The ACC Championship game will now be played earlier in the day.
The Atlantic Coast Conference made a change to its championship football contest for 2026, as was announced on Monday.
The ACC title game will now be the first title game on Championship Saturday. It will be played at noon ET on Dec. 5. It will no longer compete with the Big Ten title game, and the Big 12 title game is moving to Friday night.
This will be the earliest time slot for the title game since 2008. The game will be played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. That is where the Carolina Panthers play.
How it impacts things
At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. Two teams competing for a championship will line up and play whenever they are told to, but from a ratings standpoint, it's smart to not go up against the Big Ten title game, which has the opportunity to feature marquee programs like Michigan and Ohio State, not to mention national champion Indiana.
Can Syracuse play in that game in 2026?
After going 3-9 in 2025, it doesn't feel likely, but the Orange may be closer to being a contender than people think. Quarterback Steve Angeli, who missed eight games because of a Torn Achilles, is expected to be back and fully healthy. The Orange have also done well in the transfer portal to bring in several players with significant playing time experience.
Who Syracuse has gained in the portal
Ahmad Miller, RB (Jackson State)
Jartavius Flounoy, DT (Georgia State)
Cole Weaver, WR (Miami of Ohio)
Ju'Juan Johnson, RB (LSU)
Chris D'Appolonia, LB (Toledo)
Elijah Moore, WR (Florida State)
Keyshawn Johnson, Edge (UT-Martin)
Dillan Fontus, DL (Maryland)
Amari Odom, QB (Kennesaw State)
Amare Snowden, DB (Toledo)
Tunmise Adeleye, DE (UNLV)
Nazir Ward, DB (Western Kentucky)
Matthew Outten, WR (Penn State)
Danny Lauter, QB (Georgetown)
Jai Eugene, DB (Western Kentucky)
Oluwafunto Akinshilo, OL (UCLA)
Malachi Nelson, QB (UTEP)
Other notes
The rest of the ACC schedule will be announced on Monday night at 6 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
We already know that SU will play New Hampshire, UConn, Notre Dame, Boston College, North Carolina State, North Carolina, Pitt, Cal, Clemson, Louisville, SMU and Virginia in 2026. The schedule release will crystallize the dates of those league matchups.
Also on campus
The Syracuse men's basketball team dropped its third straight game on Saturday, falling to Miami at the JMA Wireless Dome. SU is back on the road on Tuesday night against NC State.
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