ACC Football 2025 Predictions

ACC Championship: Clemson over Miami

1. Clemson

Clemson snapped a streak of three years without a playoff trip in 2024. Coach Dabo Swinney’s team returns nearly all of its main contributors and necessary pieces to make a run at the program’s first national title since ‘18.

Quarterback Cade Klubnik showed massive growth in his second full season as the starter. Over 14 games, Klubnik threw for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns and ran for 463 yards and seven scores. The senior is among the Heisman frontrunners this fall and will benefit from the development of a promising trio of receivers. TJ Moore, Bryant Wesco, and Antonio Williams headline one of the top groups of pass catchers in the nation. Clemson should also have one of the nation’s top lines with four starters returning. True freshman Gideon Davidson could lead the backfield in ‘25.

Clemson’s defense has slipped a bit since the departure of coordinator Brent Venables to Oklahoma. Coach Dabo Swinney took steps to return the Tigers’ defense to the top of college football by hiring veteran coordinator Tom Allen away from Penn State. Allen takes over a loaded group. Up front, TJ Parker and Peter Woods will contend for All-America honors, and the second level is stacked with Sammy Brown and Wade Woodaz returning. Cornerbacks Avieon Terrell and Ashton Hampton and safety Khalil Barnes are back to anchor the back end.

2. Miami

Miami’s 10-3 record in 2024 was the program’s best mark under coach Mario Cristobal. However, the season was also a missed opportunity. A late November loss to Syracuse cost the ‘Canes a chance to play for the ACC Championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Thanks to Cristobal’s outstanding recruiting, Miami has the potential to erase last year’s disappointment with another run at the postseason.

Miami must replace its top quarterback (Cam Ward), leading rusher (Damien Martinez), and its top five statistical receiving options from ‘24. However, this unit may not miss a beat if Georgia transfer quarterback Carson Beck is healthy after suffering a season-ending elbow injury in the SEC Championship. The Hurricanes can also lean on a standout offensive line and deep stable of running backs (headlined by Mark Fletcher). The receiving corps is expected to be a work in progress during the ‘25 season, but transfers CJ Daniels (LSU), Keelan Marion (BYU), and Tony Johnson (Cincinnati), and promising sophomore Joshisa Trader give Beck a solid group.

After giving up 30.8 points in ACC play and struggling to stop the pass, Cristobal revamped the defense this offseason by hiring Minnesota coordinator Corey Hetherman. Additionally, a handful of defensive backs from the portal were added to shore up a leaky secondary. A healthy year from defensive end Rueben Bain should make a big difference in the pass rush and overall play of the front. Optimism is high in Coral Gables for improvement on this side of the ball.

3. SMU

SMU won’t sneak up on the rest of the ACC after a surprising 11-3 finish and a trip to the College Football Playoff last year. However, coach Rhett Lashlee’s team has plenty of staying power - even against a tougher schedule and significant personnel turnover.

Quarterback Kevin Jennings is a big reason why the Mustangs can make another run at the ACC title. After taking over for Preston Stone early in the ‘24 campaign, Jennings emerged as one of the top signal-callers in the ACC by averaging 257.1 total yards a contest. With standout running back Brashard Smith and three key receivers departing, Jennings will have to shoulder more of the offensive focus in ‘25. Tight end RJ Maryland’s return from a season-ending injury is a boost to the passing attack.

With just two starters back, replicating last year’s defensive performance (No. 1 in the ACC in fewest points allowed) will be a huge challenge for coordinator Scott Symons. Reinforcements for the front are coming from the transfer portal, while Ahmaad Moses and Isaiah Nwokobia form one of the top safety duos in the nation. 

4. Louisville

Coach Jeff Brohm has returned Louisville to the top tier of the ACC with a 19-8 record over the last two seasons. The Cardinals are also 12-4 in conference play in that span. Despite some significant roster turnover (eight returning starters), Brohm’s ability to mesh transfers with returning personnel and a manageable schedule should allow this program to push for a spot in the ACC Championship.

