ACC Football: Week one predictions for every ACC game
No ACC team took the field during week zero, but all 14 teams will be in action this week. College football kicks into high gear this week when there is a full weekend slate of games that stretches through Monday.
The ACC is going to have two conference games this week (Georgia Tech vs Louisville, and Duke vs. Clemson) and the big spotlight game of the week when Florida State takes on LSU in Orlando.
So who wins each ACC game this week? (Note: A full preview and prediction for Georgia Tech vs Louisville will come later this week).
Thursday, August 31st
1. Elon at Wake Forest (7:00 p.m. ACC Network)
Wake Forest will begin the post-Sam Hartman era with a home game against Elon on Thursday night. This should be a tuneup game for their upcoming non-conference tilt against Vanderbilt and you can expect the Demon Deacons to cruise in this game.
Prediction: Wake 45, Elon 0
2. NC State (-15) at UConn (7:30, CBS Sports Network)
The Wolfpack are going to take a trip up to the Northeast to take on Jim Mora Jr. and the UConn Huskies. This will be the debut of Virginia transfer Brennan Armstrong and offensive coordinator Robert Anae and they will both be trying to rediscover what made them one of the top coordinator and quarterback duos in the country in 2021. NC State is favored by 15 points in this game and I think they will win and cover the spread in this game.
Prediction: NC State 38, UConn 17
Friday, Sept. 1st
Will Miami have a bounce-back season in 2023?
3. Miami (OH) at Miami (FL) (7:00 p.m. ACC Network)
Miami is hoping to have a bounce-back season in Mario Cristobal's second year with the program and it will start with a Friday night matchup with Miami (OH) The Redhawks are considered to be one of the better teams in the MAC and nobody is going to forget Miami losing to Middle Tennessee State last year. However, I think the Hurricanes offensive line will control the game and Miami wins easily, covering the seventeen-point spread.
Prediction: Miami (FL) 42, Miami (OH) 13
Saturday, Sept. 2nd
4. Virginia vs. Tennessee (-28.5) (12:00 p.m. ABC)
Virginia is going to take on Tennessee in Nashville and the Cavaliers are going to be heavy underdogs in this game. Tony Elliott is trying to turn UVA into a winning program, but most project them to be among the worst teams in the ACC. Tennessee is going to be looking to replicate last season's success and I don't think that Virginia has much of a chance to stop [ the Volunteer's offense.
Prediction: Tennessee 52, Virginia 17
5. Northern Illinois at Boston College (-9.5) (12:00 p.m. ACC Network)
Boston College is hoping to get back to the postseason and this is one game that they need to win. The Eagles are nearly double-digit favorites and I think this game could be closer than most expect. While I think Boston College wins, Northern Illinois is a good MAC program and they could keep it close.
Prediction: Boston College 31, Northern Illinois 24
6. Wofford at Pittsburgh (3:30 p.m., ACC Network)
Pitt gets to start the season against Wofford and it should be a quick game for Pat Narduzzi's program. It will be the debut of Boston College transfer Phil Jurkovec at quarterback and the thing to watch will be the offense, specifically the passing offense. Pitt wins comfortably in their week one matchup with the Terriers.
Prediction: Pitt 38, Wofford 7
7. Colgate at Syracuse (4:00 p.m. ESPN+)
Like most of the ACC, Syracuse should start their season off with an easy win. The Orange are debuting a new running back and new starters on defense so this will be a great opportunity to start the season off right.
Prediction: Syracuse 55, Colgate 0
8. North Carolina (-2.5) vs South Carolina (7:30 p.m. ABC)
Will Drake Maye and North Carolina beat South Carolina?
One of the biggest games of the weekend will be in Charlotte, NC. North Carolina, picked to finish third in the ACC, will be taking on South Carolina, who finished the year as hot as any team in the country. The Gamecocks beat Tennessee and Clemson to finish the regular season and quarterback Spencer Rattler played his best football of the season. The Tar Heels finished the season on a different path.
After starting 9-1, North Carolina finished the season with four straight losses and it put a damper on what had been a great season from quarterback Drake Maye. Maye is the preseason player of the year in the ACC and is projected to be one of the top draft picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Both teams need a win here and I think the Tar Heels get it done behind Maye and the offense in a close game.
Prediction: North Carolina 35, South Carolina 33
9. Old Dominion at Virginia Tech (-15.5) (8:00 p.m.)
This will be an interesting game to follow. Old Dominion has gotten the best of Virginia Tech before and Hokies head coach Brent Pry needs a win to start the season after a rough debut in 2022. I think he will get the win, but don't be surprised if the game is close.
Prediction: Virginia Tech 31, ODU 20
Sunday, Sept. 3rd
Who will win between Florida State and LSU?
10. Florida State vs. LSU (-2.5) (7:30 p.m. ABC)
This is undoubtedly the biggest game of the weekend. LSU is No. 5 and Florida State is No. 8 and both teams have playoff aspirations going into 2023. The winner of the game will have momentum for that and the loser is going to have to go through the rest of the regular season without another loss if they want to make the playoff.
This game is going to be fascinating to watch. LSU is going to be without defensive tackle Maason Smith for this game and the Tigers are going to be with a lot of new starters in the secondary. That could prove to be the difference against one of the best offenses in the country. Florida State is going to have one of the most explosive passing attacks in the country and quarterback Jordan Travis should be a Heisman candidate.
I think LSU's offensive line is going to be the difference in the game. They are one of the best units in the country and I think they will protect quarterback Jayden Daniels and open up running room for the backs. This will be a great game, but LSU comes out on top in Orlando.
Prediction: LSU 38, Florida State 35
Monday, Sept. 4th
Clemson (-12.5) at Duke (8:00 p.m. ESPN)
Duke was one of the surprise teams in the ACC in 2022, winning nine games and nearly winning the ACC Coastal. To open up Mike Elko's first season, Duke will play Clemson, the projected winner of the ACC.
This will also be the first game for new Clemson offensive coordinator Garret Riley, who called plays for TCU last season. Riley has been hired to fix Clemson's offensive woes and with talented quarterback Cade Klubnik, it will be interesting to see how he fares in the season debut. Duke was a great team last year and brings back several starters, including quarterback Riley Leonard, but I think Clemson will be too much for the Blue Devils, even at home.
Prediction: Clemson 35, Duke 17
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