The ACC will enter the 2025 season looking to take a step forward after a tumultuous 2024.
The conference ended up with two bids in the College Football Playoff after three-loss Clemson won the ACC Championship game, but many analysts and pundits put the conference on blast, particularly after its lackluster showing in bowl games.
As we look towards 2025, though, there are going to be some changes in the conference, and we're not even talking about the new reported TV agreements that settled the lawsuits between Clemson and Florida State with the conference. The ACC has several teams that will be Top 25 worthy, and it will be interesting to see how much the conference can develop in the coming season.
First, though, let's take a look at each team's biggest question heading into the spring of 2025.
Boston College Eagles
Biggest Question: Who wins the quarterback competition?
Boston College needs to find a quarterback, and they need to do it fast. There's no way Bill O'Brien can have success if he can't find a consistent quarterback. Does Grayson James win the battle or is it transfer Dylan Lonergan? James seemed to give Boston College a bit of a spark to close out last season and he's the veteran, so we'd expect to see him as the starter, but it will be interesting to see what Lonergan has to say about all of that.
California Golden Bears
Biggest Question: Replacing Fernando Mendoza
Just like Boston College, Cal has a lot of questions, but none more pressing than quarterback. The Bears lost the heart and soul of their team in Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) to the transfer portal, and now they have to find the new leader of the offense. Incoming freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, as well as CJ Harris and freshman EJ Caminong are the options.
Clemson Tigers
Biggest Question: Does Tom Allen breathe new life into that defense?
Barring something unforeseen, Clemson is going to be elite on the offensive side of the ball in 2025. They've got Cade Klubnik, Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco, T.J. Moore, and four starters on the offensive line returning. They're loaded. The question, though, is the defense.
There is talent on that Clemson defense and it will be up to Tom Allen (who Dabo Swinney hired away from Penn State) to find out how to best utilize it. If the Tigers can have a Top-20 defense in the country, that will likely be good enough to win the ACC and earn a spot in the College Football Playoff. The big question, though, is if Allen can revitalize that defense and get Clemson back to the level it's used to playing at.
Duke Blue Devils
Biggest Question: Are the skill position players good enough?
Duke paid dearly to lock down QB Darian Mensah for the next two seasons and there's no doubt he brings a level of athleticism and play-making capability to be dangerous. Duke also returns four starters on the offensive line from last season, but the big question is at the skill positions. Mensah needs targets to throw to and the top receivers from last season are gone. They've brought in some transfers in Andrel Anthony and Cooper Barkate, and they have a couple of returners in Sahmir Hagans and Que'Sean Brown, but there are still questions to be had.
Florida State Seminoles
Biggest Question: Does Mike Norvell win the Transfer Portal sweepstakes this time around?
Just like Lane Kiffin, Mike Norvell loves to gamble with Transfer Portal classes. It blew up in his face in 2024, and the Seminoles finished 2-10. He's brought in new coordinators and now has a new class of 17 transfers, headlined by former Boston College QB Thomas Castellanos and former Tennessee WR Squirrel White. We'll see if the gamble pays off for him this time around because if it doesn't, Norvell will likely be on his way out of Tallahassee.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Biggest Question: Can Georgia Tech replace Tyler Santucci?
Haynes King is back and Georgia Tech has plenty of reasons to be optimistic about that offense, even with the departure of Eric Singleton. While we're not sure that the Yellow Jackets will be quite as explosive in 2025, there is still plenty of talent offensively. The biggers question, in my opinion, is how Blake Gideon — former safeties coach at Texas — performs as a defensive coordinator in replacing Tyler Santucci. That Georgia Tech defense was different in 2024 and that was because of Santucci. Do they keep that same edge with a new defensive coordinator and a new system?
Louisville Cardinals
Biggest Question: Can Jeff Brohm revitalize Miller Moss?
Miller Moss's stint at USC didn't end the way that he wanted it to, and now he's heading to Louisville in an attempt to turn things around. He has the talent and some talented play-makers to throw to in Chris Bell and Caullin Lacy, but the big question is how good Moss can be. If he is on the Tyler Shough path, things in Louisville will continue to click. If not, the Cardinals could be in for a long year.
