Glass Slippers on the Gridiron: ACC's Cinderella Runs
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There will always be favorites to win the conference, but the ACC is the perfect conference for a Cinderella story to thrive. Think of Kenny Dillingham's Sun Devils, who made a ridiculous run into the College Football Playoff and eventually lost to the Texas Longhorns.
Will we see a Cinderella run out of the ACC? I would expect it to come from one of these three teams: Pittsburgh, Virginia, or Wake Forest.
Pittsburgh
Pat Narduzzi will hope for a major Cinderella story run this fall in the Steel City. The Panthers had one of the weirder seasons in the conference this past year. They started the 2024 campaign with seven straight wins, and the Panthers were in business. However, the latter six games of the season, including their bowl game against Toledo, all ended in defeat.
Narduzzi's staff didn't dive too deep into the transfer portal, but they never really needed to, as they are a homegrown-built team. With Eli Holstein behind center, the Panthers could find a way to get hot. With a bit more consistency, the team could find its way to the top of the ACC this fall.
Virginia
Last year, the Virginia Cavaliers finished with a 5-7 overall record and went 3-5 in conference play. Tony Elliott heads into his fourth year as Cavaliers Head Coach, and with an 11-23 record in his first three years, you may be wondering why they made this Cinderella story list.
The answer is short and simple: Chandler Morris. Elliott picked up the North Texas transfer quarterback this offseason in one of the most underrated transfer moves in the conference. The Hoos also added Jahmal Erdine as a wideout to replace Malachi Fields, who landed at Notre Dame in the offseason. With Erdine and star receiver Trell Harris on the outside, Morris will have plenty of weapons to attack ACC defenses.
Wake Forest
When thinking of the Cinderella story of 2024, the Arizona State Sun Devils come to mind. They had a new coach in Kenny Dillingham, a star running back in Cam Skattebo, and an exciting young quarterback in Sam Leavitt. Call me crazy, but Wake Forest has all three of these components.
The new coach is Jake Dickert, a young and energetic head coach. The star halfback is Demond Claiborne, who is on the Maxwell Award Watch List. The exciting young quarterback is Deshawn Purdie from UNC-Charlotte. Wake Forest is "forged by darkness," making them the perfect candidate for a Cinderella run.
Previewing Wake Forest and ACC Football
Over the last couple of weeks, we have been writing previews of the upcoming season, both for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the ACC. Missed some of our previews? Read them here:
Wake Forest
Wake Forest Demon Deacons Football Preview & Projections
Wake Forest to be Forged in Darkness
A Look Inside the Wake Forest QB Room
A Close Look at the Wake Forest RB Room
Can 40 Carries a Game Fuel a Wake Forest Revival?
Who is Jake Dickert?
ACC
Who Will Meet in Charlotte in December
Which Teams are Dark Horses to Make the ACC Championship
Wake Forest opens the season on August 30 at home against Kennesaw State.
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Ryder is a Junior at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. He is studying Accountancy but has a passion for college athletics. He serves as the Treasurer of the Old Gold and Black, Wake Forest’s Student-Run newspaper. He has also served as a play-by-play analyst for his high school’s football and basketball games.