By: Payton Mitchell
The start of the 2025-2026 college football season is 5 weeks away. One conference that’s definitely worth keeping an eye on is the ACC.
The ACC Championship is up for grabs this year in Charlotte. Here are 5 picks to win the Atlantic Coast Conference.
- Clemson Tigers
24-25 Record 10-4 (7-1)
The Tigers return 80% of their overall production from a year ago.
The biggest thing for Clemson is that Quarterback Cade Klubnik is back for his Senior year. The field general threw for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns last season.
The Senior is getting 3 of his top 4 Receivers back, Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore.
Sophomore Tyler Brown also returns, who was injured in 2024, and Tristan Smith from the Transfer Portal.
Smith transfers from Southeast Missouri State where he had 934 yards and 6 TDs.
In 2024 the Defense was young.13 returning players saw 200 or more snaps last year. 9 of the 13 returners are still sophomores or juniors.
It’s safe to say Clemson has enough experience to go Back to Back.
Embed from Getty Images- Miami Hurricanes
24-25 Record 10-3 (6-2)
2024 ended in heartbreak for Miami, losing its ACC Championship Berth after its 42-38 loss to Syracuse.
The Hurricanes return 10 starters and added Georgia transfer Carson Beck at quarterback. Beck threw for 3,485 yards and 28 touchdowns last season.
Beck won’t be throwing to the same receivers as #1 overall pick Cam Ward threw too.
Miami picked up CJ Daniels and Keelan Marion, to complement five-star Joshisa Trader. The running back room is still solid with Mark Fletcher Jr. and Jordan Lyle. The duo combined for 1,007 yards averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
The defense struggled in 2024, but new coordinator Corey Hetherman brings a top-15 resume from Minnesota. Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor return up front, and Miami added key transfers to fix the secondary, including Ethan O’Connor from Washington State.
Cristobal has the talent. Now he needs to prove he can manage it when it matters.
- SMU Mustangs
24-25 Record 11-3 (8-0)
SMU is riding back-to-back 11-win seasons, and Rhett Lashlee has turned the Mustangs into a legit ACC contender.
Quarterback Kevin Jennings returns after throwing for 3,245 yards and 28 total TDs. He’ll be protected by a veteran O-line led by PJ Williams and Logan Parr.
The Mustangs lost key weapons but reloaded with RB T.J. Harden (826 yards at UCLA) and slot WR Yamir Knight (66 catches at JMU).
The defense rebuilt up front adding ECU transfer Zakye Barker (13.5 TFLs) and DT Terry Webb. The secondary returns standout Deuce Harmon and adds San Jose State playmaker Robert Rahimi (4 INTs).
With a tougher schedule and lots of new faces, SMU has work to do, but with Lashlee’s track record, they’ll be in the mix.
- Louisville Cardinals
24-25 Record 9-4 (5-3)
Embed from Getty ImagesThere’s nothing traditional about what Jeff Brohm is building at Louisville. Each offseason feels like a rebuild, yet the Cardinals keep trending up.
The offense is built to impress. Louisville returns two explosive backs in Isaac Brown and Duke Watson, who combined for 1,770 yards and 7.6 yards per carry last season. Chris Bell, the veteran wideout, is back after averaging 17.1 yards per catch.
The Cards added USC transfer Miller Moss at quarterback.
The offensive line has been rebuilt with the help of returning center Pete Nygra.
On defense, Louisville reloaded with experience and power.
Linebackers Stanquan Clark and Antonio Watts are the heart of the unit, combining for 16.5 tackles for loss and 11 passes defended last season.
Safety D’Angelo Hutchinson returns after breaking up five passes and recording five run stops. Louisville hit the portal, adding pass rusher Clev Lubin (9.5 sacks at Coastal Carolina), defensive tackle Jerry Lawson (14 TFLs at Abilene Christian), and cornerbacks Justin Agu and Jabari Mack, who combined for 20 pass breakups.
Louisville has a tough schedule but if teams don’t look out they will slide into the championship game.
- Florida State Seminoles
24-25 Record 2-10 (1-7)
Florida State’s 2024 season was a disaster. One year after going 13-1 and getting snubbed by the CFP committee, the Seminoles tumbled to 2-10.
Now, Mike Norvell enters 2025 under pressure, and possibly on the hot seat.
To fix the offense, Norvell hands the keys to Gus Malzahn and brought in Boston College transfer Thomas Castellanos at quarterback. Castellanos is a dynamic runner with experience in Malzahn’s system from his time at UCF.
FSU added RB Gavin Sawchuk (Oklahoma), plus multiple wide receivers Squirrel White (Tennessee), Duce Robinson (USC), and Gavin Blackwell (UNC) to complement Castellanos.
The offensive line added six transfers, including Ole Miss tackle Micah Pettus and Wake Forest center Luke Petitbon.
The defense is also getting a reset under new DC Tony White.
FSU added transfers Deamontae Diggs (Coastal Carolina), Jayson Jenkins (Tennessee), and Elijah Herring (Memphis) to restore a unit that lost its identity.
The Seminole faithful are expecting a bounceback season. If expectations aren’t met it could mean the end of the Norvell era in Tallahassee.
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