ACC preview: Road to title again figures to go through Clemson

To beryllium the man, you person to bushed the man. It's the mantra of Charlotte-based wrestling large Ric Flair, and it beauteous reliably describes the yearly rubric contention successful the Charlotte-based ACC. For 14 consecutive years, the ACC crown has gone to either Dabo Swinney's Clemson Tigers oregon to idiosyncratic who managed to bushed them successful the regular season.

Over the past 10 of those 14 years, Clemson has won 8 titles. Even arsenic the Tigers' presumption arsenic a nationalist title contender diminished -- they've finished from 13th to 20th successful the AP canvass for 4 consecutive years aft six consecutive top-four finishes -- they've divided the past 4 league titles. Last twelvemonth they became the archetypal bid thief of the expanded College Football Playoff era, knocking disconnected SMU successful Charlotte to nab the last playoff berth implicit Alabama. And with the highest returning accumulation percent successful the country, the Tigers not lone caput into 2025 arsenic evident favorites to support their crown, but they are besides garnering top-five hype.

I've been beauteous skeptical astir the second hype -- we'll speech plentifulness astir that beneath -- but there's nary question the Tigers participate 2025 arsenic the ACC's astir apt champion. Who other mightiness contend? Will SMU complaint backmost aft coming truthful adjacent to a rubric successful its league debut? Can Miami yet get the discourtesy and defence functional astatine the aforesaid time? Since beating Clemson successful the regular play is evidently a prerequisite to ACC glory, tin idiosyncratic specified arsenic Louisville oregon Duke instrumentality vantage of opportunities? And what the heck is Florida State susceptible of aft suffering the end-all, be-all of collapses successful 2024?

The astir geographically ridiculous league successful large assemblage shot has countless storylines heading into the fall. Let's preview the ACC!

Every week done the summer, Bill Connelly volition preview different FBS conference, yet including each 136 FBS teams. The previews see 2024 breakdowns, 2025 previews and team-by-team capsules. Here are the MAC, Conference USA, Mountain West, Sun Belt, AAC and Indie/Pac-12 previews.

2024 recap

Though Clemson so won the race, the ACC's travel done 2024 was fascinating, with Cal (and its online instrumentality base) generating aboriginal buzz and bringing "College GameDay" to town, Florida State suffering a historical collapse, Miami reaching arsenic precocious arsenic 4th successful the polls during a 9-0 start, Georgia Tech scoring a mates of stirring upset wins (and astir getting a third), Duke and Syracuse each riding adjacent wins to large seasons (they were a combined 13-3 successful one-score finishes) and SMU rolling to an 8-0 regular play successful ACC play -- aft astir losing to Nevada successful the play opener and making an aboriginal backmost change, nary less.

Louisville mislaid 3 league games by a touchdown oregon less, Miami's defence no-showed down the stretch, and aft looking similar they were successful the mediate of a mislaid play (by Clemson standards), determination the Tigers were to swoop in, onshore a spot successful the rubric crippled and bushed SMU with a tract extremity astatine the buzzer successful 1 of the champion games of the year.

Both Clemson and SMU reached -- and mislaid successful the archetypal circular of -- the College Football Playoff, capping a madcap season.

Oh yeah, and past North Carolina hired Bill Belichick. Can't hide that.

Continuity table

The continuity array looks astatine each team's returning accumulation levels (offense, defence and overall), the fig of 2024 FBS starts from returning and incoming players and the approximate fig of redshirt freshmen connected the roster heading into 2025. (Why "approximate"? Because schools sometimes marque it precise hard to ascertain who redshirted and who didn't.) Continuity is an progressively hard creation successful roster management, but immoderate teams propulsion it disconnected amended than others.

Though the nationalist mean for returning accumulation is astir conscionable 53% this season, the ACC is 1 of 3 conferences (along with the Big 12 and SEC) to mean 59% oregon higher. Clemson, astatine 80%, leads the mode nationally, and 7 different teams are astatine 60% oregon better. The Tigers deed that fig successful a fewer antithetic ways. Swinney added 3 transfers to the Clemson roster, a mammoth fig by his standards, but Clemson inactive does little portal enactment than immoderate non-service academy successful the country. Others, specified arsenic Stanford, Pitt and Boston College, don't bash overmuch either. BC really joins a unusual club: Of the teams successful the six conferences I've previewed to date, lone BC, Ball State and Missouri State person less than 10 incoming starts from transfers and less than 10 redshirt freshman. It's a beauteous unusual combination.

Jeff Brohm's Louisville, meanwhile, does much portal enactment than most, and among the apical teams successful the returning accumulation column, Miami, Louisville, FSU and Duke each got determination successful portion done the summation of transportation quarterbacks.

2025 projections

We person immoderate beauteous large stratification astatine the top, wherever ACC No. 1 Clemson and No. 3 SMU are separated by 10.2 points, larger than the quality betwixt No. 6 Duke and No. 16 Wake. The Tigers are projected favorites of astatine slightest 12 points successful 7 of 8 league games and could get their biggest tests from a brace of nonconference matchups against the SEC -- LSU's sojourn successful Week 1 and the travel to South Carolina successful the regular-season finale.

Miami's standing mightiness beryllium a spot surprising. The Hurricanes evidently payment from however ridiculously bully past year's discourtesy was -- they're inactive projected to person the champion discourtesy successful the state contempt losing fundamentally 8 starters. That volition beryllium a precocious barroom to clear, but the defence has a accidental to amended beyond 44th, too. We'll see.

Because of the volatility baked into the projections, Clemson has lone astir a 2-in-7 accidental of winning the league, and Miami, SMU and Louisville could each marque a tally to the rubric game. NC State, meanwhile, has a beauteous workable league docket if you're looking for a random sleeper.

Five champion games of 2025

Here are the 4 league games that diagnostic (A) the highest combined SP+ ratings for some teams and (B) a projected scoring borderline nether 10 points, positive a mammoth Week 1 nonconference game.

LSU astatine Clemson (Aug. 30). There are a mates of different immense ACC nonconference games -- Notre Dame astatine Miami successful Week 1 and Clemson-South Carolina astatine the extremity -- but I emotion this crippled showing up successful Week 1 due to the fact that determination aren't galore teams I person much questions astir than LSU and Clemson. Let's get a clump of those questions answered close away.

Miami astatine Florida State (Oct. 4). At this point, Miami volition person already hosted Notre Dame and Florida successful nonconference play. But the Canes' ACC opener successful Tallahassee volition archer america a ton astir some teams.

Louisville astatine Miami (Oct. 17). One of the bigger Friday nighttime games of the season. Louisville hosts Clemson successful November, but the Cardinals' ACC rubric hopes mightiness necessitate them to triumph either this 1 oregon astatine SMU successful precocious November.

Miami astatine SMU (Nov. 1). Miami has 3 games connected this database wrong a period of each other. Because Clemson's projections are truthful favorable, Miami mightiness beryllium the astir important squad successful the rubric contention -- if the Canes don't marque it to Charlotte for the league rubric game, they volition person a immense relation to play successful who does.

Clemson astatine Louisville (Nov. 14). Clemson's tightest projected league game. The Tigers person to sojourn Louisville a twelvemonth aft the Cardinals smothered them 33-21 successful Death Valley East.

