2026 ACC spring football preview: Key storylines, players to watch

The ACC heads into spring practice coming off its best season in recent memory. Miami made it to the national title game after making the College Football Playoff as the last team in. Eleven total teams made bowl games, and the league won seven Power 4 postseason games, more than any other conference. That includes a 4-0 postseason mark against the SEC. In fact, the ACC finished 8-6 against the SEC in 2025 and finished with nine teams that had eight or more wins — more than any other Power 4 conference.

There is a good chance that momentum continues into spring and the 2026 season. Miami has reloaded, with Duke transfer quarterback Darian Mensah leading the way as the Hurricanes appear ready to make another CFP run. SMU returns veteran Kevin Jennings and a loaded roster. Louisville also could make some noise with Isaac Brown returning and Lincoln Kienholz taking over at quarterback after transferring in from Ohio State. How does Clemson rebound with Christopher Vizzina at quarterback and Chad Morris taking over as playcaller?

Then there is the debut of James Franklin at Virginia Tech, and a roster filled with his former players and recruits at Penn State. And what does Bill Belichick have in store for Year 2, now that Bobby Petrino is calling the plays? There are plenty of storylines to follow as spring begins across the league.

2025 record: 2-10

Spring storyline: Nothing went right for BC last season. The Eagles had their worst finish since 2012, so Bill O’Brien spent the offseason revamping both his staff and his roster. The Eagles increased their financial investment in football through rev share and NIL, but that is only one piece of the puzzle. BC simply could not run the ball, nor could it stop the run last year, and had major inconsistency at quarterback, so starting with those three key areas will be big. Six offensive linemen were signed through the transfer portal — including four who have started 10 or more games in their careers. O’Brien also hired veteran Ted Roof as defensive coordinator after that unit finished ranked as the worst Power 4 defense in 2025, allowing 433 yards per game.

Position of intrigue: Quarterback has been a position of intrigue since O’Brien arrived at BC, given his background coaching quarterbacks. Dylan Lonergan was the hand-picked choice last season, after being recruited by O’Brien at Alabama, but he struggled early and eventually was benched. This spring, there is sure to be another quarterback competition after BC went into the portal and signed two quarterbacks — Mason McKenzie from Division II Saginaw Valley State and Grayson Wilson from Arkansas. McKenzie was the player of the year in 2025 in the same conference that Trinidad Chambliss played in before going to Ole Miss.

Player to watch: RB Evan Dickens. There is no question BC has to get its run game fixed, and signing six offensive linemen and two running backs from the portal is a good start. Dickens was highly productive a year ago at Liberty, rushing for 1,339 yards to rank No. 5 in the country, and scoring 16 rushing touchdowns — No. 4 nationally. Consider: Dickens had more rushing yards himself than BC had as a team in 2025, and scored as many touchdowns as the Eagles did on the ground.

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2025 record: 7-6

Spring storyline: Cal alum Tosh Lupoi takes over the program after Justin Wilcox spent the past nine seasons with the Bears. Lupoi has injected fresh energy, optimism and reset expectations for a program that has hovered around .500 over the past decade. So the biggest storyline is how does Lupoi set the foundation this spring in his first year as a head coach? We know how passionate he is about Cal, and we know what an elite recruiter and defensive coordinator he has been over the bulk of his career. The next step is showing that as a head coach. Lupoi has plenty to work with — he got freshman All-American quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele to return to Cal — and used an increased financial investment to go into the transfer portal and upgrade the entire offense. The defense lost the bulk of its most productive players, so how the defensive-minded Lupoi navigates that will be a big story to watch.

Position of intrigue: Linebacker. We could have picked any position on defense because this unit lost eight starters and several key reserves to either the transfer portal or graduation. But we will go with linebacker because arguably the two best players on the defense are gone — leading tackler and team leader Cade Uluave left for BYU and ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year left for Ole Miss after briefly transferring to Clemson. Those two players combined for 191 tackles — 17 of them for loss. TJ Bush Jr, an outside rush linebacker, also transferred after leading the team with 5.5 sacks. Cal was active in the portal in bringing in several linebackers and hybrid rush ends — most notably adding Tristan Jernigan from Texas A&M and AJ Tuitele from USC.

