In an ACC long dominated by Clemson and Florida State, a growing group of experienced coaches—like those featured in this article—have consistently pushed back against the power structure, while several high-profile newcomers are now looking to add to their legacies by dethroning the traditional kings of the conference. In this article, I will reveal the third part of my ACC predictions and previews consisting of the following teams: North Carolina, NC State, Pittsburgh, SMU.

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North Carolina Tar Heels

9/1 – vs. TCU – Loss

9/6 – @ Charlotte – Win

9/13 – vs. Richmond – Win

9/20 – @ UCF – Win

9/27 – BYE

10/4 – vs. Clemson – Loss

10/11 – BYE

10/17 – @ California – Loss

10/25 – vs. Virginia – Win

10/31 – @ Syracuse – Loss

11/8 – vs. Stanford – Win

11/15 – @ Wake Forest – Win

11/22 – vs. Duke – Win

11/29 – @ NC State – Loss

Final Record: 7-5 (4-4)

After the departure of longtime head coach Mack Brown, North Carolina made a move few thought possible: hiring legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick to lead the Tar Heels into a new era. Naturally, questions swirled about how Belichick’s coaching style would translate to the college game. Those questions only intensified as the roster underwent a major overhaul—more than half of last year’s players either graduated, entered the NFL Draft, or hit the transfer portal. In response, UNC brought in over 40 transfers from both the FBS and FCS levels to rebuild quickly.

Belichick isn’t alone in making the NFL-to-college transition. Former Cleveland Browns head coach and longtime NFL offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens joined the staff this offseason and will lead an offense full of uncertainty and potential. He’ll oversee a quarterback competition between South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez and returner Max Johnson, who missed most of 2024 with an injury. At the skill positions, UNC returns wide receiver Kobe Paysour and tight end Jake Johnson, while Michigan State transfer Aziah Johnson adds another weapon on the perimeter. The biggest question mark lies in the backfield, where sophomore Davion Gause is tasked with replacing star running back Omarion Hampton. Gause has breakout potential but faces a steep learning curve. Blocking for him will be an offensive line that, despite losing Howard Sampson to Texas Tech, returns three starters and adds a couple of key transfers to reinforce the unit.

On the defensive side, Steve Belichick takes over as coordinator and faces a challenge of his own. The Tar Heels lost defensive standout Beau Atkinson and linebacker Amare Campbell to the transfer portal, both heading to Big Ten programs. However, UNC added key reinforcements, including UConn edge rusher Pryce Yates, Washington linebacker Khmori House, and Nebraska transfer Mikai Gbayor. In the secondary, safeties Will Hardy and Kaleb Cost return, joined by Washington transfer Thaddeus Dixon, who is expected to start opposite returning cornerback Marcus Allen.

Looking ahead to the schedule, their season opener—a Labor Day showdown against TCU—could set the tone for what to expect from Bill Belichick’s tenure in Chapel Hill. Following a pivotal home conference opener against Clemson, the Tar Heels face a relatively manageable ACC schedule—until the final two weeks, when they close the season with rivalry matchups against Duke at home and NC State on the road.

While I’m not ready to view North Carolina as a conference contender just yet, and some might consider this roster underwhelming for Belichick’s first year as a college head coach, I trust that his NFL experience will help push the team toward bowl eligibility and a solid season overall—one he can build on in the years to come.

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NC State Wolfpack

8/28 – vs. East Carolina – Win

9/6 – vs. Virginia – Win

9/11 – @ Wake Forest – Win

9/20 – @ Duke – Loss

9/27 – vs. Virginia Tech – Win

10/4 – vs. Campbell – Win

10/11 – @ Notre Dame – Loss

10/18 – BYE

10/25 – @ Pittsburgh – Loss

11/1 – vs. Georgia Tech – Win

11/8 – BYE

11/15 – @ Miami – Loss

11/21 – vs. Florida State – Loss

11/29 – vs. North Carolina – Win

Final Record: 7-5 (4-4)

If there’s any coach outside of Dabo Swinney who consistently keeps his team in the top half of the ACC, it’s NC State’s Dave Doeren.

