ACC Football 2025 Season Preview: It’s Clemson, and then everybody else

It’s Year 2 of the ACC’s 17-team football alignment. In Year 1, the conference produced two playoff teams, Clemson and SMU.

While there may be some interesting storylines heading into the 2025 season, I don’t see the ACC doing any better than two teams making the CFP field.

It’s possible that the league could only see one team playing meaningful postseason football, rather than exhibition bowl games, which are becoming even more irrelevant.

Clemson appears to be poised to make another CFP appearance, but after the Tigers, there are just plenty of question marks from the rest of the league to predict an obvious playoff caliber team.

So, here we are, late June, in the midst of a heat wave.

No better time than to do an ACC Summer Power Rankings.

1. 

   Clemson. This is an easy pick. The Tigers snapped a three-year absence from the playoffs with a trip in 2024. Clemson returns nearly every player who contributed or in 2024.

Quarterback Cade Klubnik threw for more than 3,600 yards and 36 touchdowns last year, and ran for 463 yards. Klubnik is on everyone’s Heisman watch list and has an impressive group of receivers to throw to.

Worth noting: Clemson’s game at North Carolina will have a coaching matchup that pits the Tigers’ Dabo Swinney, a coach with multiple FBS national titles, against UNC’s Bill Belichick, a coach with multiple Super Bowl titles.

Prediction: 8-0 ACC, 11-1 overall.

2. 

   Miami. The Hurricanes were 10-3 last season under coach Mario Cristobal, his best mark in three years as head coach.

However, the season was viewed as a missed opportunity due to a late-season collapse, culminating in a loss to Syracuse.

The loss cost Miami a chance to play for the ACC Championship and a spot in the CFP.

The Hurricanes lost quarterback Cam Ward, but the transfer portal proved to be pure gold for the ‘Canes, as they lured Georgia QB Carson Beck to South Florida, along with some talented offensive players.

The Miami defense was revamped during the spring under new defensive coordinator Cory Hetherman.

This might be the year Miami provides the ACC with another heavy-hitter.

Worth Noting: Miami opens the season with four straight non-conference games and doesn’t play an ACC contest until Oct. 4.

Prediction:  8-0 ACC, 11-1 overall.

3. 

   Louisville. Cardinals coach Jeff Brohm has returned Louisville to the top tier of the ACC, posting a 19-8 record over the past two seasons, including a 12-4 conference record.

Brohm can mesh transfers with returning personnel and will have that challenge waiting this season, when Southern Cal transfer QB Miller Moss is in the pocket for the Cardinals.

A talented backfield will help Moss, as leading rushers Isaac Brown and Duke Watson return.

Worth noting: Louisville plays eight home games, including all four non-conference matchups.

Prediction: 6-2 ACC, 10-2 overall.

4. 

   SMU. The Mustangs were 11-3 last season and appeared in the College Football Playoff—nice pickup by the ACC.

SMU won’t be sneaking up on anyone this season, and coach Rhett Lashlee had significant offseason turnover.

However, the return of quarterback Kevin Jennings is a significant reason the Mustangs remain a conference contender.

The SMU defense could be key. After allowing the fewest points in the ACC last season, the Mustangs return just two starters. But the transfer portal saw SMU gain some impressive names, including highly regarded safeties Ahmaad Moses and Isaiah Nwokobia.

Worth Noting: A killer schedule, that includes an ACC Championship game rematch with Clemson, and non-conference games with TCU and Baylor.

Prediction: 5-3 ACC, 8-4 overall.

5. 

   Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are on the rise, having posted back-to-back winning records (5-3) in the ACC for the first time in a dozen years.  Georgia Tech has numerous returning starters on both sides of the ball, and coach Brent Key has the program on stable ground.

Quarterback Haynes King is one of the conference’s leading signal-callers, and he has plenty of skill players around him.

The Yellow Jackets are thisclose to being a serious ACC title contender.

Worth noting: A favorable schedule that has GT avoiding both SMU and Miami.

Prediction: 5-3 ACC, 8-4 overall.

6. 

   Duke. The Blue Devils were 9-4 last season in coach Manny Diaz’s debut. If Duke holds serve on that record, they may be in the market for a new coach for the 2026 season.

Diaz secured one of the top quarterback transfers in Tulane’s Darian Mensah and has a solid running back in Jaquez Moore.

The Duke defense was solid last year and returns seven starters.

Worth noting: Duke has two open dates in October. The Blue Devils first road game is at Tulane, where their starting QB, Mensah, previously played.

Prediction: 5-3 ACC, 8-4 overall.

7. Florida State. From 13-1 and winning the ACC in 2023 to 2-10 in 2024.

Where do the Seminoles go this season? It better be up if coach Mike Norvell wants to stay in Tallahassee. FSU acquired former Boston College QB Thomas Castellanos from the transfer portal, as well as former Central Florida coach Gus Malzahn as its new offensive coordinator.

Worth Noting: Norvell, like most coaches who are on the hot seat, replaced both his offensive and defensive coordinators. Malzahn is on the offensive side, while Tony White is the new DC.

Prediction: 4-4 ACC, 7-5 overall.

8. 

   North Carolina. All eyes in college football will be on North Carolina this year. The reason? Bill Belichick’s arrival.

This could be very interesting in Chapel Hill, or it could be horrid. Belichick’s lack of college experience, navigating the transfer portal, and his ability to maximize the potential of his roster will be put to the test.

