ACC Preview 2024: FSU and Clemson are at the top. Can the Miami Hurricanes surprise?

There’s a lot of change in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season. Most notable is the addition of three teams nowhere near the Atlantic coast in California, Stanford and SMU.

But those three additions don’t do much to impact the pecking order at the top of the league.

Here’s a quick look at all 17 teams in the conference.

1. Florida State Seminoles

Coach: Mike Norvell

Players to watch: QB DJ Uiagalelei, DE Patrick Payton, C Maurice Smith, OL Darius Washington, DB Fentrell Cypress

Key games: vs. Clemson, Oct. 5; at Miami, Oct. 26; at Notre Dame, Nov. 9; vs. Florida, Nov. 30

The Seminoles ran the table last season before being shunned from the four-team College Football Playoff and getting walloped by Georgia in the Orange Bowl when they fielded a team that saw the majority of their starters opt out. How DJ Uiagaleilei fares in replacing quarterback Jordan Travis will be a key storyline, but Norvell still has a lot of key players returning to make FSU the frontrunner in the league to begin the season.

2. Clemson Tigers

Coach: Dabo Swinney

Players to watch: LB Barrett Carter, OL Blake Miller, RB Phil Mafah, QB Cade Klubnik, DL Peter Woods

Key games: vs. Georgia (in Atlanta), Aug. 31; vs. NC State, Sept. 21; at Florida State, Oct. 5; vs. Louisville, Nov. 2

Was Clemson’s 9-4 season — including a surprising 4-4 mark in conference play — a one-year blip? Or is the Tigers’ run as one of college football’s powers on the downswing? Swinney’s team will be tested immediately against Georgia.

3. Miami Hurricanes

Coach: Mario Cristobal

Players to watch: QB Cam Ward, RB Damien Martinez, WR Xavier Restrepo, DL Rueben Bain, LB Francisco Mauigoa

Key games: at Florida, Aug. 31; at Louisville, Oct. 19; vs. Florida State, Oct. 26

The Hurricanes stocked up in the transfer portal, adding the likes of Ward, Martinez, wide receiver Sam Brown and a slew of players who should play a big role on their defense. After two lackluster seasons to begin Cristobal’s tenure, this is the year the Hurricanes need to make a statement.

4. NC State Wolfpack

Coach: Dave Doeren

Players to watch: QB Grayson McCall, WR Kevin Concepcion, DB Brandon Cisse, OL Anthony Belton, DB Aydan White

Key games: vs. Tennessee, Sept. 7; at Clemson, Sept. 21

The Wolfpack have won at least eight games in six of the past seven seasons. Their conference schedule is favorable beyond their ACC opener against Clemson, which would pave the way for NC State to be a surprise contender.

5. Louisville Cardinals

Coach: Jeff Brohm

Players to watch: WR Caullin Lacy, DL Ashton Gillotte, LB T.J. Quinn, DB Quincy Riley, OL Michael Gonzalez

Key games: at Notre Dame, Sept. 28; vs. Miami, Oct. 19; at Clemson, Nov. 2; at Kentucky, Nov. 30

In its first year under Brohm, Louisville won 10 games for the first time since 2013 (the year before it joined the ACC) and played in the conference title game. There’s a lot to replace on offense — notably starting quarterback Jake Plummer, top running backs Jawhar Jordan and Isaac Guerendo, and receiver Jamari Thrash — but the Cardinals should have enough to stay in the upper tier of the ACC.

6. SMU Mustangs

Coach: Rhett Lashlee

Players to watch: QB Preston Stone, DL Elijah Roberts, TE R.J. Maryland, OL Justin Osborne, LB Kobe Wilson

Key games: vs. BYU, Sept. 6; vs. Florida State, Sept. 28; at Louisville, Oct. 5;

Lashlee understands what it takes to compete in the ACC after spending two years as the Hurricanes’ offensive coordinator. But does SMU have the roster to be competitive in the conference? He’ll find out early as the Mustangs’ first two conference games are against the teams that faced off in the ACC title game last year in FSU and Louisville.

7. Virginia Tech Hokies

Coach: Brent Fry

Players to watch: RB Bhayshul Tuten, DB Dorian Strong, DL Antwaun Powell-Ryland, WR Keylen Adams, QB Kyron Drones

Key games: at Miami, Sept. 27; vs Clemson Nov. 9; vs. Virginia, Nov. 30

The Hokies won five of their final seven games last season and return almost all of their key players from the 2023 roster. Can they build on that momentum and be a surprise team in the conference?

