The ACC on Friday revealed the finalized Friday night football schedule for 2026. As a result, Clemson’s game at Duke, which had been scheduled for Saturday, November 21st, will be played on Friday, November 20th. However, the game at Syracuse, which had been in flex scheduling for Friday, November 6th or Saturday, November 7th, will be played on that Saturday. Previously scheduled for a Friday night was Clemson’s game at Cal on September 25th.
Release from the ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference today unveiled its 2026 Friday Football schedule, featuring a dynamic slate of conference showdowns and marquee non-conference matchups throughout the season.
The 2026 lineup continues the ACC’s commitment to delivering high-quality primetime college football games, providing fans with compelling matchups and enhanced national exposure across Fridays in the fall.
As previously announced, the Friday schedule opens in Week 1 with a conference clash as Miami travels to Stanford on Friday, September 4, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. Week 2 features a four-game Friday slate with all four games taking place on ACC campuses. The Rutgers at Boston College contest is part of the ACC-ESPN Friday night package and will serve as the Red Bandanna Game on the 25th Anniversary of 9/11, while Villanova at Louisville, Richmond at NC State and Norfolk State at Virginia were all moved to September 11 at the request of the institutions.
Conference play intensifies in the weeks that follow, including Miami at Wake Forest in Week 3 (September 18) and Clemson’s road trip to California in Week 4 (September 25). Traditional rivalries and ACC battles continue with Virginia Tech hosting Pitt in head coach James Franklin’s ACC home opener in Week 5 (October 2) and Florida State at Louisville in Week 6 (October 9).
Friday action resumes in Week 8 on October 23 with a pair of matchups, highlighted by a rematch of the 2025 ACC Championship Game when Duke travels to Virginia and NC State plays at Stanford. The Friday schedule continues in Week 10 with Virginia Tech traveling to SMU on November 6, followed by Florida State at Pitt in Week 11 on November 13.
Late-season Friday matchups include Clemson at Duke in Week 12 (November 20) and a marquee in-state rivalry on Black Friday, November 27, in Week 13 as Florida State hosts Florida at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
The complete 2026 ACC Friday Football schedule is as follows:
- Week 1 – September 4: Miami at Stanford | 9 p.m. ET | ESPN
- Week 2 – September 11: Rutgers at Boston College | TBA
- Week 2 – September 11: Villanova at Louisville | TBA
- Week 2 – September 11: Richmond at NC State | TBA
- Week 2 – September 11: Norfolk State at Virginia | TBA
- Week 3 – September 18: Miami at Wake Forest | TBA
- Week 4 – September 25: Clemson at California | TBA
- Week 5 – October 2: Pitt at Virginia Tech | TBA
- Week 6 – October 9: Florida State at Louisville | TBA
- Week 8 – October 23: Duke at Virginia | TBA
- Week 8 – October 23: NC State at Stanford | TBA
- Week 10 – November 6: Virginia Tech at SMU | TBA
- Week 11 – November 13: Florida State at Pitt | TBA
- Week 12 – November 20: Clemson at Duke | TBA
- Week 13 – November 27: Florida at Florida State | 3:30 p.m. ET | ABC
As part of the finalization of the 2026 ACC Football Friday schedule, the Virginia Tech at Miami game originally scheduled for November 20 has been moved to Saturday, November 21.
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