Miami Hurricanes
Biggest Question: Does Carson Beck return to his old form?
Carson Beck is not Cam Ward, and he never will be. That being said, Beck can still be a very good quarterback, when healthy. While Miami fans are hoping for a full recovery, the truth is that you never know what recovery will look like, and it seems that Beck will miss most — if not all — of spring practice in terms of being able to throw. If he returns to his old form, Miami could be a contender in the ACC. If not, it will be a long season for the Hurricanes.
NC State Wolfpack
Biggest Question: Does CJ Bailey take the next step?
CJ Bailey showed — at times — that he has the ability to be a big-time quarterback at this level. Other times, though, he showed his youth. With a new offensive coordinator in Kurt Roper and a fresh outlook, it will be interesting to see if NC State can turn things around, or if the seat begins to heat up on Dave Doeren.
North Carolina Tar Heels
Biggest Question: What does UNC look like with Bill Belichick at the helm?
Bill Belichick is the head coach at North Carolina. Is he going to be the answer that Tar Heel fans were hoping for, or is this going to turn into a circus? Honestly, there's no in-between. We're not sure how quickly Belichick can turn things around, but it will be interesting to see the new UNC team with Belichick at the helm.
Pittsburgh Panthers
Biggest Question: Can Pat Narduzzi take advantage of his roster?
Have you taken a look at Pitt's roster? The Panthers have a solid quarterback in Eli Holstein and they've got two elite players in RB Desmond Reid and LB Kyle Louis, who are both going to be high picks in the following NFL Draft. The bigger question here is if Pat Narduzzi can put it all together. Pittsburgh has a relatively tougher schedule, but the Panthers do avoid Clemson, making them a potential dark-horse candidate to win the ACC.
SMU Mustangs
Biggest Question: Can SMU replace its veteran leadership from last year?
Kevin Jennings is back and, in my opinion, he's one of the best quarterbacks not just in the conference, but in the country. The question is if SMU can replace the veterans they're losing, particularly in the trenches and at running back with no Brashard Smith. Jennings will continue to be a dangerous play-maker, but they've got to get the pieces right around him to remain a top-15 team in the nation.
Stanford Cardinal
Biggest Question: Ashton Daniels or Elijah Brown?
Both guys flashed at times in 2024, but Brown was too injured to play a significant role. Now, they'll both battle it out for the starting job. Right now, we'd give Daniels — who played in 11 games last year — the inside track.
Syracuse Orange
Biggest Question: What does Syracuse look like with no Kyle McCord or LeQuint Allen Jr.?
Syracuse has one of the toughest schedules in the country. Tennessee, at Clemson, at SMU, at Georgia Tech, at Miami, and at Notre Dame are all on the docket for Fran Brown's squad, and they'll be without their two best play-makers from last season. LSU transfer Rickie Collins might be the answer, or the Orange might turn to seven-year-veteran Michael Johnson Jr. or redshirt freshman Jakhari Williams. Regardless, the top producers from last season are gone.
Virginia Cavaliers
Biggest Question: Can the pass-rush improve?
Virginia was second-to-last in the ACC in sacks last season with 19 and they've lost their top pass-rusher in Kam Butler. UVA brought in five transfers for the defensive line, led by Hunter Osborne (Alabama) Mitchell Melton (Ohio State). Only time will tell if they can actually get a legitimate pass-rush in 2025 or not.
Virginia Tech Hokies
Biggest Question: Can Philip Montgomery develop Kyron Drones?
Virginia Tech has a new offensive coordinator in Philip Montgomery and the expectations are already growing here in the spring. Kyron Drones had a disappointing season in 2024, and it will be interesting to see if the new offensive coordinator can develop him more into the quarterback that many thought he would be at the beginning of last season.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Biggest Question: Do players buy into Jake Dickert's culture and philosophy?
Wake Forest isn't winning anything of consequence in 2025, but that doesn't mean there aren't building blocks on the table. Jake Dickert feels like a homerun hire for the Demon Deacons and it will be interesting to see how his culture and philosophy begin to take hold this spring with the rebuild in full swing.