If the ACC is trying to convince Notre Dame it should join the conference as a full-time member in football, it’s making a compelling case.

Considering recent results against league members, the Irish figure to have a much clearer path into the College Football Playoff when it expands to 12 teams with automatic bids than if they remain independent.

Saturday’s win at then-No. 16 Syracuse was their 26th straight against ACC opponents in regular-season competition. They’ve beaten 12 of the league’s 14 teams since their most recent loss, a 41-8 blowout to Miami on Nov. 11, 2017.

The thorn in Notre Dame’s side during that stretch has been Clemson. Although the Tigers lost in South Bend, Ind., in 2020, the year the Irish played a full league schedule because of COVID-19, the Tigers came out on top both times they met during the postseason.

Dabo Swinney’s 5th-ranked team will get another shot at upholding the ACC’s honor and breaking the Irish’s regular-season streak Saturday, when they return to South Bend for the highlight game on the Week 10 schedule.

This will mark the first time in a month that all 14 league teams will be in action.

Let’s dive right into the matchups.

Duke at Boston College

When – Friday, 7 p.m. ET

TV – ESPN2

Just as we expected when the schedules were 1st announced, this is a matchup between a team battling for bowl eligibility against a team going nowhere fast.

Only the roles we expected are reversed.

The surprising Blue Devils are 5-3 (2-2 ACC) and need just 1 more win to qualify for their first postseason trip since 2018. The Eagles (2-6, 1-4) are in the midst of a 3-game losing streak that includes a dismal 13-3 defeat Saturday at UConn.

Things don’t project to get much better for BC against the Blue Devils, especially if starting quarterback Phil Jurkovec isn’t able to return after suffering an injury against the Huskies. Even if he does play, he’ll have his hands full against a Duke defense that forced 8 turnovers during an impressive road win Oct. 22 at Miami.

Quarterback Riley Leonard and a Blue Devils offense that ranks 2nd in the ACC in rushing and 4th in scoring at 34.4 ppg, should be well-rested after last week’s open date. They’ll be looking to put up a big number against a BC defense that has allowed more points than anyone in the league other than North Carolina.

North Carolina at Virginia

When – Saturday, noon ET

TV – ACC Network

The Tar Heels and Cavaliers will meet for the 127th time since 1892 in a matchup that has become known as “The South’s Oldest Rivalry.” It’s a fairly even series, with UNC holding a 64-58-4 advantage.

This year’s game, however, has the potential to be one of the most lopsided in recent memory. The Tar Heels are on a roll at 7-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play to hold a commanding 2-game lead with tiebreakers on most of the Coastal Division. They’re scoring at a league-leading pace behind the explosive combination of quarterback Drake Maye and the receiving duo of Josh Downs and Antoine Greene.

UNC actually can clinch the division with a win and a little help from other teams.

While the Tar Heels are averaging 41.8 ppg, the Cavaliers (3-5, 1-4) rank near the bottom of the ACC at just 17.6. And they’re coming off a 4-overtime loss to Miami after failing to score a single touchdown.

At least coach Tony Elliott’s team will be at home. But even that isn’t much of an advantage. UVA has lost both of its conference games in Charlottesville this season and is 2-4 in its past 6 meetings with UNC at Scott Stadium.

Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech

When – Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET

TV – Regional sports network

This isn’t just a game between the ACC’s 2 Techs. It also is a battle of the Brents.

The Hokies’ Brent Pry will face off against Yellow Jackets interim coach Brent Key in a game between 2 of the league’s worst and lowest-scoring teams.

At least Georgia Tech (3-5, 2-3) can look forward to the possible return of quarterback Jeff Sims, who sat out Saturday’s blowout loss at Florida State with an injury. Even with him under center, the Yellow Jackets aren’t world beaters – although they did manage to run off back-to-back wins against Coastal contenders Pittsburgh and Duke in the immediate aftermath of their midseason coaching change.

Virginia Tech. meanwhile, hasn’t won since Sept. 17, when it beat Football Championship Subdivision member Wofford, and is struggling on both sides of the ball. A lot of its trouble has been self-inflicted, as it was Thursday night at NC State when it committed 10 false start penalties.

The Hokies (2-6, 1-4) did show some brief signs of life against the Wolfpack. But after scoring 3 touchdowns during the 3rd quarter to build a 21-3 lead, they fell apart on the way to extending their longest losing streak in 30 years to 5 straight.

Syracuse at Pittsburgh

When – 3:30 p.m. ET

TV – ACC Network

One of the ACC’s biggest surprises meets one of the league’s biggest disappointments in a game that means little in the standings but holds great meaning for both teams.

For the 22nd-ranked Orange (6-2, 3-1) it will be an opportunity to get back on track and remain in the national rankings after suffering its first 2 losses of the season. The reigning ACC champion Panthers (4-4, 1-3) also are coming off consecutive losses that ended whatever hopes they had of challenging for another Coastal Division title.

Pitt needs 2 more wins in its final 4 games just to earn bowl eligibility.

Syracuse’s chances against the Panthers could hinge on the availability of quarterback Garrett Shrader, who left Saturday’s loss to Notre Dame with a foot injury.