And there’s that other distraction to consider.

UNC has more than 45 transfer players on the roster. How quickly they can mesh together will be the key.

Worth noting: Bill Belichick.

Prediction: 4-4 ACC, 7-5 overall.

9. 

   Pitt. After a 7-0 start to begin the 2024 season, the Panthers collapsed down the stretch, losing their final six games.

Injuries to QB Eli Holstein and running back Desmond Reid played a considerable role in the 0-6 finish, but both are healthy to begin the 2025 slate.

Coach Pat Narduzzi has a solid defense returning, which may be the key for the Panthers.

Worth noting: A brutal schedule that features Notre Dame, Florida State, Miami, and Georgia Tech.

Prediction: 4-4 ACC, 6-6 overall.

10. 

    Virginia. The Cavaliers are coming off their best season (5-7) under Tony Elliott. However, with an 11-23 overall mark with Elliott, the 2025 season will be the make-or-break year for Elliott and staff.

On paper, Virginia had a strong offseason with the transfer portal, with the most significant upgrade at quarterback.

Chandler Morris, a transfer from North Texas, will be the signal-caller.  Morris ranked seventh nationally in passing last season and will be the best quarterback Virginia has seen since Brennan Armstrong.

Defensively, UVA will miss Jonas Sanker, but the Cavaliers improved at almost every defensive position in the offseason.

Worth noting: Virginia will play seven home games, with four of those scheduled to take place before the end of September.

Prediction: 4-4 ACC, 6-6 overall.

11. Boston College. Bill O’Brien’s return to college football coaching led the Eagles to a 7-6 mark last year. That may be hard to duplicate this season.

BC will have 10 bowl teams on the schedule this year, and a transfer at QB in Dylan Lonergan from Alabama.

Worth Noting: Clemson, Notre Dame, and SMU are on Boston College’s schedule.

Prediction: 3-5 ACC, 5-7 overall.

12. 

    Virginia Tech. The Hokies entered the 2024 season with high expectations, but instead took a significant step backward. Tech needed a regular-season win over Virginia to get bowl-eligible. VPI head coach Brent Pry finds his seat plenty hot as he enters the 2025 campaign.

Tech had a good transfer portal season and made significant coaching changes over the offseason.

The Hokies do return quarterback Kyron Drones, but have they added enough help on both sides of the ball?

Worth noting: Tech faces a challenging schedule. South Carolina and Vanderbilt highlight non-conference play, while Miami, FSU and Louisville will be tough ACC foes.

Prediction: 3-5 ACC, 5-7 overall.

13. 

    NC State. Last season’s 6-7 record was the Wolfpack’s first losing record since 2019.

NC State has new coordinators on both sides of the ball, and a promising quarterback, C.J. Bailey, could be the key this year.

Last season, Bailey, as a true freshman, passed for more than 2,400 yards and 14 TDs.

Defensively, the Wolfpack must see drastic improvement. Last season, NC State ranked 15th in the league in points allowed.

Worth noting: The season opener. A Thursday night game against in-state rival East Carolina in Raleigh. The game’s a rematch of the 2024 Military Bowl, where ECU won, 26-21.

Prediction: 2-6 ACC, 4-8 overall.

14. Syracuse. In 2024, Syracuse, under first-year coach Fran Brown, won 10 games for the first time since 2018, including a victory over Washington State in the Holiday Bowl.

But that was last year. With perhaps the most demanding schedule in the ACC, getting anywhere near 10 wins won’t be easy.

In addition to a brutal schedule, losing QB Kyle McCord to the NFL is another huge blow.

Syracuse returns only two starters on defense, with freshmen expected to carry a considerable load for the team.

Worth noting: The schedule for Syracuse this season includes road games at Tennessee, Clemson, SMU and Notre Dame.

Prediction: 2-6 ACC, 3-9 overall.

15. 

    Cal. The Golden Bears won six games in their ACC debut; however, some key players transferred out of the program. Cal will have new coordinators on both sides of the ball, and a former NFL coach, Ron Rivera, has been hired as the program’s GM.

Cal’s quarterback from last season, Fernando Mendoza, transferred to Indiana, while the defense suffered key transfer casualties as well.

Worth noting: Watching the effect of Ron Rivera take shape as the program’s foundation.

Prediction: 2-6 ACC, 2-10 overall.

16. Wake Forest. Dave Clawson decided the mountain was too big to climb at Wake. Clawson leaves big shoes to fill after 11 strong years in Winston-Salem. New coach Jake Dickert knows about tremendous obstacles, having thrived in a similar situation at Washington State.

Dickert inherits an offense with just two returning starters and a defense that is almost as bare. But that’s not a bad thing, as last year Wake surrendered over 32 points a game.

Worth noting: Wake will play games on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday this season.

Prediction: 1-7 ACC, 3-9 overall.

17. 

    Stanford. Stanford dismissed coach Troy Taylor in the spring, with former NFL coach Frank Reich leading the program on an interim basis this fall. The Cardinal GM, Andrew Luck, will search for a full-time replacement this year.

Stanford struggled to score last season, and with a patchwork offense, this issue could persist this season.

The football rebuild is just starting in Berkley.

Worth noting: Stanford will earn a bunch of airline points this season. With games at Virginia, Miami and North Carolina. Throw in a game at Hawaii as well.

Prediction: 0-8 ACC, 2-10 overall.