8. North Carolina Tar Heels

Coach: Mack Brown

Players to watch: RB Omarion Hampton, DL Kaimon Rucker, OL Willie Lampkin, TE Bryson Nesbit

Key games: at Minnesota, Aug. 29; at Florida State, Nov. 2; vs. NC State, Nov. 30

The Tar Heels have to replace Drake Maye at quarterback but have arguably the conference’s top running back in Hampton to lead the offense. UNC’s defense was one of the worst in the ACC last season and will need to improve considerably for North Carolina to make some noise in 2024.

9. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Coach: Brent Key

Players to watch: RB Jamal Haynes, DL Zeek Biggers, QB Haynes King, OL Weston Franklin

Key games: vs. Florida State (in Dublin, Ireland), Aug. 24; vs. Miami, Nov. 9; at Georgia, Nov. 30

The Yellow Jackets were bowl eligible last season for the first time since 2018. Their schedule this season is daunting — starting in Ireland against FSU, ending on the road against Georgia and facing the likes of Notre Dame, Miami, NC State, Louisville and Virginia Tech in between — and will provide a legitimate barometer for where the team stands.

10. California Golden Bears

Coach: Justin Wilcox

Players to watch: RB Jaydn Ott, QB Francisco Mendoza, LB Cade Uluave, DB Marcus Harris, DB Craig Woodson

Key games: at Auburn, Sept. 7; at Florida State, Sept. 21; vs. Stanford, Nov. 23

Cal hasn’t had a winning season since 2019 and now has to adjust to a new conference with the majority of its teams on the other side of the country. The Golden Bears’ games out east include a non-conference bout with Auburn and ACC games against FSU, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest. Miami goes to Berkeley on Oct. 5.

11. Syracuse Orange

Coach: Fran Brown

Players to watch: QB Kyle McCord, TE Oronde Gadsden II, LB Marlowe Max, LB Justin Barron

Key games: at NC State, Oct. 12; vs Virginia Tech, Nov. 2; vs Miami, Nov. 30

Brown takes over after Dino Babers’ eight-year tenure ended with a dud. He immediately upgraded the team’s quarterback spot by getting McCord in the transfer portal and the schedule, comparatively speaking, is on the easier side in the conference.

12. Duke Blue Devils

Coach: Manny Diaz

Players to watch: WR Jordan Moore, LB Tre Freeman, DL Kendy Charles

Key games: vs. Florida State, Oct. 18; vs. SMU, Oct. 26; at Miami, Nov. 2

Manny Diaz is back in the ACC after two years as the defensive coordinator at Penn State. He inherits a Duke team that is hoping to build off its momentum from two good years under Mike Elko, who led the Blue Devils to a 17-9 record (9-7 in ACC play) before being hired at Texas A&M.

13. Boston College Eagles

Coach: Bill O’Brien

Players to watch: OL Logan Taylor, DL Cam Horsley, QB Thomas Castellanos

Key games: at Florida State, Sept. 2; vs. Louisville, Oct. 25; at SMU, Nov. 16

Boston College has been consistently mediocre for the better part of the past decade and a half, winning no more than seven games in any of the past 14 seasons. That very well might be their ceiling again this season in O’Brien’s first year at the helm of the program.

14. Pittsburgh Panthers

Coach: Pat Narduzzi

Players to watch: DB Donovan McMillon, OL Branson Taylor, DB Javon McIntyre

Key games: at North Carolina, Oct. 5; vs. Clemson, Nov. 16; at Louisville, Nov. 23

After two solid seasons in 2021-22, Pitt fell flat with a 3-9 record in 2023. The Panthers have a new offensive coordinator in Kade Bell and need the defense to rebound after allowing an average of more than 27 points per game last year.

15. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Coach: Dave Clawson

Players to watch: DL Jasheen Davis, OL DeVonte Gordon, LB Dylan Hazen, WR Taylor Morin

Key games: at NC State, Oct. 5; vs. Clemson, Oct. 12; at Miami, Nov. 23

Wake Forest went 4-8 with a 1-7 record in conference play last season, a down year after going a combined 19-8 the two years prior. The Demon Deacons have a big non-conference game early in the season against Ole Miss and then faces three of the league’s expected top four teams.

16. Virginia Cavaliers

Coach: Tony Elliott

Players to watch: DB Jonas Sanker, WR Malachi Fields, LB Kam Robinson

Key games: vs. Louisville, Oct. 12; at Clemson, Oct. 19; at Virginia Tech, Nov. 30

Virginia is coming off back-to-back three-win seasons in its first two seasons under Elliott. Another rough year could be in store.

17. Stanford Cardinal

Coach: Troy Taylor

Players to watch: WR Elic Ayomanor, QB Ashton Daniels

Key games: at Clemson, Sept. 28; at Notre Dame, Oct. 12; at California, Nov. 23

Stanford hasn’t had a winning season since 2018 and its schedule this year doesn’t do the Cardinal any favors with five conference games against the top half of the league plus a road game at Notre Dame.