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

[ThomasTomasz]

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

I know he wants to return to coaching, or maybe even a GM role, but would FSU even welcome him back?

 

[ThomasTomasz]

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.

A couple VT fans from another place don’t really think it’s weird. I think they acknowledge that Pry was probably one of the best DCs available.

It’s rare for a coach to return to where they got fired in a lesser capacity no matter the sport but it has been done a handful of times.

 

[tallynole89]

I know he wants to return to coaching, or maybe even a GM role, but would FSU even welcome him back?

To be relevant again, I think FSU would say yes.

 

[obxyankeefan]

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.

The Cavaliers under Welsh had a number of good years that I would say were better than last year. The 11 wins was the most a UVA team had had though.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Duke

Preview segment: The Duke Blue Devils

Last season: Ladies and gentlemen, here is the reason why the ACC went to a 9-game conference schedule. Yep, your defending ACC champions are the Duke Blue Devils! ...Who got in the title game despite being 7-5, despite having a crappy defense, despite losing to freaking UConn, and despite being tied with 4 other teams for 2nd place. AND only got in when teams like Georgia Tech and SMU self-destructed.
But give Manny Diaz and his team credit. They took advantage of the hand that fate dealt them. And they DID beat Arizona State in the Sun Bowl, so there was that.

Good news: About that defense Duke has? I think their back-7 is gonna be MUCH better than it was last year (does Luke Mergott ring a bell to anyone?). And RB Nate Sheppard is back! He should chew up the yards thanks to a veteran O-line working for him.

Bad news: Hero QB Darian Mensah transferred to Miami in the offseason. QB Henry Belin IV transferred to Missouri State. So Duke is left with Walker Eget, who was limited in the spring with an ACL injury. Add in all the new receivers they has, and I have NO idea how Duke's passing game is gonna look.

Key games:
9/5 vs. Tulane (This season opener is doubly important for Duke. One, this is a chance to get revenge at Tulane for their 34-27 loss last year. And two, this will be our very first look at Duke's new passing attack.)
10/17 vs. North Carolina (Here's another chance for Duke to embarrass their in-state rivals on the gridiron.)
10/24 @ Virginia (Oh dear... It's a rematch of the ACC title game, where Duke almost completely froze the ACC out of the playoff. You know Virginia wants revenge.)
11/14 @ Miami (It's the Blue Devils vs. their old friend Darian Mensah.)
11/21 vs. Clemson (A big highlight for Duke last season was letting Clemson score 45 points on them... and still winning. AT Clemson!)

Bottom line: Okay, I ragged on Duke a bit. But they are coming into this year riding their first outright ACC title win since 1962. And I'm sure that their defense will be better than last year's.
But Darian Mensah's transfer has crippled Duke's chances at a repeat title. The coaching staff will have to produce something special.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Stanford

Preview segment: The Stanford Cardinal

Last season: More rough times for Palo Alto, as Stanford went through their 5th straight losing season. And yes, Frank Reich was shown the door. Enter former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Tavita Pritchard, who's hoping to turn his school around with a professional approach.

Good news: Stanford should be great with the run game, both using it and defending against it. RB Micah Ford is looking to break out, and the linebackers should be strong. In all, 13 starters return to Stanford from last year.

Bad news: Stanford is hoping that their defense can show better consistency; it got smashed during their 8 losses in 2025. Davis Warren is tapped to be the starting QB, but he wasn't a world-beater at Michigan. Can Davis step up, or will someone else have to step in?

Key games:
8/29 vs. Hawaii (Fans at Stanford knew that 2025 would be another long year when Hawaii beat them in Week Zero. Let's see if the Cardinal can return the favor this year.)
9/4 vs. Miami (Hosting the CFP runner-up from last year on a Friday night? Stanford's defense have better be ready for this.)
9/19 @ Duke (This is the 1st time Duke and Stanford will face off as ACC opponents... and I STILL think that sounds wrong.)
11/21 @ California (Well, Stanford did do ONE thing right in 2025. They took the "Stanford Ax" away from Cal, and got Justin Wilcox fired in the process. Can Stanford hang on to it in 2026?)

Bottom line: Man, the Cardinal have been down for quite a while. There's a reason why I highlighted their first 3 games of the season. It's because I wanna see if Tavita's new offense can catch on quick, and if their QB play will be any good. The rest of the roster stayed intact, though, so expect some form of progress for Stanford in 2026.

