Is it too harsh to suggest that the ACC brings the least to the table from the Power 4 conferences?
Sure, Clemson has generally been rock solid for the past decade and a half, but beyond that the rest of the league certainly isn’t pulling its weight consistently enough. By comparison, the SEC and Big Ten are just plainly stronger conferences from top to bottom, and what the Big 12 may lack in top tier strength right now it makes up for in parity and balance.
In fairness, the league is trying. The recent expansion to add SMU to the fold shows that money can buy happiness if you have enough of it, and the ACC isn’t afraid to accept it. That’s the game to be played these days. And the conference settling the legal battle that nearly reached a boiling point with Florida State last year does show some commitment to trying to run with the big dogs of college athletics.
But at the end of the day, Commissioner Jim Phillips’s comments ring true: “viewership ends up being: Go put a good team together…”.
The ACC has enough big brands to make things work. Those big brands need to show up when it matters and be a product that the country wants to watch.
Embed from Getty ImagesTeams I Like
Clemson
As hard as it may be for some to admit, the Tigers have a scary team heading into this season. There are effectively no major weaknesses on the defensive side of the ball, and offensively the only question mark surrounds the running back corps, which is only unproven, not lacking for talent. Cade Klubnik is hovering just under the radar when it comes to who the general public is considering a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate, but that probably won’t last for long.
Unlike many of the other national title contenders coming into this season, Clemson’s roster does not feature the plethora of transfer portal talent brought in to immediately fill known gaps. Instead, Dabo Swinney has continued to trust his own process and buck the trend that so many other head coaches have no choice but to follow. It’s easy to make fun of and criticize when it isn’t working, but Swinney may be the one with the last laugh come mid-January 2026.
Florida State
In 2024 the Seminoles suffered through their worst season since 1974, two seasons before Bobby Bowden showed up in Tallahassee. It was as if the hangover from the 2023 CFP snub lingered with Florida State into last year, as the Seminoles were stuck in neutral from the onset (season opening upset loss to Georgia Tech) and never shifted into drive. While Mike Norvell lost control of that locker room at some point last season, I am still a believer in him as a coach and feel that he has the chance to orchestrate a turnaround for the ages in 2025.
Norvell made wholesale changes, replacing both his OC and DC with proven winners. Gus Malzahn should be able to do great things with Thomas Castellanos at quarterback, one of my favorite players in the ACC over the past couple of years, and the offensive line is suited towards Malzahn’s run first approach. If new DC Tony White can work similar magic on the defensive side, I think the Seminoles have an outside shot of going from worst to first in the conference this season.
Louisville
The Cardinals were right there in 2024, never losing by more than a touchdown in their four defeats last season. Despite losing Tyler Shough to the NFL, Louisville may actually be in better shape at the position with Miller Moss, who didn’t work out at Southern Cal but has the arm to be deadly within Jeff Brohm’s offense. As opposed to last season, Moss will throw behind an experienced offensive line and one that will pave the way for one of the most underrated players in the country, running back Isaac Brown.
Similar to last season, Louisville will likely have to win some shootouts to remain relevant nationally, and it is difficult win games against good teams when you have to score 40+ points. The Cardinals appear to have the offensive personnel to do it, though, and could end up being one of the biggest surprises in the country this season, let alone the ACC.
Embed from Getty ImagesNot High On
Miami (FL)
I liked the Hurricanes to surprise last season thanks to the addition of Cam Ward. So why am I not high on Miami this season, given their similar portal pickup (Carson Beck from Georgia) and seemingly stronger defense? For one, I don’t believe in Beck the way I did Ward. The senior regressed somewhat last year at Georgia, and without a go-to wide receiver I would not be surprised if the Hurricanes get something closer to the 2024 version of Beck than the 2023 version, which is what had many assuming he’d already be in the NFL by now.
I am also wary of the schedule that Miami has to navigate, which starts tough (against Notre Dame) and doesn’t really let up, with trips to Florida State and SMU accompanying home dates against Florida and Louisville. The general consensus is that anything less than a Playoff bid would be a disappointment for the Hurricanes this season. If that’s the case, then I’m calling for disappointment.
North Carolina
On paper, the Tar Heels did a nice job navigating what were the difficult tasks of replacing a lot of key pieces on the offense and finding a solution for a lackluster defense. The pieces brought in for the offense have the ability to fill gaps just fine, and the defense should be improved if only because Bill Belichick understands that side of the ball as well as anyone in the game ever has. But that is where my positivity about this team ends.
