Does Miami REALLY rule and Florida State drool? (ACC preview thread 2026)

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

And I don't ask that out of spite. It's a legit question; is Miami all the way back? Kinda hard to do when you didn't even make the ACC title game. And what about Florida State? We all know what kind of pressure their head coach is under; can he claw his way back to job safety?

These questions (and a lot more) will hopefully get answered on this ACC preview thread...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Syracuse

The first preview segment for the Atlantic Coast Conference: The Syracuse Orange

Last season: 2025 certainly looked tough for us at Syracuse. But then a proud QB emerged named Steve Angeli, and soon we were 3-1 and coming off our 1st-ever win at Clemson Memorial Stadium. It really looked like we were gonna survive that hellish schedule!
But then Steve got hurt. So did a lot of other players. We knew at that moment, we were boned. And so 2025 ended in a 3-9 record.

Good news: Steve Angeli is back, and he's fully healthy this time. The portal helped the Orange find Steve some new friends on offense, like RB Ju'Juan Jackson and WR Matt Outten. On defense, the Orange have a standout duo in the secondary. Chris Peal is being considered a 1st-round NFL Draft pick, that's how good he is.

Bad news: The defense DOES have a new coordinator [Vince Kehres from Toledo], so a learning curve is expected from this group. And considering that our D finished 124th overall last year, let's hope that the new schemes catch on quick. Oh, and injuries will still be a worry until further notice; WR Calvin Russell will miss the start of the season.

Key games:
9/12 vs. California (I hear that Cal has a powerful QB on their side as well, so this will be a great 1st test for the Orange's new D.)
9/17 @ Pittsburgh (Visiting a rival like Pitt with only 5 days planning? That will be another big test for us.)
10/17 vs. Louisville (You know... Syracuse DID beat Louisville the last time we faced them.)
11/7 vs. Clemson (Uh oh. I'll bet Clemson wants payback for us ruining their ACC title shot in 2025.)
11/21 @ Boston College (This one is more personal than some of the other games. Losing to BC 34-12 was a lousy way for us to celebrate our Senior Day last year.)

Bottom line: Okay, 2025 doesn't count. Here in 2026, we'll find out what coach Fran Brown can REALLY do. Can he pick up a deflated roster? Can he make sure his top QB stays healthy? What about the defense? How much better will it really be?
Syracuse DO have some things working for them, though. That strong secondary, a restocked offense, and a way more manageable schedule; nearly all of our hard games are at home. I'm expecting the Orange to get back into the bowl picture this year.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Boston College

Preview segment: The Boston College Eagles

Last season: You know why losing to Boston College stunk for Syracuse on their Senior Day? Because entering that game, the Eagles were 1-10. Yes, the Eagles ended 2025 at 2-10. With a defense that was even worse than the Orange had! Now the pressure is starting to mount for coach Bill O'Brien in his 3rd year.

Bad news: Nearly everyone on the 2025 offense has to be replaced, and BC lost Trubo Richard and Reed Harris in the portal.

Good news: The defense should be better than it was last year, led by proud pass-rusher Kris Jones [from Georgia]. Kicker Luca Lombardo was one of the only reliable guys BC had in 2025, and he's back for one more year.

2026 X-factor: New QB Mason McKenzie (Mason turned heads at the Division II level, winning the GLIAC player of the year award 1 year after Trinidad Chambliss won it. The quicker Mason gets used to the rigors of FBS football, the better off Boston College's passing game will be.)

Key games:
9/5 @ Cincinnati (Here is a challenge match between 2 east-coast teams.)
9/11 vs. Rutgers (And here's another one! It would be huge for BC if they can win either one of them.)
10/17 vs. Pittsburgh (BC is hoping to do better against Pitt than the 48-7 stinkbomb we got last year.)
11/21 vs. Syracuse (See my Syracuse preview.)

Bottom line: Bill O'Brien has hit the reset switch on his coaching staff, and he's hoping all the new guys he hired will get Boston College back to winning. But with a tough schedule (including road trips to Notre Dame and Miami in November) and a whole bunch of unproven guys on the roster, I don't see the Eagles going too far in 2026.