 

[tallynole89]

Mike's last year.

ESPN predicted win/lose each game
Predicting 5-7 for us

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Miami

Preview segment: The Miami Hurricanes

Last season: Man, who says that the regular season doesn't matter anymore in college football? Despite Notre Dame being ahead of them in the CFP rankings for the entire 2nd half of the season, Miami still tried their hearts out. And when it came time to decide who gets the final at-large spot in the playoff, the committee remembered what happened in Week 1. That was when Miami beat the Irish 27-24, and that win leapfrogged the Hurricanes ahead of the Irish for that last spot.
How did Miami repay the committee's kindness? They took over the CFP coverage! Wins over Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Ole Miss put Miami into the CFP title game! And the play of Fernando Mendoza was the only reason why Miami didn't get their first national title since 2001.
So after that crazy run, can Miami keep up the good work?

Bad news: QB Carson Beck is gone. So are NFL 1st-rounders like Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. on the defense. And Mohamed Toure is the only linebacker I trust right now.

Good news: Other than that, things look good for the Hurricanes. They got former Duke QB Darian Mensah to lead the offense. And Darian will have a crapload of talented guys to work with; RB Mark Fletcher Jr. is a game-changer, and Malachi Toney heads up a scary WR group. Watch for the Miami secondary to be tough as hell to get around.

Key games:
9/18 @ Wake Forest (Wake Forest had a knack for winning close games last year, so Miami should be careful here. Oh, and by this time we should know who is leading Miami's new pass-rush.)
10/3 @ Clemson (Clemson may be in decline, but Miami shouldn't let their guard down; they haven't won at Clemson since 2010.)
10/17 vs. Florida State (FSU has a lot of ACC championships, while Miami has none. So it shouldn't be hard for Miami to stay fired-up despite FSU's recent struggles.)
11/7 @ Notre Dame (Miami's toughest game of the year, without a doubt. And we all know why that is.)
11/20 vs. Virginia Tech (Careful, Miami! The Hokies might be cooking by the time you face them.)

Bottom line: After the CFP ended, people have said "Miami is back/The U is back". But are they ALL the way back? Not quite; they're still looking for that 1st ACC title. But that will just make this Miami team that more dangerous; Darian Mensah should lead the offense to glory. If Miami keeps their defense playing at a high level, they should dominate the ACC this season.
And as for the national title? They should have as good of a chance as anyone in that 12-team field.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Wake Forest

Preview segment: The Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Last season: Here's a pleasant surprise for everyone! Jake Dickert comes in to coach Wake Forest, and the Deacons immediately responded. They would win 9 games (including a bowl win), more wins than the previous 2 seasons combined! After that great run of success, can Wake somehow keep it going?

Good news: There are no big troubles on the defense, as the secondary looks stout and the D-line looks good. Wake is looking to be less predictable on offense this season, as the receiving group looks good.

Bad news: Demond Claiborne is now with the NFL Vikings, so a new feature running back is needed. Gio Lopez comes in as the new QB, but he didn't do much last year at North Carolina. Oh, and getting the O-line in order should be a priority in summer ball.

Key games:
9/12 @ Purdue (We know that Purdue is not a world-beater program, but don't throw this game away. I wanna see how Gio Lopez matches up with Ryan Browne and his offense.)
9/18 vs. Miami (Can Wake's strong defense silence the mighty Hurricane offense?)
10/10 @ NC State (Last year, Wake clipped Belichick and the Tar Heels. This year, the Deacons have the chance to clip the rival Wolfpack!)
11/21 @ Georgia Tech (Wake almost got the Yellow Jackets last year, only losing to them by 1 point.)
11/28 vs. Duke (Last year, Duke got into the ACC title game at the expense of the Deacons.)

Bottom line: In terms of expectations, Wake is trying to keep it real. With a schedule that features the toughest 3 teams in the league (Miami, Louisville, and SMU), Wake knows that it won't be a serious contender for the ACC title. They're just looking to get back to a bowl game... and maybe shoot for a rare winning record in conference play.

 

[Calhoun]

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.)