College football is an entirely different animal than the pros. It isn’t enough to just go out and coach – there’s a reason more than a few former collegiate coaches have found success in politics as a second career. I have my doubts that Belichick is going to play the game that needs to be played even in-season, and if things go South they may go that directly quickly. Even with a somewhat favorable schedule, I figure the Tar Heels are more likely to flirt with bowl eligibility than they are to flirt with a Playoff bid.
Embed from Getty ImagesPlayers To Watch
Cade Klubnik, Clemson quarterback
Overshadowed by other quarterbacks last season, Klubnik quietly put together an excellent junior season, trailing just Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders nationally in terms of total touchdown passes and bettering them both with just six interceptions in 2024. Unlike the other two, Klubnik has decided to run it back for his senior season, which may just end with him capturing both personal and team hardware at the end of it.
Whereas some of the other top quarterbacks in the country will be required to create more on their own, Klubnik won’t have to, with one of the best wide receiving corps in the nation featuring two All-American level wideouts at his disposal. He is also mobile enough to buy time, but will be playing behind what figures to be one of the best O-lines in the country as well. In short, everything is setting up for Klubnik to improve upon last season, which is scary to think about.
T.J. Parker, Clemson defensive end
The ACC’s top returning sack and tackles for loss getter is a demon on the Clemson defensive line, and a main reason why the Tigers should have one of the most potent fronts in terms of creating havoc for opposing offensive lines this season. He is incredibly versatile, with enough speed to beat his man around the end to get to the quarterback, but also strong enough to cut through the teeth of the offensive line and create pressure up the middle.
Parker is poised to upgrade his second-team All-American selection from last season, adding to an already decorated collegiate career that includes freshman All-American honors two seasons ago. Along with linemate Peter Woods, Parker creates nightmares for opposing offensive coordinators looking for a way to simply contain him, since total neutralization does not seem realistic.
Haynes King, Georgia Tech quarterback
King is the textbook definition of a dual threat option at quarterback, finishing eighth in total offense in the ACC last season despite missing two games entirely and playing sparingly in a few others. Second in the conference amongst quarterbacks in rushing yards in 2024, King does tend to tuck it and run more quickly than would be expected of a guy who is as accurate throwing as he is (ACC best 72.9 percent completion percentage last season), but Georgia Tech’s offense is at its best when he can be free flowing in his decision making.
It will be interesting to see how assertive he is in the run game this season, as injuries limited his playing time in 2024 and the Yellow Jackets were understandably a different team offensively without his services. With Georgia Tech looking to take a step forward in the ACC this season, protecting King may equate to less running. But it will be a delicate balance, as that portion of his game is crucial to the team’s success.
Isaac Brown, Louisville running back
Brown is being pegged as having All-American potential coming into this season, but still might be the most underrated skill position player in the country, let alone in the ACC. As a true freshman last season, Brown’s 90.2 rushing yards per game were fourth in the conference behind three guys that will be playing on Sundays this season (Omarian Hampton, Bhayshul Tuten, Brashard Smith). Unlike those now pros, Brown did more with less, at least in terms of carries. The 165 rushing attempts by Brown last season were the eleventh best in the ACC, but his 7.11 yards per carry were third best, better than those three aforementioned rushers.
One of the biggest assets for Brown is the presence of a sparring partner in the backfield. Fellow sophomore Duke Watson had almost 600 yards rushing himself in 2024 and together they will provide an opportunity to keep each other rested and healthy throughout the season. Brown’s breakaway speed makes him the most dangerous of the duo, but expect both guys to continue gashing opposing defenses with long carries this season.
Terion Stewart, Virginia Tech running back
Stewart will look to follow closely in the footsteps of Bhayshul Tuten, the former Hokies running back which parlayed success at a smaller program into an excellent career in Blacksburg before being drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars this past spring. Like Tuten, Stewart is a bit smaller in stature at just 5’9”, but is thicker than Tuten at around 220 pounds. That size served him well at Bowling Green, where he rushed for over 2,300 yards in two seasons.
At Virginia Tech, Stewart should receive a lot more attention from the national media and will be just as important to his offense as he was in Northwest Ohio. It would not be surprising at all if he has a Tuten-like comeuppance this season and is vying for national awards by the end of the season.
Embed from Getty ImagesGames to Watch (Conference)
Clemson at Georgia Tech (September 13)
This is a really difficult ACC opener for two teams with conference title aspirations. How successfully Haynes King is able to operate against what should be one of the country’s top defenses is one of the most intriguing unknowns of the early season.
Louisville at Pittsburgh (September 27)
As I have alluded to earlier in this preview, I am high on the Cardinals, and this one should serve as a litmus test as to whether or not it was a good call. The Panthers are always tough at home and have enough talent defensively to stifle what I believe will be a potent Louisville offense.
