The ACC, despite recent expansion, failed to produce any legit national title contenders in 2024 with both the SMU Mustangs and Clemson Tigers falling in the College Football Playoff first round.
After an offseason in which several teams improved greatly, which teams have a chance of competing for a CFP berth and potentially a national title? Which teams watched talent walk out the door and face questions in the fall? We graded every ACC team based on their moves this offseason, retaining key players, coaching moves, and how likely they are to improve during the 2025-26 season.
Clemson Football Offseason Grade
The fact that the Tigers are considered to have a chance of winning the national title should tell you all you need to know about how their offseason went. They crushed it.
It began with head coach Dabo Swinney hiring accredited defensive coordinator Tom Allen away from the Penn State Nittany Lions. With EDGE T.J. Parker and defensive lineman Peter Woods — both projected as first-rounders in the 2026 draft — manning the line of scrimmage, the defensive line was already a significant strength. But adding former Purdue Boilermakers EDGE Will Heldt (37 solo tackles and five sacks last season) just brings more talent to the table.
Offensively, there was never a doubt that QB Cade Klubnik would return, but his 36-touchdown total in 2024 inspires hope of a championship run behind the talented signal-caller. Though leading rusher Phil Mafah is gone, consensus four-star RB and top 2025 recruit Gideon Davidson is set to play a big role as a true freshman. A slew of top receivers return, headlined by Antonio Williams who amassed 904 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns last season.
It was a slam dunk of an offseason for the Tigers, who have set themselves up as favorites to win the conference and hold out national title hopes.
Clemson Tigers Offseason Grade: A
Miami Football Offseason Grade
Out QB Cam Ward went, and Carson Beck came in. Formerly the Georgia Bulldogs’ starter for the past two seasons, Beck has proven himself one of the top passers in college football despite a relatively disappointing 2024 campaign.
The weapons at Beck’s disposal are also excellent, as they reeled in transfer WRs C.J. Daniels (LSU Tigers), Keelan Marion (BYU Cougars), and Tony Johnson (Cincinnati Bearcats). The trio combined for nearly 1,200 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season.
In the backfield, Mark Fletcher Jr. (nine touchdowns) and Jordan Lyle (four touchdowns) are joined by intriguing freshman RB CharMar Brown, who ran for 1,185 yards and 15 touchdowns as a freshman with the North Dakota State Bison.
New defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman will look to turn around a lackluster defense, and he’ll be helped by a slew of transfers at each of their positions of need. Beck and the offense should put up enough points to contend for an ACC title if the defense can become solid.
Miami Hurricanes Offseason Grade: B+
NC State Football Offseason Grade
Defense was the problem spot for the Wolfpack this offseason, as they saw top safety Bishop Fitzgerald depart after he registered three interceptions and eight passes defensed. He was one of a handful of defensive starters who entered the portal.
NC State is fine offensively, as they return talented young QB C.J. Bailey (17 touchdown passes as a freshman) along with RB Hollywood Smothers (571 rushing yards and six touchdowns), WR Noah Rogers (478 yards), and tight end Justin Joly (661 yards and four touchdowns).
A 6-7 campaign, capped off with a bowl game loss to the East Carolina Pirates, was disappointing for head coach Dave Doeren’s squad. But behind Bailey and the offense, they should be better in 2025.
NC State Wolfpack Offseason Grade: B+
Virginia Football Offseason Grade
The Cavaliers didn’t do a whole lot during the offseason, not losing or gaining a ton of anything. The losses did hurt, as All-ACC performing safety Jonas Sanker departed via the draft and top receiver Malachi Fields left for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
But outside of that, it was the additions that made the headlines. QB Chandler Morris, who threw 31 touchdowns for the North Texas Mean Green last season, will head into 2025 as the starter and will provide much needed stability at that position. Several offensive line transfers are expected to start and improve that unit.
Losing six of their final seven games in 2024, head coach Tony Elliot did enough this offseason to remain hopeful that they can improve upon their 5-7 record from a year ago.
Virginia Cavaliers Offseason Grade: B+
Florida State Football Offseason Grade
2024 was an absolute disappointment for the Seminoles as they put together a massively unexpected 2-10 season after beginning the season ranked No. 10 in the nation.
Head coach Mike Norvell replaced both coordinators and brings in Gus Malzahn to lead the offense. Previously the head coach for the UCF Knights, Malzahn has vast experience coaching in college football and will look to lift up a unit that welcomed in former Boston College Eagles QB Tommy Castellanos to the mix.
Castellanos threw 18 touchdowns last season and will give the Seminoles a veteran presence to look towards. He’ll have weapons on the outside, as WRs Duce Robiinson (USC Trojans) and Squirrel White (Tennessee Volunteers) will bring size and speed. Defensive lineman James Williams, formerly of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, followed new defensive coordinator Tony White after amassing five sacks as a sophomore.
