It was a fast two video games and out for the ACC within the College Football Playoff final season, however that would change in 2025 with a number of squads able to attending to the expanded bracket — and successful — with elite rosters.
That is the one manner commissioner Jim Phillips and the convention are going to generate respect and a seat on the desk in conversations with the SEC and Big Ten as additional realignment hypothesis figures to hover over the ACC within the coming years. Sifting via each ACC workforce’s upcoming schedule, we have picked out the first loss for every squad.
These predictions coincide with our preseason bowl projections ahead of the 2025 campaign and the way we see the season shaking out inside the ACC.
College football teams on the move: These eight squads are due for dramatic win total swings in 2025
Chris Hummer
First loss: at Michigan State, Sept. 6
How usually are we going to see these nonconference “good-on-good” matchups within the Energy 4 ranks shifting ahead, when the playoff ultimately expands and coaches say sufficient is sufficient with beefed up scheduling? It is a good query to ask, however not for now. Invoice O’Brien’s solely focus is discovering a technique to thwart the Spartans in Week 2 the best way Boston School dealt with Michigan State final season in Chestnut Hill.
First loss: at Oregon State, Aug. 23
A toss-up in Week 0, that is probably a type of 50-50 video games Cal must return to bowl eligibility this fall beneath Justin Wilcox. He is taken this program to the postseason 4 occasions since taking on in 2017, however ending in a tie for 14th within the ACC final season was a disappointment. There was a power struggle unraveling of sorts this spring, resulting in numerous transfers and common uncertainty for the Golden Bears in 2025.
First loss: at South Carolina, Nov. 29
That is proper. The Gamecocks may doubtlessly spoil an unbeaten common season for Dabo Swinney and the Tigers. South Carolina handed Clemson considered one of its 4 losses final fall with two others coming to further SEC groups. South Carolina hasn’t crushed Clemson at residence because the 2013 season with the Gamecocks’ solely two wins within the collection since every approaching the highway. Even when Clemson suffers a letdown within the Palmetto State rivalry, the Tigers could possibly be the highest seed within the playoff in the event that they’re capable of win the ACC championship the next week.
Getty Photographs
First loss: Illinois, Sept. 6
There’s an opportunity Manny Diaz and the Blue Devils lose two of their three nonconference video games this season earlier than the ACC opener in opposition to NC State on Sept. 20, in the event that they’re unable to deal with the Preventing Illini in Durham or take out Tulane on the highway. These two squads are perceived as higher than Duke within the preseason given Illinois’ stance contained in the Coaches Ballot prime 10 and the Inexperienced Wave as a Group of 5 contender.
First loss: Alabama, Aug. 30
Seminoles quarterback Thomas Castellanos has said plenty about this seismic opener for both teams coming off lackluster finishes final fall. With the little ink that is left, we’ll say this: probably the most intriguing storyline right here is Florida State’s new-look offense beneath Gus Malzahn in opposition to a veteran-led Alabama protection that could possibly be one of many Seminoles’ hardest exams of the season. We’ll know an amazing deal about each squads when this one’s over.
First loss: Clemson, Sept. 13
Getting previous Colorado on the highway to open the season on Aug. 29 won’t be simple for Brent Key’s program, however there are much less questions surrounding the Yellow Jackets than the Buffaloes at this level. Now, beating Clemson for the primary time since 2015 is a unique job totally. Georgia Tech’s bread is buttered up entrance with veterans throughout the offensive line, however the Tigers have two potential future first-round draft picks on this one chasing Haynes King all through — defensive deal with Peter Woods and edge rusher T.J. Parker.
First loss: at Miami, Oct. 17
One other dark-horse title contender with a good schedule the primary few weeks of the season, Louisville is a 5-0 begin if the Cardinals deal with JMU — a strong Group of 5 program — and a highway journey to Pitt throughout the first half. That will arrange a mammoth sport at Miami on a Friday night time in October that would determine the ACC’s main candidate to dethrone Clemson on the prime of the league.
Miami Hurricanes
First loss: Notre Dame, Aug. 31
Except Miami wins the ACC, the Hurricanes should cut up nonconference litmus exams in opposition to Notre Dame and Florida throughout September. These are two clashes the choice committee will probably be taking into account in November when the Hurricanes are clinging to a spot across the prime 15, per our bowl projections. Sadly for Carson Beck, going up in opposition to one of many nation’s elite defenses in Week 1 is a tall order.