Conference rubric (and, therefore, CFP) contenders

Clemson Tigers

Head coach: Dabo Swinney (17th year, 180-47 overall)

2025 projection: eighth successful SP+, 10.0 mean wins (6.8 successful the ACC)

Hey there, Tigers fans. More than immoderate different instrumentality basal this offseason, you guys person accused maine of hating your squad due to the fact that of however unfastened I've been successful my skepticism toward its top-five bona fides. We'll get to that, but I should enactment that nary of that skepticism applies to the ACC race.

Again, the nationalist mean for returning accumulation astatine the infinitesimal is astir 53%. Clemson's is 80%. The Tigers bring backmost back Cade Klubnik (3,639 yards, 36 TDs past season) and 3 of his apical 4 receivers successful inferior Antonio Williams and sophomores Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore (combined: 2,263 yards and 21 TDs past year). Plus, sophomore Tyler Brown, injured successful 2024, returns aft catching 52 passes successful 2023. Throw successful the rarest of Clemson rarities, an incoming transportation receiver -- Tristan Smith (934 yards and six TDs astatine SE Missouri State) -- and you've got a tantalizing accomplishment corps adjacent with the nonaccomplishment of starring rusher Phil Mafah. (Sophomore backmost Jay Haynes easy topped Mafah by averaging 6.9 yards per transportation successful a tiny sample, though he's coming backmost from a late-season ACL tear.)

Anchoring each this endowment is what should beryllium Clemson's champion violative enactment successful ages, 1 that returns 4 elder starters, including all-conference close tackle Blake Miller. The Tigers jumped to 16th successful violative SP+ past play -- a acold outcry from wherever the Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence offenses ranked but a immense betterment implicit the 2021-23 units, which averaged a 50.3 ranking. If immense returning accumulation results successful betterment (and it often does), they could easy person their archetypal top-10 discourtesy successful a fractional decade.

The defense, meanwhile, was ridiculously young successful 2024. Eighteen defenders saw astatine slightest 200 snaps, 13 of them instrumentality and 9 are inactive lone sophomores oregon juniors. That includes implicit stars successful extremity T.J. Parker (11 sacks, 17 tally stops), tackle Peter Woods (7.5 tackles for nonaccomplishment astatine 315 pounds), linebacker Sammy Brown (11.5 TFLs, 5 sacks) and country Avieon Terrell (five TFLs, 13 passes defended), positive the uncommon elder successful linebacker Wade Woodaz (15 tally stops). And Purdue DE transportation Will Heldt (11 TFLs connected a dismal defense) could adhd immoderate prima powerfulness arsenic well. After the defence got worse for 3 consecutive years nether coordinator Wes Goodwin, Swinney sought retired a steadier acceptable of hands successful erstwhile Penn State DC Tom Allen. Improvement is likely, and a archetypal antiaircraft SP+ top-10 ranking since 2021 isn't retired of the question.

It's a no-brainer to spot Clemson atop the ACC pile. That makes the Tigers 1 of the surest picks to marque the CFP. Where I conflict is erstwhile it comes to envisioning them winning 3 to 4 playoff games.

For starters, with each of those playmakers, Clemson's defence ranked lone 51st successful occurrence complaint allowed and 103rd successful yards allowed per palmy play and registered its worst SP+ ranking (29th) since 2012. The tally defence was mediocre adjacent with Woods' efforts up front, and the walk defence was simply good, not great.

The Tigers didn't basal retired successful presumption of violative explosiveness either. Mafah and Haynes produced immoderate beauteous large runs, but the Tigers ranked 80th successful yards per palmy dropback, and Klubnik averaged conscionable 11.7 yards per completion, adjacent with immoderate random explosiveness from Wesco and Moore. They could evidently beryllium susceptible of acold more, but I fearfulness the preseason top-five rankings are overreactions to conscionable a mates of large catches from Moore successful the CFP nonaccomplishment to Texas. Plus, Clemson benefited importantly from turnover luck, particularly successful the ACC rubric game, and without those bounces successful Charlotte, there's nary mode we're talking astir a top-five squad here.

But that's the hater talking, I guess. I'm excited astir watching Clemson successful 2025, chiefly due to the fact that we'll get to find retired precisely what a Swinney programme is susceptible of successful the mid-2020s. If the Tigers are ever going to beryllium elite again, you fig it's going to travel with this wonderfully experienced team. If the offense, which has lacked popular for years, is ever going to nutrient tons of explosions again, it volition beryllium with Klubnik distributing to Wesco, Moore, Haynes & Co. If the defence is going to rebound, it's going to beryllium with this operation of acquisition and a new, proven DC. It's going to beryllium a batch of amusive uncovering retired what the Tigers tin do. And there's a accidental they beryllium this hater wrong.

Miami Hurricanes

Head coach: Mario Cristobal (fourth year, 22-16 overall)

2025 projection: 12th successful SP+, 9.2 mean wins (6.3 successful the ACC)

I conscionable can't get past it. Trailing by 7 points and facing a fourth-and-goal from the Syracuse 10 with nether 4 minutes remaining, Cristobal took the shot retired of No. 1 prime Cam Ward's hands and elected to footwear a tract goal, hoping that his defense, which had fixed up touchdowns successful 4 of 5 possessions and had no-showed for astir of the erstwhile 2 months, could marque 1 past stop. It was painfully evident that it wouldn't. And it didn't. Ward didn't interaction the shot again, and Miami fell 42-38, its ACC rubric and CFP hopes going by the wayside.

This wasn't astir the most disastrous game-management decision that Cristobal has made since taking implicit astatine The U successful 2022, but it erstwhile again crystallized the contradictions inherent successful the Cristobal experience. He's going to enlistee similar gangbusters, he's going to tract an progressively talented team, and erstwhile it's winning time, he's going to marque a sedate miscalculation.

Still, aft a dismal archetypal play successful complaint -- Miami fell to 5-7 and 71st successful SP+ successful 2022 -- things person improved dramatically. The Canes jumped to 7-6 and 28th successful 2023, and adjacent with a defence that was actively moving against the squad for fractional the season, they improved further, to 10-3 and 10th successful SP+, past season. At immoderate point, with the close operation of endowment and backmost play, your ain crippled absorption issues tin cease to beryllium portion of the equation. (Remember erstwhile we thought Andy Reid was a horrible crippled manager?)

I'm not saying Miami volition beryllium that talented successful 2025, but there's astatine slightest a chance. Carson Beck comes from Georgia aft throwing for 3,485 yards and 28 TDs past season. He alternated betwixt looking similar the champion QB successful assemblage shot and throwing baffling interceptions (12 successful all), but he'll person backs Mark Fletcher Jr. and Jordan Lyle (combined: 1,007 yards, 6.1 per carry) and tantalizing North Dakota State transportation CharMar Brown adjacent to him and a profoundly experienced line, led by tackle Francis Mauigoa, successful beforehand of him. Cristobal had to wholly rebuild the receiving corps, which doesn't instrumentality anyone who caught much than 10 passes. I'm not definite helium got the occupation done there, but betwixt wideouts CJ Daniels (Liberty/LSU) and Keelan Marion (BYU) and returning blue-chip youngsters specified arsenic Joshisa Trader and choky extremity Elija Lofton, determination mightiness beryllium enough.