Norvell’s new staff and transfer portal additions signal a step in the right direction yet not as quite as big as some may think. They’ll likely be fighting for bowl eligibility in the fall — still a big step up from two wins.
Florida State Seminoles Offseason Grade: B
Louisville Football Offseason Grade
The skill position players remain strong for the Cardinals, as they’re set to bring back starting RB Isaac Brown and top WRs Caullin Lacy and Chris Bell. Lacy was injured for majority of last season but registered 1,316 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2023 while Bell has been solid across his three seasons.
They’ll help guide the way for new QB Miller Moss, who started his career with the USC Trojans. While he has weapons to go to, the offensive line remains a question mark. Four of their five starters from a season ago departed, and while they reloaded through the portal, continuity is not something they’ll have the luxury of. A pocket passer, Moss will need time to execute the offense.
There are holes defensively, namely in the secondary and at the line of scrimmage. Former Coastal Carolina Chanticleers edge rusher Clev Lubin will help rush the passer, as he notched 9.5 sacks and three forced fumbles last season.
It was a solid offseason for head coach Jeff Brohm, who is looking to build on a 9-4 campaign last season.
Louisville Cardinals Offseason Grade: B
North Carolina Football Offseason Grade
The big offseason news was the hiring of Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick — yet that has brought controversy and questions to the program.
On the field, they shored up the quarterback position by adding former South Alabama Jaguars passer Gio Lopez. Lopez is a talented young player with room to grow. However, there are question marks around him, as departures are forcing young players to step into impact roles.
The edge rushing unit was hit particularly hard on defense with the losses of EDGE Beau Atkinson (Ohio State Buckeyes) and LB Amare Campbell (Penn State Nittany Lions). It’s unclear who will step into those roles.
It remains to be seen what effect Belichick will have on the college football game, but it’s hard to see them doing much worse than going 6-7 with a bowl game loss to the UConn Huskies. They should be competitive and could push towards the eight-win mark.
North Carolina Tar Heels Offseason Grade: B
Pitt Football Offseason Grade
QB Eli Holstein and dynamic RB Desmond Reid are both back after having a major hand in Pitt’s 7-0 start to last season. They also were on the field for their six-game losing streak to finish the season, which they’re hoping to put behind them especially with one more year under Holstein’s belt as a young passer.
The defense, which wasn’t great last season, lost most of its top players, including EDGE Sincere Edwards, safety Donovan McMillon, and cornerback Ryland Gandy. They didn’t get much back through the portal and will instead rely on young players to step up.
If a seven-win season is the bar, the Panthers have set themselves up for much better. If things roll their way, they could push for a nine-win regular season with the potential for a 10th win in the bowl game behind the backfield duo of Holstein and Reid.
Pitt Panthers Offseason Grade: B
Duke Football Offseason Grade
The addition of quarterback Darien Mensah is the major catalyst here. The former Tulane Green Wave passer was brilliant last season. As a true freshman, he surprised the nation, throwing for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Now set to join the Blue Devils, he’ll look to elevate a group that lost several key contributors to the portal, none bigger than their top wide receiving duo of Jordan Moore and Eli Pancol. Harvard transfer Cooper Barkate, who amassed 1,084 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns a season ago, will be expected to contribute right away on the outside. RB Star Thomas also departed and wasn’t replaced in the portal.
The defense returns star cornerback Chandler Rivers, who had three interceptions and eight passes defensed while providing high-level tackling. He’s the only notable returner defensively, as head coach Manny Diaz filled several spots with transfers.
Coming off a nine-win season and now with Mensah in the fold, it’s conceivable that Duke could once again pull that off but not necessarily likely due to the portal losses and lack of continuity.
Duke Blue Devils Offseason Grade: B-
Georgia Tech Football Offseason Grade
After an identical 7-6 overall and 5-3 ACC record in 2023 and 2024, the Yellow Jackets will be looking for improvement come the fall.
They return a number of key contributors on both sides of the ball highlighted by QB Haynes King (14 touchdowns versus only two interceptions), RB Jamal Haynes (944 rushing yards and nine touchdowns), WR Malik Rutherford (702 receiving yards and three touchdowns) and top defenders in LB Kyle Efford (team-leader in tackles) and safety Clayton Powell-Lee (32 solo tackles).
The loss of WR Eric Singleton Jr. hurt, as he entered the portal and landed with the Auburn Tigers, but head coach Brent Key should have enough to once again stay above .500 in conference play — but likely not much more.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Offseason Grade: B-
Wake Forest Football Offseason Grade
The hiring of new head coach Jake Dickert marked a new era for the program — but also marked the departure of a large number of transfers.
That list, however, didn’t include top RB Demond Claiborne, who rushed for 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. He’ll once again be a focal point for the offense that enters with uncertainty around him.
Defensively, safety Nick Anderson also returns after registering 122 total tackles and two interceptions a season ago. LB Dylan Hazen is also back, as he had 84 total tackles last season. Eight former Washington State Cougars followed Dickert with multiple players along the offensive line that should help with depth.
