SMU Will Shock the ACC This Year: Final 2025 Conference Preview

BEST LINKS

Should non-conference games in college football be canceled? As the sport transitions into a new era with yet another expansion to the College Football Playoff and reported automatic qualifiers on the table for the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12, one question looms large: Is there any real benefit to playing non-conference games anymore? LINK 

College football's best, worst coaching contracts: Buyer's remorse with Mike Norvell at Florida State? College football's financial landscape has reached new heights of extravagance, where Power Four coaching contracts have become the ultimate game of high-stakes poker. The $76 million Jimbo Fisher buyout wasn't just a number—it was a watershed moment that forced athletic departments to reconsider how they structure these mega-deals. In today's college football economy, $10 million annually has become the new barrier to entry for elite coaching talent, with eight sideline generals commanding that princely sum this fall. But, not all contracts are created equal: some represent brilliant investments in proven winners with reasonable escape clauses, while others stand as monuments to negotiation blunders that will haunt programs for years. The difference between these deals isn't just financial—it's the difference between championship contention and competitive irrelevance in the cutthroat world of college athletics. LINK

Deepest QB rooms in college football: Alabama, Notre Dame among teams comfortable on talent entering season College football's quarterback rooms have transformed into high-stakes poker tables where careers and championships hang in the balance. The transfer portal era has created a fascinating paradox that separates elite programs from the also-rans. What makes this ranking so compelling isn't just identifying the best quarterback rooms in America—it's uncovering which programs have mastered the dark art of quarterback retention in an era when patience has become college football's rarest virtue. LINK

DEEP DIVE

ACC Hot Seat Insider: 2025 Preseason Team Analysis

The fate of entire programs hangs in the balance this season.

With our official ACC Preseason Coach Hot Seat Rankings dropping Tuesday, here's your inside look at the teams facing the most pressure heading into 2025. Some fight for relevance, others for redemption, and a few are ready to shock the conference.

Virginia: The Definition of a Last Chance

The Cavaliers have exhausted nearly all goodwill in Charlottesville.

After three seasons without a bowl appearance and a meager .324 winning percentage, Virginia desperately needs a turnaround. The numbers paint a brutal picture of what's happening in Charlottesville:

• 11-23 overall record spanning three seasons with zero winning campaigns

• 4-8 mark in one-score games, revealing a troubling pattern in clutch moments

• $15 million NIL payroll for 2025 that demands immediate returns

• Zero bowl appearances despite increased resources and expectations

Virginia's 25th-ranked transfer class might save the program. It brought in 17 new players, including TCU quarterback Chandler Morris and Ohio State defensive lineman Mitchell Melton. The schedule offers legitimate opportunities, with seven home games and notable absences of ACC powerhouses Clemson and Miami.

The magic number appears to be eight—as in eight regular season wins. Anything less likely signals the end of an era.

Read our UVA Deep Dive Here

Virginia Tech: The Crossroads Season

The Hokies' entire program trajectory hangs in the balance.

After a mediocre 6-6 campaign culminating in a Duke's Mayo Bowl appearance, Virginia Tech enters 2025 with significant roster turnover and a completely revamped coaching staff. The 2024 season showcased why changes were necessary:

• Squandered opportunities with painful losses to Vanderbilt and Rutgers

• One-score game failures, dropping five such contests, including a controversial Miami defeat

• Roster exodus losing stars like Bhayshul Tuten (1,159 yards, 15 TDs) and Antwaun Powell-Ryland (16 sacks)

• Inconsistent quarterback play despite Kyron Drones showing occasional brilliance

New offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery brings a track record of explosive offenses from Baylor and Tulsa. In contrast, defensive coordinator Sam Siefkes implements new tactical approaches to shore up a unit that allowed 215.9 passing yards per game in 2024.

With over 30 new players entering the program, the Hokies are essentially fielding a new team—and the clock is ticking on whether they can develop chemistry quickly enough.

Link to our VA Tech Deep Dive

Syracuse: Managing Expectations After a Breakthrough

How do you follow up your first 10-win season since 2018?

