Joel Klatt updates his prediction for ACC championship game

Through five weeks of the 2025 college football season, No. 17 Georgia Tech, No. 24 Virginia and Duke are the three lone teams with a 2-0 record in ACC play. Who could have predicted that back in August?

The preseason expectation was that Clemson and Miami would meet in the title game, with both the winner and loser going to the College Football Playoff no matter what. That is certainly more than on the table for the ‘Canes, as they sit at No. 3 in the country ahead of their ACC opener against Florida State this weekend. Meanwhile, Clemson is 1-3 and 0-2 in ACC play.

Even before last week, Florida State and Miami became a trendy pick to meet in both the regular season and the ACC title game following FSU’s season-opening win over Alabama. The Seminoles were, however, knocked off at Virginia last Friday night, completely scrambling the picture. Because of this, FOX Sports‘ Joel Klatt revised his ACC Title game picks on this week’s edition of ‘The Joel Klatt Show‘.

“In the ACC, this one’s a little more difficult,” Klatt said. “Why? Because of Florida State‘s loss to Virginia last weekend. I think that you can see Miami and Florida State, which play this week, the loser of that game still getting into the ACC Championship Game. But now, if the loser is Florida State, they would have two ACC losses.”

Klatt predicts Georgia Tech vs. Miami in ACC Championship Game

“Meanwhile, Georgia Tech is still undefeated and Haynes King (who’s just an absolute warrior) is running for 100 yards against every Power-Four opponent they’ve played,” Klatt continued. “I think Georgia Tech would have a really good chance. Their schedule in the ACC is easier than Florida State or Miami‘s schedule in the ACC.

“So, I think that Georgia Tech could go to this thing and play this week’s winner. Let’s go with Miami. So if Miami wins this week they’d be undefeated and Georgia Tech would get into that ACC Championship Game. Again, not a foregone conclusion that Miami and Florida State will rematch because of how those schedules or lined up. I think Miami would win that game (against Georgia Tech) and be the ACC Champion.”

Georgia Tech, sitting nicely at 5-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play, is not scheduled to face a ranked ACC opponent in any of its final six conference games. Miami, which has yet to face an ACC opponent, still has challenging games against Louisville and SMU on the schedule following its matchup against Florida State.