Predictions for every game of week nine

There will be some big games in the ACC on the last weekend of October.

While Miami, Clemson, SMU and Pitt remain undefeated in conference play, the Mustangs and Panthers will be put to the test this weekend. Pitt hosts Syracuse tonight and the winner can keep their chance to keep the ACC title game alive. The loser faces a tough fight.

SMU was out last week, but now they hit the road to face Duke, who is 6-1 in Manny Diaz’s first season. Will SMU enter November undefeated or can the Blue Devils pull off a major upset and emerge as key players in the conference heading into the final stretch of the season?

So who will be the winners in the ACC this week? Let’s do a few tips.

Note: I will post a full preview and prediction for Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech at a later date.

1. Syracuse at Pitt (-6), 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

This is a huge game in the ACC. Pitt comes into this game 6-0 and looks to start its toughest stretch of the year against Syracuse. The Orange, on the other hand, are 5-1 and although they already have a conference loss, they could get back into the game with a win.

This will be a matchup between two of the ACC’s best offenses. Pitt’s Eli Holstein had a breakout year in 2024 and Ohio State University transfer Kyle McCord transformed Syracuse’s offense. With home field advantage and a more trustworthy defense, I would like to see Pitt win this game and go 7-0.

Final score: Pitt 34, Syracuse 24

2. Louisville (-7.5) at Boston College, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

After a loss to Miami, Louisville is likely out of the ACC title race at this point, but that doesn’t mean they can’t play spoilsport in the home stretch. The Cardinals hit the road this week to face Boston College, a team that has lost two straight but is still fighting for bowl eligibility.

This is a difficult situation for the Cardinals. They lost a close game to Miami last week and have a big game coming up next Saturday against Clemson. Will they overlook Boston College before this game? You could and that would be a mistake. I believe Louisville will win, but it might be closer than you think.

Final score: Louisville 31, Boston College 27

3. North Carolina at Virginia (-4), 12:00 p.m. ET, CW Network

Virginia has been a pleasant surprise in the ACC this year. The Cavaliers have already won four games and have been competitive in all of them. North Carolina, on the other hand, has lost four in a row and it appears as if the Mack Brown era is coming to an end in Chapel Hill. Can they rally and get a win away from home? They still have Omarion Hampton, who is as good as any running back in the ACC. This could be a big win for Tony Elliott and Virginia as it would move them one game closer to bowl eligibility. I trust the Cavs to win this home game.

Final score: UVA 38, North Carolina 34

4. Wake Forest (-3) at Stanford, 3:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network

Wake is coming off a win over UConn last week and is the favorite on the road this week against a Stanford team that hasn’t played well in recent weeks, albeit against better competition. The Demon Deacons have a chance to win a bowl game this season, but that seems like a must. It feels dangerous to pick Wake Forest as the away favorite, but it’s hard to rely on Stanford producing enough offense in this game.

Final score: Wake Forest 27, Stanford 23

5. Oregon State at Cal (-10), 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Cal had an interesting season. They were competitive in every single ACC game this year, but fell short and let teams like Miami and Pitt off the hook. Even though this is a non-conference game, I think the bad luck won’t last in the close game against their old Pac-12 opponent. The Golden Bears break their losing streak on Saturday.

Final score: Cal 28, Oregon State 13

6. Florida State at Miami (-21), 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN

One of the biggest rivalries in the sport is taking a backseat to many games this weekend, which is disappointing. Miami-FSU should be one of the most important games in the conference this year, but the Seminoles’ 1-6 record and Miami’s unstoppable offense make the Hurricanes a three-touchdown favorite. Nothing from Florida State this season suggests they can win this game, and I want Miami to get a big win as long as they don’t turn the ball over.

Final score: Miami 41, FSU 17

7. SMU (-11.5) at Duke, 8 p.m. ET, ACC Network

This is actually a game with big ACC implications. Duke is 6-1 but hasn’t been taken seriously due to the opponents they’ve played and a lackluster offense. SMU has been hot in recent weeks as it looks to upset Miami and Clemson and clinch the ACC title. Duke’s defense against SMU’s offense will be an interesting matchup, but will Duke be able to score enough points in this game? I don’t think so, and the Mustangs will win handily.

Final score: SMU 35, Duke 14