 

[NickyNooch]

Miami has zero ACC championships. Ever.

 

[tallynole89]

Currently.....yes

 

[GatorTheo]

Miami has zero ACC championships. Ever.

When they joined, I thought it would be Miami-FSU for the championship every year.

 

[Blackleaf40]

Thread title is begging for Luvs_Weiner to chime in…..

 

[tallynole89]

7-5 at best this year. Not sure that is good enough

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Southern Methodist

Preview segment: The SMU Mustangs

Last season: It was another fine season for the Mustangs, as they went 9-4 with a Holiday Bowl win over Arizona. But SMU did have a few toe-stubs along the way. There were those two losses to in-state rivals like Baylor and TCU. And how can we forget how SMU had a chance to go to the ACC title game again... only to have California ruin it for them?
So can the Mustangs earn a chance at a redo?

Bad news: I mean, look at all the people they lost in the offseason. The entire D-line, their top 2 WR's, all of their tight-ends, and their top 2 runners. Getting all of the new guys to work together will be a challenge for this coaching staff.

Good news: Thank God that QB Kevin Jennings returned to Dallas; he should be great again once he shrugs off his recent ankle injury. The O-line still looks solid, and Kendrick Raphael comes in from [irony alert] Cal to help out the run game.

Key games:
9/7 @ Florida State (Labor Day ball in Tallahassee! How will SMU deal with a beyond-desperate Seminole team who has a strong offense?)
9/19 @ Louisville (Graduation day for the new SMU defense! If their D is not ready by this game, Louisville will feast.)
10/17 vs. Virginia (Oh, what could have been for the Mustangs. SMU beating up Virginia to get a playoff berth...)
10/24 vs. California (Okay... Here's the chance for SMU to get revenge on those lousy Golden Bears.)
11/21 @ Notre Dame (The last time these 2 teams played was in 1989, when SMU was just getting off the death penalty. Many moons and players have passed since then.)

Bottom line: Kevin Jennings' return has given SMU hope that they can stay in ACC contention. But this is the most roster turnover that coach Rhett Lashlee has dealt with in Dallas, and he has a lot of work to do. Like making sure his new D-line can generate a pass-rush, and that the new WR's will mesh well with Jennings, and... many other things!
But if they survive that tough start in September, who knows?

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

North Carolina

Preview segment: The North Carolina Tar Heels

Last season: What a surprise. A 73-year old guy who has never coached at the collegiate level in his life has trouble adapting to the game. And I know this is Bill Belichick we're talking about, but I hope that last year's 4-8 mark is a wake-up call for him. Now let's see if Bill can get his blueprint to work at Chapel Hill this season.

Good news: RB Demon June had some good moments as a freshmen, and in 2026 he could have a huge breakout year. With Demon here and a new offensive coordinator [Bobby Petrino], the offense SHOULD be better than 129th this year. The defensive front looks good as well.

Bad news: We don't know if Billy Edwards Jr. or Taron Dickens [from Western Carolina] will be the starting QB yet, and there's not much experience on the O-line.

Key games:
8/29 vs. TCU [from Dublin, Ireland] (The first official game of the 2026 season! We know what happened last year, when UNC hosted TCU on Labor Day amidst a whirlwind of hype and then TCU silenced UNC big-time.)
9/19 @ Clemson (Listen, Bill. Clemson may not be a world-beater program anymore, but they're still gonna be tough to be at home. Remember that.)
10/17 @ Duke (Another strike against UNC was the fact that they went 0-3 against their in-state rivals last year. Can the Tar Heels stop their arrogant rivals who now has an ACC title?)
11/14 vs. Louisville (UNC season ticket-holders have to be psyched. Notre Dame, Miami, and the Louisville Cardinals all come to Kenan Stadium.)
11/28 vs. NC State (And of course, don't forget about their bitter in-state rivals from Raleigh.)

