Oct 96 min read

Contenders Or Pretenders: Which Teams Are Emerging in ACC

While quick reactions to single games are common during football season, a clearer picture of contenders and pretenders emerges as we enter the second month of the season. With the expanded College Football Playoff this year, contenders in all conferences have more to play for. With seven schools in the conference currently undefeated, who stands the best chance to be the top team in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2024?

Contender: No. 25 SMU Mustangs (5-1, 2-0)

The new kids on the proverbial block, the 25th-ranked SMU Mustangs and head coach Rhett Laslee have been taking the ACC by storm. A high-powered offense on a veteran team is a dangerous combination. Tight end RJ Maryland is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses with a great athletic ability and an even more impressive catch radius. He's currently averaging 13.8 yards per reception and is a very capable route runner. SMU fans are enjoying the dynamic ability of dual-threat quarterback Kevin Jennings who has already eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark passing (1,014) and 262 yards on the ground. He's accounted for 8 total touchdowns. Running back Brashard Smith has drawn similarities to the famed "Pony Express" backfield with Eric Dickerson. He's currently rushed for 561 yards and 7 touchdowns, adding 138 yards and a touchdown receiving as well. Defensively, linebacker Kobe Wilson has been a ball-seeking missile with a team-leading 41 tackles and second on the team with 2 interceptions. The biggest tests for the conference positioning remain with games against Duke (5-1, 1-1) Oct. 26, No. 22 Pitt (5-0, 1-0) Nov. 2 and an interesting game against Boston College (4-2, 1-1) on Nov. 16. A loss in any of those could derail their chance at playing for the ACC title in their first season in the conference.

Pretender: Virginia Cavaliers (4-1, 2-0)

While head coach Tony Elliot and the Cavaliers have been winning and have already equaled their win total from a season ago, they are currently averaging 455.6 yards a game on offense and are averaging 30 points per game. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea is building off his freshman season with improvements in completion percentage, from 63 percent last season up to 68 percent. Wide receiver Malachi Fields has had a solid start to his season and is fifth in the ACC with 349 yards. Congratulations on Virginia earning their first victory against Boston College on Oct. 5. The unfortunate news is the toughest part of the schedule is yet to come for the Cavaliers with games against Louisville (3-2, 1-1), No. 10 Clemson (4-1, 3-0), No. 11 Notre Dame (4-1) and SMU remaining. While we saw chaos in Week 6 of the season, that is a tough stretch for the Cavaliers to get through.

Contender: Duke Blue Devils (5-1, 1-1)

First-year Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz has got his team behind him. Quarterback Maalik Murphy is fourth in the conference with 1,226 yards and 12 touchdowns on the season and has thrown for multiple touchdowns in four of the team's five games. Wide receiver Jordan Moore is currently second in the conference in receiving with 420 yards—two yards off of the conference lead.

As a defensive-minded coach, Diaz has the Blue Devils playing stingy defense currently fourth in the conference with 289 yards and 16 points allowed per game. Linebacker Alex Howard and defensive end Vincent Anthony Jr have been leading the charge for the defense with 6.5 sacks between them. The team answered the challenge last week coming back from a 20-point deficit to win 21-20. With back-to-back games against SMU and the No. 6 Miami Hurricanes (6-0, 2-0) upcoming as their biggest test remaining, Diaz and his team should see themselves as one of the last teams remaining to head to Charlotte, N.C. for the ACC Championship.

Pretender (Dark Horse Contender): No. 22 Pitt Panthers (5-0, 1-0)

What a difference a year makes. A season after going 3-9 the 22nd-ranked Panthers and head coach Pat Narduzzi have had an impressive turnaround. Quarterback Eli Holstein has taken control of this offense, currently completing 65 percent of his passes, thrown for 1,564 yards and 15 touchdowns. He's also added 265 yards on the ground and 3 touchdowns. Joining him on the offensive side is running back Desmond Reid who has 696 total yards and 5 touchdowns. Wide receiver Konata Mumpfield has been the man for Holstein, with a team-leading 426 yards and 3 touchdowns. Defensively, the linebacking trio of Kyle Louis, Rasheen Biles and Brandon George have been everywhere and doing everything for the Panthers. The trio has 115 tackles, 6 sacks, 4 pass breakups and 2 interceptions. They are the surprise team of the 2024 season, however, with games against SMU Nov. 2, Clemson Nov. 16 and Louisville Nov. 23, the toughest stretch is yet to come.

Contender: No. 10 Clemson Tigers (4-1, 3-0)

After a Week 0 loss to the then top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs (3-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) quarterback Cade Klubnik and the 10th-ranked Tigers have been on a tear. Outscoring their opponents 165-69 during their three-game win streak and they have shown no signs of slowing down. A large part of the offensive success has been the improved play of the offensive line, after surrendering 2 sacks in the first game, Klubnik has been sacked once in the past three games. He's also thrown for 12 touchdowns in that span. Freshman wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. has emerged in a talented receiver group and is a go-to target for Klubnik. Defensively, linebacker Wade Woodaz has been everywhere for the Tigers' defense, leading the team in tackles. At the same time, EDGE TJ Parker has been a disruptor for opposing offenses, and corner Avieon Terrell has been a blanket in coverage. With a Nov. 2 clash with Louisville and Pitt on Nov. 16, the Tigers are in a favorable position to see themselves in Charlotte for the conference championship.

Pretender : Louisville Cardinals (3-2, 1-1)

The Cardinals, last season's ACC runner-up, have shown that they mean business after reloading the offense. Quarterback Tyler Shough is on pace for a career season as he has already thrown for 11 touchdowns with only 1 interception. His go-to target, Ja'Corey Brooks, has been exciting to watch with a great combination of speed, agility and body control to make difficult catches look routine. He leads the team in receiving with 368 yards and 4 touchdowns. Despite the loss that head coach Jeff Brohm and the Cardinals had Oct. 5, hope is not lost for Louisville to make a return to Charlotte. The remaining schedule is daunting, however, with games against the Miami Oct. 19, Clemson Nov. 2, and a potentially interesting game on Nov. 23 against the Pitt. A tough stretch for a team that already has a conference loss.

Contender: No. 6 Miami Hurricanes (6-0, 2-0)

In recent weeks rumors have gained steam about luck or conspiracies to help the No. 6-ranked Hurricanes win, but it doesn't take away from them being a solid team. Led on offense by Heisman Trophy-hopeful in quarterback Cam Ward, who leads the nation in passing with 2,219 yards and 20 touchdowns, he's been able to deliver the ball to all areas and is averaging 10.4 yards per pass. Wide receiver Xavier Restrepo has been on a tear who is currently seventh in the nation in receiving with 585 yards and an 18.3-yard average.

Defensively, the duo of linebacker Francisco Mauigoa and defensive end Tyler Baron have led the charge for a defense that is allowing 283 yards and 19 points per game. The talent is there and they have been winning, The next four games for head coach Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes will be the toughest. After their bye week Oct. 12, the Hurricanes travel to Louisville Oct. 19, host in-state rival Florida State (1-5, 1-4) Oct. 26, Duke Nov. 2 and travel to Georgia Tech (4-2, 2-2) on Nov. 9. With potential trap games and a rivalry game, the road will be anything but smooth sailing.

Who's Left Standing?

With a lot of football yet to be played, the race should heat up between Miami, Clemson and SMU. After the smoke clears, Miami and Clemson reach the ACC title game in Charlotte on Dec. 7. While SMU has been a strong contender, they face two of the top five defenses in the conference in their remaining schedule.