As college football season heats up, let’s turn our attention to the ACC. No, this group isn’t quite as dominant when stacked up against the top-heavy Big Ten and SEC. Just one program, Miami, reached the postseason. However, quality made up for a lack of quantity. The Canes ran the table before losing a one-score game against Indiana for the national title.
Unsurprisingly, it’s The U that sits atop most preseason projections for the ACC. With that being said, there should be more competition this season. Historic powerhouse Clemson is generating plenty of hype. Newer conference members such as Louisville and SMU are poised to challenge Miami as well. Let’s make sense of the field, and what bettors should expect in 2026.
Below is a preview and predictions for the Atlantic Coast Conference, including my best bets for several ACC teams.
ACC Football Betting Preview
ACC Conference Favorites
Miami (-140 to win the ACC)
It’s hard to find a bigger conference favorite than Miami in 2026. It’s easy to see why following last season’s miraculous run to the title game. Granted, starting quarterback Carson Beck is now a member of the Arizona Cardinals. Fortunately, head coach Mario Cristobal has done a stellar job of bringing in new talent. Under center, former Duke signal caller Darian Mensah now heads to Coral Gables. Last season with the Blue Devils, he led the ACC with 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdowns.
Mensah’s numbers could look even better when throwing to wideout Malachi Toney. The superstar sophomore led all FBS players with 109 receptions, all while snagging 1,211 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns. The quarterback’s top target at Duke, Cooper Barkate, is also transferring over to Miami. On the ground, running backs Mark Fletcher and CharMar Brown will give The U a formidable one-two punch. This offensive line did suffer some key departures, but as a unit should continue to rank among the nation’s best.
We’ve seen dangerous scoring attacks in South Beach before. What separated this group from other previous iterations was a formidable defensive line. Several of the team’s best pass rushers are gone, including first-round picks Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor. That means the defensive tackle duo of Justin Scott and Ahmad Moten Sr. will need to do most of the heavy lifting up front. It’s not an unreasonable request; both are good, NFL-caliber players. Still, it is wishful thinking to assume this defense won’t suffer a drop-off in terms of pressure.
The schedule is whatever you make of it. A glass half-full view is that it’s a soft opening; Miami should be double-digit favorites for its first four games of the season. That’s more than enough time for Mensah and company to start gelling. On the flip side, the Hurricanes will face serious road tests against Clemson and Notre Dame. The latter matchup should be must-see television; it took a walk-off field goal for The U to take down the Irish during last year’s season-opener. Taking care of business in South Bend would put Miami in a strong spot to earn a CFP bye. Barring a major injury to Mensah, it’s difficult to envision more than two losses.
Best Bet: Miami exactly 10 wins (+200)
SMU (+650 to win the ACC)
After the Hurricanes, it’s anyone’s guess as to who the second-best team in the ACC is. Right now, SMU and Louisville (more on them later) are the best of the rest. The former has been a fairly consistent program in recent years, including a postseason appearance two seasons prior. Rhett Lashlee’s crew took a step back in 2025, but still managed to earn nine wins and a Holiday Bowl victory. If anything, there’s major room for improvement here. The Mustangs dropped one-possession games to Baylor, Cal and Wake Forest. To boot, they earned an overtime win over Miami in November.
Kevin Jennings is a bonafide star, considered one of the ACC’s best quarterbacks. The gunslinger threw for 3,641 yards and 26 touchdowns last season, although he led the conference with 13 interceptions. If those turnovers go down, the senior could become a household name. Former Cal running back Kendrick Raphael, who helped take down SMU last season, now joins the program. As a member of the Golden Bears, the then-junior gained 943 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.
The Mustangs were busy in the transfer portal, revamping their defensive line with several new pass rushers. Linebackers Brandon Booker and Alexander Kilgore should continue to provide stability over the middle of the field as well. Last season, this unit allowed the ACC’s third-fewest yards per rush attempt (3.19). However, the team’s secondary was a major liability at several points in 2026. Despite some portal additions, it’s difficult to express too much confidence in these defensive backs. While SMU won’t have to face Miami, road dates with Louisville and Notre Dame could prove challenging.