Brohm’s track record of getting the most out of his quarterbacks will be put to the test once again in ‘25. USC transfer Miller Moss is talented but was also inconsistent at times last season. A fresh start in Louisville and the opportunity to learn from Brohm should aid in his development. Also, the Cardinals return one of college football’s deepest backfields with Isaac Brown and Duke Watson leading the way. Chris Bell, Caullin Lacy, and a handful of transfers form the foundation of a strong receiving corps. Brohm’s biggest concern on offense is up front on a rebuilt line. However, there’s a good mix of experience and potential impact additions from the portal.

Louisville has room to improve on defense after giving up 5.6 yards per play and struggling with big plays allowed in the secondary (19 completions allowed of 40-plus yards). Coordinator Ron English is counting on a handful of transfers to provide help on the back end. The strength of this unit is at linebacker with TJ Quinn and Stanquan Clark back in the mix.

5. Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets have posted back-to-back winning records (5-3) in ACC play for the first time since 2013-14. With the program on stable footing and nine returning starters, coach Brent Key’s team has its sights set on contending for a spot in the conference championship game.

Quarterback Haynes King battled injuries for a good chunk of the ‘24 season but still averaged 245.5 total yards a game under coordinator Buster Faulkner. With a full offseason to return to full strength, King is entrenched as one of the ACC’s top signal-callers. And he’s got plenty of help at the skill spots despite receiver Eric Singleton’s transfer to Auburn. Key landed a pair of receivers - Dean Patterson and Eric Rivers - from FIU in the portal to support Malik Rutherford on the outside. Also, the ground game is in great shape with first-team Athlon Sports’ All-ACC running back Jamal Haynes. A revamped line (three new starters) is the biggest concern.

Change on the defensive side is Georgia Tech’s biggest unknown for 2025. New coordinator Blake Gideon is a first-time play-caller, and there are holes to fill with only four returning starters. Linebacker Kyle Efford (64 tackles) and tackle Jordan van den Berg anchor the front. How Gideon handles some turnover in the secondary and develops the pass rush will determine just how much this unit can improve this fall.

6. Duke

The Blue Devils exceeded all preseason expectations last season with a 9-4 finish in coach Manny Diaz’s debut. Improving on nine victories won’t be easy with a schedule featuring non-conference games against Illinois and Tulane, along with ACC road trips to Syracuse, California, North Carolina, and Clemson. However, Duke has plenty of staying power in ‘25.

Tulane transfer Darian Mensah was one of the top quarterback additions of the offseason and is a big reason why the Blue Devils should improve on last year’s production (5.2 yards a play). A healthy Jaquez Moore will boost the ground attack after being limited to five games in ‘24. Four starters are back to form one of the ACC’s top offensive lines.

Despite dealing with major personnel turnover, Diaz maintained Duke’s solid level of defensive play from former coach Mike Elko. The Blue Devils held ACC teams to 5.01 yards a snap and tied for the conference lead in sacks (43) last year. With six starters back, expectations are high for this unit. Cornerback Chandler Rivers and safety Terry Moore are among the top returning defensive backs in the nation.

7. Florida State

From 13-1 and winning the ACC in 2023 to 2-10 last season, Florida State has experienced a crazy swing of performance in just two years. Last season’s disaster prompted coach Mike Norvell to make major staff changes and another hefty portal class is coming to Tallahassee to get the program back on track.

A lackluster offense (15.4 points a game) was primarily to blame for the ‘Noles decline. Whether it was lackluster play by the quarterbacks, poor performance by the offensive line, or receivers failing to get open, every area of the offense played a role. Solving all of the issues in one offseason is impossible, but Norvell took steps to find improvement by landing UCF head coach Gus Malzahn as the new play-caller and picked quarterback Thomas Castellanos (Boston College) from the portal to direct the offense. Expect transfers (Duce Robinson and Squirrel White) to improve the receiving corps, while portal additions from ‘25 could take four starting spots on the offensive line.

