It's the Clemson Tigers vs. the world in the ACC once again this year, though the Miami Hurricanes and SMU Mustangs also enter the season with legitimate playoff aspirations and a prominent spot in the preseason AP poll.

The outlook for the ACC feels clearer than any of the other Power 4 conferences in 2025. The best team in the conference is obvious. The biggest story in the conference is obvious. You’d think that handicapping this conference would be rather straightforward, but the truth is that nothing is simple in the new era of college football.