The ACC might be the weakest of the Power Four conferences in college football, but after managing to put two teams into last year’s College Football Playoff, there’s a really strong possibility that history could repeat itself, especially if teams like Clemson, SMU, and Miami continue living up to the hype. In this article, I will reveal the first part of my ACC predictions and previews consisting of the following teams: Boston College, California, Clemson, and Duke.

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Boston College Eagles

8/30 – vs. Fordham – Win

9/6 – @ Michigan State – Loss

9/13 – @ Stanford – Win

9/20 – BYE

9/27 – vs. California – Win

10/4 – @ Pittsburgh – Loss

10/11 – vs. Clemson – Loss

10/18 – vs. UConn – Win

10/25 – @ Louisville – Loss

11/1 – vs. Notre Dame – Loss

11/8 – vs. SMU – Loss

11/15 – vs. Georgia Tech – Loss

11/22 – BYE

11/29 – @ Syracuse – Loss

Final Record: 4-8 (2-6)

Boston College enters its second season under head coach Bill O’Brien, looking to gain momentum from a 7-6 season that earned them a Pinstripe Bowl appearance in the end.

On offense, there is some hope for a fresh new start as offensive coordinator Will Lawing is keeping a close watch over a quarterback battle between Alabama transfer Dylan Lonergan and returning quarterback Grayson James, who became Boston College’s starter later in the 2024 season after Castellanos was benched and then transferred to Florida State, and whoever gets the job has weapons that should be slightly more experienced with Lewis Bond, Reed Harris, and Jaedn Skeete all back. The offense will also lose top two rushers Kye Robichaux and Treshaun Ward, so they will look towards Turbo Richard and Jordan McDonald to make up that production. While Kamari Morales is gone, the tight end room will add transfers in Alabama’s Ty Lockwood and FAU’s Zeke Moore to split production with Jeremiah Franklin, and the offensive line plugs in a couple of transfers as well to join their other three returning linemen in the trenches.

Tim Lewis’s defense, on the other hand, remains a concern as the absence of star edge rusher Ezeiruaku, who finished second in the FBS with 16.5 sacks last season, will prove to be a heavy blow to a young defensive core, making this upcoming season a crucial one. His replacement, Quintayvious Hutchins, has some production, but needs a lot more with help from the interior guys and another defensive end who only had one total tackle last year. Their top linebacker, Davveon Crouch, is back, and if Owen McGowan can make more stops in the middle of the field, they could be one of the better linebacker tandems in the ACC. Lastly, they have a secondary, which is the strongest and most productive part of their defense, with leading tackler KP Price and leading interceptor Carter Davis both returning at safety, and cornerback Amari Jackson finally being healthy again.

Their first couple of ACC matchups at Stanford and at home against California should fall in the Eagles’ favor. Still, the middle of their conference schedule consists of multiple larger hurdles, including a home matchup against Clemson, a road matchup two weeks later at Louisville, and a couple of November home games against SMU and Georgia Tech, before they travel to Syracuse to close their regular season. Their non-conference schedule will be no cakewalk either, with an early road matchup against Michigan State and home games against UConn and then Notre Dame.

Expect a step back for Bill O’Brien’s squad as they continue to develop their young talent and try to find their identity for the future.

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California Golden Bears

8/30 – @ Oregon State – Loss

9/6 – vs. Texas Southern – Win

9/13 – vs. Minnesota – Loss

9/20 – @ San Diego State – Win

9/27 – @ Boston College – Loss

10/4 – vs. Duke – Loss

10/11 – BYE

10/17 – vs. North Carolina – Win

10/24 – @ Virginia Tech – Loss

11/1 – vs. Virginia – Win

11/8 – @ Louisville – Loss

11/15 – BYE

11/22 – @ Stanford – Win

11/29 – vs. SMU – Loss

Final Record: 5-7 (3-5)

In their first season in the ACC, California finally took the significant leap they had long been desperate for, but head coach Justin Wilcox now faces a hectic offseason following several key roster departures.

Former offensive coordinator Mike Bloesch is gone, replaced by ex-Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin, whose new-look offense could feature up to nine transfer starters. The loss of starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza to Indiana is a major blow, but a compelling competition now unfolds between Ohio State transfer Devin Brown and 2025 five-star Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who initially signed with Oregon before transferring. California also lost both of its top rushers — Jaydn Ott to Oklahoma and Jaivian Thomas to UCLA — though they added capable replacements in NC State’s Kendrick Raphael and UTSA’s Brandon High Jr. At wide receiver, Trond Grizzell returns and is joined by former UNLV speedster Jacob de Jesus, but Nyziah Hunter (Nebraska), Mikey Matthews (UCLA), and Jonathan Brady (Indiana) are all gone. Tight end Jack Endries transferred to Texas, leaving the Bears in need of a breakout from a backup. Meanwhile, the offensive line, which tied for last in sacks allowed last season, was heavily reinforced through the portal.

Defensively, coordinating duties will now be shared by promoted staffers Terrence Brown and Vic So’oto. The secondary must replace all five starters, with three transfers likely to step in alongside rising backups. Up front, size won’t be an issue — each lineman weighs around 300 pounds — and while tackling leader Teddye Buchanan departs, California returns standout linebacker Cade Uluave, the 2023 Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, and adds JUCO star Odera Okaka, who could emerge as a new leader.

The schedule offers some favorable early matchups — including games against Oregon State and Minnesota — but the final stretch could prove punishing, with trips to Louisville and a tough Senior Day clash against SMU. With so much offseason turnover, and the most difficult games falling in November, it’s hard to envision the Golden Bears making a strong enough adjustment to close the season with upsets.