The offense wasn’t the only area Florida State underachieved last season. After limiting teams to 19.3 points a game in 2023, the Seminoles allowed 28 a contest and struggled to get off the field on third downs. New coordinator Tony White is one of the offseason’s top hires and won’t lack talent to generate improvement. Up front, Darrell Jackson and James Williams should be All-ACC performers. The linebacker play should improve thanks to transfers and the development of Omar Graham. Cornerback Jeremiah Wilson was a key spring pickup out of the portal.

8. Pitt

A promising 7-0 start for the Panthers quickly fell apart in 2024. Injuries to quarterback Eli Holstein and running back Desmond Reid played a major role in the team finishing on a six-game losing streak. With both players back this fall, exceeding last year’s win total is a reasonable expectation for coach Pat Narduzzi’s team.

Holstein and Reid form a dynamic duo for coordinator Kade Bell, but they should have help from a line returning three starters, along with a receiving corps that returns Kenny Johnson and Raphael Williams Jr. Taking better care of the ball (20 lost turnovers in ‘24) is a priority for this unit.

Narduzzi’s defenses are usually solid and that should be the case again in ‘25. Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles are back to form one of the nation’s top linebacker tandems. Junior Jimmy Scott (12.5 TFL in ‘24) anchors the edge, with Sean FitzSimmons and Nick James back to man the interior. After allowing only 5.2 yards a snap last year, concerns about this unit are minimal. But the Panthers must replace two starters in the secondary, including All-ACC safety Donovan McMillon.

9. North Carolina

All eyes in college football will be on Chapel Hill this season thanks to Bill Belichick’s arrival. Watching how Belichick’s lack of collegiate experience (especially in the portal and NIL era) and his x’s and o’s ability to get the most out of the roster is easily one - if not the No. 1 - storyline in the nation this year. The 73-year-old coach also reshaped the roster through the portal by bringing in over 40 transfers and has a favorable schedule for his debut in Carolina Blue.

When you combine the coaching change and significant roster turnover, this team is full of unknowns entering ‘25. One of the few certainties is likely to be at quarterback with South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez, while three starters are back up front. The Tar Heels will miss running back Omarion Hampton. Transfers must emerge at receiver to take the pressure off of Kobe Paysour.

The unknown theme continues on defense. Belichick’s ability to get the most out of the roster should shine here, especially as the Tar Heels bring back only two starters and are counting on a handful of transfers to make an instant impact. 

10. NC State

Last season’s 6-7 record was NC State’s first losing mark since 2019, but coach Dave Doeren still guided the program to its fifth straight bowl appearance. With new coordinators on both sides of the ball, along with the development of promising quarterback CJ Bailey, could the Wolfpack make a big jump in the ACC standings?

Sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey is Doeren’s biggest reason for optimism in ‘25. As a true freshman last year, Bailey threw for 2,413 yards and 14 touchdowns and finished sixth among ACC signal-callers in completion rate (64.9 percent). New play-caller Kurt Roper aims to take Bailey’s game to the next level and having talented pass catchers in tight end Justin Joly and receivers Noah Rogers and Justin Grimes can aid in that development. Running back Hollywood Smothers (571 yards in ‘24) is poised for a breakout year.

New coordinator D.J. Eliot inherits a defense that ranked 15th in the ACC in points allowed per contest (29.7) and is navigating significant offseason turnover in the secondary. Linebackers Caden Fordham and Sean Brown form a solid second level, while Temple transfer Tra Thomas could boost a pass rush that generated only 16 sacks in ACC play last season. 

11. Virginia Tech

The Hokies entered 2024 with high expectations and optimism following a 7-6 season. But instead of a step forward, injuries hit this team hard and coach Brent Pry’s team needed a late victory over Virginia on Nov. 30 just to get bowl eligible. Is a large transfer haul and staff changes enough for the program to show improvement in what could be a make-or-break year for Pry?