Player to watch: RB Adam Mohammed. Cal had no sustained run game to help ease the pressure from JKS a year ago — and a lot of that falls on the offensive line, which Cal worked to revamp through the transfer portal. Kendrick Raphael did what he could as the featured back a year ago, but bringing in Mohammed at running back signals Cal knows it needs much more from its run game. Mohammed averaged nearly 1 yard more per carry than Raphael did a year ago, and his playmaking ability as a receiver out of the backfield cannot be ignored.

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2025 record: 7-6

Spring storyline: What’s old is new again on offense for the Tigers. Dabo Swinney landed the hottest name in the coordinator ranks in 2022 in former TCU assistant Garrett Riley — a rare departure from Clemson’s insular hiring history — and it went horribly. The Tigers’ offense stagnated, Cade Klubnik failed to develop, and it all culminated with a 2025 season that was Swinney’s worst in 15 years. So after parting ways with Riley, Swinney opted to go back to what has worked in the past, bringing in former OC Chad Morris to lead the turnaround. Morris hasn’t called plays since 2020, and hasn’t coached at Clemson since 2014, but Swinney thinks a little of the old magic can be rekindled for an offense that has wavered between mediocre and bad since Trevor Lawrence departed following the 2020 season.

Position of intrigue: Defensive line. There are myriad questions on this year’s Clemson roster, most of which are on offense, but if there’s one major area awaiting answers, it’s the defensive front. In truth, it’s not been a unit that’s matched its expectations for a few years, but even amid last season’s struggles, the D-line was loaded with high-level players like Peter Woods and T.J. Parker. In 2026, however, it’s something akin to a fresh start on the D-line with perhaps the least amount of established stars ready for spring ball since 2012. The D-line has been Clemson’s calling card during the Tigers’ best years — from Vic Beasley to Christian Wilkins to Woods and Parker. This year, transfer Will Heldt returns, but the rest of the depth chart has plenty of unknowns. Edge rusher Jaheim Lawson showed promise in 2025, and Vic Burley has some experience up the middle. Aside from that, the Tigers figure to rely on serious development from freshmen and redshirts like Champ Thompson, Amare Adams, Ari Watford and Darien Mayo, along with transfers London Merritt, Markus Strong, CJ Wesley and Kourtney Kelly. There’s hope, however, that this group will produce some serious contributors and, after years of disappointment from five-star talent, be a pleasant surprise.

Player to watch: QB Christopher Vizzina. In addition to bringing Morris back into the fold to call plays, Swinney opted to eschew a portal QB and stick with a guy who’s spent three years backing up Klubnik instead. Vizzina was solid in his lone start last year — 317 yards and three touchdowns in a loss to SMU — but there are still some big questions about whether he’s good enough to carry the Tigers’ offense, especially if he couldn’t unseat a struggling Klubnik a year ago. Perhaps he’ll be an ideal fit for Morris’ scheme. Perhaps he’ll get beat out this spring by youngsters Chris Denson or Tait Reynolds. Or, perhaps, it’ll be another year of Clemson fans wondering what happened to their once-prolific offense that churned out star QBs year after year.

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2025 record: 9-5

Spring storyline: So long, Darian Mensah. Coming off an ACC title with star QB Mensah locked into a contract for 2026, the Blue Devils looked like a serious playoff contender. But at the last moment, Mensah opted to transfer anyway — bringing top receiver Cooper Barkate with him — and landed at Miami, leaving Duke without a clear answer at the most important position. Transfer Walker Eget provides a veteran presence, but perhaps limited upside. Redshirt freshman Dan Mahan was supposed to be the QB of the future, but that future may be now. Either way, what once looked like a promising year for the Blue Devils will begin with massive questions about whether they have a QB who can win ballgames.

Position of intrigue: Defensive end. OK, the real answer is QB, but let’s set that aside for a moment and focus on another of Duke’s 2025 strengths that took a big hit this offseason. VJ Anthony and Wesley Williams combined for 22 sacks over the past two seasons, both asserting themselves among the most productive pass rushers in the ACC. Both are off to the pros now, which puts the focus on second-year players like Tyshon Reed and Kobe Smith, a lightly experienced Kevin O’Conner, and Penn State transfer Owen Wafle. Duke surrendered far too many explosives last year, and if the back end of the defense is going to improve in 2026, it’ll need plenty of help from the front four. At this point, the pass rush might be as big a question mark as QB for the Blue Devils.