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Clemson Tigers

8/30 – vs. LSU – Win

9/6 – vs. Troy – Win

9/13 – @ Georgia Tech – Win

9/20 – vs. Syracuse – Win

9/27 – BYE

10/4 – @ North Carolina – Win

10/11 – @ Boston College – Win

10/18 – vs. SMU – Win

10/25 – BYE

11/1 – vs. Duke – Win

11/8 – vs. Florida State – Win

11/14 – @ Louisville – Loss

11/22 – vs. Furman – Win

11/29 – @ South Carolina – Win

Final Record: 11-1 (7-1)

Clemson enters the 2025 season as the reigning ACC Champion and a recent College Football Playoff participant, once again positioned as the favorite to claim its tenth conference title in 15 years—and a legitimate contender for the national crown.

Quarterback Cade Klubnik, coming off a breakout 2024 campaign, returns for his final year and is considered a frontrunner for a trip to New York as a Heisman finalist. He’ll also benefit from what could be Clemson’s best receiving corps since 2019, led by Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr., and TJ Moore, with strong depth behind them including Tyler Brown, Cole Turner, and new transfer Tristan Smith from Southeast Missouri. Even with tight end Jake Briningstool off to the NFL, the Tigers have several capable options ready to step in. Additionally, wideout Adam Randall will transition to running back, where he flashed potential late last season, and will join a rotation that includes incoming four-star freshman Gideon Davidson following Phil Mafah’s departure.

On the coaching side, Clemson continues to evolve under third-year offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and second-year offensive line coach Matt Luke. A major shift came on defense with the hiring of new coordinator Tom Allen from Penn State, brought in to repair a unit that underperformed against the run in 2024. The defensive line could be one of the best in the country, with Purdue transfer Will Heldt joining standout returners TJ Parker, Peter Woods, and DeMonte Capehart—all potential first-round picks. While linebacker Barrett Carter has moved on, the Tigers return former five-star Sammy Brown and veteran Wade Woodaz, alongside Alabama transfer Jeremiah Alexander. The secondary is loaded with experience, especially at corner, where rising star Avieon Terrell is expected to lead the group opposite nickelback Khalil Barnes and promising sophomore Ashton Hampton.

Clemson’s 2025 schedule presents more challenges than last year’s, beginning with a massive season-opening showdown against LSU in Death Valley. Other marquee matchups include a potential ACC Championship rematch with SMU, a tough Friday night road trip to Louisville, and a heated rivalry game at South Carolina.

Despite the challenges, the path is manageable for a team many consider among the most talented in college football. Keep an eye on Dabo Swinney and the Tigers—they’re not fading into the background. They’re firmly back in the national title conversation.

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Duke Blue Devils

8/28 – Elon – Win

9/6 – vs. Illinois – Loss

9/13 – @ Tulane – Win

9/20 – vs. NC State – Win

9/27 – @ Syracuse – Loss

10/4 – @ California – Win

10/11 – BYE

10/18 – vs. Georgia Tech – Win

10/25 – BYE

11/1 – @ Clemson – Loss

11/8 – @ UConn – Win

11/15 – vs. Virginia – Win

11/22 – @ North Carolina – Loss

11/29 – vs. Wake Forest – Win

Final Record: 8-4 (5-3)

Just when it seemed like Duke might be losing its footing following Mike Elko’s departure to Texas A&M and Riley Leonard’s transfer to Notre Dame, the Blue Devils surprised everyone again—this time under new head coach Manny Diaz.

Last season’s starter Maalik Murphy is now at Oregon State, but Duke may be even better at quarterback after reportedly using an $8 million NIL package to land Tulane transfer Darian Mensah, who steps in as offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer’s new signal caller. Despite losing Star Thomas to Tennessee, Duke’s rushing attack should remain strong. A fully healthy Jaquez Moore returns to lead a solid two-back system alongside Peyton Jones, and Mensah is expected to contribute with his legs as well. The wide receiver room lost top options Jordan Moore and Eli Pancol, but adds Oklahoma transfer Andrel Anthony, a dangerous deep threat, to pair with reliable route runners like Que’Sean Brown and Sahmir Hagans. Tight end remains a question mark, with little returning production and limited experience. However, the offensive line—excellent in pass protection a season ago—returns nearly every starter and is focused on becoming more effective in the run game after struggling to create holes in 2024.

On defense, Jonathan Patke’s unit—supported by the defensive-minded Diaz—was outstanding last season and could be even better in 2025. It starts with elite secondary play, led by All-American cornerback Chandler Rivers and safety Terry Moore. The rest of the defensive backfield should improve with the addition of Sam Houston transfer Caleb Weaver. Up front, Duke brings back its core pass rushers: Wesley Williams, Vincent Anthony Jr., and Aaron Hall, who combined for 16.5 sacks in 2024. While Ozzie Nicholas and Alex Howard are gone from the linebacker room, Tre Freeman, Nick Morris Jr., and Utah State transfer Jaiden Francois form a promising trio. The defensive front also returns three key linemen from a unit that finished second nationally in tackles for loss and fourth in sacks.

The 2025 schedule features early non-conference tests, starting with Illinois at home, followed by a trip to Tulane—a homecoming for Mensah. The conference slate is a balanced mix of top-tier and lower-tier opponents, but well-placed bye weeks give Duke two full weeks to prepare for critical matchups against Georgia Tech and Clemson.

If 2024 was considered a breakthrough for Duke, then 2025 could be a statement. Don’t sleep on the Blue Devils again—they have the tools to contend near the top of the ACC once again.