2024 post-spring, post-portal ACC Power Rankings: Florida State takes top spot, NC State, Virginia Tech are sneaky contenders
With spring football and the second transfer portal window (essentially) in the rearview mirror, we’re officially entered the doldrums of the college football offseason.
Or have we?
Although the spring transfer window wasn’t the dizzying carousel many anticipated, so much has changed since the Early Signing Period in December now is the perfect time to asses where teams stand entering the summer before the 2024 season. We debuted the series with the post-portal, post-spring Power Rankings series with SEC and then followed that up with the Big Ten.
Today it’s the ACC, and the now bi-costal league (hello, Cal, Stanford and SMU), features a familiar few teams at the top — especially with the work Florida State and Miami have done in the portal this offseason. Clemson remains a threat and NC State and Va. Tech could be sneaky good.
Here’s how I think the league stacks up exiting the spring with the 2024 post-spring, post-portal ACC Rankings:
1. Florida State
While the Seminoles are currently in litigation to leave the ACC, Mike Norvell aims to win a second-straight conference title. DJ Uiagalelei is back in the league, but FSU is likely to rely on a retooled defense and a deep backfield. Transfers Marvin Jones (edge, Georgia), Earl Little (nickel, Alabama) and Shawn Murphy (linebacker, Alabama) carved out key roles this spring, and Norvell, who’s had the Midas touch when it comes to landing impact transfers, dipped into the portal for a pair of other defensive contributors during the second window.
2. Clemson
The Tigers’ claim to the No. 2 spot in the post-spring, post-portal rankings has as much to do with my reticence with Miami than it does confidence in Clemson. Dabo Swinney continues to stick his foot in his mouth about why his program doesn’t use the transfer portal (zero additions — the only power conference school in the country to do so). The Tigers do return a defense littered with NFL talent, and freshmen wideouts TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco look to provide more support for quarterback Cade Klubnik. But Klubnik has yet to fulfill his 5-star ranking and the OL remains underwhelming.
3. Miami
The Hurricanes have as much offseason hype as any program in the country, as Mario Cristobal followed up a Top 5 recruiting class and solid winter window (quarterback Cam Ward) with a super-splashy spring. Miami brought in Oregon State standout tailback Damien Martinez, Michigan State defensive tackle, Simeon Barrow, Marshall corner D’Yoni Hill and Houston receiver Sam Brown, among others — all of whom will start in 2024. With all the offseason additions, Miami’s offense could be the best in the ACC this fall, but have the ‘Canes done enough this offseason to bolster a defense that ranks 84th nationally in returning production.
4. NC State
Could this be the season that Dave Doeren finally wins 10 games and has the Wolfpack seriously competing for an ACC Championship? Maybe. Doeren & Co., are counting on a host of offensive transfers — from quarterback Grayson McCall, tailbacks Jordan Waters and Hollywood Smothers and receivers Noah Rogers and Wesley Grimes — to help star wideout KC Concepcion provide more fireworks in 2024. Although NC State lost all-everything linebacker Peyton Wilson, the Wolfpack did retain key pieces in corner Aydan White and pass rusher Davin Vann. They brought in several rotational pieces this spring, including Ohio State safety/nickel Ja’Had Carter.
5. Louisville
The Cardinals arguably merited being higher ranking before a rather bizarre spring window where 10 players left the program — many of whom had just transferred to Louisville months earlier. Out the door when impact players like tailback Peny Boone, pass rusher Tyler Baron and safety Wesley Walker. Jeff Brohm did load up on defensive additions during the spring, adding five more newcomers to the roster — a total of 24 transfers in 2024. Top edge rusher Ashton Gillotte and cornerback Quincy Riley are both back, but the schedule is much more difficult and Brohm is banking big that this is the year quarterback Tyler Shough finally stays healthy.
6. Virginia Tech
Brent Pry returns a team that ranks No. 5 nationally in returning production (including No. 1 for an offense that really found its mojo midway through last season after turning to quarterback Kyron Drones). Va. Tech managed to keep former Florida edge Antwaun Powell-Ryland in Blacksburg, and the Hokies could have the best pass rush in the ACC with APR, Cole Nelson, Duke transfer Aeneas Peebles and JUCO tackle Kamari Copeland, a newcomer who was praised for his play this spring. They also added former 4-star defensive tackle Khurtiss Perry from Alabama, and grabbed some insurance for Drones in ex-UCLA/Kent State quarterback Collin Schlee.
7. SMU
Rhett Lashlee is confident the Mustangs can be competitive in their first season back in a power conference, with double-digit starters back off last season’s AAC title team including quarterback Preston Stone. Stone sat out the spring still rehabbing his 2023 leg injury, but the belief is the All-AAC quarterback will be ready to go come the fall. SMU suffered some significant losses in the spring portal (All-Conference OL Marcus Bryant, starting center Bransn Hickman), but the Mustangs did bring in a pair of Arkansas offensive line transfers, as well as defensive help from Texas, Miami and Colorado.
8. Georgia Tech
The spring was all about defensive improvement for a Yellow Jackets unit that ranked last in the ACC in 2023. Former Duke defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci implemented six newcomers from the winter window, and then Ga. Tech added another five defensive transfers in the spring — headlined by USC pass rusher Romello Height, Cincy safety Jayden Davis and Penn State lineman Jordan van den Berg (all Peach State natives coming home). The Yellow Jackets should have one of the better offenses in the conference with quarterback Haynes King (led ACC in touchdowns), 1,000-yard rusher Jamal Haynes and their top three receivers all back.
