Greg McElroy says ACC under pressure in Week 1 of 2025 college football season

The Headline Games

Clemson hosts LSU on Saturday in a blue-blood showdown. It will be a litmus test for Clemson's return to the national title conversation under quarterback Cade Klubnik. McElroy doesn't think that Clemson is under the same pressure as the rest of the conference because they should still be in a position to make the College Football Playoff despite a loss. However, it's a game that would certainly help the ACC if they can secure a win.

On Sunday, No. 6 Notre Dame travels to No. 10 Miami in a prime-time window on ABC. This game will immediately reveal how far the Hurricanes’ roster upgrades and portal additions have moved the needle for them. McElroy points out that a head-to-head win for Miami could help them later on if the committee needs to decide between the Hurricanes and the Fighting Irish.

Miami and Clemson enter the year as the top teams in the ACC, so it is obvious that they need at least one of these teams to win this weekend.

Potential Upset Bids

There's an SEC-ACC crossover elsewhere, too. Florida State opens at home against Alabama on Saturday. McElroy isn't predicting an upset here, but it would be beneficial to the ACC if the Seminoles can turn the program around.

"Bama at Florida State. Florida State — heavy underdog, but if they somehow pull that off, it would be enormous for the ACC."Greg McElroy

Virginia Tech vs No. 13 South Carolina in Atlanta was also a game McElroy mentioned. It's a neutral-site opportunity for the Hokies as they push to be better than last year (6-7 record). The other upset opportunity McElroy mentioned was Syracuse against Tennessee.

"Syracuse against Tennessee on Saturday. Huge opportunity for Syracuse. No one expects them to win, but if they somehow pull off the upset, think about how that would alter the perception of the league as a whole."Greg McElroy

Must-Win ACC Games In Week 1

If none of the upsets pan out, and Clemson and Miami are unable to get wins, McElroy points to the rest of the ACC slate for the conference to pick up wins in week 1. Georgia Tech at Colorado, Cal at Oregon State and North Carolina vs TCU are the games he mentioned that would show the depth of the conference.

"The perception right now is that the ACC is top-heavy. They have two legit teams, but the bottom of the league over the last few years has regressed mightily. If they can somehow pull off some stunners this weekend... that would go a long way in reestablishing the credibility of the ACC as a whole."Greg McElroy

The Rest of the ACC Slate

• East Carolina at NC State
• Elon at Duke
• Kennesaw State at Wake Forest
• Duquesne at Pitt
• Fordham at Boston College
• Eastern Kentucky at Louisville
• Coastal Carolina at Virginia
• East Texas A&M (FCS) at No. 16 SMU
• Stanford already lost to Hawaii, 23-20

Championships are not won or lost in Week 1, but perception means a lot in the world of college football. So, for the ACC, the opening week comes with added pressure.