ACC’s Playoff Push Gets More Interesting After Statement Saturday

Miami and Wake Forest improved to 9-1, strengthening the ACC’s case for multiple playoff bids while setting up a consequential finish to the conference race.

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The ACC’s case for multiple College Football Playoff bids gained substance Saturday.

Miami rebounded from its first loss by beating Duke 36-25, while Wake Forest delivered one of the weekend’s most emphatic performances with a 49-7 victory at SMU. Both teams emerged with 9-1 records and an opportunity to finish the regular season with just one defeat.

For the conference, the significance extends beyond two wins in the standings. The Hurricanes protected an established playoff position, and the Demon Deacons added a road performance that could strengthen their argument for inclusion.

The question now is whether both can build enough of a cushion to keep the ACC championship game from becoming an elimination game.

Wake Forest Gives the ACC a Stronger Second Contender

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Wake Forest entered the weekend at No. 13 in the selection committee’s rankings, leaving little room for assumptions about its postseason future.

The Demon Deacons responded by taking a 42-0 halftime lead at SMU and winning by six touchdowns. The result pushed Wake Forest to 9-1 overall and 6-1 in conference play, while the Mustangs dropped to 7-3.

Quarterback Gio Lopez threw for 201 yards and a touchdown and added two rushing scores. But the larger takeaway was how decisively Wake Forest handled a road game against an opponent that entered with seven victories.

For a conference seeking multiple bids, that distinction matters. Beating SMU kept Wake Forest moving forward. Controlling the game from the opening quarter supplied evidence that its record reflects a team capable of competing on a bigger stage.

A jump in the rankings remains a projection, however. Tuesday will reveal how much the committee values the performance against the rest of the national field.

Miami Keeps Its Own Playoff Argument Intact

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Miami had a different assignment after losing at Notre Dame the previous week.

The Hurricanes needed to prevent one defeat from becoming a late-season slide. They accomplished that against Duke, producing 532 yards against a defense that entered the matchup allowing an ACC-best 282.1 yards per game.

Darian Mensah threw for 382 yards, and Javian Mallory scored three touchdowns as Miami secured its ninth victory.

The Hurricanes entered Saturday at No. 7 in the CFP rankings, six places ahead of Wake Forest. Their win preserved an opportunity to approach the postseason with a strong record rather than an increasingly complicated explanation for multiple November losses.

Miami also owns a 33-20 victory over Wake Forest from September. That result remains relevant to any comparison between the conference’s leading contenders, even as the Demon Deacons try to demonstrate how much they have improved since that meeting.

Why the Next Two Weeks Matter for Multiple Bids

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The ACC champion receives a playoff berth under this season’s format. Getting a second team into the field requires an at-large selection, making the eventual runner-up’s full résumé especially important.

If Miami and Wake Forest win their remaining regular-season games, both would reach 11-1. A potential championship matchup between them would then produce a one-loss champion and a two-loss runner-up.

That would give the ACC a compelling argument for two bids, although neither the matchup nor the second invitation is guaranteed.

Wake Forest still must visit Georgia Tech and host Duke. Miami finishes at home against Virginia Tech and Boston College.

An additional regular-season loss would change the discussion, particularly for a Wake Forest team trying to climb from outside the top 12.

Saturday strengthened the ACC’s position by keeping both leading contenders on course. The task now is to preserve that advantage long enough to make the committee evaluate two complete playoff résumés.