Expectations are understandably low for Dickert in Year 1 as he takes a hold of a team that went 4-8 and lost talent in the offseason.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons Offseason Grade: B-
Boston College Football Offseason Grade
The Eagles endured several key losses in the trenches in 2024 ACC Defensive Player of the Year EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku and offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo, who each were selected in the NFL Draft. Young players who served in depth roles last season will need to step up and produce alongside a couple of portal additions.
QB Grayson James is back after finishing last season as the starter. Top receiver Lewis Bond returned as well after catching 67 passes for 689 yards and three touchdowns. 6’5″ freshman WR Reed Harris is also back after a very promising freshman season.
While still not projecting as a contender, Boston College will once again be physical at the line of scrimmage—a Bill O’Brien speciality—and compete their tails off. Unfortunately for them, the talent just isn’t there, and it’s hard to see them register an above-.500 conference record in the fall.
Boston College Eagles Offseason Grade: C+
SMU Football Offseason Grade
The Mustangs lost several key players via the NFL Draft, including top rusher Brashard Smith, top receiver Roderick Daniels Jr., and top tackler Kobe Wilson, along with a large core of the defense.
Head coach Brett Lashlee went to work in the portal, collecting several impact offensive and defensive linemen from Power Four programs. The lack of continuity there could be a roadblock, however, as it’s almost entirely a new front seven.
SMU did retain quarterback Kevin Jennings, who blossomed last season, throwing for 3,245 yards and 23 touchdowns while adding 354 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. But outside of him, the running game and receiving core are major question marks heading into the fall, with unproven players slated to have big roles.
Coming off the first CFP berth in program history, it was already going to be tough for Lashlee to meet or top last season. But he didn’t do the program any favors after a lackluster offseason.
SMU Mustangs Offseason Grade: C
Syracuse Football Offseason Grade
Following up a 10-3 campaign at Syracuse was never going to easy for head coach Fran Brown, but it was made doubly harder with the NFL departures of QB Kyle McCord, RB LeQuint Allen, WR Jackson Meeks and TE Orange Gadsden II along with multiple starters on the offensive line.
But the ultimate loss was with WR Trebor Pena, who led the team last season in receptions with 84 while adding 941 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He entered the portal right at the end of spring practices, opting to transfer to the Penn State Nittany Lions in search of more NIL money.
That leaves a depleted offense overall that will be led by a new QB. It’s uncertain whether Rickie Collins or Steve Angeli will start, but they’ll have a lot on their shoulders, especially considering the defense isn’t exactly expected to be stout either.
Syracuse Orange Offseason Grade: C
Virginia Tech Football Offseason Grade
There wasn’t a lot to love about the Hokies’ offseason, as they saw a large number of contributors either depart via the NFL or transfer portal from a roster that just barely finished above .500.
QB Kyron Drones was retained however, but he threw for just 10 touchdowns in nine games. For him to thrive, he needs weapons around him, a major concern right now. Former Bowling Green Falcons RB Terion Stewart ran for 898 yards and six touchdowns a season ago and will likely fit in as the starter beside Drones. Pass-catchers Donavon Greene (Wake Forest Demon Deacons) and Isaiah Spencer (Jackson State) are promising but haven’t produced at a high level in their careers.
The defense, which was solid in 2024, lost a majority of their secondary as well as edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland, who led the team in sacks last season.
Head coach Brent Pry didn’t do enough in the portal to warrant the Hokies much of a chance of competing in the ACC. All signs point towards a regression in the standings.
Virginia Tech Hokies Offseason Grade: C
Cal Football Offseason Grade
It was a disastrous offseason cycle for the Bears — especially offensively as they lost their starting QB, five RBs, starting TE, and top WR.
That’s not quite the plan for offseason success, and they’ll pay for it in their grade there. Head coach Justin Wilcox and his staff did as much as they could, landing former Ohio State Buckeyes QB Devin Brown and former UNLV Rebels wide receiver Jacob De Jesus, who should help the passing game.
Though there are several impact transfers defensively, it’ll be hard for the Bears to replicate their 6-7 record from 2024 with so much outgoing talent on the offensive side of the ball.
Cal Bears Offseason Grade: D
Stanford Football Offseason Grade
Head coach Frank Reich takes over an interesting situation, as he’s only agreed to be the coach for the 2025 season and not any further. That led to an expectedly large number of players leaving the program due to the instability and raises many questions about how the Cardinal will compete in 2025.
There are several solid defenders back headlined by safety Scotty Edwards, who had 80 total tackles last season, along with edge rusher Tevarua Tafiti, who registered 3.5 sacks.
The entire offense remains largely unknown as to who will step up and lead. 2024 QB Ashton Daniels departed and leaves an open spot there.
KEEP READING: 2025 ACC Football Schedule: Which Squad Has the Easiest Route?
Nothing went right for Stanford, which earns them a big ‘ole…
Stanford Cardinal Offseason Grade: F
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