Bottom line: Sorry if I seemed a little bored initially. But since the hype train in Chapel Hill is over, it's time for Bill to actually put together a blueprint that'll work at the collegiate level. UNC will be sitting at home come the postseason until they prove me wrong.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Virginia

Preview segment: The Virginia Cavaliers

Last season: Don't get me wrong, folks. 2025 was still perhaps the best season that Virginia football has ever had. They made the ACC title game, beat up Virginia Tech, and popped the bubble of Florida State being a national title contender. Plus, they defeated an SEC school in their bowl game to finish 11-3. All while Chandler Morris became a legend in Charlottesville.
But there's still going to be that "What if?". If the Cavs had beaten Duke in that ACC title game, they would have been the team from Virginia that went to the College Football Playoff, and not James Madison.

Bad news: Chandler Morris is no longer the Cavs QB, and we still have a fight between Beau Pribula and Eli Holstein to see who will be the starter. The wide-receiver group is basically all new, and the secondary is also replacing some guys.

Good news: At least the front of the defense has no issues; Kam Robinson will anchor a tough group there. The special teams unit looks great. Plus, Virginia had a strong run game last year, and it could rule again with a deep group. More two-back sets, anyone?

Key games:
8/29 vs. NC State (Aw. The Cavs won't be able to go to Brazil this summer! Oh well, at least Virginia gets another ACC home game out of it. Yes, a Virginia/NC State game will count in the standings this time.)
9/19 vs. West Virginia [from Charlotte, NC] (Wow. It's been 24 years since these border foes have faced each other.)
10/17 @ SMU (This could be the hardest game Virginia will have in 2026, and it's not just because they'll visit Kevin Jennings and crew. No, it's because some of the players will be looking ahead...)
10/24 vs. Duke (...to this rubber match with the Blue Devils. I think I talked about how Duke stopped Virginia's run at the CFP last year, did I?)
11/28 @ Virginia Tech (Can the Cavs win in Blacksburg for the first time since 1998?)

Bottom line: The Cavs also has road games at Florida State (who's pretty mad at them) and Wake Forest (who Virginia is kinda mad at), so the schedule will not help them. They do have some good pieces, like a strong D-line and the promise of another stout running attack.
But will their transfer starting QB work the same way it did in 2025? That will decide if Virginia challenges for the ACC title again this year.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

North Carolina

Preview segment: The North Carolina Tar Heels

Last season: What a surprise. A 73-year old guy who has never coached at the collegiate level in his life has trouble adapting to the game. And I know this is Bill Belichick we're talking about, but I hope that last year's 4-8 mark is a wake-up call for him. Now let's see if Bill can get his blueprint to work at Chapel Hill this season.

Good news: RB Demon June had some good moments as a freshmen, and in 2026 he could have a huge breakout year. With Demon here and a new offensive coordinator [Bobby Petrino], the offense SHOULD be better than 129th this year. The defensive front looks good as well.

Bad news: We don't know if Billy Edwards Jr. or Taron Dickens [from Western Carolina] will be the starting QB yet, and there's not much experience on the O-line.

Key games:
8/29 vs. TCU [from Dublin, Ireland] (The first official game of the 2026 season! We know what happened last year, when UNC hosted TCU on Labor Day amidst a whirlwind of hype and then TCU silenced UNC big-time.)
9/19 @ Clemson (Listen, Bill. Clemson may not be a world-beater program anymore, but they're still gonna be tough to be at home. Remember that.)
10/17 @ Duke (Another strike against UNC was the fact that they went 0-3 against their in-state rivals last year. Can the Tar Heels stop their arrogant rivals who now has an ACC title?)
11/14 vs. Louisville (UNC season ticket-holders have to be psyched. Notre Dame, Miami, and the Louisville Cardinals all come to Kenan Stadium.)
11/28 vs. NC State (And of course, don't forget about their bitter in-state rivals from Raleigh.)

Bottom line: Sorry if I seemed a little bored initially. But since the hype train in Chapel Hill is over, it's time for Bill to actually put together a blueprint that'll work at the collegiate level. UNC will be sitting at home come the postseason until they prove me wrong.