The Orange face the daunting task of building on their 2024 breakthrough while navigating substantial roster turnover and what many analysts consider the toughest schedule in the ACC. Last year set a new standard with:

• 10-3 record (5-3 in ACC play) including three wins over AP-ranked teams

• Holiday Bowl victory in a dominant 52-35 performance against Washington State

• Record-setting offense averaging 467.6 yards and 34.08 points per game

• ACC single-season passing record with 4,779 yards through the air

However, the 2025 roster has lost several key players, including quarterback Kyle McCord, running back LeQuint Allen (1,542 total yards, 20 TDs), and tight end Oronde Gadsden II (73 receptions, 934 yards).

The schedule looks like a gauntlet designed by a sadist: opening against Tennessee, road trips to Clemson, SMU, Miami, and Notre Dame, and four total games against 2024 College Football Playoff teams.

For Syracuse fans, the 2025 season represents a critical barometer: Was 2024's success a fleeting moment or the beginning of a sustainable program resurrection?

Read our Syracuse Deep Dive

North Carolina: The Belichick Experiment Begins

The college football world is watching Chapel Hill with fascination.

After a disappointing 6-7 season, North Carolina made the splash hire of the century by bringing in Bill Belichick, immediately changing the program's trajectory and national perception. Early reports show promising signs:

• Player enthusiasm with Belichick noting they seem "generally excited and enthused to be playing football"

• Identity shift as players practice in jerseys without names or numbers

• Increased investment with nearly 25% more football spending committed by the university

• Physicality focus, particularly in the run game, and along the line of scrimmage

The challenges remain significant, however:

• NCAA time restrictions limiting coaches to only eight hours per week of player meetings

• Recruiting and NIL management requiring skills Belichick hasn't previously needed

• Quarterback uncertainty with transfer Ryan Browne and freshman Bryce Baker competing

• Adapting coaching style to connect with younger college athletes

The expectations for 2025 are pragmatic—implementing systems, establishing culture, and setting the stage for long-term success rather than immediate championship contention.

This is year one of what could be college football's most fascinating experiment.

Link to our North Carolina Deep Dive

Wake Forest: Complete Program Reset

The Demon Deacons are hitting the reset button after limping to a disappointing 4-8 record.

Jake Dickert arrives in Winston-Salem after compiling a 23-20 record at Washington State under nearly impossible circumstances—financial crisis, Pac-12 collapse, and constant roster turnover. His complete overhaul includes:

• Entirely new coaching staff including South Alabama's Rob Ezell (OC) and veteran Scottie Hazelton (DC)

• 10-member recruiting team led by GM Rob Schlaeger and Assistant GM Russ Kieselhorst

• Strategic systems to replace the mediocre offense (25.67 PPG) and awful defense (32.50 points allowed)

• Cultural transformation emphasizing the "type of player who belongs at Wake Forest"

Early ACC power rankings have the Demon Deacons sitting at 16th heading into 2025, and statistical projections suggest a modest improvement to around 5-7.

But the real story of 2025 won't be found in the win-loss column—it's about establishing a foundation for the future.

Read our Wake Forest Deep Dive

SMU: From Newcomers to Contenders

The Mustangs aren't just joining the conversation—they're about to dominate it.

After surprising everyone with an 11-3 record and perfect 8-0 conference run in their ACC debut, SMU enters 2025 with legitimate title aspirations. Last year wasn't a fluke—it was a warning:

• Perfect 8-0 in regular season ACC play while reaching the College Football Playoff

• Balanced attack averaging 429.5 yards per game (261.9 passing, 167.6 rushing)

• Stifling defense holding opponents to 326 yards per game

• Narrow loss to Clemson in the ACC Championship game

Quarterback Kevin Jennings returns after accumulating 3,245 passing yards and 23 touchdowns, while strategic transfer portal additions like Georgia's Anthony Evans (WR) and San Jose State's Rocket Rahimi (S) fill specific needs.

Industry projections set SMU's win total around 9.5 for the season, with critical matchups against Clemson, Miami, and Louisville likely determining their conference standing.

The days of SMU being considered a novelty in the ACC are officially over—their time is now.

Read Why SMU will shock the ACC here

THAT’S A WRAP

Our official ACC Preseason Coach Hot Seat Rankings drop to subscribers on Tuesday and will be released to the general public on Friday. Which teams do you think will surprise in 2025? Drop your predictions in the comments.

Next Week, we start our deep dive into teams in the American conference, including Trent Dilfer’s UAB Blazers. Stay tuned.

If you like this issue, forward it to a friend!