2025 ACC Power Rankings: Preseason

The 2025 college football season is almost here.

With the season nearly being here, it is time to bring back our ACC power rankings. This year's ACC race feels top heavy, with four or five teams having shots to make it to Charlotte, win the conference, and make the college football playoff. Behind those five teams at the team, it is tough to differentiate between a lot of the others.

Here are our first power rankings of the 2025 season.

17. Stanford (2024 record: 3-9)

It is probably going to be a rough year out West.

They have an interim head coach (former Colts head coach Frank Reich) and a lot of their top talent left in the transfer portal. This program has a long climb back from where they are at and it would be surprising if they won more than three games this season.

16. Wake Forest (4-8)

Dave Clawson had a tremendous run at Wake Forest, but now it is Jake Dickert's turn. The former Washington State head coach was a good hire for this program, and he should get them playing well in the future, but this could be a rough debut. I will point out that they face arguably the easiest schedule in the ACC. They avoid Clemson, Miami, and Louisville in conference play and have a non-conference slate of Kennesaw State, Delaware, Western Carolina, and Oregon State. They also have one of the best running backs in the conference with Demond Claiborne. I don't think the talent is high, but a bowl game is not impossible.

Demond Claiborne Wake Fores — Nov 30, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back Demond Claiborne (1) tries to elude Duke Blue Devils cornerback Tre'Shon Devones (24) during the second half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

15. California (6-7)

It has been a tough offseason for Justin Wilcox and California. A lot of this team's talent either left in the transfer portal or is in the NFL. If Ohio State transfer Devin Brown can give this team a spark, they have a chance to outplay this ranking, but it is tough to have a lot of faith that this can even be a bowl team this year.

14. Syracuse (10-3)

It was a terrific season for Fran Brown in his first year with the Orange, but the schedule is not going to do him any favors this season. After losing Kyle McCord, Trebor Pena, Oronde Gadsden, and LeQuint Allen on offense, this is going to be a brand new looking offense in 2025. The schedule is arguably the toughest in the ACC, with games against Clemson, Miami, Georgia Tech, SMU, Notre Dame, and Tennessee. WIth so many new faces and such a tough schedule, a bowl game feels like a long shot.

13. Boston College (7-6)

The Eagles had a solid year in Bill O'Brien's first season, going to a bowl game and winning it. They are going to look to repeat that success, but they are losing some important pieces on the defensive line. Will it be Grayson James or Alabama transfer Dylan Lonergan at quarterback this season? The schedule starts soft and then finishes tough. Five of their last seven games are against Clemson, Georgia Tech, Louisville, SMU, and Notre Dame. This team needs a fast start if they want to make a bowl game.

12. Virginia (5-7)

Tony Elliott Virginia Cavalies — Nov 16, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott watches in the second quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

The Cavaliers are going all in on trying to make a bowl game in Tony Elliott's fourth season. If Wake Forest does not have the easiest schedule in the ACC, it is Virginia. UVA avoids Clemson, Miami, SMU, Georgia Tech, and Notre Dame, on top of having a favorable non-conference slate. After taking in 30 plus transfers in the offseason and having an advantageous schedule, it is bowl or bust for Elliott.

11. North Carolina (6-7)

What on Earth is this team going to look like? Either way, it is going to be spectacular to watch as NFL legend Bill Belichick takes over in Chapel Hill. This is a brand new roster and the schedule is not overly difficult so there is a path to UNC finding a way to be a surprise team in the ACC, but there is plenty of downside as well if this team does not mesh together well.

10. Pittsburgh (7-6)

The Panthers started 7-0 but were humbled on the road at SMU in a blowout loss and never recovered, losing six straight. Can they find a way to be more consistent this season? Quarterback Eli Holstein had a great start to the season, but also struggled down the stretch. Running back Desmond Reid is one of the best in the conference and the defense should be better, but I don't think this is an ACC contender.

9. Virginia Tech (6-7)

The Hokies were the preseason darlings in the ACC last year, but limped to a 6-7 season and saw a lot of talent leave to the NFL and to the transfer portal. They had to replace both coordinators and brought in a lot of talent in the transfer portal, but will it result in more wins? Hokies head coach Brent Pry is on the hot seat entering the season and this program needs to show something.