Unfortunately for the Wolfpack, that trend didn’t hold last season. Quarterback Grayson McCall, who arrived with high expectations after a stellar run at Coastal Carolina, suffered an early-season injury that ultimately led to his medical retirement from football. With true freshman CJ Bailey taking over under center, NC State struggled to gain traction—managing just six wins and suffering its fifth straight bowl loss, falling to East Carolina in the Military Bowl. It marked only the program’s third losing season in 12 years under Doeren. Still, there’s reason for optimism. With former offensive coordinator Robert Anae moving on, quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper has been promoted to take over the play-calling duties. Bailey, who showed growth and confidence as the season progressed, is expected to take a big step forward as a dual-threat quarterback. He’ll be joined in the backfield by returning leading rusher Hollywood Smothers. The passing game loses star wide receiver KC Concepcion, who transferred to Texas A&M, but there’s still talent on the perimeter. Noah Rogers and Wesley Grimes return, and four-star freshman Terrell Anderson adds upside. Tight end Justin Joly, who led the team with 661 receiving yards, remains Bailey’s most reliable target. Up front, Anthony Carter and Jacarrius Peak return to anchor the offensive line, while the rest of the unit will rely on depth and key transfer additions.

Defensively, NC State enters a new era under coordinator DJ Eliot, who replaces longtime leader Tony Gibson, now the head coach at Marshall. Eliot brings a wealth of experience from both the college and NFL ranks. Up front, Travali Price and Brandon Cleveland return as anchors, but the departure of standout Davin Vann leaves a notable hole. Linebacker Sean Brown led the team in tackles last year, and a healthy return from Caden Fordham could bolster the middle. The linebacker corps also welcomes transfers Tra Thomas (Temple) and Cian Slone (Utah State), both of whom are expected to contribute right away.

The secondary, however, sees major turnover. Safeties Bishop Fitzgerald and Brandon Cisse transferred to USC and South Carolina, respectively. To help fill the gaps, the Wolfpack added Georgia State transfer JJ Johnson and return cornerback Devon Marshall, hoping to maintain stability on the back end.

NC State’s 2025 schedule starts off relatively manageable, but the difficulty ramps up significantly after a mid-October road trip to Notre Dame. The back half features home games against Georgia Tech, Florida State, and North Carolina, as well as a challenging road test at Miami.

It’s a demanding stretch that could test even the most experienced squads, but if Bailey takes a step forward and the defense finds its rhythm under Eliot, the Wolfpack should remain competitive—and consistent with the level of success Doeren has built over the past decade.

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Pittsburgh Panthers

8/30 – vs. Duquesne – Win

9/6 – vs. Central Michigan – Win

9/13 – @ West Virginia – Win

9/20 – BYE

9/27 – vs. Louisville – Win

10/4 – vs. Boston College – Win

10/11 – @ Florida State – Loss

10/18 – @ Syracuse – Loss

10/25 – vs. NC State – Win

11/1 – @ Stanford – Win

11/8 – BYE

11/15 – vs. Notre Dame – Loss

11/22 – @ Georgia Tech – Loss

11/29 – vs. Miami – Loss

Final Record: 7-5 (4-4)

Following a dream season that saw them win the ACC Championship and Kenny Pickett earn a trip to New York as a Heisman finalist, Pittsburgh appeared poised for a downward spiral—until last year’s squad started the season with an impressive 7–0 run. However, the team faltered down the stretch, finishing with six straight losses, including a defeat to Toledo in the GameAbove Sports Bowl. Head coach Pat Narduzzi and his staff are now hoping to rebound and regain their footing.

Fortunately, Pittsburgh returns second-year offensive coordinator Kade Bell, along with the experienced quarterback Eli Holstein, who showed excellent dual-threat ability before being sidelined late in the season by a lingering injury. The offensive line struggled last year, allowing a tied-for-sixth-worst 43 sacks, but a few returning pieces combined with transfer portal additions at offensive tackle should improve that significantly. They’ll also have the versatile running back Desmond Reid back, who led the team in rushing and return yards and finished tied for the most receptions and second-most receiving yards. While the Panthers lost receiving threats in wideout Konata Mumpfield and tight end Gavin Bartholomew, they bring back a solid receiving trio in Kenny Johnson, Censere Lee, and Raphael Williams Jr., with Jeff Overman adding valuable depth to the tight end room.

