Note: Most dates and kickoff times haven't been finalized yet.
The 2024 college football season has just concluded. While everybody is now settling into the long offseason, it's never a bad idea to take a look at what's ahead the following year. Today, we'll dive into the most interesting non-conference game for all 17 teams in the ACC.
Boston College has a couple of options to fit into this category. Either this game to start their season, or their renewed rivalry matchup against Notre Dame at home. The Notre Dame game hasn't been scheduled yet but they are expected to face each other for the first time in three years. But, let's be honest, do you really think the Eagles will upset the Fighting Irish?
I don't think many will think that will happen, considering the fact BC hasn't beaten then since 2008. This Michigan State game is more winnable at this moment in time then the latter option. Also, the school hasn't beaten a non-conference opponent on the road in a minute. The last time this happened was when the Eagles beat a dismal 2-10 Rutgers team in New Jersey, back in 2019. These two squads met last year, a 23-19 BC win.
Cal's non-conference schedule isn't all that amazing. They play San Diego State, who's coming off their worst season since 2008, on the road. They also host Texas Southern and a mediocre Big Ten opponent in Minnesota. However, to start their year, the Golden Bears travel to Corvallis and will play Oregon State. That's right, a former PAC-12 matchup gets renewed again. Both schools have played each other every year since 1995.
In last year's matchup, Cal blew out the Beavers at home by a score of 44-7. Now, Oregon State will get a shot to return the favor to open the season on their home turf. Since 2010, this matchup has been pretty even. Oregon State has won eight of those games while Cal has won seven. This one is intriguing because of the new QB matchup. Maalik Murphy transfered to the Beavers, which was a shocker. Cal was able to get four-star prospect Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele to flip his committment from Oregon.
Clemson is a regular participant on big early season games. 2025 will be no different. The Tigers will open this upcoming year against the Tigers from the SEC, LSU. Both squads are coming off uncharacteristic year's for their respective university's expectations. While Clemson has their annual bitter rivalry with South Carolina, this is where it's at.
Other than the obvious fact that recent college powers will meet head-to-head, there is another reason why this game stands out for the team in orange. To open 2024, Clemson faced off against another SEC opponent in perennial contender Georgia. If you need a refresher, the Tigers got hammered in that game, 34-3. That was in a 'neutral' location. Now, Clemson will be the hosts. It will be interesting to see how Dabo Swinney's team will come out, with recent history still in everyone's mind. Should Clemson lose, the talks about the lack of transfer portal use will resurface.
Duke has a few interesting non-conference games in 2025. Near the middle of September, the Blue Devils visit Tulane. The Green Wave have been one of the AAC's top teams over the last several years. In early November, they will take on fellow basketball power UConn, who's having a resurgence in football under Jim Mora Jr. But the team's first major test comes at home against Illinois. The two schools have met only twice. The last time was in 1965, a 28-14 win for the Fighting Illini.
Both school's are coming off highly successful seasons, for their standards. Duke went 9-4 and Illinois went 10-3 which included a win over No.15 South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. Although this isn't a blockbuster matchup by any stretch, this will be a great chance for Manny Diaz and Duke to prove that they can be consistently respectful on the gridiron. The program has put together two, nine-win seasons in three years. They've only had six more over the last 100 years prior to 2022.
Alright, time to talk about these dudes. Florida State... was last year just a fluke? For those who lived under a rock, the Seminoles had their worst season ever in 2024. FSU went a dismal 2-10. For a program that's rich in tradition and history, this past year will forever be the brutal, stupid step-child for the school. A year after arguably getting robbed of a CFP spot, FSU became the biggest laughing stock in the sport. On a personal note, I even questioned if Kent State could've beaten the 'Noles. Now, it's time to turn the page. FSU and Alabama have met five times, the most recent being a blowout Tide victory in 2017. This game is the first for Florida State in 2025 and they're at home.
While Bama had a solid first season under Kalen DeBoer, it's clear they are no longer the impenetrable force they once were, under DeBoer's legendary predecessor. This is do-or-die time for Mike Norvell. On another personal note, I was surprised I didn't see his name often on hot seat rumors throughout all of last year. Expect him to be now. It would be absurd to believe or think that FSU will have another year as bad as last season. But, this game will be important in regards to his job status. If Florida State gets off to another bad start, kiss him good-bye.
The Yellow Jackets are getting closer. After years of mediocrity, Georgia Tech has shown massive steps and signs of improvement ever since Brent Key took the head coaching position from Geoff Collins five games into the 2022 season. While the school is coming off a second-straight 7-6 campaign, the team found themselves ranked in a week for the first time since 2015. They secured two upsets over No.10 Florida State in Ireland and No.4 Miami in early November. Then, two weeks later, they almost shocked their big brothers from Athens.