8. NC State (6-7)

CJ Bailey NC Stat — Dec 28, 2024; Annapolis, MD, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (16) throws from the pocket during the first half of the the Go Bowling Military Bowl against the East Carolina Pirates at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

I think this team has a chance to be the sleeper team in the ACC, if quarterback CJ Bailey can take a leap forward. They have a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball and the defense should be better than what it was in 2024. If both of those things turn out to be true, then I think this team could challenge for eight or nine wins.

7. Florida State (2-10)

Like North Carolina, good luck predicting what this team is going to be this season. There is nowhere to go but up for Mike Norvell and the Seminoles, but how far can they go? It feels like seven or eight wins is about right. The defense should be much improved and if Tommy Castellanos can be a good fit in Gus Malzahn's offense, FSU could have a strong running game with explosive capability in the passing game.

6. Duke (9-4)

After being one of the teams constantly at the bottom of the conference, Duke has turned into a really consistent program under former head coach Mike Elko and now Manny Diaz. This team has a chance to be really good if new quarterback Darian Mensah gives the offense a lift and provides more consistency than Maalik Murphy did. The secondary is good and there is continuity on the coaching staff, an underrated factor when looking at these teams. It feels like Duke could be a sneaky team in the ACC race.

5. SMU (11-3)

It was a terrific debut season in the ACC for SMU. They made the conference championship game and the College Football Playoff, so what can they do for an encore? They are going to have to replace several good players on defense, as well as running back Brashard Smith, but quarterback Kevin Jennings is back and they did well in the transfer portal. They should be right in the hunt for another appearance in the ACC Championship.

4. Georgia Tech (7-6)

Jamal Haynes Georgia Tec — Nov 9, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Jamal Haynes (11) takes a handoff from quarterback Haynes King (10) against the Miami Hurricanes in the first quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

There is a lot to like about this Georgia Tech team heading into 2025.

Quarterback Haynes King is back, Jamal Haynes leads a deep running back room, there is depth at receiver, and the offensive line, while having to replace some starters, should be a strength under Brent Key. Blake Gideon comes over from Texas to be the new defensive coordinator and if the Yellow Jackets can make enough improvements on that side of the ball, while staying healthy, they could find themselves in the ACC Championship game. The schedule does include Clemson and Georgia, but there is no Miami, SMU, or Louisville.

3. Louisville (9-4)

The Cardinals are on their third quarterback in three seasons, but that should not stop them from having one of the best offenses in the league. Jeff Brohm is as good of a quarterbacks coach as there is in the country and this team has depth at running back and receiver. If the defense shows enough improvement, this team could find its way in Charlotte. They also have to navigate a schedule that includes both Clemson and Miami.

2. Clemson (10-4)

Clemson is everyone's favorite to win the conference this season and I do think the Tigers can be an elite team, but I am not ready to make them the undisputed favorite yet. This team backed into the ACC Championship game because of Miami faltering down the stretch and in three of the four losses last year (Georgia, Louisville, and Texas), the Tigers were blown out.

They return plenty of experience and the passing game should be very good, at least against the lesser opponents on the schedule. Tom Allen has been brought in to get the defense going again, but how quick will he be able to do that? The schedule is not overly easy either. They have non-conference games against LSU and South Carolina while having ACC matchups against Georgia Tech, SMU, and Louisville, none of those will be easy wins.

Don't get me wrong, this team should be very good and a real threat to make the playoffs, but they have more to prove than some would have you believe.

1. Miami (10-3)

Mario Cristobal Miami Hurricane — Nov 30, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal looks on during the second half against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Miami has the best roster in the ACC, and if everything clicks, they should be in Charlotte. They have to earn it, though, and that has eluded them in the past.

The Hurricanes season largely rests on two things. Can Carson Beck return to 2023 form and can the defense take a big leap forward? If so, this team should be very good. The offensive line is as good as any in the country, let alone the ACC, and the running back room is deep. The defensive line is filled with four and five star talent and I love what Miami did in the secondary to fix their woeful pass defense. The

This team is not perfect and Mario Cristobal is a hard coach to trust, but this team is just as talented as Clemson and I think they are the ACC's best heading into the season.