The discourtesy covered for the defence arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable past play -- the Canes really went 3-2 portion allowing 34 oregon much points -- but Cristobal needed a batch of caller humor connected that broadside of the shot and got it. New coordinator Corey Hetherman led Minnesota to a No. 11 antiaircraft SP+ ranking successful 2024, and helium takes implicit a portion that returns 5 starters and welcomes 9 transfers. The antiaircraft beforehand looks beardown acknowledgment to the instrumentality of tackles Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. -- they combined for 15 tally stops and 9 sacks contempt Bain missing 4 games -- and the summation of tackle David Blay (Louisiana Tech). If blue-chip sophomores Justin Scott and Armondo Blount make properly, that's a nasty antiaircraft line. Transfer Mohamed Toure (Rutgers) could squad with elder Wesley Bissainthe to signifier a decent linebacking corps. But breakdowns successful the backmost were devastating past year, and Hetherman has to anticipation a remodeled secondary fixes that. Cristobal signed 4 caller corners, led by Washington State playmaker Ethan O'Connor and including Jakobe Thomas (Tennessee) and imaginable nickel backs Zechariah Poyser (Jacksonville State) and Kamal Bonner (NC State). Returning country OJ Frederique Jr. could improve, too.

I similar what Miami volition person successful the trenches, and contempt the occasional INTs, Beck is simply a precise bully QB. But Miami volition request the teardowns successful the receiving corps and secondary to stick. I'm beauteous definite the second will, but I'm not definite Beck volition person capable beardown walk catchers.

SMU Mustangs

Head coach: Rhett Lashlee (fourth year, 29-13 overall)

2025 projection: 20th successful SP+, 8.4 mean wins (5.3 successful the ACC)

Based purely connected show compared with caller history, determination mightiness not beryllium a amended assemblage shot manager than Rhett Lashlee. Before his tenure, the Mustangs' erstwhile 2 seasons with 11-plus wins came successful 1982 and ... 1935; helium did it successful 2023 and 2024. They hadn't finished successful the SP+ apical 25 since 1983-84; they jumped from 56th to 24th successful 2023, past to 12th successful 2024. When helium took implicit 3 years ago, SMU was an above-average AAC team. Now it's defending a spot successful the CFP.

Is a two-year illustration capable to proclaim Lashlee the champion manager successful the sport? Probably not. OK, decidedly not. But wow. Chad Morris (12-13 successful 2016-17) and Sonny Dykes (30-17 successful 2018-21) helped to particulate this programme disconnected and get it backmost connected its feet, but Lashlee has transformed it from caput to toe.

The 2024 Mustangs dealt with aboriginal QB issues -- incumbent Preston Stone was benched successful favour of Kevin Jennings hardly 2 weeks into the play -- and committed acold excessively galore penalties and turnovers. They besides made acold much large plays than their opponents, went three-and-out acold less, created much antagonistic plays and dominated 3rd downs connected the mode to an 11-1 regular season. They needed 1 much bounce against Clemson successful the ACC rubric game, and Jennings concisely self-destructed successful an impossibly large situation astatine Penn State successful the CFP, but it was a hellhole of a season. SP+ had projected SMU arsenic a top-25 squad and imaginable ACC contender, and it inactive sold the Mustangs short.

The continuity array supra says comparatively benignant things for 2025. Jennings (3,245 passing yards, 436 pre-sack rushing yards, 28 full TDs) is 1 of astir six returning starters connected offense, the O-line has a brace of all-conference contenders successful tackle PJ Williams and defender Logan Parr, and country Deuce Harmon and safeties Isaiah Nwokobia and Robert Rahimi (a ball-hawking San Jose State transfer) anchor what should beryllium a beardown secondary. But though Lashlee is utilized to surviving the transportation portal life, helium had to bash immoderate superior enactment successful rebuilding some the accomplishment corps (which mislaid its apical 2 RBs and 3 of its apical 4 WRs) and the antiaircraft beforehand six (which mislaid 8 of the 12 guys with 200-plus snaps). Three Mustangs gained astatine slightest 500 yards from scrimmage past year, and 4 made astatine slightest 9 TFLs. They're each gone.

Lashlee added a mates of coagulated pass-catching backs successful T.J. Harden (UCLA) and Chris Johnson Jr. (Miami), and slot receiver Yamir Knight (James Madison) is an fantabulous ratio guy. Meanwhile, linebacker Zakye Barker (13.5 TFLs astatine East Carolina) is astir a definite thing, and antiaircraft tackle Terry Webb (six tally stops and 1.5 sacks astatine 314 pounds) is progressive for his size. But disruption up beforehand was captious to SMU's antiaircraft success, and Webb is the lone genuinely proven disruptor among 9 incoming transportation linemen. Some newbies and/or youngsters volition person to rise their crippled for SMU to instrumentality to either Charlotte oregon the CFP.

The docket surely seems trickier this clip around. After nonconference battles with some Baylor (home) and TCU (away), SMU faces each 3 of the different teams successful this rubric contenders conception -- Miami and Louisville astatine location and Clemson away. After what Lashlee and the Mustangs person done these past 2 years, doubting them seems beauteous foolish. But they've got their enactment chopped retired for them successful 2025.

Louisville Cardinals

Head coach: Jeff Brohm (third year, 19-8 overall)

2025 projection: 24th successful SP+, 8.3 mean wins (4.8 successful the ACC)

Brohm's Louisville is simply a precise hectic program. Change ne'er stops. In 2023, helium took implicit a squad that had ranked 41st successful SP+ with an 8-5 record, sent 25 transfers out, brought 25 successful and improved the Cardinals to 10-4 and 34th. In 2024, it was 30 transfers out, 32 successful and further betterment to 21st with a 9-4 record. The discourtesy got amended each year, portion the defence and peculiar teams got worse.

In theory, by your 3rd year, you astir apt privation to person your civilization and your ain recruits successful place, truthful necessitating less incoming and outgoing transfers. But that's not however Brohm sees things. He mislaid 28 transfers and brought successful 30. The Cardinals person immoderate dynamite returnees successful moving backs Isaac Brown and Duke Watson (combined: 1,770 yards, 7.6 per carry!), receiver Chris Bell (737 yards, 17.1 per catch), imaginable all-conference halfway Pete Nygra, super-disruptive linebackers Stanquan Clark and Antonio Watts (combined: 16.5 TFLs, 11 passes defended) and information D'Angelo Hutchinson (five walk breakups, 5 tally stops). But those are damn adjacent the lone proven returnees. Brohm and violative coordinator (and brother) Brian Brohm volition person their 3rd starting backmost successful arsenic galore years -- apt USC transportation Miller Moss -- and invited 4 wideouts, 3 choky ends and seven linemen via the portal. Brohms typically tract bully offenses, and they're intelligibly utilized to handling change, but this carousel isn't slowing down astatine all.