Best Bet: SMU over 9.5 wins (-136)
Louisville (+850 to win the ACC)
The final team getting some preseason buzz is Louisville. It’s not difficult to see why; the Cardinals managed to go 8-4 during the 2025 regular season. That includes a 24-21 road upset over Miami, in which their defense picked off Carson Beck four different times. There’s a world in which that record looks significantly better as well. One-possession losses at home vs. Cal, Clemson and Virginia were the difference between a potential conference title and the Boca Raton Bowl.
Head coach Jeff Brohm is known as an offensive whiz, but that didn’t translate last season. Within the ACC, Louisville ranked 11th in yardage and ninth in scoring. Those aren’t terrible numbers in such a massive conference, but it’s fair to say this group didn’t live up to its collective talent. Former quarterback Miller Moss wasn’t much of a passer, throwing for just 2,679 yards. Incoming QB Lincoln Kienholz doesn’t possess the biggest arm either. However, he’s far more effective as a scrambler. The former Ohio State signal caller adds another layer this offense didn’t possess in 2025.
It helps that the Cardinals should be able to pound the rock consistently. Isaac Brown is a playmaker, churning out 884 yards and a conference-best 8.8 yards per carry. Keyjuan Brown (704 yards, six TD) will help to form a dangerous thunder-and-lightning duo out of the backfield. The former in particular is poised to emerge as one of the nation’s most effective running backs. Few teams in college football, let alone the ACC, should match Louisville’s rushing offense.
Defense is what separates the Cardinals from most of their ACC rivals. This is an ultra-aggressive group that has the potential to flummox even the most prolific offenses. Louisville’s greatest strength is its secondary, which allowed a conference-best 188.8 passing yards per game in 2025. To boot, the school snagged 14 interceptions in just 13 games. Up front, edges Clev Lubin and AJ Green combined for 14.5 sacks last season.
In many ways, this team is simple: it all comes down to the quarterback. Kienholz, a former four-star recruit, has prospect pedigree. However, he’s been relatively untested over three seasons in Columbus. How he responds to taking over a ranked Cardinals squad will be telling. We’ll know a lot more about Louisville following its Week 1 battle with #9 Ole Miss. If the team can keep pace with one of the SEC’s best, it bodes well for its chances in the wide-open ACC. Avoiding Miami on the schedule can’t hurt for the Cardinals, either. Don’t be shocked if Brohm’s crew is playing for a conference title this December in Charlotte.
Best Bet: Louisville to reach ACC Championship Game (+300)
Clemson (+1400 to win the ACC)
One the cream of the crop, Clemson’s star has fallen a bit in recent seasons. In the era of NIL, Dabo Swinney’s focus on developing players is admirable. However, it could be limiting the potential for a once-great program. With that being said, the Tigers remain firmly in the hunt for a conference championship. That’s due in large part to their head coach, still one of college football’s biggest names. The 56-year-old Swinney isn’t someone to count out, especially when armed with a quality quarterback.
That last point remains up for debate. Former four-star recruit Christopher Vizzina is the ultimate wildcard. He’s spent three years on campus as Cade Klubnik’s backup. At 6’5″, the Alabama native is a big, prototypical pocket passer. However, he’s more than willing to make something happen with his legs. During his lone start last season, in relief of an injured Klubnik, Vizzina threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns against SMU.
A stout defense and capable supporting cast are the bare minimum at this point for the Tigers. Plus, Swinney has almost always rebounded whenever he’s faced with adversity. Still, it’s difficult to draw many conclusions right now given the question mark under center. Keep in mind, this program didn’t have much success with a highly touted QB such as Klubnik in tow. Games against Miami, LSU and South Carolina will be crucial for Clemson’s CFP chances.
