2025 Conference Preview & Predictions: ACC
By Simon Carroll
A team by team analysis of the ACC ahead of the 2025 season – with final standing predictions built using Pro Football Network’s CFB Playoff Predictor:
1. Clemson Tigers: 12-0 (8-0)
Is Clemson back?
Considering the Tigers have only had one non-double digit win season since 2010 (9-4, 2023), it seems a ridiculous question to ask. But a reluctance from Dabo Swinney to embrace the transfer portal and the new NIL era meant that Clemson lost a step. This maybe wasn’t ultra-evident in the ACC where they remain competitive, but certainly in the national picture.
Not so any more. 2024 may have not quite qualified as a definitive bounce-back year, but the Tigers did rally and end up winning the conference and returning to the playoffs. And now, with some strong focus on roster building, Clemson look like one of the most stacked programs in college football this year. Cade Klubnik returns as a top-five quarterback in the nation, and has elite receivers Antonio Williams and Bryant Wesco to work with. On the other side of the ball, they may have the best front-seven in the country, with TJ Parker, Peter Woods, DeMonte Capehart, Wade Woodaz and Sammy Brown ready to wreak havoc.
This team is my favourite to go all the way in 2025. So on those terms, yes; Clemson is well and truly BACK.
2. Louisville Cardinals: 10-2 (6-2)
This pick may be a little bit rich for some people’s taste, but if there’s one head coach I have the utmost faith in this season, it’s Jeff Brohm. Fresh from making Purdue look a contender in the Big Ten, Brohm returned to his alma mater in 2023 and immediately delivered double-digit wins and a spot in the conference championship game. He doubled down last year, adding another nine wins to his resume including beating Clemson. And considering the recruiting spree they’ve been on this offseason, it feels like Brohm and co. believe Louisville has a window to push for a playoff spot this year.
The biggest question mark comes at quarterback with Tyler Shough leaving for the NFL. Can Miller Moss be the guy everyone expected? His USC film suggests otherwise, but Brohm has the midas touch when it comes to the position. The offense has been bolstered by fourteen transfers, and running back Isaac Brown might be the best ball carrier in the conference.
There are question marks on defense. Have they been able to replace the pass rush they lost when Ashton Gillotte went pro? Clev Lubin comes in from Coastal Carolina, where he had 9.5 sacks as a sophomore. It’s also a tough schedule, but if things click then the Cardinals will be a tough team to beat.
3. Miami Hurricanes: 9-3 (6-2)
Mario Cristobal may have earned a reputation for elite recruitment versus dubious playcalling his first two years at Coral Gables. But, all things considered, Miami could not have been any closer to a playoff berth or a spot in the ACC title game last year. After starting 9-0 including big wins against Florida and Louisville, the Hurricanes agonisingly lost two of their last three games – by a sum total of nine points – to Georgia Tech and Syracuse. Respectable programs no doubt, but one that Cristobal’s expensive roster should have handled with so much on the line.
Expectations from a demanding fanbase and of course the bankrolling boosters will be maintained in 2025. Cristobal, to his credit, is aware of this, and pulled out all the stops to lure Carson Beck over from Georgia. He’ll be hoping the falloff from #1 overall draft pick Cam Ward will be minimal, but I’m not so sure; there’s a reason Beck resisted the urge of the NFL and opted for the easy money on offer in Miami.
To help Beck, Miami have given him a trio of new receivers to work with – including former Liberty standout CJ Daniels, who had an underwhelming 12 months at LSU. On defense, their secondary has been totally rebuilt, and some would argue not to the standard it was in 2024. But a healthy pairing of Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor will give their pass rush a jolt; it’s a new-look Miami this year, but I’m not sure there’ll be a significant shift in outcome. This is a program that can compete, but might not be quite good enough to take the next step.
4. Syracuse Orange: 8-4 (6-2)
What a season Fran Brown delivered his first year at Syracuse. A program that usually lingers in the bottom half of the conference standings, the Orange had themselves in ACC contention right through the year. Finishing with ten wins, it’s only the third time this century Syracuse have delivered a double-digit winning campaign.