Bill interviewing at ACC Media Day like how he used to do in New England doesn’t give me much confidence that he’s learned anything. Nor does him saying he brought in Bobby Petrino because he runs an offense similar to what Bill had in NE.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

North Carolina State

Preview segment: The NC State Wolfpack

Last season: There were some tough moments for NC State last year, as their defense wasn't the best in the world. But they DID accomplish a few things: Their first bowl win since 2017 and a upset over #8 Georgia Tech comes to mind right away. And they ended the year 8-5 after a 3-game winning streak.

Good news: Both coordinators are back, and so is QB CJ Bailey (in his 3rd year as a starter). On defense, the secondary should see the most improvement. And the special teams unit should be good as well.

Bad news: The biggest worries are at wide-receiver; a lot of downfield production from last year is gone. Line play (especially on defense) needs to be better if NC State wants to have more consistent success.

Key games:
8/29 @ Virginia (Oh no. The Wolfpack won't be able to go to Brazil this summer! And worse, they now have to play Virginia in Charlottesville?!)
9/19 @ Vanderbilt (Pay attention to how the Wolfpack's D-line plays in this game [and the Virginia game]. If it does well here, it'll bode well for NC State this season.)
10/3 vs. Louisville (Here's another chance for NC State to do some early damage in the ACC.)
11/7 vs. Duke (During their 5 losses in 2025, NC State's secondary got gashed over and over again. And Duke was one of the teams that took advantage of that.)
11/28 @ North Carolina (NC State has never won 6 in a row against their hated rivals from Chapel Hill. Here's a great chance to do it!)

Bottom line: Huh. NC State lost a lot of players from 2025, but they still seem confident. You can thank CJ Bailey and the promise of a better secondary for that. Maybe all the Wolfpack have to do to make noise in 2026 is to find some new receivers for their offense.
But they'll have to do it quick! Those early games against Virginia and Vanderbilt are no joke.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Florida State

Preview segment: The Florida State Seminoles

Last season: I was thinking about putting in one of those "early celebration fails" for this preview. Because that's what Florida State went through; after a Week 1 win over Alabama, they thought that Mike Norvell and company had figured it out. But then FSU suffered a tough loss to Virginia... and then a tough loss to Miami... and then a tough loss to Pittsburgh... and then a tough loss at Stanford.
The next thing you know, Florida State had finished a 5-7 season. These guys have better get their "fear factor" back, and QUICK!

Good news: Mike Norvell is trying everything to save his @$$; he convinced defensive stars like Ja'Bril Rawls and Ashlynd Barker to stay in Tallahassee. Rylan Kennedy (from Texas A&M) had a great spring, and he should help FSU with their pass-rush. And the offense has some great pieces; RB Tre Wisner comes in from Texas, and WR Duce Robinson turned down the NFL Draft to head up a scary WR group.

Bad news: The O-line has a lot of new pieces to work in, Darrell Jackson was drafted, and Rawls is coming off a season-ending injury. But the biggest worry is at quarterback; the coach has struck out the last 2 years while using transfer QB's. And Ashton Daniels certainly looks the part, but can he lift up the FSU offense?

Key games:
9/7 vs. SMU (After a warm-up against New Mexico State, the Seminoles will face SMU on Labor Day. Can Ashton Daniels go toe-to-toe with Kevin Jennings, or will the defense have to do most of the work?)
9/19 @ Alabama (Uh... Yeah, this might be a tough one for FSU. You know Alabama wants payback for last year's opener.)
10/17 @ Miami (I think the fastest way for FSU to calm the restless natives is to start beating their rivals again. You know darn well that the folks in Tallahassee really hated to see Miami go all the way to the CFP title game last year.)
10/31 vs. Clemson (Here's a perfect chance to smash Clemson, FSU! Remember, the Tigers are in decline.)
11/27 vs. Florida (Just know that the "Florida Cup" would look really good on the mantle of FSU's offices.)