Player to watch: Duke’s blueprint for success in 2026 begins with tailback Nate Sheppard, who blossomed into one of the most prolific runners in the country. Sheppard finished 2025 with 1,132 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, topping 90 yards on the ground in four of his last six. A year ago he paired with Anderson Castle for a nice one-two punch, and he found ample room to run as defenses accounted for Mensah’s downfield passing. The job is going to be tougher this year, and Duke is counting on Sheppard to take the next step in order to give the offense some life while the QB position gets settled.

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2025 record: 5-7

Spring storyline: Once again, Florida State enters spring practice with more questions than answers after another losing season. The biggest storyline once again revolves around the offense, where the Seminoles will once again try to find an answer at quarterback, all while Tim Harris Jr. takes over as offensive coordinator and coach Mike Norvell returns as the primary play caller following Gus Malzahn’s departure. Florida State signed Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels to compete with Kevin Sperry to win the starting job, and again the Seminoles went heavy in the transfer portal once again to fix their offensive line. The good news is several key playmakers return — including Duce Robinson, Micahi Danzy, Ousmane Kromah and Sam Singleton. If Florida State can get an effective quarterback for the first time in three years, it will be in a much better spot.

Position of intrigue: Linebacker. We could have gone with multiple positions here (see above), but linebacker is the position on defense that has underperformed the most. Former Florida State standout Ernie Sims now takes over as linebackers coach, and he has some talent to work with — including transfers Chris Jones (Southern Miss) and Mikai Gbayor (North Carolina) — and returning players Blake Nichelson and Omar Graham Jr. (who had initially entered the portal before changing his mind and staying). But there is little doubt Florida State must get more production out of this unit. Its top tackler among linebackers last season, Juice Cryer, ended up with just 43 tackles and one sack.

Player to watch: RB Tre Wisner. We all know how important getting quarterback right is for Florida State, but the running backs have underperformed since 2023 — and that has not exactly helped out the quarterbacks over the last two seasons. Last year, quarterback Tommy Castellanos led the team in rushing; the year before that, injuries decimated the position so badly the leading rusher had only 109 total carries. Florida State does return Kromah and Singleton as noted above. But bringing in Wisner from Texas via the transfer portal gives the Seminoles a veteran presence who has been productive and played in big games over the course of his career — something that has been missing from the running back room since Trey Benson left in 2023.

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2025 record: 9-4

Spring storyline: What’s the offense going to look like after losing OC Buster Faulkner and QB Haynes King? Georgia Tech’s offensive attack was among the most effective in the ACC over the past two years, playing a unique style of run-first, physical football, led by King. He’s out of eligibility though, and Faulkner is off to Florida to join Jon Sumrall’s new staff (taking Georgia Tech backup QB Aaron Philo with him). The Yellow Jackets brought in Alberto Mendoza — an athletic runner in his own right — to fill the void, and their stable of tailbacks might be as good as any in the country. That makes it pretty clear what new OC George Gideon’s blue print will be: Run, run and run some more.

Position of intrigue: The middle of the O-line. Brent Key is a former offensive guard, and his entire worldview on football comes through that lens. For the past two years, he’s relied on two of the ACC’s best at guard — Joe Fusile and Keylan Rutledge — but both are gone for 2026. That leaves some glaring holes up the middle, including at center, where Tech is replacing co-starters Tana Alo-Tupuola and Harrison Moore. Tech added Joseph Ionata from Alabama, but there’s still a lot of work to do identifying big bodies who can play with the physicality Key has come to expect.

Player to watch: Justice Haynes. The former Michigan running back was the crown jewel of Key’s portal class this year, and he’ll team with Malachi Hosley to form arguably the best tandem of runners in the ACC. Haynes ran for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns last year at Michigan, and his role figures to expand in Tech’s offense this year. His explosiveness will be the foundation of what the Yellow Jackets want to do offensively.

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2025 record: 9-4

Spring storyline: Welcome to Louisville, Lincoln Kienholz. For the fourth straight year, Jeff Brohm has opted for a portal QB, but this year’s addition has a different backstory than Jack Plummer, Tyler Shough and Miller Moss. Kienholz was a backup for the entirety of his career at Ohio State, though he pushed highly touted Julian Sayin for the starting job last fall camp, and his mobility offers this Louisville offense a dynamic it hasn’t had in the past. The hopes are high the combination of Kienholz skills and Brohm’s offensive wizardry could turn this into the most dynamic Cardinals attack in Brohm’s tenure.

