ACC football power rankings as 2025 spring practice begins

Where things stand in the early ACC football power rankings as 2025 spring ball gets underway.

James Parks | Mar 7, 2025

A preview of the ACC football power rankings as we move into the 2025 spring practice period. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Last year was good to the ACC, which saw two of its teams make the College Football Playoff, even if those squads didn’t advance past the first round of the expanded postseason format.

And there’s every reason to believe the ACC could be well-represented in the playoff again in 2025, especially as Dabo Swinney’s team figures to make another run at the 12-team field.

Sure, it’s still just springtime and those first impressions can be misleading, if not wrong, particularly in an age of instant transfers and NIL incentives that can radically change what a roster looks like from spring to fall.

What is the ACC dealing with entering this season?

Let’s take an early preview of the conference’s power rankings as teams begin spring practice.

17. Stanford

All eyes are on redshirt freshman quarterback Elijah Brown to give the Cardinal offense a much-needed upgrade while head coach Troy Taylor revamps his defense.

16. Wake Forest

Jake Dickert steps into the head coaching role alongside transfer players from his previous stop at Washington State in tandem with just a half-dozen or so returning starters, and while he gets lead rusher Demond Clairbone back, he’s working behind a line undergoing a complete overhaul.

15. California

Fernando Mendoza was supposed to be Cal’s quarterback this year, but he flipped to Indiana, leaving just Jaydn Ott to carry this offense. Three of the Golden Bears’ first five games are on the road.

14. Virginia

Tony Elliott’s offense mustered just under 23 points per game a year ago, but he gets transfer quarterback Chandler Morris in to give the unit a jolt, and the Cavaliers play a schedule that doesn’t include Clemson, Miami, SMU, or Georgia Tech.

13. NC State

CJ Bailey takes over at quarterback, albeit without wideout KC Concepcion, who transferred away, and the Wolfpack have major holes to patch up in the defensive secondary.

12. Boston College

Bill O’Brien got the Eagles into the postseason after getting good results from quarterback Grayson James, but the Eagles need to fill vacancies on the offensive line, returning just two starters, and all over the defense.

11. Syracuse

The departure of Kyle McCord could spell trouble for head coach Fran Brown in his second season with the Orange, after the Ohio State transfer lit a fire under this passing offense, and it’s a tall order to replace his production.

10. Pittsburgh

Eli Holstein returns at quarterback and Desmond Reid in the backfield to help keep the Panthers offense on track after averaging almost 33 points per game, but a six-game losing streak to end a 2024 season that began 7-0 puts a big question mark over this program’s momentum.

9. Virginia Tech

This time last year, the Hokies were a fashionable pick to make some noise before petering out at 6-7, but star quarterback Kyron Drones returns with experienced blockers and some notable transfers that help moving the ball on the ground.

8. Florida State

Big changes were needed after the Seminoles’ surprising 2-10 mark a year ago, and the addition of Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator should be a step in the right direction alongside a big transfer class to right the ship and prevent Mike Norvell’s tenure going off the rails.

7. North Carolina

All eyes are on eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick to see if he can make the Tar Heels in the image of his legendary tenure leading the Patriots. He gets an easier schedule and a promising transfer class to make a good first impression.

6. Duke

Tulane transfer quarterback Darian Mensah was an important gain for Manny Diaz and he returns six defensive starters from a solid-performing unit, but the Blue Devils face a tougher schedule, especially early on, that could derail their progress.

5. Georgia Tech

While the Yellow Jackets rework a defense losing key contributors and its coordinator, the return of quarterback Haynes King, lead back Jamal Haynes, and wideout Malik Rutherford bode very well for Tech’s offense.

4. SMU

A playoff team and the ACC’s runner-up a year ago, the Mustangs won’t surprise anyone in 2025, and they’ll have to prove it against a more challenging schedule playing at home against conference contenders Miami and Louisville.

3. Louisville

Jeff Brohm gets just four starters back on defense, but the Cardinals secured another promising transfer class led by quarterback Miller Moss and have Isaac Brown working out of the backfield.

2. Miami

Carson Beck was arguably college football’s most high-profile transfer, but the ex-Georgia quarterback is also dealing with the effects of an elbow injury and didn’t play his best ball last year.

1. Clemson

Cade Klubnik returns after a personal-best outing in many categories a year ago, throwing 36 touchdown passes en route to an ACC title and playoff berth. Tom Allen came over from Penn State to run Clemson’s defense in one of the sport’s most intriguing hires this offseason.