After battling injuries throughout the ‘24 season, a healthy year from quarterback Kyron Drones should be a huge boost for this offense under new coordinator Philip Montgomery. Additionally, the portal brought help for the skill spots. Running backs Terion Stewart (Bowling Green), Brayden Bennett (Coastal Carolina), and Marcellous Hawkins (Central Missouri), and receivers Cam Seldon (Tennessee) and Donavon Greene (Wake Forest) are impact pickups. How dynamic this offense is likely hinges on a line with five new starters.

Former NFL assistant Sam Siefkes takes over the defensive play-calling duties and a lengthy offseason to-do list. The Hokies bring back only two starters but added several intriguing pieces from the portal, including linemen Ben Bell (Texas State) and James Djonkam (Eastern Michigan) and defensive back Tyson Flowers (Rice). Virginia Tech allowed only 22.8 points a game last season but gave up too many big plays and struggled to get off the field on third downs.

12. Boston College

Bill O’Brien’s return to the college ranks resulted in a solid 7-6 debut for the Eagles last year. With a schedule that features nine bowl games, exceeding preseason expectations once again and challenging for a finish in the top half of the conference won’t be easy.

FIU transfer Grayson James took over the starting quarterback job in November last season and played well in his first extended action at Boston College. However, James isn’t guaranteed the job in ‘25, as Alabama transfer Dylan Lonergan impressed in the spring and the battle will continue into the fall. A rebuilt offensive line with three new starters looms as O’Brien’s biggest concern. The Eagles have capable weapons at the skill spots, including running backs Turbo Richard and Jordan McDonald, along with receivers Lewis Bond and Reed Harris.

The linebacker unit and defensive backfield should be the strength of Boston College’s ‘25 defense. Getting cornerback Amari Jackson back in the lineup after missing a chunk of ‘24 due to a knee injury is a huge plus for coordinator Tim Lewis. Question marks remain up front with the departure of standout end Donovan Ezeiruaku (16.5 sacks in ‘24).

13. Syracuse

First-year coach Fran Brown brought a much-needed spark to Syracuse last year and delivered one of the best seasons by a coach in his debut in ‘24. The Orange won 10 games for the first time since ‘18 and capped the year with a victory over Washington State in the Holiday Bowl. With arguably the toughest schedule in the ACC, replicating 10 wins again won’t be easy.

In addition to a brutal schedule, losing quarterback Kyle McCord to the NFL is another factor in a projected decline for Syracuse in ‘25. LSU transfer Rickie Collins won the battle to replace McCord in the spring, but Steve Angeli will arrive from Notre Dame to push for the job in the summer. Yasin Willis is poised for a breakout year as the team’s No. 1 back, with transfers expected to restock the offensive line and receiving corps. Losing top target Trebor Pena to Penn State in the spring was a setback.

Brown’s defense is also in transition with only three starters returning. Linebacker Derek McDonald and defensive backs Devin Grant and Duce Chestnut headline the top returners for coordinator Elijah Robinson. True freshman cornerback Demetres Samuel Jr. is poised to emerge as a key contributor on the back end. Improving the rush defense (5.3 yards a carry allowed in ACC games) is a priority.

14. Virginia

Virginia is coming off its best season (5-7) under coach Tony Elliott. However, with an 11-23 overall mark, the ‘25 campaign could be a make-or-break year for this staff. Fortunately for Elliott, the Cavaliers had a successful offseason with additions through the transfer portal to fortify the roster and make a push for six wins.

The list of impact transfers starts with quarterback Chandler Morris. The Texas native ranked seventh nationally (308.9 total yards a game) at North Texas in total offense a contest in ‘24 and should be the best quarterback for this program since Brennan Armstrong. North Carolina Central transfer J’Mari Taylor should team with Xavier Brown to form a solid one-two punch out of the backfield. Portal additions in Jayden Thomas (Notre Dame) and Jahmal Edrine (Purdue) restock a receiving corps looking to replace No. 1 target Malachi Fields. For this unit to take off, improvement is needed up front - a task made more difficult with a season-ending injury to tackle Monroe Mills in spring practice and a late transfer by Blake Steen.

