Bit by bit, the Atlantic Coast Conference has lost its forward momentum in the race for Power Five dominance. While the Clemson Tigers remains a college football juggernaut, the rest of the conference has been more miss than hit over the past decade.
The Florida State Seminoles pose the biggest threat to challenge the Tigers, while the rest of the conference — specifically the programs in the ACC Coastal division — are falling into the middle tiers of the programs that make up the Power Five conferences.
Clemson and Florida State, led respectively at quarterback by Cade Klubnik and Travis Jordan, could push for an invitation into the College Football Playoff.
No ACC team has made the CFP over the last two seasons after one ACC team secured a spot every year from 2014-15 to 2020-21.
CFB ACC Futures Odds
Keep track of the best ACC betting lines for the college football season:
CFB odds used to make these predictions were current as of Thursday, July 20, at 4:00 p.m. ET and were found at FanDuel Sportsbook.
- Clemson (+155)
- Florida State (+185)
- Louisville (+750)
- North Carolina (+850)
- NC State (+2200)
- Miami (+2300)
- Pitt (+2500)
- Duke (+3700)
- Syracuse (+7000)
- Virginia Tech (+7500)
- Boston College (+10000)
- Mississippi State (+12000)
- Virginia (+20000)
- Georgia Tech (+20000)
Best Bet To Win ACC
North Carolina Tar Heels (+850)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 units
While the Tar Heels are a longshot to win the conference, they do have one of the most exciting players in college football and 2022 ACC Player of the Year Drake Maye. In his freshman campaign, the quarterback finished with 4,321 passing yards, 38 TDs, seven INTs, plus 698 rushing yards and seven rushing TDs.
The offense gets a big boost from transfer WRs Devontez Walker and Nate McCollum after losing their top two leading receivers last season. Things can only get better on defense after the Tar Heels finished last in the ACC in total and scoring defense.
Favorite To Win ACC
Clemson Tigers (+155)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.1 units
The Tigers have been in the zone for more than a decade, spearheading the tip of the ACC’s best and brightest.
Klubnik takes full control of this offense after spending almost all of last season behind DJ Uiagalelei, who has since hit the transfer portal and now plays for the Oregon State Beavers.
Now in his true sophomore season, Klubnik will be tasked to get this offense back in a groove after ranking 48th in total offense and 58th in completion percentage.
Sleeper Bet To Win ACC
Florida State Seminoles (+185)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.1 units
While the odds to win the conference are more or less even with Clemson, the Seminoles have key matchups against college football bluebloods which will test their might.
They open the season with a neutral site game against LSU, play on the road against Clemson in Week 4, and close the season with a trip to Gainesville to face the Florida Gators.
We’ll learn very quickly if the Seminoles can match the hype of their top-10 preseason ranking in their opener.
ACC Team To Fade
Clemson Tigers (+155)
While they are the favorites to win the Atlantic Coast Conference, Clemson must replace six players that were selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, including two who heard their names called in the first round: Myles Murphy and Bryan Bresee.
Clemson has been reloading year after year, but hindsight and history will tell us whether this current stretch is more of a rebuild. The Tigers haven’t reached the CFP in each of the last two seasons, marking back-to-back disappointments.
Expectations are high — as they should be — and that’s why they made a big hire to land Garrett Riley, the former TCU offensive coordinator and 2022 Broyles Award winner (top assistant coach in college football).
Clemson needs to get back to the CFP or even Dabo Sweeney might be on the hot seat if they don’t put together this year.
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