9. North Carolina
The Tar Heels have hit a crossroad this offseason, failing to capitalize on a pair of NFL quarterbacks in recent years (Sam Howell, Drake Maye) and now entering a new era with an aging Mack Brown hoping his latest defensive coordinator hire (former Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins) finally hits. Despite rampant rumors, UNC was able to hold onto its best players in All-ACC tailback Omarion Hampton and pass rusher Kaimon Rucker, and former NC State/Ole Miss defensive tackle Josh Harris was a sneaky spring addition. Still, transfer quarterback Max Johnson failed to grab the job during spring practice, leading UNC to add boomerang transfer Jacolby Criswell back from Arkansas to compete with Johnson and Conner Harrell in fall camp.
10. Syracuse
First-time head coach Fran Brown hasn’t wasted any time flipping Syracuse’s roster and potentially setting up the Orange for a surprise season in Year 1. Syracuse has a cake schedule (zero power conference teams outside of the ACC, plus no FSU, Clemson) and a point-man at quarterback in Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord. In total, the former Georgia assistant has inked 17 newcomers from the portal — including five former Bulldogs, Alabama defensive lineman Isaiah Hastings, Texas A&M edge Fadil Diggs and Colorado State wideout Justus Ross-Simmons. With stud hybrid tight end Oronde Gadsden II back healthy, Syracuse could be a tough out in 2024.
11. Cal
The Bears are coming off their first bowl season since 2019, as All-Pac 12 tailback Jaydn Ott helped jumpstart an offense that ranked 96th nationally in scoring to 52nd. Ott is back, but Cal saw OC Jake Spavital leave for the same position at Baylor and top wideout Jeremiah Hunter transfer to Washington. Although Cal didn’t get a definitive answer on its quarterback battle between incumbent starter Fernando Mendoza and North Texas transfer Chandler Rogers, Justin Wilcox seems to like both options. The longtime Bears coach has also quietly assembled one of the better transfer hauls in the ACC — including another 11 additions during the spring window.
12. Duke
Mike Eklo did wonders in his two seasons with the Blue Devils, but former Miami head coach Manny Diaz inherits a team in total transition — with star players on both sides of the ball transferring to the likes of Notre Dame, Oregon, Auburn, NC State and Va. Tech. Duke has some major concerns defensively, and Texas transfer Maalik Murphy remains in an open competition with Grayson Loftis for the QB1 role. Diaz did his best to shore up an offensive line that lacked experience and depth (seven OL transfer signees), but with one of the more difficult 2024 ACC schedules (FSU, Miami, NC State and Va. Tech), it could be tough sledding for Duke this fall.
13. Boston College
Bill O’Brien was one of the last coaches hired in a lengthy 2024 coaching cycle, as the former longtime NFL coach briefly returned to the college ranks as an offensive coordinator at Ohio State before taking over for Jeff Hafley. With a much more daunting 2024 schedule on tap, Hafley left in a huff, but O’Brien did inherit a decent foundation led by Tasmanian devil quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who can be a wild card both positively and negatively. The defense returns seven starters, but it’s a unit that has plenty of room for improvement after finishing the 2023 season tied with Georgia Tech for the worst yards per play allowed (6.3) in the ACC.
14. Wake Forest
Dave Clawson is among the best 25 coaches in the country, but Wake Forest is backsliding as a program with its inability to retain its best players on an annual basis now. Last year it was quarterback Sam Hartman and pass rusher Randell Bothroyd. This year, it’s three of the Demon Deacons’ top four receivers, No. 1 corner DaShawn Jones (Alabama) and backup tailback Justice Ellison (Indiana), among others. Wake did bring in former Boise State/Louisiana quarterback Hank Bachmeier with hopes the sixth-year senior can jumpstart an offense that averaged just 20.3 points per game in 2023.
15. Pitt
The Panthers nose-dived to 3-9 last season thanks to an anemic offense, so Pat Narduzzi hired Western Carolina coordinator Kade Bell, prompting a slew of other staff (multiple Catamounts assistants came with Bell) and roster additions (WCU’s top tailback Desmond Reid and wideout Censere Lee). The Pitt also overhauled its offensive line and held a quarterback competition this spring between Alabama transfer Eli Holstein and Nate Yarnell. The issue is Pitt’s defense, which had already suffered attrition during the winter window, saw headliner defensive tackle Dayon Hayes bolt for Colorado and linebacker Solomon DeShields leave for Texas A&M. It’s unlikely the Panthers crater to 3-9 again, but making a bowl game still seems a bit optimistic at this point.
16. Virginia
The Hoos exited the spring with an ongoing quarterback battle between Tony Muskett and Anthony Colandrea, as Tony Elliott was unable to pick a starter after six weeks of practices. Picking the right guy could be the difference between Elliott seeing Year 4 in Charlottesville or ending the season on a simmering hot seat. The Cavs lost 15 players to the portal but actually did a decent job keeping most of their better players on the team. Aside from the QB battle, the defense could still be a major issue after allowing a ACC-worst 33.8 points per game in 2023.
17. Stanford
The Cardinal’s roster was already in poor shape and then saw key starters transfer away to Georgia, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Utah and Duke. Troy Taylor has barely embraced the portal from the other side, too, adding just three newcomers in the two windows combined. Eric Ayomanor is one of the best wideouts in the nation, but he can only do so much by himself. Stanford is excited about 4-star freshman quarterback signee Elijah Brown, who flashed during the spring, but he’s unlikely to start in 2024. Considering the team’s lack of depth + a new conference + schedule that includes TCU and Notre Dame, the Cardinal could finish in the basement of the ACC this fall.