Overview
- The ACC opener is set for Saturday, Sept. 19 at 12:00 p.m. ET in Memorial Stadium with Clemson 1-1 and North Carolina 2-0.
- North Carolina ruled freshmen Keeyun Chapman and C.J. Sadler out after a traffic-stop incident and listed defensive end Melkart Abou Jaoude as questionable with a hand injury.
- UNC has notable staff instability after general manager Michael Lombardi left the program and outlets give conflicting accounts about defensive coordinator Steve Belichick’s status, with some reporting medical leave and others reporting a resignation.
- Clemson enters under pressure because its offense has struggled early under coordinator Chad Morris, ranking near the bottom nationally with poor third-down conversion, turnovers and penalty issues.
- On Wednesday the ACC released 2027 opponents as it shifts toward a nine-game model and made Clemson the lone team on an eight-game conference slate for 2027, forcing the Tigers to add at least two Power-Four nonconference opponents to meet the league’s 10-game Power-Four baseline.