ACC championship scenarios, explained: How Miami, Pitt, others can reach 2025 title game

The ACC remains the wildest conference race of all in the College Football Playoff race. 

Six teams – including a five-loss team – still have a chance to reach the ACC championship game at Bank of America Stadium on Dec. 6. No. 13 Miami – the highest-ranked ACC team in the AP Top 25 – arguably needs the most help. No. 17 Virginia and No. 25 SMU control their own destiny, and No. 24 Pitt needs one of those teams to lose. Two-loss Georgia Tech and five-loss Duke – that's correct – also can find a path to the ACC championship game. 

There are bound to be more twists in Week 14. Here is a closer look at the ACC championship race, the scenarios, tiebreakers and common opponents for each school. There are more than a handful of wild combinations that could decide who plays in Charlotte. 

MORE WEEK 14 SCENARIOS: SEC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Group of 5

ACC championship scenarios 2025

Six teams are still in the ACC championship game picture. A look at their paths to the conference championship game: 

Virginia (9-2, 6-1)

- Virginia clinches a spot in the ACC championship game with a victory against Virginia Tech. A three-way tie with SMU and Pitt would favor the Cavaliers and Mustangs because the Panthers have a common opponent loss to Louisville. 

- The Cavaliers would be eliminated with a loss to Virginia Tech if Pitt beats Miami AND SMU beats Cal. 

- If Virginia loses, the best scenario to get back in the ACC championship game would be a Pitt loss to Miami AND a SMU loss to Cal. The Cavaliers also would need a Duke loss to Wake Forest. The last piece would be a North Carolina win against NC State. In that scenario, Virginia and Miami would play in the ACC championship game. 

- Virginia's 35-31 loss to NC State on Sept. 6 does not count as a conference game. 

SMU (8-3, 6-1)

- SMU clinches a spot in the ACC championship game with a win over Cal. A three-way tie with Virginia and Pitt would work in SMU's favor. A three-way tie with SMU and Pitt would favor the Cavaliers and Mustangs because the Panthers have a common opponent loss to Louisville. 

- If SMU loses, the best scenario to get back in the ACC championship game would be a Pitt loss to Miami AND a Virginia loss to Virginia Tech. The Mustangs also would need a Duke loss to Wake Forest. The last piece would be a North Carolina win against NC State. In that scenario, Virginia and SMU would play in the ACC championship game. 

Pitt (8-3, 6-1) 

- Pitt would clinch a spot in the ACC championship game with a win against Miami and a Virginia loss to Virginia Tech.

- Pitt also would clinch a spot in the ACC championship game with a win against Miami and a SMU loss against Cal. 

Miami (9-2, 5-2)

- Miami's best path to the ACC championship game is a win against Pitt AND a SMU win against Cal AND a Duke loss to Wake Forest AND a Virginia Tech win against Virginia. 

- Miami also could get to the ACC championship game with a WIN against Pitt AND a Duke loss against Wake Forest AND an SMU loss against Cal AND a North Carolina loss against NC State AND a Boston College loss against Syracuse.

- A win against Pitt AND a Virginia loss against Virginia Tech AND a SMU loss against Cal AND a North Carolina loss against NC State. 

- A win against Pitt AND a Virginia loss against Virginia Tech AND an SMU loss against Cal AND a Duke loss against Wake Forest AND either a Boston College loss against Syracuse or a North Carolina loss against NC State. 

Duke (6-5, 5-2)

- Duke needs a win against Wake Forest AND a Pitt loss to Miami AND an SMU loss to Cal. 

- The Blue Devils also would make the ACC championship game with a win against Wake Forest AND a Pitt loss to Miami AND a Virginia loss to Virginia Tech AND either a win by Syracuse against Boston College OR NC State against North Carolina. 

Georgia Tech (9-3, 6-2)

There are three combinations where Georgia Tech could make the ACC championship game with a specific set of results, but the best path includes a Virginia loss to Virginia Tech AND a SMU loss to Cal. 

- A Miami loss to Pitt AND a Virginia loss to Virginia Tech AND a Duke loss to Wake Forest AND a SMU loss to Cal. Georgia Tech would play Pitt in the ACC championship game. 

- A Pitt loss to Miami AND a Virginia Tech loss to Virginia AND a Duke loss to Wake Forest AND a SMU loss to Cal and a North Carolina loss to NC State. Georgia would play Virginia in the ACC championship game. 

- A Pitt loss to Miami AND a Virginia loss to Virginia Tech AND a Syracuse loss to  Boston College AND a North Carolina loss to NC State, then Georgia Tech would face Miami in the ACC championship game. 

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ACC tiebreaker rules

Here are the ACC tiebreaker procedures to follow in order to determine who makes the conference championship game, according to the conference's official website: 

1. Head-to-head competition between teams.

2. Winning percentage vs. Common opponents. 

3. Win-percentage vs. Common opponents based upon finish (overall conference winning percentage, with ties broken). 

4. Combined winning percentage of conference opponents. 

5. The tied team with the higher ranking by the Team Rating Score metric provided by SportSource Analytics following the conclusion of regular season games. 

6. The representative shall be chosen by a draw as administered by the Commissioner or Commissioner's designee. 

ACC common opponents tracker for 2025