The ACC sent two teams into last year’s College Football Playoff but had both ejected in the opening round, with Clemson losing to Texas and SMU to Penn State.
There’s reason to think the league could again put multiple teams in this year’s 12-team bracket, and this time win a game or two against the best of the best in the Bowl Subdivision.
Clemson leads the way heading into spring drills. The Tigers have the pieces to get back to the top of the conference and earn a top-four seed and opening-round bye. The ACC can tout additional playoff contenders in Miami, Louisville, Georgia Tech and SMU.
With practices set to begin this month, here’s our first shot at ranking the ACC for the 2025 season:
1. Clemson
The Tigers return the most production of any team in the Power Four, keyed by one of the nation’s most experienced quarterbacks in senior Cade Klubnik. On paper, Clemson is the best team in the ACC and a genuine contender for the national championship if Dabo Swinney can put all the pieces together.
2. Miami
Replacing Cam Ward won’t be easy, especially given the uncertainty around Georgia transfer Carson Beck and his recovery from last year’s arm injury. If healthy, Beck gives the Hurricanes a steady but far less vibrant starter to lead another talented roster. But there’s the matter of avoiding the surprising losses that have plagued the program in recent years.
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3. Louisville
Louisville’s potential breakthrough season in 2024 was undermined by a failure to win close games against elite competition. This is a deeper team buoyed by transfer additions at quarterback in former Southern California transfer Miller Moss, at wide receiver and along the defensive front.
4. Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech really needs a healthy Haynes King under center after he missed multiple starts to injury last season. The Jackets could also ride the motivation found in November’s eight-overtime rivalry loss against Georgia all the way to the ACC championship game.
5. SMU
Getting back into the playoff is certainly possible given how SMU returns a good chunk of the roster that took the ACC by storm as first-year conference members. But one reason why getting back into the field won’t be easy is a far tougher league schedule that includes home games against Miami and Louisville along with a road trip to Clemson.
6. North Carolina
The Bill Belichick era begins with UNC as the most scrutinized program in the ACC and broader Power Four. The Tar Heels are more talented than last year’s six-win mark would suggest and have brought in a solid transfer class, so the pieces are in place for a strong debut. A manageable schedule helps.
7. Duke
Twenty-six wins over the past three seasons — across two different head coaches — have reestablished Duke as an ACC player. With Tulane transfer Darian Mensah set to take over at quarterback, the Blue Devils will have to hit the ground running with non-conference games against Tulane and Illinois along with early conference matchups against Syracuse, Georgia Tech and Clemson.
8. Florida State
The Seminoles are going to rebound after posting a 2-10 record. But what’s a reasonable expectation for wins after a historically bad 2024 season? The lack of answers on offense and a questionable amount of proven depth will limit the Seminoles, but this is a team capable of rallying toward ACC contention.
9. Virginia
North Texas quarterback transfer Chandler Morris will give Tony Elliott and the Cavaliers a huge boost as a reliable and experienced passer. In addition to a smooth non-conference slate, Virginia misses Clemson, Miami, Georgia Tech and SMU. The pieces are coming together for a possible eight-win season.
10. Pittsburgh
Losers of six in a row to end last season, Pittsburgh is one of the biggest wild cards in the ACC heading into spring drills. The Panthers have a very promising young quarterback in sophomore Eli Holstein and will need high-profile defensive transfers from Ohio State, Oregon and elsewhere to make an immediate impact.
11. Syracuse
The Orange hope for staying power under second-year coach Fran Brown after winning four in a row to end last season and finishing No. 22 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. But losing quarterback Kyle McCord after his eye-popping 2024 campaign will make it hard for coordinator Jeff Nixon’s system to repeat last year’s fireworks.
12. Boston College
Bill O’Brien did a good job steering Boston College into the postseason in his first year despite not being hired until early February. Winning another six games will take some reworking of the defense, which finished last year ranked fifth in the league in scoring. The Eagles will have to cobble together a way to replace star lineman Donovan Ezeiruaku.
13. North Carolina State
N.C. State has become one of the more unpredictable teams in the Power Four. Dave Doeren’s track record as coach says last year’s five-win finish was an anomaly. But the state of the roster suggests another year hovering around bowl eligibility. For now, Doeren gets the benefit of the doubt.
14. Virginia Tech
Pegged for the Top 25 as a dark-horse playoff contender heading into last August, the Hokies never got off the ground and barely squeezed into the postseason. One big key is the return of quarterback Kyron Drones after an injury-plagued year. He’ll have help up front and in the backfield via a large transfer class.
15. Wake Forest
Wake heads into a new era under first-year coach Jake Dickert. He’s added a group of transfers from Washington State to fill out the depth chart, which should help the transition. A perfect mark against an easy non-conference schedule could get the Demon Deacons to a bowl game.
16. California
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza transferred to Indiana, dealing a brutal blow to the Golden Bears’ odds of betting back to six wins and a bowl game. Of their first five games, three come away from home – at Oregon State, San Diego State and Boston College – and a fourth is against a potentially strong Minnesota team.
17. Stanford
Stanford is making incremental progress under coach Troy Taylor but are at least another year away from competing with the top half of the conference. One positive to watch is the development of second-year quarterback Elijah Brown as the full-time starter.