Position of intrigue: Wide receiver. A year ago, Louisville had two of the more dynamic pass catchers in the league in Chris Bell and Caullin Lacy. Both are gone for 2026 — as are Dacari Collins and Antonio Meeks, leaving the Cards without their top four receivers from last season. Transfers Lawayne McCoy (Florida State), Montavin Quisenberry (Kentucky) and Jackson Voth (Drake) should add some depth at the position, but the star figures to be Vandy transfer Tre Richardson, who led the Commodores with 806 receiving yards in 2025. But the production at receiver could be supplemented in a major way by the tight ends, including Tulsa transfer Brody Foley, considered one of the top adds in the country, and Tulane transfer Justyn Reid.

Player to watch: Defensive end Clev Lubin. Louisville’s defense took a big step forward in 2025, and with new coordinators Mark Ivey and Steve Ellis helming the D in 2026, the hopes are high for even more improvement this year. That likely starts with Lubin, who flashed greatness at times last season, racking up 8.5 sacks, 13.5 TFL, seven QB hurries and forcing three fumbles. Lubin should enter 2026 as one of the top defenders in the ACC, and his ceiling could be All-America level.

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2025 record: 13-3

Spring storyline: Miami fell just short of winning a national championship in 2025, but this spring will look somewhat different than any other under coach Mario Cristobal. Over the first four years of his tenure, Cristobal worked to establish the foundation and culture that would get the Hurricanes back to national prominence. Now, Cristobal says this will be the most challenging offseason for the program. “A lot of the makeup of that [2025]] team was a bunch of guys that were 5-7 upon arrival,” Cristobal told ESPN. “A lot of these guys arrived here and they were already practicing with a team that was in the playoffs. That’s a different starting point. One was forged in hunger and drive and determination and another one comes into very high-level expectations. They’re both positive. They’re just different and they both require you to start all over.”

Position of intrigue: Offensive line. Cristobal likes to say his team is built from the inside out, and that was obvious last season considering how much the Hurricanes relied on their stellar offensive line — starting with projected first-round pick Francis Mauigoa. Miami loses four starters off that group, and more than 100 starts combined. There is plenty of talent remaining on the roster to work with, starting with veterans Matthew McCoy, Samson Okunlola and Ryan Rodriguez. Then there is massive freshman offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell — the No. 3 overall prospect in the class of 2026. Cantwell is one of those players Cristobal noted who enrolled early and participated in playoff practices at Miami and has looked as good as advertised.

Player to watch: QB Darian Mensah. After hitting on transfers Cam Ward and Carson Beck, Miami went into the transfer portal for its quarterback for the third straight season, signing Darian Mensah from Duke. His acquisition was met with some consternation — considering he had previously announced he was returning to Duke for 2026 and had one more year left on his contract. But after coming to a settlement with Duke, Mensah was able to land with the Hurricanes. Miami may have played for a national title last year, but Mensah has something Miami still wants — an ACC championship. He not only brings veteran experience, but may be a better fit than Beck for what offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson likes to do on offense. No matter what, all eyes will be on Mensah headed into the season.

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2025 record: 4-8

Spring storyline: How much better is the offense? Last year’s unit was awful, and while the defense showed marked improvement throughout the year, the offense never found its footing. That resulted in the firing of coordinator Freddie Kitchens and the jettisoning of QB Gio Lopez. In their place are longtime playcaller Bobby Petrino and new QB Billy Edwards Jr. There’s some talent for them to work with at running back and receiver, but the O-line is getting a serious makeover in hopes of getting more athletic up front. Petrino’s history would suggest far more explosiveness in 2026, but Edwards has yet to fulfill the promise his talent suggests at three prior schools, and for all of Petrino’s history of success calling plays, his personality has rubbed many the wrong way over the years. Mix that with what was occasionally a pretty toxic situation in Chapel Hill already, and it’s every bit as likely this all blows up as it is that the offense suddenly figures out how to score points at a more prolific pace.

Position of intrigue: Linebacker. UNC’s top four linebackers all departed either via graduation (Andrew Simpson) or in the portal, including leading tackler Khmori House. That leaves a major hole to fill, and UNC will spend the spring trying to find the right mix in the middle of the defense. Third-year players Timir Hickman-Collins and Jonathan Agumadu got some snaps last year, so they won’t be starting at Ground Zero, and the Heels landed a pair of linebackers — Derek McDonald from Syracuse and Peyton Seelmann from Richmond — in the portal. A strong signing class that includes freshmen D.Q. Forkpa and Calvin Thomas could also contribute. But this will be a key position to identify talent in the spring after UNC wasted too many early games in 2025 still figuring out what it had to work with on defense.