The defence has so trended successful the incorrect absorption of late, truthful possibly it's not excessively scary that 14 of the 19 defenders with 200-plus snaps are gone. The linebacking corps looks excellent, and Brohm added rather a fewer proven disruptors via the portal: extremity Clev Lubin (9.5 sacks astatine Coastal Carolina), tackle Jerry Lawson (14 TFLs astatine 295 pounds astatine Abilene Christian), information JoJo Evans (seven passes defended and 4 tally stops astatine Florida International), corners Justin Agu and Jabari Mack (combined: 20 passes defended astatine Louisiana and Jacksonville State, respectively) and corner/safety Rodney Johnson Jr. (five TFLs, 3 passes defended astatine Southern), among others.

Living the portal beingness means your scouting section perpetually has to deed the jackpot. Ask Florida State's Mike Norvell -- a 2022 portal genius, a 2023 portal genius and a 2024 portal catastrophe -- however that tin go. But Moss' QBR (74.4) fundamentally matched that of past year's starter, Tyler Shough (75.0); the trio of Brown, Watson and Bell is the astir explosive successful the conference; and there's nary crushed to deliberation the defence is immoderate little talented than it was past season. Like SMU, Louisville plays each 3 chap contenders (Clemson astatine home, Miami and SMU away), and the Cardinals question to Pitt and Virginia Tech, too. That's an obstacle, and astatine immoderate point, a inclination toward stableness would beryllium nice. But Brohm seems to cognize what he's doing with each these moving pieces, and it wouldn't beryllium a astonishment if Louisville improves for a 3rd consecutive year.

A mates of breaks distant from a run

Florida State Seminoles

Head coach: Mike Norvell (sixth year, 33-27 overall)

2025 projection: 36th successful SP+, 6.8 mean wins (4.5 successful the ACC)

For each the evident reasons, I feared a spot of a hangover for FSU past year. The heartbreak of 2023's unconscionable CFP snub combined with the nonaccomplishment of backmost Jordan Travis, astir of a dynamite accomplishment corps and 7 antiaircraft draught picks made the Seminoles regression candidates, adjacent if Norvell said each the close things successful the offseason and brought successful different solid-on-paper transportation haul.

Of course, if you'd asked maine what "hangover" meant, I'd person astir apt guessed a grounds successful the vicinity of 7-5. FSU went 2-10! The transportation people produced astir nary standouts, and the backmost concern was adjacent worse than astatine the extremity of 2023 aft Travis' wounded -- DJ Uiagalelei, Brock Glenn and Luke Kromenhoek were dreadful. The Noles fell from ninth to 58th successful antiaircraft SP+ and from 23rd to 114th connected offense.

This was a illness connected the standard of Bobby Petrino's past play astatine Louisville, Texas' archetypal play aft 2009 BCS Championship disappointment and Notre Dame's 2007 swoon nether Charlie Weis. And it's noteworthy that nary of the coaches successful complaint during those collapses could close the ship. But Norvell volition try.

The offense, present coordinated by seasoned Gus Malzahn, could commencement astir thing but transfers, from backmost Thomas Castellanos (Boston College) to moving backmost Gavin Sawchuk (Oklahoma) to receivers Squirrel White (Tennessee), Duce Robinson (USC) and Gavin Blackwell (North Carolina) to immoderate of six caller violative linemen. Tackle Micah Pettus (Ole Miss), defender Adrian Medley (UCF) and halfway Luke Petitbon (Wake Forest) are instantly the team's astir proven linemen. Castellanos was honestly an underwhelming addition; helium started 2024 good astatine BC, but injuries and antiaircraft adjustments rendered him mostly ineffective, and helium was yet benched. That said, he's a speedster who started his vocation with Malzahn astatine UCF, and White and Robinson could beryllium excellent.

On defense, caller coordinator Tony White inherits a portion with fewer incumbents. Tackles Darrell Jackson Jr. and Daniel Lyons, linebackers Blake Nichelson and Omar Graham Jr. and country Quindarrius Jones are solid, but transfers Deamontae Diggs (Coastal Carolina), Jayson Jenkins (Tennessee), James Williams (Nebraska) and Elijah Herring (Memphis) volition request to instantly spruce up the walk rush, and tackle extent appears tenuous. There are capable proven entities to presume the defence volition bounce back. In fact, the illness was truthful important past play that we should presume some progression toward the mean everywhere. But however overmuch of a rebound tin you propulsion disconnected aft specified a collapse? And however galore games does Norvell request to triumph to guarantee he's inactive successful Tallahassee successful 2026?

Duke Blue Devils

Head coach: Manny Diaz (second year, 9-4 overall)

2025 projection: 41st successful SP+, 6.8 mean wins (4.4 successful the ACC)

Mike Elko resurrected the Duke program, winning 17 games successful 2022-23. But erstwhile helium near for Texas A&M, Manny Diaz inherited an discourtesy successful request of a caller backmost and an overhaul connected the line. The defence had been fantabulous nether Elko, but 11 of the 16 guys with astatine slightest 250 snaps successful 2023 were gone. A reset play seemed realistic.

Looking astatine the Blue Devils' output, you could hardly archer determination was immoderate alteration astatine all.

Duke successful 2022 (Elko): 9-4, 42nd successful SP+ (55th offense, 29th defense)

Duke successful 2023 (Elko): 8-5, 30th successful SP+ (63rd offense, 25th defense)

Duke successful 2024 (Diaz): 9-4, 44th successful SP+ (71st offense, 31st defense)

The tally crippled was a disaster, and Duke's 6-1 grounds successful one-score finishes camouflaged what astir apt should person been much similar a seven-win season. But Diaz & Co. held the fort.

This year, the violative enactment extent appears acold stronger, and of the 17 defenders with astatine slightest 200 snaps, 9 return, including 4 of six linemen and 4 of six DBs. Diaz added 1 of the Group of 5's champion safeties successful Caleb Weaver (Sam Houston) and perchance breathtaking receivers successful Andrel Anthony (Oklahoma) and Cooper Barkate (Harvard), but his portal coup came astatine quarterback, wherever Darian Mensah comes implicit from Tulane. Mensah finished his redshirt freshman play 21st successful QBR, conscionable a fewer points down veterans specified arsenic Klubnik (13th) and Georgia Tech's Haynes King (14th). Mensah's numbers were beardown crossed the board, from ratio (66% completion rate) to explosiveness (14.4 yards per completion) to escapability (15.2% of pressures turned into sacks -- a bully fig for a mobile guy). The accomplishment corps is simply a spot of a question mark: Five of past year's apical 7 walk catchers are gone, and Anthony, Barkate and moving backmost Anderson Castle (Appalachian State) mightiness each person to marque an contiguous impact. But Mensah is awesome, and the enactment looks sturdy. That's a bully starting constituent for improvement.

It's hard to interest overmuch astir a Diaz defense, particularly 1 with acquisition astatine the beforehand and back. Ends Wesley Williams and Vincent Anthony Jr. (combined: 20.5 TFLs, 11 sacks) and tackle Aaron Hall (7 TFLs) are good, and country Chandler Rivers (6.5 TFLs, 3 INTs, 8 breakups) is great. Four of past year's apical 5 linebackers are gone, and Diaz didn't prosecute immoderate portal replacements, which theoretically means he's blessed with what helium has there. Regardless, linebackers are mostly easier to regenerate than linemen oregon DBs, truthful Duke has acquisition wherever it counts the most. I'm not definite Mensah volition person capable assistance to marque Duke an ACC acheronian horse, but the defence should springiness the Blue Devils a beauteous precocious floor.

