Football camps are open, and we are closing in on Week 1 for Virginia Tech and their season opener on Aug. 31 against South Carolina in Atlanta. As a whole, there are a lot of interesting storylines for the ACC as a new year begins with so much player turnover, as there is every season, and some new coaches at the helm of programs.
It appears that the conference is going to be top-heavy again, with the biggest question being, who challenges Clemson at the top, and who will be the last two teams standing when all is said and done in the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte on the first Saturday night in December? With camps open, let's fire up the 2025 ACC Preseason Football Power Rankings.
2025 ACC Preseason Football Power Rankings
17. Stanford
16. Wake Forest
15. Virginia
14. California
13. Boston College
Stanford and Wake Forest have new coaches, Frank Reich, on an interim basis with the Cardinal, and Jake Dickert with the Demon Deacons, and the Hokies will host Wake Forest in October. Like Brent Pry at Virginia Tech, this feels like a big season for Tony Elliott with Virginia, while Cal is still an unknown in their second season in the ACC. The preseason poll rubbed a lot of BC fans the wrong way, I'm sure, but Bill O'Brien still has work to do in Chestnut Hill.
12. Syracuse
11. Pittsburgh
10. Florida State
9. Virginia Tech
What a first season for Fran Brown with the Orange, but a much more difficult schedule in Year 2 will test Syracuse. After a brutal 2-10 season last fall, FSU turns to former Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos to turn their fortunes around, and the Hokies are a team that could sneak up on teams, as teams with expectations not as high as they were last year can surprise in the end. If they remain healthy, that can be Virginia Tech.
8. North Carolina State
7. Duke
6. North Carolina
5. Louisville
NC State feels like they are entering an important season under Dave Doeren, and they host Virginia Tech for the Hokies' ACC opener. Duke is a team that, if things go right for them again, can be a team that finishes around fourth place. Bill Belichick and UNC have a favorable schedule in his first season in Chapel Hill, while Louisville is a team that can surprise and end up in Charlotte if things fall into place.
4. Miami
3. Georgia Tech
2. SMU
1. Clemson
Carson Beck replaces Cam Ward under center in South Florida, but can Mario Cristobal finally get the Hurricanes over the hump this season? Georgia Tech is a team that would not surprise many if they ended up in the ACC Championship Game, and SMU will enter the season with a chip on its shoulder. Clemson is the preseason favorite, and it's not close.
You could make a case that 4-13 is a crapshoot and any of those teams can surprise and end up anywhere. There are going to be some surprises and some disappointments when all is said and done, but that is what college football is: full of surprises and disappointments.