2025-26 College Football Playoff round-by-round schedule
- First round | Week of Saturday, Dec. 20
Location: the home field of the higher-seeded team or another site designated by the higher-seeded program.
One game | Friday, Dec. 19
Three games | Saturday, Dec. 20 - Quarterfinal sites:
Cotton Bowl | Wednesday, Dec. 31 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Orange Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 12 p.m. | ESPN
Rose Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 4 p.m. | ESPN
Sugar Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 8 p.m. | ESPN - Semifinal sites:
Fiesta Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Peach Bowl | Friday, Jan. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN - CFP National Championship Game:
Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 (in Miami, Florida) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
The 2025 College Football Playoff Committee
Hunter Yuracheck - Committee Chair - Arkansas Athletic Director
Chris Ault - Former College Football Head Coach
Troy Dannen - Nebraska Athletic Director
Mark Dantonio - Former College Football Head Coach
Jeff Long - Former College Football Playoff Committee Chair
Ivan Maisel - Sportswriter
Chris Massaro - MTSU Athletic Director
Mike Riley - Former College Football Head Coach
David Sayler - Miami (Ohio) Athletic Director
Wesley Walls - College Football Hall of Famer (Ole Miss)
Carla Williams - Virginia Athletic Director
Mark Harlan - University of Utah Athletic Director
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related. He also contributes to Boston College On SI.
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