# ACC college football playoff contention > Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/acc-college-football-playoff-contention > Updated: 2026-10-29T21:38:52.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 3. As the season progresses, several Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) teams are positioning themselves for the new 12-team College Football Playoff format. Early in the season, Miami held a 95% predicted chance of making the playoffs, while Wake Forest maintained a 29% chance. By Week 8, Miami solidified its top position in conference power rankings following a victory over Pittsburgh. Wake Forest also rose to the number two spot after a bye week. Other notable developments include an offensive surge from SMU and upward movement for Virginia Tech and Duke, while Clemson and North Carolina experienced declines in the rankings. Heading into Week 9 of the 2026 season, Miami remains the unanimous No. 1 ranked team with a 7-0 record. They are scheduled to face North Carolina, a team coached by Bill Belichick, on October 31. Wake Forest, holding the No. 2 spot following a unanimous vote, is set to host Virginia. SMU continues its strong performance, occupying the No. 3 position in the power rankings. Duke has seen further upward momentum, rising four spots in the latest rankings, while North Carolina has dropped three spots. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-29: ACC Football: Week 9 Matchups and Power Rankings The ACC heads into Week 9 with No. 1 Miami facing North Carolina, No. 14 Wake Forest hosting Virginia, and Duke preparing to play Boston College. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/acc-football-duke-and-wake-forest-face-key-matchups-on-october-31 ### 2026-10-27: ACC Football Power Rankings: Miami and Wake Forest lead after Week 8 Miami and Wake Forest lead the ACC power rankings after Week 8, while Clemson and North Carolina slide following recent losses. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/acc-football-power-rankings-miami-and-wake-forest-lead-after-week-8 ### 2026-10-12: ACC football teams eye paths to College Football Playoff With Miami, Wake Forest, and SMU ranked, the ACC is exploring the possibility of securing multiple College Football Playoff bids. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/acc-football-teams-eye-paths-to-college-football-playoff --- Cite as: ACC college football playoff contention. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/acc-college-football-playoff-contention