Defensive coordinator Randy Bates returns key contributors on that side of the ball as well. A talented linebacker trio of Kyle Louis, Rasheem Biles, and Braylan Lovelace is back; combined, they accounted for 17 sacks, two forced fumbles, 13 pass deflections, and six interceptions—three of which were returned for touchdowns. Defensive end Jimmy Scott and defensive tackle Sean FitzSimmons also return to bolster what should be one of the ACC’s premier pass-rushing units. The secondary will need to rise to the occasion to make Pittsburgh’s defense truly feared, led by cornerback Rashad Battle and safety Javon McIntyre, supported by returning depth and transfer additions.

Early in the season, the Panthers have some opportunities to build momentum, but the final stretch after their second bye week is daunting, featuring a home game against reigning national runner-up Notre Dame, a road trip to an improved Georgia Tech, and finishing on Senior Day against Miami.

Given their schedule, this season could resemble last year’s rollercoaster, but with the talent returning, don’t be surprised if Pittsburgh manages to make some noise in the ACC.

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SMU Mustangs

8/30 – vs. East Texas A&M – Win

9/6 – vs. Baylor – Win

9/13 – @ Missouri State – Win

9/20 – @ TCU – Loss

9/27 – BYE

10/4 – vs. Syracuse – Win

10/11 – vs. Stanford – Win

10/18 – @ Clemson – Loss

10/25 – @ Wake Forest – Win

11/1 – vs. Miami – Win

11/8 – @ Boston College – Win

11/15 – BYE

11/22 – vs. Louisville – Win

11/29 – @ California – Win

Final Record: 10-2 (7-1)

The biggest surprise out of the ACC in 2024 was Rhett Lashlee’s SMU team, playing their first season in a power conference since the 1980s. They looked every bit like a true Power Four program last year, going 11–1 in the regular season with an undefeated 8–0 conference record, an appearance in the ACC Championship, and an at-large bid to the College Football Playoff. This season, they hope to build on that success with the opportunities ahead of them.

Lashlee, who was named ACC Coach of the Year in 2024, returns star dual-threat quarterback Kevin Jennings, who finished the season with 28 total touchdowns despite beginning the year as the backup behind Northwestern transfer Preston Stone. Although SMU will lose their top two receiving yard leaders, Roderick Daniels Jr. and Key’Shawn Smith, wide receivers Jordan Hudson and Romello Brinson are back, and the Mustangs have two highly touted freshmen—Daylon Singleton and Jalen Cooper—who could contribute immediately. The tight end room remains strong with RJ Maryland and Matthew Hibner returning to support Jennings in offensive coordinator Casey Woods’ Air Raid system. While star running back Brashard Smith is a significant loss, SMU hopes sophomore Derrick McFall, along with UCLA transfer TJ Harden and Miami transfer Chris Johnson Jr., can fill the void. Up front, the offensive line should be even stronger this season, returning three starters and adding high-level talent from the portal, including Miami’s Zion Nelson and Tennessee’s Addison Nichols.

Defensive coordinator Scott Symons also brings back talent, with edge rushers Cameron Robertson and Isaiah Smith expected to take on larger roles following the departures of Elijah Roberts and Jahfari Harvey to the NFL. The defensive line, one of the conference’s best, welcomes new transfer talent and should remain a strength. Secondary production will be crucial, with safeties Isaiah Nwokobia and Ahmaad Moses returning alongside Jaelyn Davis-Robinson and Deuce Harmon. The linebacker corps is the biggest question mark, as two starters have departed. However, returning linebacker Alexander Kilgore and East Carolina transfer Zakye Barker will play key roles in the middle if younger players cannot step up.

SMU’s schedule presents some challenges, including in-state non-conference games against Baylor and TCU from the Big XII. They will face all three other ACC teams with double-digit wins last season—hosting Syracuse, traveling to Clemson in an ACC Championship rematch, and returning home to face Miami, where Lashlee previously served as offensive coordinator.

Despite a tougher schedule, I expect SMU to remain close to last year’s form, and I strongly believe they could return to Charlotte in December with a College Football Playoff spot within reach.