ACC Standings, Explained: 2025 Tiebreaker Updates for Georgia Tech, Duke, Virginia and More originally appeared on Sports news. Add The Sporting News as Favorite source by clicking here.
Who wants to win the ACC?
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This is a multiple-choice question with seven possible answers with just three weeks remaining in the regular season. A total of seven teams are still in the running to play in the ACC championship game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Dec. 6.
Five ACC teams are ranked in the AP Top 25: No. 14 Georgia Tech, No. 16 Miami, No. 19 Louisville, No. 20 Virginia and No. 23 Pitt. There’s a good chance the same five teams will appear in the second round of the College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday. SMU and Duke, however, are still hoping for an automatic berth.
Here’s a closer look at the ACC race:
2025 ACC Football Rankings
The ACC has seven teams with two or fewer conference losses heading into Week 12. Here’s a closer look at those rankings:
|
SCHOOL |
OVERALL |
ACC |
WEEK 12 |
|
Georgia Tech |
8-1 |
5-1 |
at Boston College |
|
Virginia |
8-2 |
5-1 |
at the duke’s |
|
Pitt |
7-2 |
5-1 |
against Notre Dame |
|
EMS |
7-3 |
5-1 |
Bye |
|
Duke |
5-4 |
4-1 |
against Virginia |
|
Louisville |
7-2 |
4-2 |
vs. Clemson |
|
Miami |
7-2 |
3-2 |
compared to NC State |
MORE: Week 12 Picks vs. Spread for Top 25 Matchups
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ACC Tiebreaker Rules
Here are the ACC tiebreaker procedures to follow in order to determine who will advance to the conference championship game, according to the official conference website:
1. Head-to-head competition between teams.
2. Winning percentage compared to common opponents.
3. Winning percentage over common opponents based on finish (overall conference winning percentage, with ties broken).
4. Combined winning percentage of conference opponents.
5. The team tied for the highest ranking according to the Team Rating Score metric provided by SportSource Analytics following the conclusion of regular season games.
6. The representative will be chosen by drawing lots organized by the commissioner or his representative.
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MORE: College Football Playoff Predictions After Week 11
ACC contenders’ path to the championship game
Georgia Tech (8-1, 5-1)
Remaining schedule: at Boston College, against No. 24 Pitt, against No. 5 Georgia
Georgia Tech will advance to the ACC Championship Game by defeating the Eagles and Panthers over the next two weeks. There is no scenario in which Georgia Tech would be third in a three-way tie of 7-1 teams.
Virginia (8-2, 5-1)
Remaining schedule: at Duke, against Virginia Tech
A 7-1 Virginia team will be a virtual lock for Charlotte. There is a scenario in which it could potentially lose a three-way tie with Georgia Tech and SMU depending on the opponents’ conference winning percentage, but most scenarios favor the Cavs. Remember, Virginia’s 35-31 loss to NC State on September 6 was a non-conference game.
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Pitt (7-2, 5-1)
Remaining schedule: vs. Notre Dame, at Georgia Tech, vs. Miami
The Panthers face three ranked teams in three weeks – so it’s the toughest road with matchups against the Yellow Jackets and Hurricanes after the one against the Irish. Pitt is in if there’s a three-way tie at 7-1 with SMU and Duke, but Pitt loses a three-way tie with SMU and Virginia, so the Panthers support Duke this weekend.
SMU (7-3, 5-1)
Remaining schedule: against Louisville, at Cal
The Mustangs have to win, and the combination of a Virginia win over Duke, a Pitt win over Georgia Tech, and a Miami win over Pitt would be the cleanest path to a second straight trip to Charlotte. SMU would likely lose a three-way tie at 7-1 with Georgia Tech and Virginia, but it would be a three-way tie with Pitt and Virginia.
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Duke (5-4, 4-1)
Remaining schedule: vs. Virginia, North Carolina, vs. Wake Forest
How could a team with four defeats still be in the race? If Duke wins, it will play for the conference championship. Beating Virginia would eliminate the Cavs, and loser Georgia Tech-Pitt would suffer two losses. Duke will be in Charlotte if there is a three-way tie at 7-1 with SMU and the winner of Georgia Tech-Pitt.