NC State Wolfpack

Head coach: Dave Doeren (13th year, 87-65 overall)

2025 projection: 42nd successful SP+, 6.6 mean wins (4.0 successful the ACC)

"They'll request immoderate caller disruptors. (Gibson usually finds them.)" That's what I wrote astir the NC State defence successful past year's ACC preview. Defensive coordinator Tony Gibson had produced 3 consecutive top-30 defenses, per SP+, but helium had to regenerate six fantabulous starters and needed transfers to capable large gaps successful the secondary. Of 8 antiaircraft transfers, lone 2 clicked, and Gibson's way grounds didn't forestall State from collapsing to 69th successful antiaircraft SP+. Doeren's Wolfpack were ranked successful the 2024 preseason poll, but adjacent with flimsy overachievement connected discourtesy -- they were projected 56th successful violative SP+ and ended up 48th -- they posted their archetypal losing grounds successful 5 years.

It's clip for different circular of alteration successful 2025. Gibson took the Marshall caput coaching job, and of the 16 defenders with 200-plus snaps past season, lone six return. Linebacker Sean Brown (13 tally stops) and tackles Brandon Cleveland and Travali Price (combined: 15 tally stops) are bully starting points for caller coordinator D.J. Eliot, but aft failing to onshore capable interaction transfers past year, Doeren had to question retired adjacent much of them. Cian Slone (Utah State) and Sabastian Harsh (Wyoming) were among the Mountain West's champion antiaircraft ends past year, and Brian Nelson II (North Texas) and Jamel Johnson (Temple) were among the AAC's astir progressive corners. But this is simply a batch of alteration successful a abbreviated magnitude of time, and the past clip Eliot coordinated a top-50 defence was 2015.

There's crushed for optimism connected offense, astatine least. Quarterback CJ Bailey was decent arsenic a existent freshman: He ranked 65th successful QBR, close betwixt 2 mega-blue-chippers -- Nebraska's Dylan Raiola was 59th, Florida's DJ Lagway 70th -- and his champion moments were great. He was 18-for-20 for 234 yards and 3 scores successful a blowout of Stanford, helium rushed for 83 yards and 3 TDs successful a near-upset of Georgia Tech, and helium threw for 242 yards and ran for 54 successful a rivalry triumph astatine UNC. His show was encouraging capable that erstwhile Doeren fired coordinator Robert Anae, helium promoted QBs manager Kurt Roper.

Bailey isn't Roper's lone breathtaking sophomore. Running backmost Hollywood Smothers (571 yards, 6.4 per carry) and Noah Rogers (478 yards, 13.7 per catch) were some portal hits, and incoming tackle Teague Andersen (Utah State) was honorable notation all-MWC arsenic a freshman. If improvement and a caller playcaller effect successful less antagonistic plays -- the Pack were 119th successful turnovers, 116th successful worldly complaint and 74th successful sack complaint -- this could beryllium State's champion discourtesy since 2021. That could beryllium capable to thrust a coagulated play if the defence doesn't illness further.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Head coach: Brent Key (fourth year, 18-16 overall)

2025 projection: 44th successful SP+, 6.6 mean wins (4.0 successful the ACC)

If you were watching Georgia Tech successful 2024, the Yellow Jackets were astir apt doing thing special. They played 3 top-10 teams and looked similar a top-10 squad against each 3 -- they upset No. 10 Florida State successful Ireland to commencement the play (back erstwhile we thought that was an upset), past knocked No. 4 Miami from the unbeaten ranks with a 28-23 triumph successful November and each but bushed No. 6 Georgia during Rivalry Week, yet falling 44-42 aft 114 overtimes. (OK, it was 8 OTs.) They different went conscionable 5-5, losing astatine Syracuse and Louisville, concisely falling isolated erstwhile backmost Haynes King injured his enarthrosis and losing a amusive Birmingham Bowl against Vanderbilt.

Overall, they truly weren't antithetic than they were successful Brent Key's archetypal play astatine the helm.

Georgia Tech successful 2023: 7-6, 65th successful SP+ (50th offense, 86th defense, 68th peculiar teams)

Georgia Tech successful 2024: 7-6, 66th successful SP+ (42nd offense, 79th defense, 104th peculiar teams)

Still, making memories tin wage off. Key capitalized connected those large moments by signing a top-20 recruiting people and holding connected to cardinal players similar King, moving backmost Jamal Haynes, all-conference defender Keylan Rutledge and antiaircraft tackle Jordan van den Berg. He besides added all-Ivy League moving backmost Malachi Hosley (Penn), possibly Florida International's 2 champion players -- receivers Eric Rivers and Dean Patterson, who combined for 1,857 yards and 19 TDs -- and a fig of breathtaking defenders, specified arsenic extremity Ronald Triplette (UTSA), tackles Matthew Alexander (UCF) and Akelo Stone (Ole Miss), cornerbacks Kelvin Hill (UAB) and Daiquan White (Eastern Michigan) and safeties Jyron Gilmore (Georgia State) and Cayman Spaulding (Tennessee Tech).

The antiaircraft transfers were necessary, since lone 7 of the 19 defenders with 200-plus snaps instrumentality for caller coordinator Blake Gideon. Tech hasn't had a top-50 defense, per SP+, since 2017, and since the Yellow Jackets allowed astatine slightest 31 points successful 5 of six losses, it's wide the defence held them backmost successful 2024 arsenic well.

Injuries did too. Nineteen defenders started astatine slightest 1 game, and King not lone missed 2 games, but helium was constricted successful others. His ridiculously carnal benignant volition ever marque him an wounded risk, but erstwhile helium and Haynes are successful the backfield, Tech volition person a accidental to bushed immoderate squad it plays. There won't beryllium arsenic galore marquee triumph opportunities -- the Jackets play lone 2 teams projected successful the apical 40 (Clemson and Georgia) -- but if that results successful much wins, period, I uncertainty Key volition kick excessively much.

North Carolina Tar Heels

Head coach: Bill Belichick (first year)

2025 projection: 54th successful SP+, 6.6 mean wins (4.0 successful the ACC)

We've had months to get utilized to the thought of Bill Belichick moving a assemblage shot program. It's inactive going to consciousness ridiculously unusual to spot the 73-year-old, six-time Super Bowl-winning caput manager starring North Carolina onto the tract against TCU connected the archetypal Monday nighttime of the season. I had this imaginativeness of Belichick deciding to decorativeness his vocation starring immoderate Division III squad similar his alma mater, Wesleyan. I can't accidental I ever had a imaginativeness of him coaching successful the ACC.

I inactive person nary thought however it's going to go. As I wrote successful the spring, "Depending connected however benignant you are, Belichick has surrounded himself with either known entities oregon yes-men: 2 Belichicks (defensive coordinator Steve, DBs manager Brian), 2 Lombardis (general manager Michael, quarterbacks manager Matt) and different cardinal erstwhile NFL assistants (offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens, peculiar teams coordinator Mike Priefer). He has raved astir enjoying popping pads and yelling astatine choky ends, and he's regarded arsenic a bully capable teacher that, for each we know, this unheralded roster mightiness make good and thrive. Or not. I person nary thought however to acceptable expectations for this."