Bottom line: We know the situation that Florida State's head coach is in right now. So can he get out of it? The O-line may need some time to jell, and that new QB has GOT to hit for FSU this time. Still, I'm hoping that FSU can get back to winning ball in 2026.
And if it doesn't? Well, at least the coach went down swinging.

 

[tallynole89]

Nice write up. More and more talk of Jimbo coming back.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Virginia Tech

Preview segment: The Virginia Tech Hokies

Last season: Another disappointing run for the Hokies, as they finished 3-9. They also fired Brent Pry after starting 0-3, and their offense just sputtered as the season wore on. But then, a gift from Penn State.
That's right, James Franklin is now in Blacksburg! Virginia Tech looked at this guy and said "Hmm... This guy can get teams into conference title contention and even put a team into the Top 5 on occasion. WOO HOO! Sounds like heaven to us!". So, onward to better days!

Good news: Va-Tech should have a strong running game again, with Marcellous Hawkins and Jeffery Overton leading the way. Tight-end is also a position of strength here. And most of the transfers that came to Blacksburg is from Franklin's old job at Penn State, so transition pains should be at a minimum.

Bad news: Ethan Grunkemeyer is the new QB, but I need to see him step up his game. The O-line was terrible last year, so that has to be fixed. And injuries plagued the secondary during spring ball, so we don't know what that area can do.

2026 X-factor: The return of Brent Pry (Wait a minute, wait a minute. James Franklin brought back Brent Pry? The same guy Va-Tech fired not long ago? OK, this could be very, VERY awkward for everyone involved.
But maybe not. Brent Pry has worked with Franklin before in "Happy Valley", so we'll see if this weird decision pans out.)

Key games:
9/12 vs. Old Dominion (I know that Va-Tech has a road game at Maryland after this. But to me, this is the big psychological hurdle that Va-Tech have to clear to be successful in 2026. Don't forget, Pry was fired after ODU beat the Hokies last year.)
10/10 @ California (This will be Va-Tech's 1st-ever visit to Berkley. Oh, and Cal was the last team that the Hokies beat last year.)
10/17 vs. Georgia Tech (These rivals get to face off once again!)
11/6 @ SMU (The Hokies will get a bye week to prepare for this tough road trip to Dallas.)
11/28 vs. Virginia (You know DAMN well why Virginia Tech will be fired up for this season finale.)

Bottom line: Virginia Tech also has road dates at Clemson (who the Hokies haven't beaten since 2011) and Miami (who has won 5 straight against them), so I don't see the Hokies as a true threat to the ACC title. But that's why the Hokies hired Franklin: He's a guy that can get them back to beating teams like the Hurricanes and the Tigers again.
So expect a solid bounce-back season from Va-Tech in 2026, enough to get back to bowling.

 

[Duckboy33]

ACC Football Championships:

Clemson - 22
Florida State - 16
Maryland - 9
Duke - 8
NC State - 7
North Carolina - 5
Virginia Tech - 4
Georgia Tech - 3
Virginia - 2
Wake Forest - 2
South Carolina - 1
Pittsburgh - 1

Last ACC Championship:
Duke - 2025
Clemson - 2024
Florida State - 2023
Pittsburgh - 2021
Virginia Tech - 2010
Georgia Tech - 2009
Wake Forest - 2006
Maryland - 2001
Virginia - 1995
North Carolina - 1980
NC State - 1979
South Carolina - 1969

 

[speedfrk]

7-5 at best this year. Not sure that is good enough

Agree. 7-5 would be a more charitable pre I think.

 

[Deathroll]

And I don't ask that out of spite. It's a legit question; is Miami all the way back? Kinda hard to do when you didn't even make the ACC title game. And what about Florida State? We all know what kind of pressure their head coach is under; can he claw his way back to job safety?

These questions (and a lot more) will hopefully get answered on this ACC preview thread...

 

[Deathroll]

When they joined, I thought it would be Miami-FSU for the championship every year.

Thank god that nightmare did not happen.