NC/ACC Week 11 College Football Preview
(“This Week In College Football, with David Glenn” show = below)
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
The 2024 college football season continues Thursday through Saturday with an intriguing Week 11 schedule, highlighted by two Top 25-vs.-Top 25 contests and several important Atlantic Coast Conference matchups, while East Carolina hosts a Thursday night game on national television, and the Pirates, Appalachian State, NC State and Wake Forest try to take another step toward automatic bowl eligibility.
On the national scene, the Southeastern Conference will provide the only two games pairing fellow members of the national Top 25.
In a matchup that includes two of the top five quarterback prospects for the 2025 National Football League draft, #11 Alabama (6-2) will visit #14 LSU (6-2) on Saturday night (7:30 pm, ABC). Jalen Milroe leads the Crimson Tide as one of the nation’s top dual-threat QBs, while pocket passer Garrett Nussmeier ranks second in the SEC with 328 passing yards per game and 20 touchdown throws for the Tigers.
The other highest-profile SEC tilt of the weekend will match #2 Georgia (7-1) and #16 Ole Miss (7-2) in Oxford on Saturday afternoon (3:30 pm, ABC). The Bulldogs are regarded as a slight favorite, but thanks largely to senior quarterback Jaxson Dart, the Rebels lead the SEC in scoring offense (42 points per game) and passing offense (377 yards per game). Dart ranks first in the conference with a 72 percent completion rate, 357 passing yards per game and 21 TD throws.
In the Old North State, Appalachian State (4-4) and East Carolina (4-4) will get the Week 11 schedule off to an early start on Thursday, when the Mountaineers visit 4-4 Coastal Carolina (8 pm, ESPN) as a one-point favorite, and the Pirates host 2-6 Florida Atlantic (8 pm, ESPN2) as a seven-point favorite.
Two other in-state Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams that are in action this weekend also are seeking another step toward the six victories required for automatic bowl eligibility.
Wake Forest (4-4) is a seven-point underdog against California (4-4) in Winston-Salem on Friday night (8 pm, ACCN). NC State (5-4) is a three-point favorite over Duke (6-3) in Raleigh on Saturday afternoon (3:30 pm, ACCN). Two more teams still seeking bowl eligibility, Charlotte (3-6) and UNC (5-4), are off this weekend.
At the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level, three in-state squads will get shots at nationally ranked opponents. Campbell (3-6) is hosting #9 Richmond (7-2), North Carolina A&T (1-8) is heading to #11 Villanova (7-2), and Elon (3-6) is visiting #21 William & Mary (6-3).
Finally, at the Division Two level, #24 Wingate (7-1) has entered the Old North State spotlight. When the Bulldogs went to archrival Lenoir-Rhyne and beat the 12th-ranked Bears 14-10 last Saturday, they clinched a spot in the South Atlantic Conference title game. Regardless of the outcome of its game against Newberry (3-5) this Saturday, Wingate — as the Piedmont Division champion — will host the Mountain Division champion (most likely Carson-Newman) on Nov. 16 at Irwin Belk Stadium, with the South Atlantic championship at stake.
NC Football Bowl Subdivision (Seven Teams)
(Games Saturday Unless Otherwise Indicated)
Appalachian State (4-4) at Coastal Carolina (4-4), 8 pm (ESPN) — (Thurs.)
Florida Atlantic (2-6) at East Carolina (4-4), 8 pm (ESPN2) — (Thurs.)
California (4-4) at Wake Forest (4-4), 8 pm (ACCN) — (Fri.)
Duke (6-3) at NC State (5-4), 3:30 pm (ACCN)
Open Week: Charlotte (3-6), North Carolina (5-4)
Atlantic Coast Conference (17 Teams)
California (4-4) at Wake Forest (4-4), 8 pm (ACCN) — (Fri.)
#4 Miami (9-0) at Georgia Tech (5-4), noon (ESPN)
Syracuse (6-2) at Boston College (4-4), noon (The CW)
Duke (6-3) at NC State (5-4), 3:30 pm (ACCN)
#19 Clemson (6-2) at Virginia Tech (5-4), 3:30 pm (ESPN)
Florida State (1-8) at #10 Notre Dame (7-1), 7:30 pm (NBC)
Virginia (4-4) at #23 Pittsburgh (7-1), 8 pm (ACCN)
Open Week: #25 Louisville (6-3), North Carolina (5-4), #13 SMU (8-1), Stanford (2-7)
NC Football Championship Subdivision (Seven Teams)
Western Carolina (5-4) at East Tennessee State (5-4), noon (ESPN+)
Elon (3-6) at #21 William & Mary (6-3), 1 pm (FloSports)
North Carolina A&T (1-8) at #11 Villanova (7-2), 1 pm (FloSports)
Morehead State (6-3) at Davidson (5-4), 1 pm (ESPN+)
Eastern Illinois (2-7) at Gardner-Webb (3-6), 1:30 pm (ESPN+)
#9 Richmond (7-2) at Campbell (3-6), 3:30 pm (FloSports)
Open Week: NC Central (6-3)
NC Division Two (14 Teams)
Erskine (1-6) at Chowan (2-6), 1 pm
Frostburg State (6-3) at UNC Pembroke (4-5), 1 pm
Fayetteville State (4-4) at Winston-Salem State (6-3), 1 pm
Newberry (3-5) at #24 Wingate (7-1), 1:30 pm
Johnson C Smith (8-1) at Livingstone (5-4), 2 pm
Mars Hill (4-3) at Anderson-SC (3-6), 4 pm
#21 Lenoir-Rhyne (7-2) at Catawba (2-7), 6 pm
Elizabeth City State (2-7) at Bluefield State (1-8), 6 pm
Open Week: Shaw (6-4), St Augustine’s (program suspended for 2024)
NC Division Three (Five Teams)
Brevard (5-2) at North Carolina Wesleyan (3-5), noon
Maryville-TN (6-1) at Greensboro (1-7), noon
Guilford (3-5) at Averett (2-6), 1 pm
Open Week: Methodist (1-8)