I similar the roster much present than I did erstwhile I wrote that, acknowledgment to the outpouring summation of South Alabama backmost Gio Lopez (2,559 passing yards, 547 pre-sack rushing yards, 25 full TDs), and Belichick & Co. added tons of heft to the violative line, signing 8 transfers -- including 2024 FBS all-conference performers successful tackles Will O'Steen (Jacksonville State) and Daniel King (Troy) -- who mean 6-foot-6, 322 pounds. But the accomplishment corps is terribly unproven: Leading returning moving backmost Davion Gause had 326 rushing yards, and starring returning receiver Kobe Paysour had 365 receiving yards.

The defense, meanwhile, is astir wholly starting over. Sixteen defenders saw astatine slightest 200 snaps past year, and lone 3 return, each antiaircraft backs. Linebackers Andrew Simpson (Boise State), Mikai Gbayor (Nebraska) and Khmori House (Washington) could each beryllium keepers, though ends Pryce Yates (6.5 TFLs astatine UConn) and Melkart Abou-Jaoude (9.5 TFLs astatine Delaware) are astir by default the astir proven linemen. Under Mack Brown, the defence usually dragged the discourtesy down -- the Heels allowed astatine slightest 34 points successful 5 of 7 losses past play -- and portion the connection "Belichick" is synonymous with bully defense, it mightiness instrumentality UNC a small portion to turn dependable connected that broadside of the ball.

Virginia Tech Hokies

Head coach: Brent Pry (fourth year, 16-21 overall)

2025 projection: 46th successful SP+, 6.6 mean wins (3.9 successful the ACC)

In 2023, Virginia Tech fell arsenic debased arsenic 80th successful SP+ earlier the discourtesy caught occurrence and drove a 5-2 finish. In 2024, the Hokies started dilatory again but astir bushed Miami and won 3 consecutive ACC games by a combined 60 points earlier injuries to backmost Kyron Drones and moving backmost Bhayshul Tuten slowed the discourtesy down. Brent Pry's squad spent astir fractional of the past 2 seasons flashing top-20 signifier but went a combined 13-13. And aft monolithic turnover, Pry's 4th Tech roster volition look astir wholly antithetic than his third.

Drones is back. He has thrown for 3,646 yards and rushed for 1,377 successful 23 games arsenic a Hokie, and he's a large starting point, but choky extremity Benji Gosnell is the lone different violative starter returning. On defense, linebackers Caleb Woodson and Jaden Keller are the lone returnees who started much than six games. I truly similar a batch of the transfers Tech brought in, but they had to bring successful so damn many.

On offense, moving backs Terion Stewart (Bowling Green), Braydon Bennett (Coastal Carolina) and Marcellous Hawkins (Central Missouri) combined for 2,762 yards and 35 TDs successful 2024, and Stewart is 1 of the champion yards-after-contact backs successful the country. Receiver Donavon Greene (Wake Forest) is dynamite erstwhile steadfast (which isn't often), erstwhile top-125 enlistee Cameron Seldon (Tennessee) could beryllium a bully yardage stealer successful the slot, and defender Tomas Rimac (West Virginia) is 1 of 4 transfers caller OL manager Matt Moore brought with him from WVU.

On defense, extremity Ben Bell (Texas State) was 1 of the nation's champion walk rushers successful 2023 earlier missing astir of 2024, and 5 different caller D-linemen made astatine slightest 5 TFLs past year. In the back, safeties Christian Ellis (New Mexico), Isaiah Cash (Sam Houston) and Tyson Flowers (Rice) combined for 5 interceptions, 15 breakups and 14 tally stops, portion corners Isaiah Brown-Murray (East Carolina), Caleb Brown (Hawai'i) and Joseph Reddish (Wingate) combined for 5 INTs and 24 breakups.

On apical of each this, Pry had to prosecute a caller brace of coordinators, choosing a known quantity connected discourtesy (former Tulsa caput manager Philip Montgomery) and an intriguing younger manager connected defence (former Arizona Cardinals LBs manager Sam Siefkes). With however adjacent Pry has travel to success, it's not optimal to woody with this overmuch alteration astatine once, but this roster mightiness person much upside than immoderate Pry has led successful Blacksburg.

Pittsburgh Panthers

Head coach: Pat Narduzzi (11th year, 72-56 overall)

2025 projection: 47th successful SP+, 6.1 mean wins (3.6 successful the ACC)

One of the things that makes a assemblage shot play truthful enjoyable is the aboriginal upstart run, erstwhile a squad enjoys immoderate thrilling aboriginal finishes, gets disconnected to a accelerated commencement and forces you to deliberation of it arsenic a imaginable contender. It adds specified a furniture of richness and world-building to the sport.

Pitt's 2024 play is simply a cleanable example. Coming disconnected of a dire 3-9 illness successful 2023, Pat Narduzzi hired 30-year-old violative coordinator Kade Bell (Western Carolina), paired him with erstwhile WCU backmost Desmond Reid and erstwhile Alabama backup backmost Eli Holstein, and watched the discourtesy thrust a stunning 7-0 start. The Panthers scored precocious wins implicit Cincinnati and West Virginia, outlasted different September headline-maker (Cal) and blew retired yet different upstart, Syracuse, acknowledgment to 3 first-half pick-sixes.

And past they vanished from sight. Holstein struggled, past got hurt. An assertive but glitchy defence sprang much leaks. And arsenic delightful arsenic they looked during the unbeaten start, they looked arsenic mislaid during an 0-6 finish. They much than doubled their triumph full successful the astir disappointing imaginable way.

Which was the much close impression, the commencement oregon the finish? Holstein is back, and Bell besides has erstwhile WCU backmost Cole Gonzales successful tow, conscionable successful case. Reid is backmost aft combining 966 rushing yards with 579 receiving yards, and the discourtesy besides returns 2 of its apical 3 wideouts and 3 starting violative linemen. The defence returns 4 of the six players with astatine slightest 8 TFLs, including linebackers Kyle Louis (17 TFLs) and Rasheem Biles (11.5), positive 3 carnal DBs successful information Javon McIntyre and corners Rashad Battle and Tamon Lynum. Incoming transportation Kavir Bains-Marquez (UC Davis) was 1 of the Big Sky's astir disruptive defenders past year.

A Pitt crippled past twelvemonth was astir guaranteed to diagnostic a batch of antagonistic plays, a batch of explosive plays and a batch of penalties. It was highly volatile ball, adjacent by Narduzzi's standards, and it paid disconnected for the Panthers until it precise overmuch did not. Reid aside, astir of past year's astir breathtaking players were freshmen and sophomores, and 1 tin spot however acquisition mightiness soil down unsmooth edges and marque Pitt an ACC acheronian horse. But that late-season illness was beauteous ugly. It's up to the Panthers to beryllium whether the archetypal oregon 2nd fractional of the play showed america the mode forward.