Some factors to consider; a lot of that was to do with how well Kyle McCord acclimated after coming over from Ohio State. His 4,800 yards and 37 touchdowns are going to be tough to replace, particularly with an unproven QB in former LSU Tiger Rickie Collins. On top of that, the schedule was very kind to them in 2024, although Syracuse did make a mockery of that by beating big programs and dropping some games they would have earmarked as wins ahead of the year. This time round, things will be a lot tougher…
Their slate is the hardest in the conference, on the road at Clemson, SMU and Miami. They also welcome Tennessee and head to South Bend on their non-conference schedule. With only nine returning starters eight wins is a big ask, but Syracuse has one of the best young coaches at the helm. Keep an eye on junior wide receiver Darrell Gill, primed for a breakout year if the Collins gamble pays off.
5. Duke Blue Devils: 8-4 (6-2)
2024 was a very strong start for Manny Diaz, who had big shoes to fill taking over from Mike Elko at Duke. The Blue Devils probably overachieved last campaign, squeezing the best out of transfer quarterback Maalik Murphy to earn nine conference wins. A lot has changed roster-wise since they lost to Ole Miss in the Gator Bowl, but there’s enough promise here to assume the dropoff, if any, will be minimal.
The aforementioned Murphy departs for Oregon State, but Duke may have upgraded at quarterback, bringing in the highly touted Darien Mensah from Tulane. Mensah is a much more athletic QB than his predecessor, and will be working behind an improved o-line; big things are expected from this offense against what looks to be a reasonable schedule.
Seven starters return on defense, a unit that was extremely well-versed in getting to the quarterback last season. Wesley Williams, one of the stars of that pass rush, returns once more. But it’s the secondary that looks really promising, with Chandler Rivers and Terry Moore two of the best DB’s in the conference. Duke won plenty of close games last year, so naturally there might be something of a regression to the mean in 2025. That being said, it’s hard to poke holes in this roster, and Diaz will have them ready to go.
6. Florida State Seminoles: 8-4 (6-2)
Calling 2024 a let down would be a huge understatement for Florida State, who went from being outrageously omitted from a place in the playoffs the year before to just two wins last term. The well-renumerated Mike Norvell had enough credit in the bank to survive such a disastrous campaign, and no doubt his costly contract buyout would also have been factored in. Regardless, he still holds the keys to the Seminole truck, and will be expected to deliver a stark turnaround this year.
Quarterback was an unmitigated disaster for FSU last season. The DJ Uiagalelei experiment backfired spectacularly, and no combination of Brock Glenn or Luke Kromenhoek proved any better. There is little doubt that Thomas Castellanos, coming in from Boston College, will be an upgrade. But will he be good enough to have this program challenging for a conference title? The addition of offensive guru Gus Malzahn as OC could prove to be shrewd, although ‘Noles fans will look at his recent tenure at neighbours UCF and still have questions.
Many would argue the o-line was the real problem last year, and it looks like Norvell agrees – it has been totally rebuilt, and Castellanos has a quintet of new weapons to throw to. All those new faces need to mesh quickly. Defensively, this team was actually quite stout last year despite the record, and seven starters return. Their run defense will be the star of the show once again; eight wins seems both acceptable to fans and the coaching staff, and I think they hit it.
7. SMU Mustangs: 8-4 (5-3)
I’m not wild about this projection, but I’m passing some of the blame onto the PFSN predictor. SMU were one of the feel good stories of 2024, shocking the ACC their first year in the conference. They got to the title game, and despite losing were still considered good enough for a playoff spot, an incredible achievement for Rhett Lashlee. I find it all the more incredible when you consider the Ponies entered 2024 with Preston Stone at quarterback, and due to his inconsistent play quickly had to move on to Kevin Jennings. They did so whilst staying relevant, and Jennings became one of the most dangerous dual-threat QB’s in college football.
The return of Jennings, and the excitement for his ceiling in his junior campaign, is what SMU fans will be hanging their hat on in 2025. He has the emerging Jordan Hudson and star tight end RJ Maryland to work with, but loses Brashard Smith who shined after converting to running back from receiver. The passing game will be working behind a strong o-line that has a trio of names who will be expected to play on Sundays in the future.
Defense is my biggest concern for the Mustangs, who lose nine starters. The secondary seems fairly strong but the front seven has been entirely decimated. In a strong QB conference, that does not bode well. SMU would be forgiven for not matching the 11 wins they managed last year, but despite the prediction I would say an 8-4 record is the floor for this program.
