2026 ACC College Football Preview: CFP favorites, power rankings, more

The college football season isn’t too far away so there’s not better time than now to dive into On3’s full fledged ACC preview! We’re talking CFP favorites, power rankings and more! If you’re looking for what to bet on and what to watch for this season, you can scroll below. We start with the toughest schedules in the ACC. [ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ] After Miami reached the national title game in 2025, the conference is showing its true capability. Well, we’ve got your comprehensive preview at On3 so be sure to scroll, read and subscribe below for everything you need to know about the conference in 2026. Toughest Schedules 1. Florida State The Seminoles start the season off with a bang. After a Week 0 contest, they take on SMU on Labor Day weekend. Then there’s a week off before a showdown at Alabama. Later in the season there’s a three-game stretch that includes Virginia, at Louisville and at Miami. 2. Clemson Like Florida State, Clemson plays a challenging non-conference game, this time against Lane Kiffin’s new-look LSU squad. Three of the final five games of the season are on the road, making for a challenging conclusion to the season. 3. Georgia Tech The Yellow Jackets might have the toughest non-conference schedule in the league, facing Colorado, Georgia and Tennessee. That will provide ample opportunity… and a tough set of tests. Later, there are back-to-back games against Louisville and Clemson. You can find the full list of the Toughest ACC Schedules by clicking and subscribing! Top QBs in ACC 1. Darian Mensah, Miami Miami spent a pretty penny to snag the Duke quarterback after Carson Beck‘s departure and some flirtation with Sam Leavitt proved fruitless. He’s got the talent to be among the nation’s best after starring at both Tulane and Duke. 2. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, California Sagapolutele was quietly one of the nation’s best quarterbacks last season, and new coach Tosh Lupoi did a masterful job retaining him on the roster. New coordinator Jordan Somerville, who worked with Baker Mayfield the past three seasons in Tampa Bay, will be tasked with unlocking his full potential. 3. Kevin Jennings, SMU The SMU signal-caller has been excellent for the last couple years, and he could take a big step forward in 2026. Last season he threw for 3,641 yards and 26 touchdowns — one of the most productive players in the country. 4. CJ Bailey, NC State NC State lost some serious talent to the NCAA transfer portal at the skill positions, but it managed to retain Bailey, a key step for the program. He is coming off a season in which he threw for 3,105 yards and 25 touchdowns and only appeared to be scratching the surface of his potential. 5. Mason Heintschel, Pittsburgh Heintschel took over the starting job at Pittsburgh in Week 5 last season and there was an immediate uptick in production. Heintschel is working on getting the ball out quicker, he told On3’s Pete Nakos this offseason. You can find the full list of Top QBs in the ACC by clicking and subscribing! Ranking Best Transfers 1. QB Darian Mensah, Miami The high-profile arrival from Duke will be counted on to pick up where Carson Beck left off. Namely, that’s putting Miami into position to compete for an ACC title and make a deep run in the College Football Playoffs. He certainly has all the tools. 2. EDGE Damon Wilson, Miami After losing a pair of first-round NFL Draft picks on the edge last season, Miami had major needs and turned to the transfer portal. Wilson arrives by way of Missouri, after previously spending time at Georgia. He’s got an elite skill set, leading the Tigers with nine sacks in his lone season in Columbia. 3. RB Justice Haynes, Georgia Tech Haynes has bounced around a bit now, spending a couple years at Alabama before transferring to Michigan. Now he arrives in Atlanta where he will help the Yellow Jackets reload in the offensive backfield. He’s coming off a season in which he rushed for 827 yard and 10 touchdowns, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors. 4. OT Jimarion McCrimon, NC State Following Jacarrius Peak‘s departure for South Carolina, NC State was in the market for a top tackle. They addressed that need by signing the East Carolina standout. The Wolfpack coaching staff is well aware of what he can do; McCrimon faced NC State while at East Carolina in both 2024 and 2025. 5. WR Cooper Barkate, Miami The former teammate of Darian Mensah at Duke, Barkate already has a built-in connection with his quarterback at his new school. That alone likely increases the chances he’s a major impact player in 2026. But he’s also just flat out good — tallying 72 catches for 1,106 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago. You can find the full list of Top ACC Transfers by clicking and subscribing! Top ACC Coaches 1. Mario Cristobal, Miami While Cristobal is still seeking his first ACC title with the Hurricanes, he reached the national championship game a year ago. He has had the program on a steady upward trajectory and the ceiling appears to be a national title. Can the ‘Canes get there in 2026? 2. James Franklin, Virginia Tech The new arrival from Penn State is still considered one of the top-notch coaches in the sport. And he has reinvigorated the program in Blacksburg since his arrival. A change of scenery could be just what the doctor ordered for both parties. 3. Dabo Swinney, Clemson On3 admittedly had a tough time ranking Swinney among the ACC coaches. It’s a matter of career accomplishments vs. “what have you done for me lately.” Swinney can clearly coach at a high level, but has he adapted enough to the modern version of the sport? 4. Rhett Lashlee, SMU Lashlee has proven excellent in his four seasons as a head coach. He won the American conference crown in Year 2, then reached the ACC title game and the College Football Playoff in Year 3. Last year he was a defensive stop short of going to a second straight ACC title game. With some star power back, can 2026 provide a surge forward? 5. Jeff Brohm, Louisville Brohm has also been to an ACC title game, and he also took Purdue to the Big Ten title game. That’s a pretty healthy track record of producing regardless of what he has to work with. The offseason extension proves how valuable he is to the Cardinals. You can view the full list of Top ACC Coaches by clicking and subscribing! ACC Power Rankings 1. Miami Hurricanes Miami reached the national title game a year ago, so the only real question is whether the Hurricanes can sustain that success. Returning players like Malachi Toney and Mark Fletcher, while adding pieces like Darian Mensah and Cooper Barkate is a strong start in that direction. 2. SMU Mustangs Could this be the most talented team Rhett Lashlee has had at SMU? It might be. And he has proven he has gotten his squad in a place where they know how to win. Now it’s just about the follow-through. 3. Virginia Cavaliers Virginia has former starters competing for the quarterback job in Beau Pribula and Eli Holstein. That’s a good place to start. The offensive line should also afford some protection. Meanwhile, a stout defense returns mostly intact. 4. Louisville Cardinals Ohio State quarterback transfer Lincoln Keinholz takes over and could really benefit from Jeff Brohm‘s tutelage. There are other quality pieces on both sides of the ball. Can the Cardinals manage tricky spots on the schedule better than last season? 5. Clemson Tigers While Clemson is no longer the favorite like it was for so many years under Dabo Swinney, the Tigers still have plenty of talent. Moreover, the team might just be hungrier than ever after a couple years of falling short of expectations. The schedule, though, is tough. You can find the full ACC Power Rankings by clicking and subscribing! CFP Best Bets Miami Hurricanes: Despite losing three first-round NFL Draft picks, the ‘Canes still have a cluster of top-notch talent. The skill positions are loaded. Can the transition to a new starting quarterback go smoothly? SMU Mustangs: A playoff team two years ago and close again last year, SMU has proven it can compete for a postseason berth. With experience back at quarterback and several other key spots, the Mustangs could be poised to make a real run at things in 2026. You can find the CFP Best Bets from the ACC, including dark horses, by clicking and subscribing!