The Chronicle's 2024 preseason ACC football power rankings

College football is almost here, as the ACC slate kicks off in less than three weeks. The Chronicle's football beats are here with their preseason ACC team rankings, with insight on where the Blue Devils fit in and some teams to watch throughout the expanded conference: 

Ranjan Jindal

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

At the top, I have Clemson and Miami advancing to the ACC Championship. The Tiger defense will be elite once again, but their success is predicated on Cade Klubnik’s decision making and the offensive line protection. If healthy, the receiving core is much improved with two talented freshmen, so that makes the difference for me. Miami’s experienced offensive line and explosive playmakers will be the catalyst to their success, and Preseason ACC Player of the Year Cam Ward will be dynamic. While I still think Florida State is formidable, I predict they take a slight drop due to the influx of talent to the NFL Draft. 

I think Duke finishes around the middle of the ACC, and it largely depends on how the Blue Devils fare in some tough league contests at home. My biggest question with the team is the offensive line, but I really like what head coach Manny Diaz has done in the portal to add experience and leadership across the board. The middle-tier ACC teams are so much stronger this year in my opinion, and I could see Duke falling below No. 10 in the league. 

There’s a few quarterbacks I’m watching that could elevate their teams and shock some people. One is Haynes King of Georgia Tech, who threw for 2,800 yards last season and has some key weapons around him. Secondly, Thomas Castellanos of Boston College emerged last season after injury, tearing up defenses including Florida State’s, and I’m intrigued to watch him under Bill O’Brien’s offense. Finally, Virginia's Anthony Colandrea, who carved the Blue Devil defense last year for 271 yards and three touchdowns, has elite arm talent and should be even better in his second year. If Tony Muskett starts for the Cavaliers, he also has great experience.

Dom Fenoglio

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

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

I had the honor of submitting a ballot at ACC Kickoff, and this is how I saw it shaking out. At the top, I have last year’s champs Florida State and in-state rival Miami advancing to the championship game. While the Seminoles lost several key contributors like Keon Coleman and Jared Verse, their roster is still loaded and extremely well coached. The Hurricanes are the team I believe has the most upside in the conference, largely because they sport the best quarterback in the league in my eyes, Washington State transfer Cam Ward. After tearing up the now-defunct Pac-12, Ward will have all eyes on him, and I think he will excel under Mario Cristobal.

In terms of the Blue Devils, their placement is largely due not to their own inability, but rather the stacked nature of the conference. With the amount of returning talent in the league, I find it hard to justify Duke any higher than No. 10 after everything it lost via graduation and the transfer portal. However, Diaz should bring some juice to the program, and several transfers like quarterback Maalik Murphy give the Blue Devils increased firepower. 

One team I believe could make some noise in the league this year is Syracuse, who went through a complete overhaul during the offseason. After hiring young head coach Fran Brown, Georgia’s former defensive backs coach, the Orange brought in some major contributors through the transfer portal, including former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord. Add in star tight end Oronde Gadsden II returning from an injury that sidelined him all of last season, and Syracuse could be a sleeper to watch. 

Martin Heintzelman

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

There are a lot of questions surrounding the ACC this year. There are new teams in SMU, Cal and Stanford, and new head coaches at Syracuse, Duke and Boston College. The transfer portal has also turned college football on its head, with players able to move much more freely between schools. 

That said, there are two constants at the top of the conference: Clemson and Florida State. Both powerhouse schools are currently suing the conference but have continued to pour money into their programs. The Seminoles brought in some big-time transfers with quarterback DJ Uiagalelei out of Oregon State and wide receiver Malik Benson from Alabama. Notably, Clemson has not utilized the portal well and I think that will give Florida State the edge at the top.

I also think this will be a solid, but not outstanding, year for Duke. The Blue Devils brought in a true arm talent in Murphy and some high-upside transfers out of smaller programs. There will inevitably be some growing pains with Diaz at the helm, but it certainly won’t be an awful year for Duke football. I will also highlight Virginia Tech as a program that has really turned itself around in recent years and moved closer to its historic strength. Look for the Hokies to have a strong year. 

Abby DiSalvo

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

Duke has to rebuild its momentum in the 2024 season, and success will largely depend on how quickly Diaz and new roster additions can gel into a powerhouse. That being said, Diaz brings an unprecedented defensive boost to the program, and competition between Murphy and Loftis could push Duke’s offense to new heights. I expect the Blue Devils to come together sooner rather than later and fare well in the middle third of the conference.

Florida State and Clemson have grappled at the top of the ACC for the last 13 years, and I doubt this season will be any exception. Though the Seminoles lost several key players to the 2024 NFL Draft, they boast a number of talented transfers. Unless Clemson can produce a star receiver for Cade Klubnik, I think Florida State will repeat its ACC title. There’s only one potential caveat: N.C. State has one of the most talented lineups heading into the season. Having added a strong new quarterback, running back, receiver and tight end, the Wolfpack will certainly try to take advantage of any opening at the top of the conference. As for the new additions, SMU, looking to capitalize off recent investments to its program, will likely fare better than a mediocre Cal and a lackluster Stanford.

Rodrigo Amare

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

I predict Duke football will regress somewhat during the 2024 season. While I believe that Diaz will ultimately succeed, his impact on the culture and program’s success will likely take time. Former head coach Mike Elko’s immediate success with the Blue Devils is somewhat of an anomaly across the college game, so it’s not realistic for Duke fans to expect the unprecedented success of the 2022 and 2023 seasons to continue. The Blue Devils lost their head coach, starting quarterback, starting running back, several elite offensive linemen and their best defensive player. It would take a miracle for those massive losses not to have a significant impact in the short term.

Some expect the new ACC additions to immediately compete in their new conference. SMU in particular has received immense hype following a flurry of alumni donations and investments into their football program. While the Mustangs will probably eventually boast a strong ACC program and firmly establish themselves at the top half of the conference, it probably won’t happen this season. I think SMU, Cal and Stanford will struggle to adjust to the increased competition in new, hostile environments often thousands of miles away from their home stadiums. 

Tyler Walley

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

Since the early 2010s, ACC football has been a constant battle between Clemson and Florida State, and I believe that will remain the same in 2024, with the Tigers just edging out the Seminoles for first place. For me, North Carolina is the biggest dark horse in the conference; despite losing superstar quarterback Drake Maye to the draft, the Tar Heels still have All-American running back Omarion Hampton and can thus still compete on the offensive side. The talented SMU should be the best of the newest three members, but in such a top-heavy conference, I predict they finish around the middle during their inaugural outing in the ACC. I have doubts about Cal’s ability to contend with the conference’s best teams, and difficult contests against Florida State, Miami and SMU drop the Golden Bears down in my predictions.

Duke football’s 2024 season is an open question, but I will err on the side of mild optimism with a middle-of-the-conference showing for Diaz's first season. Much of the offseason chatter surrounding the Blue Devils centered on their departures, most notably in head coach Mike Elko and starting quarterback Riley Leonard, but I believe that Duke’s newcomers can make up for these losses, at least in part. Murphy’s potential is sky-high, and his arm talent can provide a new dimension to the Blue Devils’ offense. On the other side of the ball, I think newcomers like defensive lineman Kendy Charles and the defensive-oriented Diaz will continue Duke’s defensive success from the 2023 season, which should keep the Blue Devils in games against the toughest in-conference opponents. With all of these factors in mind, Duke should be competitive in the ACC this season, even if not in title contention.

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