Player to watch: Travis Burgess. The freshman QB was the crown jewel of a solid recruiting class for Bill Belichick, which means there will be plenty of attention on him this spring. Given that UNC’s other options are Edwards (who played in just two games due to injuries last year) and FCS transfer Taron Dickens, there’s certainly a chance Burgess could push for the job. Sam Howell started as a true freshman for Mack Brown, and it jump started the Heels into a new era. Perhaps a talented freshman can do it again for the Heels under Belichick?

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2025 record: 8-5

Spring storyline: Look up the spring storyline from 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022… on and on… and just cut and paste. The familiar refrain: Is this the year the Wolfpack finally put it all together and get over the hump to win 10 or more games? There was hope last year would be a breakthrough, but early losses to Duke and Virginia Tech appeared to upend the NC State season. But the Wolfpack rallied, winning four of their last five, and ended up having another solid year. It’s the seventh time in the last nine years that NC State has won eight or nine games — but it’s never won more under Dave Doeren. So, is this year going to be different? Retaining star QB CJ Bailey certainly offers hope, and the defense in its second year under DJ Eliot should make some strides. If you’re an NC State fan, there’s reason for optimism. If you’re Doeren, however, it’s probably best to keep downplaying expectations until you’re certain this team is ready to deliver.

Position of intrigue: Linebacker. There was a time under former DC Tony Gibson in which linebacker at NC State was one of the elite position groups in the ACC. The unit struggled at times last season outside of the uber productive Cade Fordham, so it’s perhaps not a bad thing that this year’s unit will be a massive rebuild. NC State added some nice pieces via the portal, including Raul Aguirre (from Miami) and Dakari Nelson (from Penn State). AJ Richardson has some experience, too, and Kevon Carter has some serious upside. There’s a lot of work to be done on defense overall — pass rush, limiting explosives, avoiding missed tackles — but the foundation should be laid in the middle of the field.

Player to watch: Tailback Duke Scott. NC State let star running back Hollywood Smothers walk in the portal after posting 1,100 scrimmage yards last season. The reason most Wolfpack fans aren’t concerned is because Scott looks like a star in the making. Scott racked up 581 rushing yards in a backup role, and when he got the start against Georgia Tech for an injured Smothers, he flashed greatness, rushing for 196 yards on 24 carries. Scott got 10 or more touches in just three games last year, but he racked up nearly 400 yards in those contests.

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2025 record: 8-5

Spring storyline: Once again, Pitt got off to a strong start last year only to falter at the end of the season, losing three of its last four to put a damper on what was an improved campaign. Now headed into spring, Pitt has plenty to work with on offense behind second-year quarterback Mason Heintschel, who wowed as a true freshman a year ago. How Pitt puts Heintschel in a better position to succeed will be a big story to watch. After turning heads in his first seven games of the year, defenses started to game plan for him, and he ended throwing just four touchdowns to three interceptions in the final four games. Part of that is because Pitt struggled to run the ball consistently after Desmond Reid got hurt — so getting back to run/pass balance is a huge part of spring.

Position of intrigue: Linebacker. There is no sugarcoating how much production, experience and leadership Pitt lost from its linebacker room between Kyle Louis (NFL Draft) and Rasheem Biles (transfer to Texas) — the best linebacker combo in the ACC and one of the best in the country. Louis and Biles were surehanded tacklers, and each had the ability to know where to make a play thanks to their instincts and savvy. The two combined for 179 tackles a year ago, with four interceptions, three forced fumbles and 7.5 sacks. Braylan Lovelace does return to anchor the entire unit, but there will be inexperience here to start spring. Jeremiah Marcelin and Cam Lindsey are expected to jump into starting roles, with DeMarco Ward (Memphis transfer) and Alex Sanford (Purdue transfer) competing as well.

Player to watch: WR Malik Knight. Pitt lost its top two receivers from a year ago in Kenny Johnson (transfer to Texas Tech) and Raphael “Poppi” Williams (NFL). Outside of returning starter Catarus “Blue” Hicks, Pitt does not have much in the way of production or experience in the receiver room. That is where Knight hopes to make his mark. A transfer from Western Carolina, Knight has 12 career starts, and had 47 catches for 774 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago. With Heintschel leading the offense, it is important to build a solid, reliable receiver group around him and working together this spring will go a long way toward that.

