We are closing in on the 2025 college football season, and for some coaches, it's a rather big fall coming up. There are programs looking to take the next step in the ACC, and there are fanbases that are losing patience with their current head coaches. As far as coaches go, it's all part of the job.
There is even more mounting pressure on college football coaches with the new 12-team College Football Playoff, along with the wide-open Transfer Portal and the new world of NIL. As we close in on the opening of the season, here are five ACC coaches facing the most pressure this season.
5. Mike Norvell, Florida State
A year ago, it would have been unfathomable to think that Florida State coach Mike Norvell would be on this list 365 days later, but here we are after a very underwhelming 2-10 season that spiraled out of control with a season-opening loss to Georgia Tech, followed by a home loss to Boston College.
FSU had visions of the 12-team CFP after missing out of the four-team field a year earlier after running the table in the regular season and beating Louisville in the ACC Championship Game, only to be left out after quarterback Jordan Travis went down with a late-season injury. Unless another two or three-win campaign happens this season, Norvell is safe, but you never say never in this day and age of college sports.
4. Dave Doeren, North Carolina State
For the first time in five years, NC State finished under .500 at 6-7 following a bowl loss to East Carolina in the Military Bowl, which ended in a brawl toward the end of the game. Not a great look for the school or Doeren, who had some issues with his club at North Carolina in the final week of the regular season.
Doeren winning 8-plus games, which fans are used to under him, would help him out a lot, but another 6-7 season and his seat gets warmer going into 2026. The Hokies will travel to NC State to open ACC play in late September.
3. Brent Pry, Virginia Tech
After a pretty swing and miss in 2024, Hokies' coach Brent Pry knew that some changes needed to be made on his staff and enters this season with two new coordinators, a new offensive line coach, and a new strength and conditioning coach. He's hoping those changes have a big impact early and often this season.
He does have quarterback Kyron Drones back, and he has brought in some key transfers again, but fixing the one-score losses, something he's diving into during camp, and improving on his 16-21 overall record at Virginia Tech is a must. Becoming bowl-eligible would be huge for him, but it won't be easy.
2. Justin Wilcox, California
It's still weird listing California in the ACC, but this feels like a big one for coach Justin Wilcox. The last time Cal had a winning record was in 2019, and during Wilcox's tenure with the Golden Bears, he has compiled a 42-50 record and a disappointing 2-6 first year in the ACC last season.
If California can't at least get to bowl eligibility this year, this could be Wilcox's last season with the Golden Bears. The schedule isn't easy with the cross-country traveling Cal faces, but they'll be in Blacksburg in late October for a Friday night game. This could be a game where the future of both coaches could be in doubt, depending on where both teams are.
1. Tony Elliott, Virginia
Another year, another year where Virginia coach Tony Elliott begins the year on the hot seat. The Cavaliers looked like they were going to break through last season and become bowl-eligible, but they stumbled down the stretch and came to Virginia Tech for the Commonwealth Clash at 5-6. In fact, it was a battle of two 5-6 teams looking to become bowl-eligible.
In the end, the Hokies, who were banged up, came away with a win to extend their season by another month, but the seat for Elliott got hotter. They face a manageable schedule this year to become bowl eligible, but if things go sideways early, he might not be around this Thanksgiving Weekend against the Hokies, this time in Charlottesville.