Just when the ACC looked like Miami’s to lose, Week 8 shook things up. Louisville stunned No. 2 Miami with a 24–21 upset, leaving the Hurricanes’ once-dominant grip on the conference hanging by a thread. Miami now needs missteps from Virginia or Georgia Tech, or both, to keep its championship hopes alive. Meanwhile, Virginia continues to flex after a close 22–20 win over Washington State, and Georgia Tech rolled past Duke 27–18 to remain undefeated, cementing its place at the top of the league. Amid all this turmoil, Greg McElroy has identified a program emerging as the ACC favorite, giving fans a fresh perspective on who is best positioned for the conference title.

In a recent episode of Always College Football with Greg McElroy, McElroy broke down the Hurricanes’ perfect streak crash against Louisville. McElroy said, “I think they just looked a little rusty.” For him, it’s Georgia Tech that is dominating the ACC. “Georgia Tech goes on the road and gets a decisive 27-18 victory. Kind of taking control of the conference and clearly establishing themselves as a legitimate favorite to reach the ACC title game,” he said. He even called the Duke win “a season-defining victory,” highlighting the significance of the performance.

In that game, running back Malachi Hosley provided a crucial insurance touchdown, and quarterback Haynes King added his 10th rushing score of the season, sealing the 27–18 victory. Georgia Tech is now at its finest 7–0 start, for the first time since 1966, and McElroy credited King as “the engine behind the Yellow Jackets’ perfect season.” He added, “Once again, in this game, it’s almost like clockwork, man. You’re going to get 200 through the air. You’re going to get 75 plus on the ground. In this case, he goes for a buck 20,” placing Georgia Tech in “driver’s seat in the ACC.”

With Georgia Tech asserting itself as the conference favorite, the ACC landscape has transformed into a battleground. Louisville’s head-to-head win over Miami, Virginia’s resilience, and Georgia Tech’s flawless run mean the league could send four teams to the College Football Playoff. Almost nobody predicted this before the season began. Duke still has a slim path, but with a 3–1 ACC record, it’s now a do-or-die stretch for the Blue Devils.

With upsets everywhere, the CFP race turns into a wild rollercoaster

College football Week 8 has shown that the CFP is anything but predictable. Nine ranked teams have lost, including Minnesota defeating No. 25 Nebraska 24-6 and Louisville surprising No. 2 Miami 24-21 on Friday night. And things didn’t slow down on Saturday either; seven more teams, from Utah to Ole Miss, lost. Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura of ESPN have already begun predicting the 12-team postseason. And honestly, it’s a complete mess. Memphis could still manage to qualify as the G5 representative, Lubbock is the center of attention due to BYU’s perfect record, and Georgia Tech vs. Miami might be a rematch right out of ACC chaos.

The ACC has been stealing the spotlight this week after some major shakeups. Despite their home loss, Miami still has a chance to qualify for the at-large playoffs because of its win over South Florida and Notre Dame. Georgia Tech and Virginia are unbeaten, while Louisville has an edge over Miami. For teams like Duke, it’s a crazy combination of do-or-die games. And if things go as it is, the league may send four clubs to the CFP. ACC might just become the surprise powerhouse of 2025. Well, nobody predicted this at the start of the season.

And the chaos doesn’t stop even beyond the Power Four. While Ohio State and Oregon are among the Big Ten’s top teams, Michigan, Illinois, and USC are all struggling, too. Memphis, Tulane, USF, and Boise State are also gearing up in the G6 races. Now every outcome counts, and every setback reshuffles the deck. But that’s the beauty of college football, keeping fans on the edge of their seats always.