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ACC Football Rankings 2026: Where Things Stand Before Spring
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- ACC Football Rankings 2026: Where Things Stand Before Spring
How do all of the ACC teams look going into the 2026 spring practice sessions?
It's harder than ever to figure out exactly what each team is putting on the field, and we'll know a lot more in a few weeks, so let's start with this. No conference will be tighter and more competitive.
Remembering that Miami didn't even play in the ACC Championship last year, there are so many X factors from top to bottom that we're bound to get another Duke or Virginia - and it could be Duke or Virginia - again.
Here's our pre-spring ranking of all 17.5 teams. (Notre Dame counts as half of an ACC program.)
Evaluating Every ACC Program Heading Into Spring 2026
Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (10) runs with the ball against the Indiana Hoosiers during the second half of the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
17. Boston College
Why the Eagles Are Here:The team should be far better than this, and it will help that there aren't any expectations whatsoever. They'll start winning more of the close games. They have to.
What Needs Work:Do everything humanly possible to figure out how to stop turning the ball over on the offensive side, and do something
to get into the backfield on the other side.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:2-10
Preseason Ranking:60
Final Ranking:91
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In:Kris Jones, LB Georgia
Biggest Loss:Omar Thonton, S to Miami
Season Opener:at Cincinnati, Sept. 5
- 2026 Boston College Schedule Breakdown
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16. Syracuse
Why the Orange Are Here:The ACC's wild card team, this could all change in the snap depending on the health of quarterback Steve Angeli. The overall high-end talent isn't there, but head coach Fran Brown pulled in a massive haul of transfers.
What Needs Work:Start completing passes again - getting Angeli back would solve that issue, but again, that's not a given. The offensive line has to be far, far better.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:3-9
Preseason Ranking:50
Final Ranking:97
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In:Tunmise Adeleye, DE UNLV
Biggest Loss:Darrell Gill Jr., WR to Ole Miss
Season Opener:New Hampshire, Sept. 5
- 2026 Syracuse Schedule Breakdown
15. Stanford
Why the Cardinal Are Here:Don't just dismiss the Cardinal. New head coach Tavita Pritchard needs Michigan transfer Davis Warren to shine at quarterback, but he's got a potentially dangerous defense that will quietly shine right away.
What Needs Work:The offense has to start completing more passes, and to the Cardinal receivers, not opposing defensive backs. The secondary has to stop someone from bombing away.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:5-7
Preseason Ranking:83
Final Ranking:68
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In:Nico Brown, WR Yale
Biggest Loss:Che Ojarikre, S to Duke
Season Opener:Hawaii, Aug, 29
- 2026 Stanford Schedule Breakdown
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14. North Carolina
Why the Tar Heels Are Here:Bill Belichick is banking hard that all the new pieces that came aboard last year will be stronger this time around. The defense will once again be terrific, but where's the offensive talent?
What Needs Work:Start running the ball and do more to control the clock. Do that, and the downfield passing game might finally show up.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:4-8
Preseason Ranking:38
Final Ranking:73
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In:Trech Kekahuna, WR Wisconsin
Biggest Loss:Khmori House, LB to Arkansas
Season Opener:TCU (in Dublin), Aug. 29
- 2026 North Carolina Schedule Breakdown
13. Duke
Why the Blue Devils Are Here:Give them all the credit in the world for finding a way to win the ACC Championship, but star quarterback Darian Mensah is gone to Miami, the replacements aren't nearly as good, and there's a big overall loss of talent.
What Needs Work:The secondary has to be far, far better at stopping quarterbacks from throwing at will. The D has to carry more weight now with Mensah gone.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:9-5
Preseason Ranking:52
Final Ranking:24
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In: Braden Miller, OT Cal
Biggest Loss: Darian Mensah, QB to Miami
Season Opener:Tulane, Sept. 5
- 2026 Duke Schedule Breakdown
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12. Cal
Why the Golden Bears Are Here:New head coach Tosh Lupoi has plenty of work to do on the defensive side, but the program nailed it in the transfer portal. It all starts, though, with having (maybe) the best young quarterback in college football with Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele returning.
