The 2025 college football season is fast approaching. One of the conferences to watch this campaign is the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), with fans eager to find out if Clemson can continue its reign at the top. However, the gap between the Tigers and the rest of the ACC teams has been shrinking, as evidenced by the SMU Mustangs and Miami (FL) Hurricanes’ title runs last season.
Here are the top five sleeper teams that can make playoff runs in the ACC this coming season.
2025 ACC Championship Odds: Top 5 Sleepers That Can Make Playoff Runs
1. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+1200)
Things are looking up for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, who finished the 2024 season with a 7-6 record. They entered the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2015, finishing last season’s ACC play with a 5-3 slate.
The good news for head coach Brent Key is that quarterback Haynes King is back for another season. He threw for 2,114 yards and 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions last season. He nearly led Georgia Tech to a massive upset against powerhouse Georgia Bulldogs, amassing 413 total yards and five total touchdowns in an epic 44-42 eight-overtime loss.
413 yards of total offense + 5 TDs@haynes_king10 left it all on the field. 👊 pic.twitter.com/10FNLyAIDi
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) December 2, 2024
The Yellow Jackets’ odds of winning the 2025 ACC Championship are listed at +1200.
2. Duke Blue Devils (+2500)
The Duke Blue Devils exceeded expectations last season, finishing with a 9-4 overall record in Manny Diaz’s first year as the team’s head coach. A total of 14 starters from last year’s squad will return this season for Duke, including four on the offensive line, providing Diaz with an opportunity to build on his previous success.
The Blue Devils also bolstered their lineup through the transfer portal, signing nine players, including quarterback Darian Mensah from Tulane. He led the Green Wave to a 9-4 record in the 2024 season, throwing for 2,273 yards and 22 touchdowns with six interceptions. The redshirt freshman led the AAC in pass-completion percentage and passing efficiency last season, making him a key offensive weapon for Duke.
The Blue Devils are pegged at +2500 to win the 2025 ACC Championship.
3. Florida State Seminoles (+2800)
The Florida State Seminoles will look to bounce back this season after struggling mightily in the previous campaign. They finished the 2024 season with a 2-10 overall record, including a 1-7 slate against ACC teams in conference play. It was a stunning fall for the Seminoles, who went 13-0 in the regular season and won an ACC Championship in 2023.
The pressure is on head coach Mike Norvell to bring Florida State back into title contention this year. He went to work this offseason to strengthen the Seminoles’ lineup, adding several players through the transfer portal, including wide receiver Duce Robinson, quarterback Thomas Castellanos, running back Gavin Sawchuk, and cornerback Jeremiah Wilson.
The Seminoles’ odds to win the ACC Championship are priced at +2800.
4. Virginia Tech Hokies (+3500)
The Virginia Tech Hokies made changes to their coaching staff after finishing the 2024 season with a 6-7 overall record. Head coach Brent Pry brought in Philip Montgomery as his new offensive coordinator and welcomed Sam Siefkes to the sidelines as Virginia Tech’s new defensive coordinator.
Montgomery, who coached former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III at Baylor, will be tasked with unleashing the full potential of quarterback Kyron Drones. He only threw 10 touchdowns with six interceptions last season after dealing with several lower-body injuries.
The Hokies are pegged at +3500 to win this year’s ACC Championship.
5. North Carolina Tar Heels (+4000)
The North Carolina Tar Heels grabbed the headlines this offseason when they signed NFL legend Bill Belichick to be their next head coach. Belichick is a proven winner in the professional ranks, capturing eight Super Bowl titles in his illustrious career, six of which came during his time as head coach of the New England Patriots.
He will have some work to do with the Tar Heels, who finished the 2024 season with a 6-7 record. North Carolina strengthened its lineup this offseason, adding quarterback Gio Lopez through the transfer portal. He impressed as a redshirt freshman for South Alabama, passing for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns with just five interceptions last season. He also ran for 465 yards and seven scores in 2024.
The Tar Heels’ odds of capturing the 2025 ACC Championship are priced at +4000.
KEEP READING: College Football Playoffs: Top 10 Teams That Can Surprise Fans With National Championship Bids
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