Getty Photographs
First loss: TCU, Sept. 1
Invoice Belichick’s debut will probably be spoiled by a Large 12 opponent fueled by a multi-year starter at quarterback and arsenal on the ability spots with critical pace to burn on the surface. The Horned Frogs welcome back nine impact starters and addressed personnel wants this offseason via recruiting and the portal. The Tar Heels have the ninth-best switch haul nationally per 247Sports, which incorporates South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez. However will Belichick’s new workforce click on on all cylinders in Week 1? That is lots to ask.
NC State Wolfpack
First loss: at Duke, Sept. 20
With an opportunity to reverse fortunes on a disappointing nonconference stretch, the Blue Devils will begin the ACC slate with a win. NC State’s had some unusual current failures in Durham, dropping by a mixed 39 factors the final two journeys to Wallace Wade Stadium. Duke has gained 4 of its final 5 within the rivalry collection after dropping its earlier 11 straight to NC State. If NC State can shake current historical past on this spot, Dave Doeren’s squad will probably be 4-0 with Virginia Tech coming to city the next week.
First loss: Louisville, Sept. 27
Louisville is undervalued this summer time within the ACC dialogue, however not for lengthy as soon as the season begins. For Pittsburgh, the Panthers have to concentrate on beating West Virginia earlier than worrying in regards to the Cardinals. The house workforce has gained all three video games since this Yard Brawl rivalry was renewed to open the 2022 marketing campaign, however that adjustments this season. The Panthers are loaded on the defensive aspect of the ball with veterans and Desmond Reid is likely one of the ACC’s prime threats with the ball in his arms offensively.
First loss: at Clemson, Oct. 18
A highly-anticipated rematch of final season’s convention title sport, there’s an opportunity the Mustangs journey to Demise Valley in mid-October sporting an unblemished file and prime 10 rating following early exams in opposition to Baylor and TCU. That is the primary of three regular-season video games we’re anticipating to come back in opposition to nationally-ranked competitors for Rhett Lashlee’s squad.
First loss: at Hawaii, Aug. 23
College football will get underway in a couple of weeks with a number of matchups slated for Aug. 23, together with this journey throughout the Pacific for the Cardinal. Stanford opened as a favourite in opposition to the Warriors, however the line has since swung within the residence workforce’s path. We’ll go together with oddsmakers right here and take Hawaii in a single-possession sport.
First loss: vs. Tennessee (Atlanta), Aug. 30
Fran Brown has a litany of fabric he can paste contained in the locker room at Mercedes-Benz Stadium throughout opening weekend and here is extra fodder to encourage his Orange: Following final 12 months’s 10-win triumph throughout Brown’s first season, Syracuse seems to be an excellent bit completely different roster-wise this fall — very like the opposite sideline in opposition to the Vols on this one. Syracuse will get again to the postseason in 2025, however the Orange aren’t successful this one.
Getty Photographs
First loss: at NC State, Sept. 6
A Week 2 take a look at for each applications within the ACC opener, the Cavaliers have misplaced three straight conferences with the Wolfpack relationship again to 2018. Since NC State opens the season on a Thursday night time, Doeren’s workforce will get a pair further hours within the movie room to organize and that could possibly be very important in what must be a aggressive, four-quarter combat.
Virginia Tech Hokies
First loss: vs. South Carolina (Atlanta), Aug. 31
The second SEC vs. ACC showdown in Georgia to start out the season, Virginia Tech has a chance to do one thing the Hokies haven’t completed to date beneath Brent Pry — beat a prime 25 opponent. The Gamecocks almost reached the School Soccer Playoff final season with LaNorris Sellers at quarterback and Pry has known as this one a barometer sport of kinds for his program to see the place it stacks up nationally. There’s the Beamer household angle at play, too. Surprise the place Frank’s allegiance will lie?
First loss: NC State, Sept. 11
The Demon Deacons play a pair non-Saturday residence video games throughout Jake Dickert’s first season they usually every come inside the first three weeks of the marketing campaign. Now, if Wake Forest is ready to begin 3-0 and get midway to bowl eligibility together with a win over the Wolfpack on this spot, that may give an incredible confidence increase to a program searching for its first successful season since 2022.