3 for the ACC: The Biggest Storylines in the Conference So Far

Written by Carter Ball

The ACC has been wildly unpredictable. Preseason favorites UNC and Clemson have 3 losses each, and preseason afterthought Miami is among the favorites to win it all. However, there are storylines that have largely been ignored that will shape the rest of the CFB landscape for the rest of the season. In this article, we preview the emerging storylines in the ACC that will change who is playing for a championship and who is sitting at home come December.

1. Will Georgia Tech Stay Strong?

Pre-season, most expected Georgia Tech to be good. However, after losing Eric Singleton, the group's WR1 last year, to Auburn in the portal this offseason, not many expected GT to start the year 5-0. A strong win against Colorado set the tone and with a relatively easy schedule outside of Georgia remaining, I would not be surprised to see this Georgia Tech team play against Miami in the ACC championship in December.

2. Can Clemson Play Spoiler?

Dabo Swinney said it himself. This season for Clemson is over. However, similarly to what Michigan did in 2024 after a similar early-season collapse, this Clemson team has the opportunity to destroy their rivals' season in Week 12, when the Tigers play rival South Carolina in a game that will likely be a win-and-in, lose-and-out type of game for the Gamecocks. If Dabo can pull off a late-season upset, maybe he can make Clemson fans forget about perhaps the worst start to a season in school history. Only time will tell.

3. Who is FSU?

Quite frankly, we have seen multiple versions of this FSU team. The elite version, the team that whalloped Alabama, has the potential to make a deep playoff run. The dejected, fourth-quarter-reliant team that let their archrival Miami waltz into Doak Campbell and take a 28-3 lead, however, will likely not make even a conference championship game. If FSU can live up to its potential, I expect it to finish the year undefeated at 10-2. If they can do so, the Seminoles will keep an SEC team out of the playoffs.

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