Is The ACC Poised For A Bounceback Season?

2025-26 should see a considerable improvement

We’ll get into our summer previews before too much longer, but we just wanted to touch on one thing now.

Last season was a disaster for the ACC. Tony Bennett retired in October, Jim Larranaga called it a career the day after Christmas and the ACC/SEC matchup was a blowout, with only Duke beating Auburn and Clemson taking down Kentucky.

The NCAA tournament wasn’t much better. UNC, a power for decades, got ripped for barely squeaking in, with some suggesting it was only because A.D. Bubba Cunningham was the chair of the committee.

New year, different ACC.

Duke, which made the Final Four, will still be potent. Louisville is a rising power. UNC may be back on the upside of the good Hubert/bad Hubert dynamic. NC State will be vastly improved under Will Wade.

And, somewhat under the radar, Jai Lucas has put together an impressive first team at Miami.

Let’s start with the freshmen. Duke obviously thought highly of Shelton Henderson, who committed to the Blue Devils before following Lucas to Miami. Treyvon Maddox is a promising point guard. Dante Allen has potential too. And the ‘Canes picked up Timotej Malovec and Salih Altuntas from Europe.

The portal pickups are good too - Jordyn Kee (6-4 sophomore from Georgia), Marcus Allen (6-6 sophomore from Missouri), Tru Washington (6-4 sophomore from New Mexico, Malik Reneau (6-8 junior from Indiana), Tre Donaldson (6-0 junior from Michigan), and Ernest Udeh (6-10 junior from TCU).

We’re in the era of instant building and it’s too early to say for sure, but Lucas may emulate what Pat Kelsey did last season at Louisville. Among other things, much like Duke, Miami will be big. The Larranaga teams built around guards appear to be a thing of the past.

We’ll have to see about the rest of the league. Clemson loses a lot but Brad Brownell is a heck of a coach. SMU is making progress. Notre Dame may rise. We don't know how much better Virginia will be, but they’ll certainly improve.

Beyond those, everyone else is more or less wait and see, but the top of the league should be quite good.