8. North Carolina Tar Heels: 7-5 (4-4)
The Bill Belichick era begins in earnest in Chapel Hill. What that looks like year 1 is anyone’s guess, with plenty of questions to be answered. Does the seven-time Super Bowl winning head coach still have it? Can he replicate that success at the college level? And where do we think this program is based on a roster that has seen a Colorado-style makeover this offseason?
Because of this turnover, it’s difficult to choose something you can rely on. Gio Lopez comes in at quarterback from South Alabama where he was good if not great – Belichick will likely be happy with his ball security and turnover-shy style of play. Omarion Hampton departs for the NFL, but if there’s one position I’m not concerned about it’s running back – that group looks strong led by Davion ‘Bullet’ Gause, and with an experienced o-line you can expect a ground and pound offense from OC Freddie Kitchens.
More confusion reigns on defense, where it seems UNC are banking on their new head coach’s acumen on that side of the ball. Pass rush has unashamedly been imported in after this unit lost seven faces up front. But Smith Vilbert and Pryce Yates, both slated to start, have seventeen career sacks in seven years between them. I’d argue this is a total rebuild for Belichick who is looking to implement a model more akin with the professional game at Chapel Hill. If they get to a bowl game, they should consider year 1 a success.
9. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: 6-6 (4-4)
Brent Key is a man you cannot help but have total faith in as a leader of a football program. Spend an hour in a room with him and you’d want your son to play football for him. And, heading into year 4 at Georgia Tech, he’s doing well to keep the Yellow Jackets relevant in a conference that looks more and more stacked each season.
Key has made it a priority of building this roster from the trenches, with strong recruiting on the lines. This year the o-line loses some experience and will struggle to match just the 9 sacks allowed in 2024, but the young talent brings promise that this unit will remain one of the strongest in the ACC. Operating behind it once again is Haynes King, one of the toughest and most committed QB’s in the conference. Complemented by Jamal Haynes in the backfield, this offense is well balanced, even if it might not have the ceiling of their competitors.
There’s some change on defense, with coordinator Tyler Santucci heading to the NFL after improving this unit considerably. New DC Blake Gideon has a task on his hands maintaining a defense that held running games to 4.1 yards per carry in 2024 and allowing 343 yards per game, Tech’s best mark since 2008. The good news is they return eight starters, with interior lineman Jordan van der Berg one of the best in the business. Despite the growth and feel good factor in Atlanta, Key hasn’t been able to improve on 7-6, and I think that’s their level this year too. The groundwork is being done though; sooner or later the Yellow Jackets will take that next step.
10. NC State Wolfpack: 6-6 (3-5)
2024 felt like a slog for NC State, a season of ups and downs. Dave Doeren’s program couldn’t find any consistency, never winning or losing more than two games in a row all year. Ultimately, a .500 record was about right for what the Wolfpack delivered, even if it fell way short of expectations against a soft schedule. It also represented their head coach’s worst season since his first one back in 2013.
Perhaps the root of their struggles could be attributed to Grayson McCall, their transfer quarterback who struggled with injury and ultimately had to take medical retirement. True freshman CJ Bailey stepped in to the breach, and showed significant promise whilst taking his lumps. It’s his growth that NC State will be pinning their hopes on in 2025. Key to that happening will be a strong run game to work with as well as Justin Joly, who is the standout tight end in the conference.
An uncharacteristic showing from the Wolfpack defense in 2024 didn’t stop well-respected coordinator Tony Gibson from landing the Marshall job. He’s replaced by DJ Eliot, who will be expected to right the ship. In the offseason they’ve rebuilt the defensive line and look experienced in the front seven, but the secondary is considered a vulnerability. Up against a schedule that avoids Clemson, Louisville and SMU, it would not shock me to see the ‘Pack surpass this prediction, but competing at the top of the conference is probably a stretch.
11. Boston College Eagles: 5-7 (3-5)
Returning to the college ranks, Bill O’Brien delivered a bowl game his first season in Orchard Park. Quite how he did that I’m not sure, with as many underwhelming losses on the slate as there were impressive victories. Just matching that feat in year 2 looks to be a challenge, as the Eagles once again have one of the toughest schedules in the ACC and loses half of their starters from 2024.
Considering his benching after the Syracuse game, perhaps Boston College don’t consider the loss of Thomas Castellanos to FSU that devastating. Grayson James stepped in and salvaged their season, but he will likely be a backup again in 2025 as BC bring in Dylan Lonergan from Alabama. A former 4-star prospect who was recruited by O’Brien when he was employed down in Tuscaloosa, hopes are high despite the sophomore having just eight pass attempts on his resume. Considering this offense loses their top two running backs, there’s a lot of pressure on Lonergan’s young shoulders.
