NC/ACC Week Nine 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 Nine schedule, highlighted by five Top 25-vs.-Top 25 contests and several important Atlantic Coast Conference matchups, while Appalachian State, Charlotte, East Carolina, North Carolina and Wake Forest all try to take another step toward possible bowl eligibility.
On the national scene, the Southeastern Conference will provide three of the five clashes between nationally ranked opponents on Saturday: #5 Texas (6-1) at #25 Vanderbilt (5-2), #8 LSU (6-1) at #14 Texas A&M (6-1), and #21 Missouri (6-1) at #15 Alabama (5-2).
In the Big Ten, #1 Oregon (7-0) will host #20 Illinois (6-1). Elsewhere, in a nonconference matchup, #12 Notre Dame (6-1) will take on #24 Navy (7-0) at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Meanwhile, in the ACC, the Week Nine action will get started early, when Syracuse (5-1) visits #19 Pittsburgh (6-0) on Thursday (7:30 pm, ESPN). The nationally televised matchup will offer viewers a chance to see two of the league’s most productive quarterbacks, Syracuse senior Kyle McCord and Pitt redshirt freshman Eli Holstein.
In the Old North State, Duke (6-1) will host #22 SMU (6-1), the first nationally ranked team the Blue Devils have faced this season. With a victory on Saturday (8 pm, ACCN), the Devils almost certainly would be voted into next week’s national Top 25.
The other five in-state Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams that are in action this weekend are all seeking another step toward the six victories required for automatic bowl eligibility.
App State (2-4) is an eight-point favorite against Georgia State (2-4) in Boone. Charlotte (3-4) is an 18-point underdog at Memphis (6-1). ECU (3-4), now led by interim head coach Blake Harrell after the recent dismissal of sixth-year head coach Mike Houston, is a seven-point favorite against Temple (2-5) in Greenville. UNC (3-4) is a four-point underdog at Virginia (4-3). Wake Forest (3-4) is a three-point favorite at Stanford (2-5).
At the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level, Western Carolina (4-3) is taking its perfect 3-0 league record to #17 Mercer (6-1), which is now led by former Lenoir-Rhyne head coach Mike Jacobs. The Catamounts, who have never won the Southern Conference football title despite being members of that league since 1976, are the only SoCon team still undefeated in league play.
Finally, at the Division Two level, #19 Johnson C Smith (7-0) takes the highest ranking in program history on the road to face Winston-Salem State (6-2), which is perhaps the Golden Bulls’ toughest remaining opponent in their 10-game regular season. JCSU, whose only CIAA football title came in 1969, has a chance to post the best season in the 133-year history of its program.
NC Football Bowl Subdivision (Seven Teams)
(Games Saturday Unless Otherwise Indicated)
North Carolina (3-4) at Virginia (4-3), noon (The CW)
Charlotte (3-4) at Memphis (6-1), noon (ESPNU)
Georgia State (2-4) at Appalachian State (2-4), 1 pm (ESPN+)
Temple (2-5) at East Carolina (3-4), 2 pm (ESPN+)
Wake Forest (3-4) at Stanford (2-5), 3:30 pm (ACCN)
#22 SMU (6-1) at Duke (6-1), 8 pm (ACCN)
Open Week: NC State (4-4)
Atlantic Coast Conference (17 Teams)
Syracuse (5-1) at #19 Pittsburgh (6-0), 7:30 (ESPN) — (Thurs.)
Louisville (4-3) at Boston College (4-3), 7:30 pm (ESPN2) — (Fri.)
North Carolina (3-4) at Virginia (4-3), noon (The CW)
Georgia Tech (5-3) at Virginia Tech (4-3), noon (ACCN)
Wake Forest (3-4) at Stanford (2-5), 3:30 pm (ACCN)
Oregon State (4-3) at California (3-4), 4 pm (ESPN2)
Florida State (1-6) at #6 Miami (7-0), 7 pm (ESPN)
#22 SMU (6-1) at Duke (6-1), 8 pm (ACCN)
Open Week: Clemson (6-1), NC State (4-4)
NC Football Championship Subdivision (Seven Teams)
Butler (5-2) at Davidson (5-2), 1 pm (ESPN+)
Elon (2-5) at Hampton (4-3), 2 pm (FloSports)
Gardner-Webb (2-5) at #6 SE Missouri State (7-1), 3 pm (ESPN+)
Western Carolina (4-3) at #17 Mercer (6-1), 3:30 pm (ESPN+)
Morgan State (3-4) at #21 NC Central (5-2), 3:30 pm (ESPN+)
North Carolina A&T (1-6) at Campbell (2-5), 4 pm (FloSports)
Open Week: none
NC Division Two (14 Teams)
#19 Johnson C Smith (7-0) at Winston-Salem State (6-2), 1 pm
Limestone (5-2) at #16 Lenoir-Rhyne (6-1), 1 pm (FloSports)
Lincoln-PA (1-6) at Elizabeth City State (2-5), 1 pm
Mars Hill (2-3) at UVa-Wise (2-4), 2 pm (FloSports)
Shaw (4-4) at Fayetteville State (3-3), 2:30 pm
Chowan (2-4) at #18 West Alabama (5-1), 3 pm (FloSports)
Catawba (2-5) at Wingate (5-1), 3 pm
West Virginia State (5-2) at UNC Pembroke (2-5), 4 pm
Barton (2-5) at Newberry (2-4), 4 pm
Open Week: Livingstone (5-3), St Augustine’s (program suspended for 2024)
NC Division Three (Five Teams)
Guilford (3-3) at Shenandoah (4-2), noon
North Carolina Wesleyan (1-5) at Southern Virginia (1-6), 1 pm
Methodist (1-6) at Maryville-TN (4-1), 1 pm
Greensboro (1-5) at LaGrange (3-3), 1 pm
Brevard (3-2) at Huntingdon-AL (3-3), 2 pm
Open Week: none