Even if he’s back, a defense that allowed 293 yards on the ground to No. 5 Clemson and 246 to the Irish will be faced with a stiff challenge trying to contain Pitt’s Israel Abanikanda. The ACC’s leading rusher, Abanikanda has gained 100 or more yards 6 times this season, including 127 during Saturday’s loss at then-No. 21 UNC.

Clemson at Notre Dame

When – Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET

TV – NBC/Peacock

The quarterback question the Tigers seemed to have answered have arisen again after resurgent starter D.J. Uiagalelei was pulled in favor of freshman Cade Klubnik during the 3rd quarter of their comeback win against then-No. 14 Syracuse 2 weeks ago.

Uiagalelei again finds himself in a position of having to prove himself when he returns to the lineup against the Irish. Even though his team is on the road, the junior should have good vibes about the surroundings.

He made his 2nd collegiate start at Notre Dame during 2020, stepping in while Trevor Lawrence recovered from COVID-19. Clemson (8-0) lost that game in double-overtime. But Uiagalelei threw for 439 yards and 2 touchdowns in a memorable performance.

This time he’ll be facing a physical defense that has helped the Irish (5-3) turn their season around after opening with 2 straight losses. Notre Dame’s offense also has found a rhythm after a slow start behind a massive offensive line and the running back duo of bruising Audric Estime and speedster Logan Diggs.

The Tigers have won 4 of their 6 previous meetings with the Irish, but they’re 2-2 in regular-season meetings.

James Madison at Louisville

When – Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET

TV – ESPNU

The Cardinals (5-3) are the hottest team in the ACC outside of division leaders Clemson and UNC, having won 3 straight to take the heat off coach Scott Satterfield and all but ensure bowl eligibility. They can scan their ticket to the postseason with a win Saturday against the Dukes.

Louisville is coming off its by far its most impressive effort of the year, a 48-24 upset of then-No. 10 Wake Forest. The Cardinals rolled by forcing 8 turnovers overall and scoring 35 points during the 3rd quarter alone.

While quarterback Malik Cunningham continues to carry the offense, the Cardinals’ defense has been a team effort. Eight players recorded a sack against the Deacons. YaYa Diaby (6.5), Yassir Abdullah (4.5) and Ashton Gillotte and Monty Montgomery (4 each) are among the top 10 in the ACC at bringing down the quarterback. As a team, Louisville’s 33 sacks are the most in the nation.

James Madison (5-2) made headlines by winning its first 5 games and entering the national rankings in its debut Football Bowl Subdivision season, But the Dukes have come back to Earth with back-to-back losses to Georgia Southern and Marshall.

Florida State at Miami

When – Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET

TV – ABC

Once looked upon as the ACC’s headline matchup, the rivalry has sailed wide right in terms of national importance as both programs have dropped off considerably during recent years. It still generates buzz, though, as the network television coverage suggests.

The Seminoles (5-3, 3-3) appear to be headed back in the right direction under coach Mike Norvell, especially now that they’ve cleared the most difficult portion of their schedule. Saturday’s win against Georgia Tech, when quarterback Jordan Travis threw for a career-high 396 yards, snapped a 3-game losing streak.

It also brought FSU within a victory of its 1st bowl bid in 3 years.

Miami, by contrast, finds itself in an all-too-familiar situation as it comes down the home stretch of its latest rebuild under Mario Cristobal. Although the preseason Coastal Division favorites also are coming off a win, their performance Saturday at Virginia didn’t do anything to inspire confidence in their ability to finish strong.

With freshman Jake Garcia subbing for injured quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, the Hurricanes (4-4, 2-2) didn’t score a touchdown through 4 quarters of regulation 2 extra possessions in a 4-overtime win.

Wake Forest at NC State

When – Saturday, 8 p.m. ET

TV – ACC Network

UNC-Virginia might be the “South’s Oldest Rivalry,” but the series between the Wolfpack and Deacons holds the distinction of being the longest continuous rivalry between 2 ACC teams. They’ve met every year since 1910 and over the past decade, home-field advantage has meant a lot.

Wake Forest (6-2, 2-2) has held service 9 of the past 10 times the teams have played in Winston-Salem, N.C. NC State (6-2, 2-2) has won 6 of the past 7 in Raleigh.

So advantage Wolfpack.

State, however, comes into the game with an uncertain offense that has struggled all season, but especially since starting quarterback Devin Leary was lost to a season-ending injury. Coach Dave Doeren’s team finally got a spark Thursday when freshman reserve M.J. Morris came on to lead a 4th-quarter comeback to beat Virginia Tech.

Morris’ emergence is among several plot twists that have added a new element of intrigue to a game that once appeared to be leaning heavily in the Deacons’ favor.

Wake Forest’s loss Saturday at Louisville, when it committed 8 turnovers and allowed 8 sacks, showed quarterback Sam Hartman and his high-scoring offense can be contained. You can be sure a Wolfpack defense that has allowed the fewest points and 2nd-fewest yards in the ACC has taken notice and will be fired up to do the same.