The Eagles’ defense shouldn’t see too much of a dropoff despite the loss of star edge rusher Donovan Ezeruike. Their secondary returns intact on a unit that impressed in Tim Lewis’ first year in charge. The only real concern is if their recruitment from the FCS level – where they brought in three edge rushers – can match what they’ve lost to the NFL. This team doesn’t seem to have moved the needle dramatically in either direction, and I sense a similar season in the offing.
12. Stanford Cardinal: 3-9 (3-5)
It has been a turbulent offseason in Palo Alto. Former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, hired in December as the team’s new General Manager, fired head coach Troy Taylor in April following two reports of misconduct towards female members of staff. Replacing the leader of your football program so late into the year is unorthodox and complicated, ultimately leading Luck to call up his former NFL Head Coach Frank Reich. Reich will be in charge in a temporary capacity for one year, a situation that is far from ideal.
The halcyon days where Luck was under center are long gone in Stanford. They were struggling before Taylor, didn’t improve during his tenure, and looks set for more of the same in 2025. Three wins in 2024 can be matched though, and they can spring an upset in the conference, which is why they sit above others with better overall records. Home games against Boston College, Pitt and the rivalry game against Cal probably represent their best bets in this regard.
There is some optimism for the future, even if it might not be seen in 2025. Quarterback Elijah Brown is a highly touted redshirt freshman who might win the job this year, along with running back Cole Tabb and a handful of receivers. There’s talent there, but little in experience. It’s the opposite on the other side of the ball, with many questioning if this defense can keep their ACC opponents at bay; it’s going to be a tough year for Stanford, but hopefully a campaign that is about setting themselves up for the future.
13. Pitt Panthers: 5-7 (2-6)
This is going to seem a harsh projection for a program that started 7-0 last year. But the way that Pitt capitulated down the stretch, culminating in a 7-6 record and a bowl loss to Toledo, suggests things are trending in the wrong direction. An injury to quarterback Eli Holstein, who had more than 2,200 yards passing through the first nine games of the season, played a factor, but the slide had already begun.
I do like some of the talent on either side of the ball though. Holstein can obviously sling it, and running back Desmond Reid is a devastating one-cut ball carrier who might lead the ACC in ground yardage. Defensively, Jimmy Scott could take a leap and be a consistent threat off the edge, and linebacker Kyle Louis brought more than a hundred tackles to the table in 2024. They are building blocks to work with.
Pat Narduzzi has been with the Panthers for more than ten years, and delivered good times to Pittsburgh. He’s only had two losing seasons in his tenure, but the schedule is sneaky tough – the bye weeks land before Louisville and Notre Dame, which won’t help them get a win at either. And there are tricky trips to Syracuse, Florida State and Georgia Tech too. Striving for a bowl game seems right for this program.
14. Virginia Tech Hokies: 4-8 (2-6)
The world seems a better place when Virginia Tech are a force in the ACC. Unfortunately, that has not been the case in the Brent Pry era, with the Hokies straddling the .500 mark the past two seasons. More of the same should be expected from a head coach who seems to endure his fair share of bad luck in close games; of the 21 losses the VT Coach has endured in his three-year tenure, 12 of them have been by one score or less.
Pry suffered further bad luck in 2024 when his quarterback room was beset by injury. Kyron Drones is expected to return and lead this team once more, but played through an MCL injury, stress fracture and turf toe in the nine games he led the Hokies last year. We’re still yet to see what he can truly achieve under center. They’ll need him to be at his best, as he operates behind a less experienced line with a mish mash of receivers, whilst losing star running back Bhayshul Tuten to the NFL.
It’s all change on defense, something expected after struggling mightily last year. Coordinator Chris Marve is out, replaced by a young up and coming Sam Siefkes, whose most recent experience is at the pro level. The Hokies welcome a host of transfers on this side of the ball, and it’s unclear if it is guaranteed to lead to improvement – the linebacker corps looks solid, but the d-line and secondary in particular look suspect. A middling schedule spares them, but it will be a tough ask to be playing after Christmas.