This team has been getting better, slowly but surely. 2025 will surely be a season of promise for the Yellow Jackets, and a few months from now, they can be viewed as a dark-horse ACC contender. The matchup next year will be in Atlanta, near Georgia Tech's campus. This game will show just how far this program has advanced in Brent Key's third full year as the head man. They could play spoiler for a Bulldogs playoff spot while also beating them for the first time since 2016.
The Cardinals have a fairly weak nonconference slate in 2025. Their top opponent early in the season is James Madison, who Louisville plays on September 6. The week before that, they pay Eastern Kentucky to come in and get smacked. Then, they will do the same to Bowling Green. This leaves us with only one option: their annual rivalry week clash with Kentucky.
After the Wildcats dominated this series from 2018 to 2023 with five straight wins, the Cards have regained momentum. Louisville won last year's tilt for the Governor's Cup. It was a statement 41-14 blowout at Kroger Field. Last season, Kentucky wasn't themselves. After appearing in eight consecutive bowl seasons from 2016 to 2023, Mark Stoops's club fell to a 4-8 record last year. Now, the Cardinals will be hosting next season. Louisville has not defeated its rivals at home since 2014.
It's Catholics vs. Convicts again. Yes, Miami vs. Notre Dame doesn't have the same luster as it once did. However, it's always great for the sport when these two always get on the field together. The last time these two schools met was in 2017, when the Canes thrashed the Fighting Irish, 41-8. Now, eight years later, Miami will look to start 2025 off with a win over Notre Dame on their home turf again. For Miami fans, this will be a good test to see how this team will transition from the Cam Ward run.
They were able to reinforce a weak secondary through the portal, landed Carson Beck from Georgia to be their new starting quarterback, and hired a new defensive coordinator. The world will get to see these new pieces get put to the test right away. Even though Notre Dame lost several key pieces from last year, they did make the National Championship for a reason, and Marcus Freeman's squad will be motivated to make another deep run. This will be the Sunday night opening weekend game on ABC at 7:30 PM ET.
Well, here we go. Who would've thought just two years ago that Bill Belichick would be coaching a major college program? Nobody would've taken that seriously, but in 2025, it's a reality. It'll be interesting to find out if Belichick can replicate his NFL success in college. Trying to do that with a historically mediocre North Carolina team that went 6-7 in 2024 will make this more intriguing to watch for fans and pundits.
The new head man will get his first major test and be under the bright lights immediately. To open 2025, North Carolina will host TCU in the annual Monday night opening week clash. These two schools have played three times, and the last was in 1997. UNC has won all three times. This is a great challenge for the Tar Heels, considering that TCU had a decent bounce-back season by finishing 9-4 and winning the New Mexico Bowl. There will be tons of noise as we get closer to game day.
So, North Carolina State is heading into 2025 coming off one of their more disappointing seasons in recent memory. After having four years of eight to nine wins from 2020 to 2023, the Wolfpack went 6-7 in 2024. Dave Doeren will be looking for a bounce-back year. They have a good chance to do so, as their opponents in ACC play don't include many of the top contenders. NC State has three non-conference tilts. The team hosts East Carolina in the season's opening week and FCS Campbell to start October. However, the week after, North Carolina State plays Notre Dame.
The Fighting Irish just made a run to the National Championship game. Marcus Freeman will be welcoming the Wolfpack to South Bend. They are beatable opponents through the first six games, so this meeting with Notre Dame will be a key sign of who this team will truly be. It's a major challenge on the road, so it will be interesting to see where the team is at the week of that game and how they compete. The last time these two teams met, Notre Dame walked out of Raleigh with a 45-24 win.
Pat Narduzzi is slowly bringing Pitt back to respectability. In Narduzzi's first eight seasons as Panthers coach, Pittsburgh only tallied one losing season. Then, 2023 came, and the program posted a 3-9 mark. Last year, Pittsburgh rebounded a bit, improving by four wins and finishing 7-6. For 2025, getting off to a fast start will be key for the program to keep improving in the win column.
The team starts 2025 with three nonconference slates. The first two are against local FCS opponents Duquesne and Central Michigan. After they meet with the Chippewas, Pitt will travel to Morgantown to face off against bitter rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl rivalry. Since the rivalry returned after a decade hiatus in 2022, the Panthers have won two of the three contests. Now, they will try to earn the program's first victory in Morgantown since their infamous 2007 13-9 upset. Getting a win here would be key as Pitt faces Louisville, Syracuse, NC State, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, and Miami.
Speaking of teams needing great starts to 2025, we now turn to SMU. The Mustangs are coming off their best season in decades. Rhett Lashlee took over the SMU program just four years ago. In a short three-year span, the Mustangs have enjoyed back-to-back double-digit victory campaigns. More importantly, they played in a major postseason game for the first time since 1982, when they appeared in the College Football Playoff last year. Now, the goal is to maintain and build on that momentum.