Miami (FL) at Florida State (October 4)
It just feels right to list this rivalry as one of the most important contests on the ACC slate. The quarterback battle between Carson Beck and Thomas Castellanos features two of the best in the conference, but the coaching dual in this one is just as interesting.
SMU at Clemson (October 18)
A rematch of last season’s ACC title game takes place at a crucial point in the ACC schedule. The Mustangs travel away from Dallas for the first time in almost a month for this one, while Clemson comes home following a road trip similar in length.
Miami (FL) at SMU (November 1)
Incredibly, the Hurricanes do not leave the state of Florida until the month of November this season. The first trip away from the Sunshine State is a big one, though there is a good chance that we’ll already know a good bit about Mario Cristobal’s Playoff chances at this point. If Miami is still in that conversation, this has Game of the Week potential.
Clemson at Louisville (November 14)
This figures to be Clemson’s most difficult ACC road test of the season, and it falls on a Friday night to boot. The atmosphere will be good in Louisville and there won’t be much else on to prevent total concentration on this one.
Louisville at SMU (November 22)
The Cardinals face a tough stretch in November, having to regroup quickly after what should be an emotional Clemson game at home just eight days prior to this one. The Mustangs, meanwhile, enjoy a bye week in preparation and might be at a measurable advantage as a result.
Embed from Getty ImagesGames to Watch (Non-Conference)
Alabama at Florida State (August 30)
Neither team met the expectations of their fan base last season, so from a seat temperature perspective this one will feel particularly important for both head coaches. Both the Crimson Tide and Seminoles are debuting new quarterbacks this season, and the outcome of this game is likely to drive some overreactions from the media.
Georgia vs. Georgia Tech [game in Atlanta] (November 28)
Last year’s version of Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate resulted in the FBS record for most overtimes in a game. This year’s version figures to be just as hotly contested. The Yellow Jackets nearly upset Georgia in 2024, should be even better in 2025 and head coach Brent Key has a knack for beating ranked opponents (unbeaten against them in ACC play).
Florida State at Florida (November 29)
Both programs will have already been through the gauntlet leading up to this one, but with the talent that each possess there is still a decent chance that this game will mean something from a national perspective. Post-Thanksgiving weekend is better when it does, so here’s to hoping.
Embed from Getty ImagesAw, Shuck It (3 Bets to Place)
*odds via DraftKings at time of publication. Around The Corn is not responsible for lost bets!
Clemson Wins National Championship (+1000)
Perhaps the stock that Dabo Swinney told people to hold onto was for the 2025 campaign. The Tigers look the part of a preseason national title contender, and their association with the ACC gives them a bit of an advantage over teams in the SEC and Big Ten which may get banged up just trying to make it to the Playoff.
Injuries of course are difficult to predict, but if Clemson can stay healthy, they’re right there in the conversation as the best team in the country.
Florida State Makes College Football Playoff (+1400)
I was not high on the Seminoles coming into last season, and now I’m telling you to bet on them to make it to the Playoff.
Maybe it’s too far a stretch for you, but I like Thomas Castellanos, I like Mike Norvell and the schedule sets up for Florida State possibly only needing to split its four toughest games of the season to make this a reality.
Isaac Brown Wins Doak Walker Award (+2000)
At +2000 odds, the juice is worth the squeeze because running backs are so often banged up throughout the season that it makes it difficult for the favorites to survive unscathed (case in point: current favorite Jeremiyah Love struggled to stay healthy in last season’s Playoff).
Outside of rare situations like Penn State where there are not one but two guys on the depth chart capable of winning this award, you’re effectively betting on a guy to make it through 12 games uninjured.
Embed from Getty ImagesPredictions
- Clemson (11-1, [7-1])
- Florida State (9-3, [7-1])
- SMU (8-4, [6-2])
- Pittsburgh (8-4, [5-3])
- Georgia Tech (8-4, [5-3])
- Miami (FL) (7-5, [5-3])
- Duke (6-6, [5-3])
- Virginia Tech (7-5, [4-4])
- Louisville (8-4, [4-4])
- North Carolina State (7-5, [4-4])
- Syracuse (6-6, [4-4])
- Boston College (4-8, [3-5])
- California (5-7, [3-5])
- North Carolina (6-6, [3-5])
- Virginia (6-6, [3-5])
- Wake Forest (3-9, [0-8])
Conference Title Game
Clemson vs. Florida State (game in Charlotte, NC)
Champion: Clemson
