Virginia, Duke to play for ACC title, potential College Football Playoff spot

The ACC championship game next week will feature No. 18 Virginia against unranked Duke, creating a potential scenario where the ACC could miss the College Football Playoff (CFP). Virginia secured its spot with a 27-7 win over Virginia Tech, with standout performances from J’Mari Taylor and the Cavaliers' defense. Duke, despite being unranked, topped a group of teams with two conference losses by defeating Wake Forest 49-32, led by quarterback Darian Mensah.

The absence of No. 12 Miami, considered the ACC's top team, stems from losses to SMU and Louisville. Miami's victory over No. 22 Pitt was not enough due to tiebreakers. SMU missed a chance to join Virginia in the championship after a 38-35 upset by Cal. Cal's freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele led a decisive drive, ending in a last-minute touchdown by Kendrick Raphael.

Duke's appearance in the ACC