Six starters return on a defense that allowed 30.8 points a contest in ACC play last year. Top safety Jonas Sanker will be missed, but the Cavaliers added help at every level through the portal. Adding talent and depth to the secondary was a priority with several additions joining the team in the spring. Improving a pass rush that managed only 19 sacks last season is also crucial.

15. California

The 2024 season provided plenty of roller coaster moments for California. The program won six games in their ACC debut last season but also lost five contests by one score. The in-season chaos carried into the offseason with a handful of key players transferring out of Berkeley, new coordinators on both sides of the ball, and former NFL coach Ron Rivera hired as general manager of the program.

New coordinator Bryan Harsin won’t have the luxury of working with quarterback Fernando Mendoza (transferred to Indiana) or running back Jaydn Ott (transferred to Oklahoma). But the Golden Bears still have plenty of intriguing pieces. Ohio State transfer Devin Brown will battle touted freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele to start in ‘25. Wilcox and Harsin rebuilt the skill positions through the portal, adding running backs LJ Johnson (SMU) and Kendrick Raphael (NC State) and receivers Jayden Dixon-Veal (Purdue), Jacob De Jesus (UNLV), Mark Hamper (Idaho/Wisconsin), and Quaron Adams (South Dakota). Portal additions will also be counted upon to improve a line that allowed 50 sacks in ‘24.

Defense wasn’t California’s problem last year. The Golden Bears held teams to 4.99 yards a snap and 22.3 points a contest. However, standout linebacker Teddye Buchanan leaves big shoes to fill on the second level, and cornerback Nohl Williams (seven interceptions in ‘24) will be missed. Just three starters are back, and similar to the offense, Wilcox landed a handful of transfers to push for snaps. 

16. Wake Forest

Dave Clawson leaves big shoes to fill on Wake Forest’s sideline after a successful 11-year run atop the program. New coach Jake Dickert thrived in a tough situation at Washington State, and although Clawson will be missed, new energy from the staff is not necessarily a bad thing for the Demon Deacons.

The offense is likely to be a work in progress with just two starters back for new play-caller Rob Ezell. Transfers are counted on to fill voids right away along a line that’s completely revamped, along with a receiving corps losing its top four players from last season. A pair of transfers - Robby Ashford and Deshawn Purdie - are likely to battle for the starting job under center. Regardless of which quarterback takes the snaps, Ezell should lean heavily on running back (and one of the ACC’s most underrated players) Demond Claiborne.

Dickert’s defense has plenty of question marks after giving up 32.5 points a contest in ‘24. However, this unit returns more experience and production than the offense, offering a chance for faster improvement under the new staff. Linebacker Dylan Hazen and defensive backs Nick Andersen and Davaughn Patterson headline the key returnees for new coordinator Scottie Hazelton.

17. Stanford

After coach Troy Taylor’s dismissal in the spring, Stanford’s hopes of improvement in ‘25 suffered a significant setback. Former NFL coach Frank Reich will guide this program on an interim basis this fall, with former Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck conducting a search for the full-time replacement.

The Cardinal averaged only 21 points in ACC play last season and need to show major strides to have any shot at a bowl. Promising redshirt freshman quarterback Elijah Brown takes the offensive reins after limited playing time in three games last year. Tight end Sam Roush should be among the best in the ACC at his position, and Brown should be able to lean on transfers CJ Williams (Wisconsin), Caden High (South Carolina State), and Jordan Onovughe (Colorado) to alleviate the loss of receiver Emmett Mosley V (transfer to Texas in the spring).

Losing lineman David Bailey to transfer (Texas Tech) was a setback in the spring, but the Cardinal still return six starters and a good bit of experience. Will that translate into improvement for co-coordinators Bobby April and Andy Thompson? Better play in the secondary would go a long way towards helping the overall unit. Stanford ranked 17th in the ACC in pass efficiency defense and surrendered 31 passing scores.