California Golden Bears

Head coach: Justin Wilcox (ninth year, 42-50 overall)

2025 projection: 65th successful SP+, 5.9 mean wins (3.4 successful the ACC)

Somehow, Cal whitethorn person had an adjacent much memorable mediocre play than Pitt. Because of a 3-0 commencement and the vaunted Calgorithm, the Golden Bears hosted "College GameDay" for the archetypal clip erstwhile Miami came to town. They led by arsenic galore arsenic 25 points but fell, 39-38. It was fundamentally the communicative of their season: They finished 55th successful SP+ -- their champion ranking of the full Justin Wilcox epoch -- but went 6-7 due to the fact that of a 2-5 grounds successful one-score finishes. To compound the frustration, they proceeded to suffer 33 players to the portal. (Wilcox besides changed some coordinators.)

Wilcox honestly did a beauteous bully occupation of uncovering upside to regenerate upside successful the portal. At quarterback, helium recovered inferior Devin Brown (Ohio State) and blue-chip freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who had primitively signed with Oregon. At moving back, helium grabbed Brandon High (UTSA), Kendrick Raphael (NC State) and erstwhile blue-chipper L.J. Johnson Jr. (SMU). Five caller WRs and 2 TEs came in, including a high-level slot receiver successful UNLV's Jacob De Jesus and 2 of the astir explosive receivers successful FCS, Idaho's Mark Hamper and South Dakota's Quaron Adams (combined: 1,504 yards, 22.4 per catch). And helium has 5 caller violative linemen to brace with 2 2024 starters and 2023 starter Sioape Vatikani, who missed a batch of past season.

On defense, rather a spot of past year's beforehand six returns, including 4 of 5 superior linemen, but Wilcox inactive added 4 much linebackers and 3 linemen, including Liberty's TJ Bush Jr. (nine TFLs) and erstwhile blue-chipper Tyson Ford (Notre Dame). The secondary, however, mislaid 7 of past year's apical eight. In travel 7 DB transfers, including corners Hezekiah Masses (FIU) and Brent Austin (USF).

The defence graded retired amended past play and returns much experience, but portion I'm not definite what to expect from caller violative coordinator Bryan Harsin, I truly similar the upside of the transfers there. The docket is kind, featuring lone 2 opponents projected amended than 40th, and if either of the 2 diversion QBs plays astatine a coagulated level and the deity of adjacent games smiles connected the Golden Bears -- 2 mighty ifs that whitethorn not travel to fruition -- Cal could apical past year's triumph total.

Just looking for a way to 6-6

Boston College Eagles

Head coach: Bill O'Brien (second year, 7-6 overall)

2025 projection: 62nd successful SP+, 5.2 mean wins (2.9 successful the ACC)

Bill O'Brien's archetypal play arsenic BC caput manager was a afloat three-act play. At first, the Eagles were yet different intriguing upstart, holding Florida State to 13 points (again, backmost erstwhile we thought that was impressive) and damn adjacent knocking disconnected an eventual 10-win Missouri team. The defence was carnal and frustrating, and backmost Thomas Castellanos was capable to tally astir and debar defenders for seemingly minutes connected end, adjacent if helium didn't truly spell anywhere. Even erstwhile Castellanos began picking up injuries and losing effectiveness, the defence was bully capable to guarantee a 4-1 start.

A three-game losing streak followed, however, and with O'Brien losing religion successful Castellanos, helium called Grayson James disconnected the seat against Syracuse. James threw a precocious TD walk to unafraid an upset win, and O'Brien elected to commencement James from there; Castellanos discontinue the team, and BC won 2 much games to decorativeness 7-6.

James suffered less antagonistic plays than Castellanos and was capable to some get the shot rapidly to slot antheral Lewis Bond and link connected immoderate heavy shots to then-freshman Reed Harris. In a reasonably tiny sample, helium ended up with 1 of the amended Total QBR ratings successful the conference, close betwixt second-round NFL draught prime Tyler Shough and Kevin Jennings.

The James-Bond-Harris combo was intriguing, arsenic were young RBs Turbo Richard and Datrell Jones successful tiny samples. A bully enactment mislaid a mates of all-conference starters; if there's not excessively overmuch of a drop-off there, determination should beryllium capable to support past season's precocious momentum, particularly if the Eagles get thing retired of transfers specified arsenic receiver VJ Wilkins (Campbell) and choky extremity Ty Lockwood (Alabama). Bama transportation Dylan Lonergan joined the QB contention arsenic well.

With a secondary loaded with freshmen and sophomores, coordinator Tim Lewis had to play things beauteous brushed successful walk defense. But the tally defence was sound, and BC some created agelong 3rd downs for opponents and made a coagulated fig of stops. The secondary is acold much seasoned now, and linebacker Daveon Crouch is excellent. But with past year's apical 4 linemen gone, O'Brien loaded up with 7 transfers up front, 5 from smaller schools. None had astonishing stat lines past year, but if a mates tin supply extent for veterans similar extremity Quintayvious Hutchins, a top-50 antiaircraft SP+ ranking is possible.

Syracuse Orange

Head coach: Fran Brown (second year, 10-3 overall)

2025 projection: 56th successful SP+, 4.8 mean wins (2.9 successful the ACC)

Those hatin' numbers are astatine it again. Syracuse won 10 games past play and is present successful the "just hoping for 6-6" section. What?

I'll effort to explain: In 2024, the Orange played lone 3 SP+ top-40 teams and bushed them all, but they went 7-2 successful one-score finishes (hard to duplicate), and 2 of their 3 losses -- by 28 to Pitt and astatine location to Stanford -- were perfectly dreadful. Kyle McCord piloted an efficient, pass-happy offense, but opponents made much large plays, and they were among the astir fortunate teams successful the league. Despite the 10 wins, they finished 46th successful SP+.

Of course, 46th was Syracuse's champion ranking successful 7 years! And Fran Brown's archetypal dalliances successful the portal produced the Orange's starring passer, starring receiver, 2 violative enactment starters and 4 of their champion defenders. That's a bully sign.

Things volition get tougher successful 2025. The docket features 5 projected top-20 teams, and the discourtesy returns lone 2 starters. McCord volition apt beryllium replaced by either Steve Angeli (Notre Dame) oregon Rickie Collins (LSU), and with past year's starring rusher and 3 starring targets gone, incoming receiver transportation Johntay Cook II (Texas) and a batch of erstwhile backups volition person to measurement up. Up front, 2 starters return, but they're 2 of lone 3 guys with much than 40 snaps back, and Brown brought successful 5 enactment transfers.

Injuries thrust a batch of guys into the starting defence astatine 1 constituent oregon another, and of the 23 players who started astatine slightest erstwhile (!), 15 return. There isn't a ton of proven playmaking here, but information Duce Chestnut and nickel Devin Grant are fantastic, and sophomore OLB David Omopariola's per-snap accumulation suggests helium has breakout potential. Brown didn't load up connected transfers, but helium did adhd beardown playmakers successful tackle Chris Thomas (Marshall) and borderline rusher David Reese (Cal) and a young erstwhile blue-chip information successful Chris Peal (Georgia).

Between the monolithic schedule-strength upgrade, past year's inflated triumph full and the request for different batch of portal playmakers connected offense, the likelihood surely favour a setback play for the Orange. But Brown has hardly made a misstep truthful far, whether the hatin' numbers admit it oregon not.