What Needs Work:Start running the ball under the new coaching staff, and start generating some semblance of a consistent pass rush.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:7-6
Preseason Ranking:59
Final Ranking:55
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In:Chase Hendrick, WR Ohio
Biggest Loss:Cade Uluave, LB to BYU
Season Opener:UCLA, Sept. 5
- 2026 Cal Schedule Breakdown
Nov 1, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Robby Ashford (2) throws a pass during warmups before the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. © Melina Myers-Imagn Images
11. Wake Forest
Why the Demon Deacons Are Here:This is too low - yes, Wake Forest fans, we always hear you. By the time spring ball kicks in full force, this might be the most experienced returning team in the ACC, and it's coming off a nine-win season.
What Needs Work:Tighten up the offense and work hard at short-range scoring options - be better in the red zone. It would also help to stop turning the ball over so much.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:9-4
Preseason Ranking:65
Final Ranking:36
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In: KD Daniels, RB Florida
Biggest Loss:Mateen Ibirogba, DT to Texas Tech
Season Opener:Akron, Sept. 3
- 2026 Wake Forest Schedule Breakdown
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10. Virginia
Why the Cavaliers Are Here:This is a Did That REALLY Happen? call before the spring. Getting quarterback Beau Pribula from Missouri will help a bit, but can the same magic be there with so many huge changes?
What Needs Work:Get Pribula to start pushing the ball down the field to open up the Cavalier offense a bit more. Overall, dive deep into the Nobody Believes In Us thing and be just as good defensively on third downs.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:11-3
Preseason Ranking:66
Final Ranking:25
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In:Beau Pribula, QB Missouri
Biggest Loss: Trell Harris, WR to Oklahoma
Season Opener:NC State (in Brazil), Aug 29
- 2026 Virginia Schedule Breakdown
9. NC State
Why the Wolfpack Are Here:This is going all in on quarterback CJ Bailey. He's got the upside to carry the team that should be far more consistent and a bigger factor in the ACC chase.
What Needs Work:Generate far more of a pass rush to help a beleaguered pass defense that has to start coming up with more third down stops.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:9-4
Preseason Ranking:31
Final Ranking:23
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In:Joshia Trader, WR Miami
Biggest Loss:Hollywood Smothers, RB to Texas
Season Opener:Virginia (in Brazil), Aug. 29
- 2026 NC State Schedule Breakdown
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8. Florida State
Why the Seminoles Are Here:Where's the big improvement? It starts with getting running back Quintrevion Wisner from Texas for the woeful ground attack, but there aren't enough obvious tweaks - quarterback Ashton Daniels from Auburn is one, though - to expect a massive turnaround ... yet.
What Needs Work:No more fumbles and longer, more sustained drives ... helped by not fumbling. Daniels has to add more consistency to the passing game.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:5-7
Preseason Ranking:40
Final Ranking:69
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In:Quintrevion Wisner, RB Texas
Biggest Loss:Earl Little, S to Ohio State
Season Opener:New Mexico State, Aug. 29
- 2026 Florida State Schedule Breakdown
7. Clemson
Why the Tigers Are Here:The benefit of the doubt isn't quite there. The defense will still be fantastic, and the pickups from the portal should help, but if it all didn't work last year with all the veterans in place ...
What Needs Work:Start converting on third downs, helped by some semblance of a rushing attack. Find more scoring pop overall.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:7-6
Preseason Ranking:9
Final Ranking:44
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In:Elliot Washington II, CB Penn State
Biggest Loss: Stephiylan Green, DT to LSU
Season Opener:at LSU, Sept. 5
- 2026 Clemson Schedule Breakdown
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6. Georgia Tech
Why the Yellow Jackets Are Here:They hit it big in the portal with QB Alberto Mendoza from Indiana and RB Justice Haynes from Michigan. This won't be last year's team, but it'll ball out each and every week.
What Needs Work:Get that running game rocking even more with Haynes, and give Mendoza as much time as possible to work. The defensive front has to be more productive.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:9-4
Preseason Ranking:31
Final Ranking:23
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In: Justice Haynes, RB Michigan
Biggest Loss:Isiah Canion, WR to Georgia
Season Opener:Colorado, Sept. 5
- 2026 Georgia Tech Schedule Breakdown
5. Louisville
Why the Cardinals Are Here:Transfer portal, transfer portal, transfer portal. How quickly will all of the new guys jell? Ohio State quarterback Lincoln Kienholz wasn't exactly a risk, but he's not a sure thing veteran - that has to change after spring ball.