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2025 record: 9-4

Spring storyline: Last year, SMU was one win away from playing for an ACC championship for the second straight season, so the good news is the Mustangs have proven they can win on the Power 4 level (20 wins in two years in the ACC). Headed into this spring with quarterback Kevin Jennings returning, SMU has a few things on its to-do list. First is revamping its defense. With only a handful of starters returning, SMU went heavy in the portal to address needs on the defensive line — where zero starters return — and the secondary, the weak link on the unit last year. Defensive coordinator Scott Symons left for the NFL but there should not be much of a deviation from the attacking style SMU plays with as assistants Maurice Crum Jr. and Rickey Hunley Jr. were elevated to co-coordinators. Second, SMU was too inconsistent running the ball last year, so improving its ground game is a priority, too. Transfer Kendrick Raphael should help there.

Position of intrigue: Safety. We could have gone with the defensive line here, too, as the starters lost from that group a year ago totaled 24 sacks. But losing Isaiah Nwokobia and Ahmaad Moses feels more significant for a number of reasons. First, their leadership, experience and production proved to be invaluable as SMU made the transition to the Power 4. They never missed a beat, each earning All-ACC first team honors (Nowkobia in 2024, Moses in 2025). They finished as the team’s top two tacklers last season, and Moses led the way with five interceptions. It is hard to replace the intangibles and the play-making ability they brought to the table. Tyren Polley Jr., Jaden Milliner-Jones, Sael Reyes and transfer Jimmy Wyrick (UTSA) will all compete for the starting spots.

Player to watch: WR Yannick Smith. SMU went into the portal to help fill a need at receiver, where top pass catchers Jordan Hudson and Romello Brinson are gone. The Mustangs signed Smith and Alabama receiver Jalen Hale. While Hale had the higher blue chip rating, Smith had more production during his time at East Carolina, with 44 catches for 583 yards and five touchdowns. Adding Smith to the mix with returners Yamir Knight and Jalen Cooper could provide Jennings with an unbeatable trio of top-line receivers to work with headed into the season.

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2025 record: 4-8

Spring storyline: There’s a new sheriff in town … again. After a year of interim head coach Frank Reich, a new era begins under former Stanford QB (and Andrew Luck’s backup) Tavita Pritchard. There’s a lot of work to be done, and in truth, 2026 is probably as much about setting a foundation as it is about making a real run at winning the conference. But Pritchard and GM Luck have clear alignment on their vision, so this spring will offer the first real chance for fans to get an idea of exactly what that looks like. On offense, aside from returning tailback Micah Ford, it’s a near complete overhaul, so any step toward certainty is real progress this spring.

Position of intrigue: Tight end. It’s a position where Stanford has routinely churned out stars, including last year’s best offensive weapon in the passing game, Sam Roush. This year, there’s no clearcut option ready to take over, though Benji Blackburn did get some good experience last year backing up Roush (9 catches, 109 yards and a TD). Three-star freshman Marcus Monroe is set to arrive this summer, but that opens the door for Reiman Zebert and Zach Giuliano — two members of last year’s signing class — to prove their worth this spring. The offense isn’t likely to have a lot of downfield explosiveness, and QB is thin, so having a safety valve at tight end who can turn some short throws into big gains and provide some physical mismatches in the red zone (where Stanford ranked 128th nationally in TD% last year) will be critical if the Cardinal want to maximize their chances this season.

Player to watch: Linebacker Matt Rose. Want a reason for optimism for Stanford in 2026? Rose is the best place to start. There’s not a ton coming back from last year — though, after a seventh straight season winning four games or less, that’s not always a bad thing — but Rose is an established star. He finished last season with 106 tackles (8 for a loss) and was one of the most prolific linebackers in the ACC. With so much turnover around him, his leadership will be on display as much as his physical talent. He’s a worthy building block for a team that needs a lot of new faces to develop quickly, and Rose figures to be the lynchpin for a defense that has some upside — along with a lot of question marks.

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2025 record: 3-9

Spring storyline: Most conversations about Syracuse’s ability to compete in 2026 will revolve around the health of starting QB Steve Angeli, though the Orange added some intriguing transfers in Malachi Nelson (a former five-star recruit) and Amari Odom from Georgia Southern. The depth at the position offers some security compared to last year, when a walk-on from the lacrosse team ended up starting multiple games. The real question for the Orange this spring instead likely revolves around how much development can happen quickly for the youngsters after Fran Brown signed back-to-back strong recruiting classes, including six blue chips in 2026. There’s lots of talent on this Syracuse roster — but most of it is extremely green. Building around the likes of Demetres Samuel Jr., Javeion Cooper and Antoine Deslauriers offers a strong blueprint for the future. The question is about how quickly that future can arrive.

