Who has Best Chance to Challenge Clemson in ACC?

CLEMSON — Clemson is considered to be one of the favorites to win the ACC this year and for good reason.

The Tigers return play makers in Antonio Williams and Tyler Brown at wide receiver, plus Troy Stellato proved last season he can stay on the field and has perhaps the best hands on the team. They also return quarterback Cade Klubnik, running back Phil Mafah and tight end Jake Briningstool. Throw in freshman receivers Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore, and the offense should be a significant upgrade.

Technically, Clemson’s defense returns just three starters—linebacker Barrett Carter, nickel back Khalil Barnes and safety R.J. Mickens—from last year’s No. 8 nationally ranked defense. However, T.J. Parker, Peter Woods, Payton Page, DeMonte Capehart, Wade Woodaz and Avieon Terrell played a ton of starter snaps in 2023. Also, the Tigers get back starting cornerback Jeadyn Lukus after he missed most of the second half of the season due to an injury.

In other words, Clemson’s defense should be fine.

However, none of this guarantees the Tigers an ACC Championship and the Road to Charlotte will not be an easy one.

Below is who I believe will challenge Clemson the most for an ACC Championship and an automatic spot in the College Football Playoff.

SMU

The Mustangs are a team no one is talking about. However, Rhett Lashlee’s squad returns 14 starters from last year’s 11-3 team that went 8-0 in the AAC and won the conference championship. SMU hosts FSU on Sept. 28 in what is being built up as the biggest game the program has hosted in the last 40 years. It then visits Louisville the following week. After that, the rest of the conference schedule is a cakewalk. Last year, the Mustangs ranked 8 ^th nationally in scoring offense and 11 ^th in scoring defense. Quarterback Preston Stone threw for 3,200 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2023.

North Carolina

UNC has a chance to be this year’s Louisville. Granted the Tar Heels have to replace Drake Maye at QB, but the schedule is relatively easy, and it could put the Tar Heels back in the ACC Championship Game. After opening the season at Minnesota, UNC plays the following six games in the Raleigh-Durham area with its only road game at Duke.

Virginia Tech

The Hokies return 19 starters from last year’s seven-win team that won five of its last seven games. VT’s toughest games are at Miami (Sept. 27) and vs. Clemson (Nov. 9). Kyron Drones is a dual-threat quarterback that got the Hokies offense rolling in the second half of last season. There is a chance this could be a special season in Blacksburg.

Florida State

No surprise here. FSU has talent, especially on defense, to defend its ACC Championship. However, leadership is an issue and with so many transfer portal players, I don’t know if there is enough leadership to get them back to the ACC title game. Head coach Mike Norvell went and got DJ Uiagalelei to run his offense, but I don’t see enough experienced skill players around him to lift Uiagalelei’s confidence. The Seminoles’ Oct. 5 home game against Clemson will likely be the deciding factor.

NC State

Dave Doeren hit the transfer portal hard in the off-season. The ‘Pack returns just eight starters from last year’s nine-win team. Doeren brought in former Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall to run the offense and sophomore Kevin Concepcion is one of the more talented wideouts in the county. However, replacing linebacker Payton Wilson on defense will be difficult to do, especially considering he was the heart and soul of last year’s team. Clemson hosts the Wolfpack on Sept. 21 at Death Valley.

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