Louisville (7-2, 4-2)
Remaining schedule: vs. Clemson, at SMU, vs. Kentucky
The 29-26 overtime loss to Cal hurt the Cardinals’ chances of reaching Charlotte — and they’ll need help even with wins against Clemson and SMU. The best path? Virginia beats Duke. Pitt beats Georgia Tech. Miami beats Pitt. At this point, Louisville would be in a good position based on its cumulative conference winning percentage.
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Miami (7-2, 3-2)
Remaining schedule: vs. NC State, at Virginia Tech, vs. Pitt
The Hurricanes aren’t dead yet, but they need a two-game losing streak in the conference standings. Miami has to win and they need Pitt to beat Georgia Tech before their showdown with the Panthers. A Duke win over Virginia and a Louisville win over SMU would also help. It’s not as difficult as it might seem.
Tracking Common ACC Opponents for 2025
Here’s a look at the opponents common to all ACC teams with two or fewer losses. We added cumulative conference winning percentage – the ACC’s fourth tiebreaker – to show which teams are in the best position heading into Week 12.
|
OPPONENT |
UVA |
GT |
PITT |
LOU. |
EMS |
DUKE |
MIAMI |
|
Boston College |
– |
November 15 |
W 48-7 |
F 38-24 |
W 45-13 |
– |
– |
|
Cal |
F 31-21 |
– |
– |
L 29-26 |
November 29 |
W 45-21 |
– |
|
Clemson |
– |
F 24-21 |
– |
November 14 |
F 35-24 |
F 46-45 |
– |
|
Duke |
November 15 |
F 27-18 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
State of Florida |
F 46-38 |
– |
F 34-31 |
– |
– |
– |
F 28-22 |
|
Georgia Tech |
– |
– |
November 22 |
– |
– |
L 27-18 |
– |
|
Louisville |
F 30-27 |
– |
L34-27 |
– |
November 22 |
– |
L 24-21 |
|
Miami |
– |
– |
November 29 |
F 24-21 |
F 26-20 |
– |
– |
|
North Carolina |
F 17-16 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
November 22 |
– |
|
NC State |
– |
L48-36 |
F 53-34 |
– |
– |
W 45-33 |
November 15 |
|
Pitt |
– |
November 22 |
– |
F 34-27 |
– |
– |
November 29 |
|
EMS |
– |
– |
– |
November 22 |
– |
– |
L 26-20 |
|
Stanford |
W 48-20 |
– |
F 35-20 |
– |
F 34-10 |
– |
W 42-7 |
|
Syracuse |
– |
F 41-16 |
F 30-13 |
– |
F 31-18 |
F 38-3 |
F 38-10 |
|
Virginia |
– |
– |
– |
L 30-27 |
– |
November 15 |
– |
|
Virginia Tech |
November 29 |
F 35-20 |
– |
F 28-16 |
– |
– |
November 22 |
|
Waking up forest |
L16-9 |
F 30-29 |
– |
– |
L 13-12 |
November 29 |
– |
|
CUMULATIVE % |
21-25 |
20-27 |
20-29 |
26-21 |
19-31 |
24-24 |
22-26 |
Most likely scenario for an ACC championship game
There are many combinations, and they can be calculated here.
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Georgia Tech is a heavy favorite against Boston College and gets Pitt at home, so the Yellow Jackets could clinch their spot before a non-conference regular season finale against Georgia.
The winner of the Virginia-Duke game will be best positioned to travel to Charlotte with a conference loss. The Cavaliers are underdogs against the Blue Devils this week. Will Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris plays? We don’t trust Duke to win all three games, even if they eliminate the Cavaliers.
That’s why this SMU-Louisville game will be so important next week. The Mustangs can still be a one-loss team in ACC play — and the Cardinals are in the best position if a group of teams are tied with two conference losses, but they have to beat Clemson first.
As the last few weeks have proven, nothing is given in ACC play.