Position of intrigue: Defensive line. It’s a complete makeover up front on D for the Orange — and that’s probably not a bad thing. Syracuse ranked 100th nationally in non-blitz pressure rate last year, and the D managed just 20 sacks (seven of which came in one game against Pitt), good for 14th in the ACC. In steps a mix of young talent and veteran transfers. Kamron Wilson, Jarius Rodgers and Alexander Haskell are all blue-chip recruits, but it’s rare to see a true freshman step in and immediately contribute big-time production at the line of scrimmage. That puts more emphasis on the impact of Dillan Fontus from Maryland and Tunmise Adeleye from UNLV, among a handful of other returning veterans who need to showcase they’re ready for the big time. Much of Syracuse’s second-half tailspin was credited to the struggles of the QB position, but the defense was a mess, too, and turning things around on that side of the ball is every bit as critical as getting a healthy QB.

Player to watch: Half the fun of getting a healthy Angeli at QB will be seeing what he can do with a supremely talented receiving corps. Syracuse inked its best recruit in decades with five-star Calvin Russell (the No. 4 WR in the country according to ESPN), as well as landing another blue-chip receiver in Amare Gough. Add in established veterans Johnny Cook and Darrell Gill and an emerging crop of tight ends, and Syracuse should have plenty of weapons in the passing game. Russell, however, is the star. He worked with the Orange basketball team this winter in hopes of becoming a two-sport talent, which only goes to underscore his competitiveness and athleticism. A year ago, Samuel went from highly touted freshman to, arguably, Syracuse’s best player. Can Russell do the same in 2026?

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2025 record: 11-3

Spring storyline: Coming off a school-record 11 wins, Virginia has no plans to take a step back, and was aggressive in both roster retention and player acquisition through the portal to try and fill the one thing missing from its resume in 2025: Winning an ACC championship. Perhaps the most important thing Virginia did was retain the bulk of its offensive line, the most improved unit on the team from a year ago. Aside from deciding on a quarterback to replace Chandler Morris, finding its running back rotation after losing ACC leading rusher J’Mari Taylor and Harrison Waylee will be big this spring. Virginia signed three running backs from the portal: Peyton Lewis (Tennessee), Solomon Beebe (UAB) and Jekail Middlebrook (Middle Tennessee) to team with returning veterans Xavier Brown and Noah Vaughn. Virginia also went heavy on signing defensive backs through the portal — eight in all — to help fix a unit that needed more depth and playmakers.

Position of intrigue: Quarterback. Morris filed a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking a seventh year of eligibility after his attempts at getting a waiver were denied. Virginia knew Morris wanted another year, but given the lack of clarity with his situation, the Cavaliers went into the portal and signed two quarterbacks — Pitt transfer Eli Holstein and Missouri transfer Beau Pribula. Holstein was the starter at Pitt entering last season before losing his starting job to Mason Heintschel; Pribula started at Missouri. Pribula’s style is more similar to Morris’, and the Cavaliers relied on Morris’ running ability to help lift the offense a year ago. But let’s just say Morris wins his lawsuit and that then he wants to return to Virginia. Now that makes this quite a position of intrigue beyond your average quarterback competition.

Player to watch: S Brandyn Hillman. As mentioned earlier, it is no secret Virginia needed to add more defensive backs, and safety was a clear area of need with starters Antonio Clary and Devin Neal both gone. Coach Tony Elliott initially recruited Hillman out of high school in Portsmouth, Virginia, but Hillman opted to go to Michigan. As Elliott told local reporters last month, at the time he was being recruited, Virginia did not have the type of football investment it has now. He believes the groundwork laid during those high school visits helped Virginia now that it has its standalone football facility and more money invested in football. Last season, Hillman started 12 games and earned All-Big Ten honorable mention honors and finished fourth on the team with 49 tackles. His veteran experience will be big for this revamped unit.

