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By Jordan Sigler
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The Miami Hurricanes were the best team in the ACC last season, but they didn't even make the conference championship game.
Thanks to some bizarre tiebreaker rules, Duke upset Virginia in the ACC Championship Game in December. However, the College Football Playoff selection committee chose to leave the five-loss Blue Devils out in favor of James Madison, a higher-ranked conference champion.
Miami made the CFP with an at-large bid and made a run all the way to the CFP national championship, where the Hurricanes were defeated by Indiana.
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Miami should be a contender in the ACC again this year. But who can be their competition? Things have changed in recent years in the ACC, with Clemson and Florida State losing their luster.
Here are the three teams that have a chance to win the ACC championship.
1. Miami
After losing quarterback Carson Beck to the 2026 NFL Draft, the Hurricanes immediately reloaded by adding Duke transfer Darian Mensah and his wide receiver teammate, Cooper Barkate. Barkate could open up space for Malachi Toney to do even more damage this season.
The defense lost two key pass-rushers in Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. but Missouri transfer Damon Wilson II should help the front seven this fall.
2. SMU
SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee led the Mustangs to an ACC championship appearance and CFP appearance in 2024. SMU finished with a disappointing 9-4 season in 2025, but did pull off an upset of Miami in the regular season.
Redshirt senior Kevin Jennings is the star of the Mustangs' offense. He threw for 3,641 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His play will be key to SMU's hopes of returning to the CFP.
3. Clemson
The Tigers are coming off a disastrous 7-6 season, despite sending nine players to the first five rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. Clemson will have a new quarterback under center after Christopher Vizzina and Tait Reynolds battle in training camp.
While there are valid questions about the state of Clemson's program this offseason, head coach Dabo Swinney has done much more with much less than the team has on its current roster. Clemson has a relatively easy ACC schedule, with its two toughest contests coming at home against Miami on Oct. 3 and at home against Virginia Tech on Oct. 24.
If Clemson wins the games it's supposed to win, the program should find a way to make the ACC title game.
Darkhorses
Louisville, Virginia Tech
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