**ACC Football Dominates with Strong Performances Mid-Season**

As the 2024 ACC football season reaches Week 9, Miami and Pitt stand out as two of the eight remaining unbeaten teams in the FBS, boasting records of 8-0 and 7-0, respectively. The ACC showcases its strength with five teams already bowl-eligible: Miami, Pitt, Clemson, SMU, and Duke. This achievement ties the ACC for the second-most bowl-eligible teams among all FBS conferences ahead of Week 10.

The ACC's dominance extends beyond conference play, with an impressive 43-15 record in non-conference matchups, the highest number of wins among FBS conferences. Notably, the ACC has faced and triumphed most frequently against Power 4 opponents, including encounters with Notre Dame. ACC squads have secured eight non-conference victories over fellow Power 4 teams, underscoring their competitive edge.

Close contests have characterized the ACC league games, with 20 out of 38 matches decided by eight points or fewer, amounting to over half of the games played. This trend continues from previous seasons, consistent with the 73 tight encounters recorded between 2021 and 2023.

Week 10 promises thrilling clashes, featuring six ACC games scheduled for Saturday, November 9. Highlighting the weekend is a top-25 showdown between No. 18 Pitt and No. 20 SMU at 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network. The ACC's representation in national rankings remains robust, with four teams ranked in both the AP and Coaches Top 25 Polls for the fourth consecutive week. Miami leads the way at No. 5 in both polls, followed by Clemson, Pitt, and SMU.

The ACC continues to be a breeding ground for exceptional quarterbacks. This year, it stands alone as the only conference with multiple quarterbacks ranking in the top five nationally across various categories, including total yards per game, passing yards per game, passing touchdowns, and Total QBR. Miami's Cam Ward and Syracuse's Kyle McCord are standout performers, ranking second and fourth in total yards of offense per game respectively. McCord also leads the nation in averaging over 300 passing yards in every game played this season.

On the defensive end, the ACC boasts formidable players, including Nohl Williams from Cal, who leads the nation with six interceptions this season. The league also features five of the top 25 players in total sacks, led by Virginia Tech's Antwaun Powell-Ryland with 11.0 sacks, placing him second nationally.

Special teams play is another area where the ACC excels. Florida State's Alex Mastromanno leads the nation in punt average, and nine ACC punters rank among the top 35 in yards per punt average. Field goal accuracy remains high, with six ACC kickers having made 12 or more field goals this season.

As the ACC approaches its 20th Football Championship Game on December 7 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, fans eagerly anticipate the continued high level of competition and standout performances that have defined the season thus far. Tickets for the championship game are available at Ticketmaster.com and theACC.com.