I was at that game. Late in the 4th with a 50+ point lead, Holtz had a 5th team RB purposely fumble at the SMU goal line rather than score again. The game ended soon afterward, and SMU HC Forrest Gregg, all 6' 5" and 250 lbs of him, charged across the field and got into the miniscule Holtz's face about the fumble. Intimidating guy.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Clemson

Preview segment: The Clemson Tigers

Last season: I wasn't the only one who thought that Clemson was back. In 2025, we all thought that Clemson had the firepower necessary to win the CFP and a QB that can win the Heisman. Hell, they had 9 players taken in the NFL Draft last April!
And instead, Clemson went 7-6. Fail fail fail, FAIL! Now the CFB people are looking at Dabo Sweeney and is like "He's done, he's spent, he can't get top-flight talent to Clemson anymore".
Now in 2026, we'll see if Clemson really has fallen into the "also-ran" group of teams after 14 years at the top.

Good news: At least Dabo has brought in Chad Morris to be the new offensive coordinator, showing that he's trying to wake up the offense. And Chad will have top WR's like Bryant Wesco Jr. to work with, as well as two powerful running-backs. Clemson's secondary, which was crappy in 2025, looked WAY better during spring ball.

Bad news: Clemson could be in trouble between the hashes, as the D-line has some depth problems. As for the O-line, it has a lack of total experience... and will be guarding a young QB.

2026 X-factor: The new quarterback (Cade Klubnik did a good job last year despite the team's struggles, but now he's gone. Christopher Vizzina has been penciled in as the new starter, but I've heard good things about freshmen Tait Reynolds. Whoever is the new starter needs to be the leader that Clemson's offense really needs now.)

Key games:
9/5 @ LSU (They lost the title of "Best Death Valley" to LSU in last year's big game. Now Clemson must go to Baton Rouge, where everyone will be excited to see Lane Kiffin in purple colors for the first time.)
10/3 vs. Miami (What a way to start October for Clemson, facing a red-hot Miami team. But in all seriousness, beating either Miami or LSU will help Clemson regain it's "big-game" chops.)
10/31 @ Florida State (Winning in Tallahassee should make Dabo Sweeney feel better... if only for a little bit.)
The entire month of November (A cop-out? Perhaps. But November will be full of revenge games for Clemson. First, they go to Syracuse, the team that broke their spirit at home last year. Then they host Georgia Tech, who ended the Tigers' run at the national title. Then Clemson visits Duke, who hung 46 points on them IN CLEMSON, before finishing with the Gamecocks.)

Bottom line: After the crushing disappointment that 2025 was, Dabo is under the gun big-time at Clemson. He's made big changes to his coaching staff, but will the new players respond? Will the QB situation have a happy ending?
If the answers are "No", and Clemson doesn't get back to ACC title contention this season, this could be Dabo's last stand.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

California

Preview segment: The California Golden Bears

Last season: A 7-6 campaign that saw a fair bit of good and bad. On the one hand, Cal went bowling in Hawaii and watched their new QB become a star. But on the other hand, they fired their coach Justin Wilcox after 9 inconsistent years. Oh, and they watched their former QB Fernando Mendoza win a national title with Indiana. Oh, and Stanford now has the "Stanford Ax" trophy again.
Enter ace recruiter Tosh Lupoi for his first head coaching job. And he's got a tall order: Keep Cal going in the mismatched ACC.

Good news: That star QB is back in Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (say that 3 times fast). And Tosh flexed his transfer muscles right away in Berkeley, finding Jaron some proud WR's and a massive O-line. Combine that with Nick Rolovich as the new offensive coordinator, and Cal's passing attack could be awesome.

Bad news: The portal giveth, the portal taketh away; Cal doesn't have that much depth on the defense. Of note, the linebacker spot looks a little sore. And it wouldn't hurt for Cal to get their running game going (it ranked 133rd overall last year).

Key games:
9/5 vs. UCLA (UCLA is actually in the same boat as Cal: They're in a mismatched conference, they have a new coach, but they DO have a QB that can light up the scoreboards.)
9/25 vs. Clemson (This is only the 2nd time that Cal and Clemson will face off all-time, and the first time in the regular season.)
10/24 @ SMU (So Cal stopped SMU's run to the ACC title last year. Good for them! ...But how will SMU treat them in this trip to Dallas?)
10/31 @ NC State (Ooo! Here's a chance for Tosh Lupoi to show his coaching muscles! If he's really good, he'll get Cal to win in Raleigh after their trip to Dallas.)
11/21 vs. Stanford (Well, time for Cal to try to get back that "Stanford Ax" from the Cardinal.)

Bottom line: So how will Tosh do as an FBS head coach? Things look good on paper; a great transfer haul should help Jaron-Keawe rack up the yardage. But how will Tosh respond when things don't go his way? That will determine if the Golden Bears escape the middle of the ACC standings in 2026 or not.

