We are halfway through our ACC football tiers for the 2025 season after releasing the schools that have no chance to win the conference and the schools that could possibly win it if everything goes right for them. Virginia Tech fans should not be surprised that the Hokies were in the second tier, although the bottom tier is not out of the question either.
There are two tiers left, with the “contenders” and “elite,” with the top teams in the conference. This is where things can get difficult to forecast, but there is no doubt that some programs are on the rise while others are trying to prove that they belong to stay in the conversation with the ACC’s best. Let’s reveal the contenders for the 2025 season.
Syracuse
What a first season for Fran Brown with the Orange. The former Georgia assistant under Kirby Smart got Ohio State transfer quarterback Kyle McCord, and the passing game became one of the best the conference had. They closed the regular season with an upset of Miami before beating Washington State in the Holiday Bowl.
McCord is off to the NFL and will be tough to replace, but Brown added some key players through the transfer portal, and if Syracuse can survive a tough Tennessee team in the season-opener, then they could get a ton of confidence. Their ACC slate is tougher this year with road games at Clemson, Miami, and SMU, but Brown wouldn’t like it any other way.
North Carolina
When North Carolina moved on from Mack Brown, they swung big for former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick. I’m not sure the school was expecting the media publicity they are getting off the field with the hiring, but here we are.
Will Belichick ever coach a game for the Tar Heels? Who knows, but we’re going to go with the assumption that he will, and the results on the field could be surprising for UNC. If he can put the off-the-field stuff aside and focus on coaching, then this team could be a dark horse in the fall.
Georgia Tech
The Yellow Jackets return quarterback Haynes King, and if he can stay healthy, this is not going to be an easy team to play against. Brent Key has the program quickly ascending upwards, and if they can figure things out on defense after losing some key players, with the offensive firepower returning, this is a team that would not be surprising to see end up in Charlotte in early December.
SMU
The Mustangs opened a lot of eyes in their first season in the conference. They came close to winning the ACC Championship Game, but a last-second field goal from Clemson ended SMU’s hopes. They still got a berth in the new 12-team College Football Playoff, but ran into a tough Penn State team on the road. A much more difficult schedule for the Mustangs this season will make it harder to repeat what they did last season, but not impossible.