Virginia Cavaliers

Head coach: Tony Elliott (fourth year, 11-23 overall)

2025 projection: 79th successful SP+, 5.1 mean wins (2.8 successful the ACC)

On 1 hand, Virginia improved to 5-7 past twelvemonth aft back-to-back three-win seasons nether Tony Elliott. The defence was coagulated against the tally and connected 3rd downs, and the discourtesy showed hints of an identity, with a accelerated tempo and a decent tally game.

On the different hand, UVA played six top-50 teams and went 0-6 with an mean nonaccomplishment of 36-17. SP+ saw hardly immoderate betterment whatsoever -- aft averaging a 95.0 SP+ ranking successful Elliott's archetypal 2 seasons, they were 91st successful 2024. They were horrific astatine some passing (113th successful yards per dropback) and stopping opponents from doing truthful (118th).

After going .500 oregon amended successful each of Bronco Mendenhall's past 4 seasons (average SP+ ranking: 45.8), UVA has conscionable been unspeakable nether Elliott. And this being the mid-2020s, Elliott volition effort to prevention his occupation via the portal. He welcomes 31 transfers to Charlottesville, and a immense bulk of them are upperclassmen. Quarterback Chandler Morris (North Texas) tin helping the shot around, and I truly similar the moving backmost duo of Harrison Waylee (Wyoming) and J'Mari Taylor (NC Central). I'm not definite whom Morris volition beryllium throwing to -- Purdue transportation Jahmal Edrine and returnee Trell Harris are astir apt the biggest big-play threats -- but acknowledgment to 7 transfers, astir the full O-line 2 heavy could beryllium made up of seniors.

I similar the D-line playmakers Elliott brought in: ends Fisher Camac (UNLV), Cazeem Moore (Elon) and Daniel Rickert (Tennessee Tech) combined for 38.5 TFLs and 20.5 sacks past season, and tackles Jacob Holmes (Fresno State) and Hunter Osborne (Bama) are progressive for their size. The linebacking corps is astir apt the champion portion connected the squad acknowledgment to returnees Kam Robinson, Trey McDonald and James Jackson, but with astir of the starting secondary gone, UVA volition invited 8 transportation DBs.

Will this work? I'd beryllium surprised. And adjacent if it does, Elliott volition person to motion astir different 30-40 transfers adjacent twelvemonth conscionable to relationship for the nonaccomplishment of truthful galore seniors. But the docket is light, featuring lone 2 projected top-40 teams (and nary successful the apical 20), and UVA is astir apt amended astatine QB and connected some lines than past year. Bowl eligibility is simply a possibility, astatine least.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Head coach: Jake Dickert (first year)

2025 projection: 81st successful SP+, 5.2 mean wins (2.3 successful the ACC)

Dave Clawson ended up a relic of a past era. He won 157 combined games astatine Fordham, Richmond, Bowling Green and Wake Forest owed to pragmatic programme gathering and subordinate development. He took his clip -- his triumph percent successful his archetypal twelvemonth successful those jobs was conscionable .277, followed by .354 successful twelvemonth two, .532 successful twelvemonth 3 and .698 successful twelvemonth four.

You don't instrumentality your clip anymore. It indispensable beryllium said that the champion coaches adapt, and plentifulness person done truthful arsenic the demands of NIL and the portal person truthful drastically changed however roster gathering works. But whether it was Clawson's nonaccomplishment to accommodate oregon Wake Forest's nonaccomplishment to make due NIL funds -- I'm not taking guesses either mode -- things fell isolated beauteous rapidly for the Demon Deacons. In Clawson's past 2 seasons, they went 4-8 with sub-90 SP+ rankings. The bully players near excessively quickly, and determination conscionable wasn't capable endowment to enactment with.

If there's anyone who knows astir winning erstwhile your champion players are perpetually looking retired the door, it's Jake Dickert. He went 20-18 successful 3 years astatine Washington State contempt changeless turnover. And his archetypal Wake squad volition beryllium portal-built. He inherits a coagulated tackle-breaker successful moving backmost Demond Claiborne, a sure-tackling linebacker successful Dylan Hazen and small else. He brought a fewer Wazzu transfers with him, including 3 starting violative linemen and a coagulated receiver successful Carlos Hernandez. Those linemen volition beryllium protecting 1 of 2 precise breathtaking (read: scramble-heavy and sack-prone) quarterbacks successful sophomore Deshawn Purdie (Charlotte) oregon elder Robby Ashford (South Carolina). They'll beryllium moving astir a batch and perchance throwing to Hernandez and 2 1,000-yard smaller-school receivers successful Reginald Vick Jr. (Virginia Union) and Karate Brenson (Tennessee State).

Yes, his sanction is Karate Brenson.

Former Kansas State and Michigan State coordinator Scottie Hazelton takes implicit a defence that -- surprise! -- volition dwell mostly of transfers. Ends Gabe Kirschke (Colorado State) and Langston Hardy (UConn) were bully gets, and safeties Ashaad Williams (North Alabama) and Sascha Garcia (William & Mary) were some smaller-school ballhawks. Led by Hazen, this could go a solid-tackling, make-them-beat-you defence beauteous quickly. But it's inactive just to question the wide endowment level connected some sides of the ball.

Stanford Cardinal

Head coach: Frank Reich (first year)

2025 projection: 88th successful SP+, 3.4 mean wins (2.2 successful the ACC)

As acold arsenic interim coaches go, you could bash worse than Frank Reich. The erstwhile Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers caput manager -- and engineer of 2 of the top comebacks of each clip -- has the résumé, adjacent if helium went conscionable 4-15-1 successful his past 2 years successful those jobs. Andrew Luck, the Stanford GM overseeing the program, called successful a favour successful bringing Reich successful aft the awkwardly timed firing of Troy Taylor, and nary substance what, Reich astir apt isn't going to bash immoderate worse than Taylor. He went 3-9 successful each of his 2 years connected the job, conscionable arsenic predecessor David Shaw went 3-9 successful each of his past 2 years. Stanford's SP+ ranking has gotten worse successful 7 of the past 9 years, and the past clip the triumph full improved successful a fixed play was 2015. Yikes. After the program's abrupt surge nether Jim Harbaugh and Shaw, it's been a slow-motion catastrophe for astir of a decade.

So yeah, there's a debased barroom for Reich. At QB, helium and violative coordinator Nate Byham volition effort to make thing utile retired of either elder Ben Gulbranson (Oregon State), sophomore Dylan Rizk (UCF) oregon redshirt freshman Elijah Brown; the lone peculiarly proven players successful the accomplishment corps are smaller-school transfers successful moving backmost Tuna Altahir (Eastern Washington) and receivers Caden High (SC State) and David Pantelis (Yale). The violative line, agelong loaded with erstwhile blue-chippers, doesn't truly person immoderate left. But 3 starters bash return, on with transfers Niki Prongos (UCLA) and Nathan Mejia (Sacramento State). Is determination a palmy discourtesy successful that mix? I don't spot it.

The defence has been horrible for 3 consecutive years, but it does person acquisition and continuity -- of 20 players with astatine slightest 150 snaps, 15 return. Outside linebacker Tevarua Tafiti, nickel Collin Wright and information Mitch Leigber are each solid, but the anticipation has to beryllium that acquisition and improvement make thing useful.

Things don't usually crook astir for an interim, but astatine the precise least, things astir apt won't get worse. Does that number arsenic affirmative spin?