 

[Duckboy33]

My Way Too Early Power Ratings:

1. Miami FL
2. SMU
3. Clemson
4. Pittsburgh
5. Virginia
6. Louisville
7. Georgia Tech
8. Virginia Tech
9. Florida State
10. Wake Forest
11. Duke
12. NC State
13. California
14. North Carolina
15. Syracuse
16. Stanford
17. Boston College

Tell me why I'm an idiot ACC fans

 

[tallynole89]

My Way Too Early Power Ratings:

1. Miami FL
2. SMU
3. Clemson
4. Pittsburgh
5. Virginia
6. Louisville
7. Georgia Tech
8. Virginia Tech
9. Florida State
10. Wake Forest
11. Duke
12. NC State
13. California
14. North Carolina
15. Syracuse
16. Stanford
17. Boston College

Tell me why I'm an idiot ACC fans

You're an idiot. FSU is too high

 

[ericd7633]

My Way Too Early Power Ratings:

1. Miami FL
2. SMU
3. Clemson
4. Pittsburgh
5. Virginia
6. Louisville
7. Georgia Tech
8. Virginia Tech
9. Florida State
10. Wake Forest
11. Duke
12. NC State
13. California
14. North Carolina
15. Syracuse
16. Stanford
17. Boston College

Tell me why I'm an idiot ACC fans

I am a little higher on VT. I think they'll be top 4 in the league. Id slide UVA down below UL and FSU. And have UL ahead of Pitt. I'm a little higher on Cuse too if the QB can stay healthy. This would be my top half of the conference:

1. Miami
2. SMU
3. Clemson
4. VT
5. UL
6. Pitt
7. FSU
8. UVA
9. NC State

Honestly the week 0 game between NC State and UVA is a pretty big game. NC State has a real easy conference schedule. If they win that, I can see them potentially playing in the ACCCG.

 

[Duckboy33]

I am a little higher on VT. I think they'll be top 4 in the league. Id slide UVA down below UL and FSU. And have UL ahead of Pitt. I'm a little higher on Cuse too if the QB can stay healthy. This would be my top half of the conference:

1. Miami
2. SMU
3. Clemson
4. VT
5. UL
6. Pitt
7. FSU
8. UVA
9. NC State

Honestly the week 0 game between NC State and UVA is a pretty big game. NC State has a real easy conference schedule. If they win that, I can see them potentially playing in the ACCCG.

That's fair. After Miami you got a lot of teams that are really close IMO. I think UVA's OL and defense is going to surprise people who thought last year was a fluke. I have to disagree on NC State. I don't care how easy their schedule may be, I don't think they have a very good team outside of CJ Bailey.

 

[ericd7633]

That's fair. After Miami you got a lot of teams that are really close IMO. I think UVA's OL and defense is going to surprise people who thought last year was a fluke. I have to disagree on NC State. I don't care how easy their schedule may be, I don't think they have a very good team outside of CJ Bailey.

I don't have NC State much higher than you, but I think the QB Duke got from SJSU is a huge downgrade. And GT lost a ton. Maybe the little Mendoza is good, but I'm not sure. And I think NC State has more talent than a team like Wake. I don't think they're great by any means, but they have a very easy schedule, so I could see them rank significantly higher in the standings than their actual strength of team would be in a power ranking. It's crazy how easy their schedule is.

 

[tallynole89]

just about a month to go

 

[Xeliou66]

Here are my ACC preseason rankings

1 - Miami
2 - SMU
3 - Louisville
4 - Va Tech
5 - Pitt
6 - Clemson
7 - Virginia
8 - NCST
9 - Duke
10 - Ga Tech
11 - FSU
12 - Cal
13 - Syracuse
14 - Wake Forest
15 - North Carolina
16 - Stanford
17 - Boston College

 

[Duckboy33]

I don't have NC State much higher than you, but I think the QB Duke got from SJSU is a huge downgrade. And GT lost a ton. Maybe the little Mendoza is good, but I'm not sure. And I think NC State has more talent than a team like Wake. I don't think they're great by any means, but they have a very easy schedule, so I could see them rank significantly higher in the standings than their actual strength of team would be in a power ranking. It's crazy how easy their schedule is.

I get that their schedule is easy. I still think they lose at least 3 conference games, even with that schedule. Don't tell my wife I'm saying this, she's an NC State alumnus.