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2025 record: 3-9

Spring storyline: Welcome to Blacksburg, James Franklin. The arrival of the former Penn State coach to take the helm of the ship adrift at Virginia Tech has spurred new hope among a frustrated fan base. Franklin has a long track record of success, and combined with significant new investment from the school into athletics, there’s reason to think this will be less of a rebuilding project than an immediate turnaround. That may be asking a lot in Year 1, but given the anguish endured by the Hokies in recent years, any steps forward will be greeted with utter joy, and Franklin has talked the talk about a big-picture plan for rejuvenating the program. The first steps will happen this spring, and fans will be eager to get their first look at a new era of Virginia Tech football.

Position of intrigue: There’s one bit of consistency on Virginia Tech’s offensive line: Coach Matt Moore. The rest? Well, it’s a work in progress. There are some players to like here, but after a woeful 2025 when it came to pass protection, the Hokies need answers up front. Franklin brought in some talented youngsters in this recruiting class, including Benjamin Eziuka and Marlen Bright (and summer arrival Thomas Wilder), but it’s a lot to ask a true freshman to step in on the line and contribute immediately. Instead, the Hokies will look to mix and match among some key returners and some new additions via the portal. Start with Ohio State transfer Justin Terry and Penn State transfer Michael Troutman III — two of four Power Four transfers — who should push for snaps. Returners Kyle Altuner, Layth Ghannam, Johnny Garrett and Brody Meadows all got serious action last year — for better and for worse — and look to take a big step in 2026. The run blocking was solid last year, and frankly, the QB play will be better by default in 2026, so if the O-line can find a mix that helps get the Hokies to the middle of the pack in pass blocking, there’s room for much improvement.

Player to watch: This is probably where we should mention QB Ethan Grunkemeyer, who transferred from Penn State, following Franklin. Grunkemeyer took over as Penn State’s starter last year after Drew Allar went down with a season-ending injury midseason, and the early results were ugly. But over his final four starts, he was 4-0 with a 80.1 Total QBR, six TD passes and no interceptions, completing nearly 74% of his throws. If Grunkemeyer can build on that finish at Virginia Tech, there’s no reason to think he can’t be among the ACC’s top QBs. Add in the addition of once-heralded UNC prospect Bryce Baker as his backup, and the most important position on the field appears to be in good hands at Virginia Tech. That, alone, should offer some hope that Franklin’s first season is a big step forward in the standings.

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2025 record: 9-4

Spring storyline: Jake Dickert put together one of the biggest turnarounds in college football last year, inheriting a 4-8 program and leading it to nine wins and a bowl victory over Mississippi State in Year 1. While that may have surprised some outside the program, those at Wake Forest expected it — considering the success Dickert had at Washington State, and the success Wake Forest previously had under both Dave Clawson and Jim Grobe. An increase in financial investment certainly helped, and so did the ability to use the transfer portal to help build up the roster. So now headed into spring, Wake Forest is no longer in a position to “surprise.” Rather, the Demon Deacons want to keep going. The biggest story will be the revamped offense, with Gio Lopez transferring in from North Carolina to lead the offense. He previously played for offensive coordinator Rob Ezell at South Alabama, so the familiarity is there. Wake needs to replace three-year starter Demond Claiborne at running back, and make up for the loss of offensive tackle Melvin Siani, who transferred to Texas. Replacing key players on defense like Nick Andersen and Dylan Hazen will be big, too, but Wake Forest was able to retain two of its best players in Davaughn Patterson and Langston Hardy.

Position of intrigue: Running back. Wake Forest had one of the most dependable, consistent running backs in the entire country over the last three seasons in Demond Claiborne. Even playing hurt last year, he still carried the Demon Deacons offense with 907 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns. With his departure to the NFL, the position will have a new look for the first time since 2022. Expect Wake Forest to use more of a running back by committee approach. Among the players to watch this spring: Ty Clark III, who rushed for 323 yards and three touchdowns behind Claiborne last year; transfers KD Daniels (Florida) and Sawyer Seidel (North Dakota) and redshirt freshman Jamar Searcy, who has shown promise during in practice and the few game reps he received last year.

Player to watch: CB Sascha Garcia. Wake Forest has a need for experience at corner with third-team All-ACC selection Karon Prunty and Lardarius Webb both gone. Garcia was an FCS Freshman All-American at William & Mary and slated to be the No. 1 cornerback going into spring ball last year after transferring into Wake. But he got hurt on the first day of spring practice and missed the entire season. Garcia is expected to be able to full go when spring practice opens in a few weeks, and the Demon Deacons are hoping they can rely on him to play a big role in their secondary in 2026.