15. Virginia Cavaliers: 4-8 (1-7)
Does Tony Elliott have to get to a bowl game to keep his job in Charlottesville? A school that has modest expectations of it’s football program, it’s hard to suggest that Elliott is on the proverbial hotseat. That being said, 11 wins in your first three seasons at the helm isn’t a strong resume, particularly when your predecessor (Bronco Mendenhall) had 20 wins in the three years prior. So a postseason game, in whatever format it comes, would presumably be the bare minimum expected.
There’s a bit of excitement over UVA’s new quarterback when striving for that goal. Chandler Morris destroyed defenses at North Texas, throwing for 3,774 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2024. He’s leaving an Air Raid offense to join one more balanced under OC Des Kitchings, but the passing game should get an immediate jolt. Morris has a new cast of receivers to target after Virginia went out and raided Purdue and Notre Dame for talent. They’re also confident of a better running game in 2025, although that bar is fairly low considering recent form – no Cavaliers ball carrier has gone for more than 500 yards in six seasons.
I think it’s fair to acknowledge the optimism on defense too. Virginia have a strong linebacker corps, and have matched roster attrition with addition via the portal. For me, there are too many unknowns to fully buy in on the reconstruction, but they do have continuity with their coaches, which is not to be overlooked. Tony Elliott wont reach Bronco Mendenhall levels with this program, but a bowl game appearance is not a fantasy.
16. Cal Golden Bears: 4-8 (1-7)
Justin Wilcox has been at Berkeley for some time now, and the 6-7 record he hit in 2025 probably exemplifies the level he has achieved with Cal during the past eight years. If the pressure wasn’t already on to get Cal back to relevance in an alien conference, it certainly is now; Ron Rivera arrives as the new ‘General Manager’, and despite promising to work with his inherited head coach, he’ll be looking to make a change as soon as is reasonable.
Does that make Wilcox a lame duck or a man freed of pressure? There were signs of life in the Golden Bears in 2024 – they came out of the traps 3-4, but all of those losses were by one score (a 9-point differential). In another world this team could have been 7-0, but that was largely down to strong performances from their two elite offensive weapons, neither of which are on the team any more. The defection of quarterback Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) and Jaydn Ott (Oklahoma) is going to sting – Wilcox has opted for a RB committee to try and maintain the ground game, whilst the untested dual threat QB Devin Brown arrives from Ohio State. More questions than answers for new OC Bryan Harsin, it appears.
Things are a bit friendlier on defense, with eight starters returning. They also avoid Clemson and Miami, and their road tests seem manageable at least. I’ve got them at 4 wins which won’t cut it for their head coach, but if things click the scope for a better season gets bigger.
17. Wake Forest Demon Deacons: 4-8 (1-7)
It doesn’t seem that long ago that Dave Clawson had Wake Forest challenging at the pinnacle of the ACC, with Sam Hartman and his gorgeous hair pulling opponents apart with the ‘Slow Mesh’ offense. Wake have regressed a little, and those days seem well and truly gone with Clawson retiring. The good news is that the Deacs made a strong hire in former Wazzu head coach Jake Dickert, who will begin building the program in his own image this season.
Call me cynical, but someone who covered Auburn for a while is not going to be impressed by the addition of Robby Ashford; a quarterback who didn’t succeed on the Plains, nor at Oregon before that or South Carolina after. Winston-Salem represents his last shot at college ball, and I’d be shocked if he somehow changes the narrative. Everywhere you look on offense is a new face, with transfers starting at receiver, tight end and all across the offensive line. Star of this unit will likely be Demond Claiborne, who ran for over 1,000 yards in 2024 and should deliver similar numbers again.
A similar story on defense suggests up to eight transfers starting and at least twelve in the rotation. I’m confident in Dickert and his staff’s ability to coach up and build chemistry, but how quickly they can achieve that is unknown. If they can grab a couple of conference wins against a reasonable schedule, they could avoid the wooden spoon – but it’s about the future at Wake Forest rather than the present.
SIMON CARROLL
LEAD WRITER/HEAD OF CONTENT
PREVIOUSLY THE FOUNDER OF NFL DRAFT UK, SIMON HAS BEEN COVERING COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE NFL DRAFT SINCE 2009. BASED IN MANCHESTER, SIMON IS ALSO CO-CREATOR & WEEKLY GUEST OF THE COLLAPSING POCKET PODCAST AND COVERS THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FOR SB NATION.