What Needs Work:Stop with all of the soul-crushing penalties. Move the ball better and take more shots down the field - let Kienholz cook.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:9-4
Preseason Ranking:29
Final Ranking:35
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In:Lincoln Kienholz, QB Ohio State
Biggest Loss:Jordan Church, OG to Texas Tech
Season Opener:Ole Miss (in Nashville), Sept. 5
- 2026 Louisville Schedule Breakdown
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4. Virginia Tech
Why the Hokies Are Here:This might actually be too low. James Franklin pulled in a whopper of a transfer portal class and kept around more than enough good players to go from 0 to 60 in a snap.
What Needs Work:Get the lines working immediately. Better run blocking, more pass protection, more of a pass rush, more big stops against the run.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:3-9
Preseason Ranking:49
Final Ranking:83
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In:Ethan Grunkemeyer, QB Penn State
Biggest Loss:Dante Lovett, CB to UCLA
Season Opener:VMI, Sept. 5
- 2026 Virginia Tech Schedule Breakdown
3. SMU
Why the Mustangs Are Here:Is it okay to start admitting that SMU is an ACC powerhouse? There's a ton of lost parts, and it didn't dominate the portal like last year, but QB Kevin Jennings is still around.
What Needs Work:Find some way to get more out of a nearly non-existent pass defense. Keep going with what works, but with a dead stop to all of the penalties.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:9-4
Preseason Ranking:33
Final Ranking:21
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In:Yannick Smith, WR East Carolina
Biggest Loss: Chris Johnson, RB to Clemson
Season Opener:at Florida State, Sept. 7
- 2026 SMU Schedule Breakdown
Nov 29, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel (6) passes against the Miami Hurricanes during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
2. Pitt
Why the Panthers Are Here:If you're looking for the one team that might be able to break from the pack of dead-even ACC teams, this might be it. Star quarterback Mason Heintschel is special, and the defense has the parts to improve.
What Needs Work:Crisper, more consistent passing. Fewer picks, more third down conversions, and more help from the running game to take the heat off of Heintschel. The line has to give 6 more time to work.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:8-5
Preseason Ranking:46
Final Ranking:47
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In: Carson Kent, TE Oklahoma
Biggest Loss: Rasheem Biles, LB to Texas
Season Opener:Miami University, Sept. 5
- 2026 Pitt Schedule Breakdown
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1B. Notre Dame
Why the Fighting Irish Are Here:No, the Irish didn't join the ACC - and they're not exactly happy with the arrangement at this point - but they get thrown here because they do caucus with the conference.
Notre Dame is the No. 1 team among all ACC teams - the lines are fantastic, and CJ Carr is special - but because it hasn't tied the knot, the league's full-member top team is ...
What Needs Work:Get everything about the kicking game healthy again - the Irish have
to believe they can hit a field goal. Find the running backs to replace the irreplaceable.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:10-2
Preseason Ranking:5
Final Ranking:10
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In: Tionne Gray, DT Oregon
Biggest Loss: Kenny Minchey, QB to Kentucky
Season Opener: Wisconsin (in Green Bay), Sept. 6
- 2026 Notre Dame Schedule Breakdown
1. Miami
Why the Hurricanes Are Here:This might be an ACC loaded with good teams, but there aren't any great ones. After coming achingly close to winning the national title, they have to find the magic again, only this time with Duke transfer Darian Mensah doing even more with the attack.
What Needs Work:Get the lines back up to speed. Find the pass rush after losing almost all the top pass rushers, and find the powerful ground game after losing almost all of the blasting blockers.
2025 CFN Rankings
Record:13-3
Preseason Ranking:10
Final Ranking:3
Transfer Portal
Top Transfer In: Darian Mensah, QB Duke
Biggest Loss: Raul Agguire Jr. LB to NC State
Season Opener:at Stanford, Sept. 4
- 2026 Miami Schedule Breakdown
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Related: College Football Blue Bloods 2026: Ranking the 25 Best Programs
This story was originally published by College Football News on Feb 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
