Virginia and Duke Battle for ACC Championship Tonight

CHARLOTTE, NC — The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship Game takes place tonight at Bank of America Stadium, featuring the No. 17 Virginia Cavaliers (10-2) against the Duke Blue Devils (7-5) at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Virginia, under head coach Tony Elliott, is looking for its first outright ACC title after last winning a share in 1995. Conversely, Duke has a storied history with seven ACC championships, but its last title came in 1989. Tonight’s clash is significant, as both teams aim for a potential College Football Playoff (CFP) spot.

Virginia defeated Duke 34-17 during their last matchup on November 15, but Elliott cautioned that past results do not matter for the rematch. “You’ve got to throw out what you did in the previous game,” he said during an ACC media teleconference. “This game is going to come down to execution, and I’m sure we’re going to get Duke’s best effort.”

The Cavaliers finished the regular season strongly, bouncing back from a loss against Wake Forest with two consecutive wins. Virginia ranks third in the ACC for total offense and defense, with quarterback Chandler Morris tossing for 2,586 yards and 14 touchdowns this season.

Duke’s leader is quarterback Darian Mensah, who leads the ACC with 3,450 passing yards and 28 touchdowns. The Blue Devils hope a victory will solidify their standing and provide momentum moving into the bowl season.

With both teams eager to make history, the outcome could set the stage for Virginia to achieve a school-record 11 wins. The game also has significant implications for ACC representation in the CFP, especially with ranked competitors in other conferences. The stakes could not be higher for both teams as they vie for the championship title tonight.