The Mustangs are entering their second ACC season with some steep competition. In conference play, they have to face Syracuse, Clemson, Miami, and Louisville. So, playing well in the first four weeks of the year is essential to another successful year. After taking on East Texas A&M in the opener, SMU hosts former Southwest Conference rival Baylor. The last time these two schools played was in 2016, a forgettable 40-13 loss for the Ponies. They haven't beaten Baylor since 1986 and haven't beaten them in Dallas since 1972. With a trip to TCU occurring two weeks after, a victory here would be beneficial.
Stanford has fallen off the map after a great decade-long run from 2009 to 2018. Heading into 2025, Stanford has been one of the most consistent programs in the country... in posting the same losing record. Each of the last four seasons has seen the Cardinal finish with a 3-9 mark. Things have to get better. They have to go up. It won't be easy, as Stanford plays some tough opponents in ACC play. It's not that much different with the non-conference slate.
They travel to Hawaii in week 0, and they host San Jose State in late September. They also host Notre Dame in late November, but it's hard to convince many that they'll win that game. So, that leaves us with one option. After the team enjoys a bye week following the Hawaii game, Stanford will face BYU in Provo. This is the squad's first big test of 2025. These two schools have only played each other three times, the last time being in 2022. BYU beat Stanford. This is a great chance to show people around the country that the program is treading in the right direction, even if they lose by a close margin.
Well, can they replicate the success? Syracuse ended 2024 with a blowout victory over Washington State in the Holiday Bowl. That was the team's tenth win, which marked the first time the Orange had a double-digit win season since 2018. Now, can Fran Brown not repeat what Dino Babers did? That is having the team regress to a losing record the year after. It will be difficult to have the same level of success as last year. Many of the team's more prominent figures are gone.
Syracuse does have the 49th-ranked recruiting class for 2025, according to On3, but they also lost 12 players to the portal and only managed to recoup seven lost roster spots. They'll also have a new starting quarterback. The new faces and talent will be put to the test early, as the Orange travel to Atlanta for the Aflac Kickoff Game against Tennessee. The school has the national spotlight in football for a primetime game on ABC. Similar to Stanford, this is the ultimate chance for Fran Brown and the Orange to show the world that the program is slowly inching to where it used to be. It'll be interesting to see how they compete.
It seems as if Tony Elliot is guiding Virginia in the right direction. The Hoos have had respectable runs in football several times. The last occurrence of the Cavaliers being relevant in football was a short two-year spurt with Bronco Mendenhall in 2018 and 2019. Since then, UVA has been a doormat. However, things are looking up as Elliot nearly led Virginia into the Bowl Season. Now it's time to take that next step. UVA got the commitment of 19 transfers. They own the 35th-ranked transfer portal class, according to On3. They also have the 56th-ranked recruiting class. For the first time in a while, there's some legitimate promise in Charlottesville.
UVA plays six games before their first bye week in October. That stretch will give good signs of where the team is at during this rebuilding phase. They get NC State, Stanford, Florida State, and Louisville in that stretch. None of those games are automatic losses. They also play their first two non-conference opponents, Coastal Carolina and William & Mary, in that stretch. After the bye week, they take on Washington State at home for the very first time. This is important as the team will be on the road for three of the next four games after this tilt with the Cougars. Everyone knows that Wazzu is going to be scrappy because of the situation their program is in. Get this win, and the Hoos will put themselves in a good spot. A program trying to prove itself needs wins like this.
This is the end of the line for Brent Pry. He's had three full seasons under his belt as Virginia Tech's head coach. He has yet to push the program past the mediocre stage. Last year, the Hokies went 6-7, and it was their fifth losing season in ten years. There has to be progress this year. The Hokies got the 11th-ranked transfer portal class in 2025. Their first game of the season is the other game to the Aflac Kickoff when the team takes on South Carolina.
The schools haven't met on the gridiron since 1991. Virginia Tech hasn't taken down a power conference opponent in a season opener since they upset No.10 North Carolina in 2021. Them getting off to a great start to the year is a must if any improvement occurs in Blacksburg. It's even more imperative for them to earn this victory as they face Vanderbilt immediately after. They also play a collection of decent ACC teams, as well, so a win here will be very beneficial for them.
Well, the tides have turned. After leading Wake Forest to seven consecutive bowl games from 2016 to 2022, Dave Clawson's squad has hit a bump in the road. The Demon Deacons have endured back-to-back 4-8 seasons. Heading into 2025, there is one goal for the program: get back to respectability. The program has a good chance to do that as their schedule doesn't feature many top-heavy ACC teams. Their nonconference slate is also weak.
The first two games of the season are home matchups against Kennesaw State and Western Carolina from the FCS. In the second-to-last game of the year, they host FBS newcomer Delaware. There is one more opponent that I haven't mentioned yet: Oregon State. Wake Forest travels to Corvallis to take on the Beavers in mid-October; another team looking to rebound from a disappointing year. This is the first meeting between both schools. Wake Forest is looking for their first road victory over a power/notable nonconference team since they took down Vanderbilt in 2022.