CLEMSON — Though Miami seems to be the toast of ACC Football, at the moment, the rest of the league is coming up too.

And if people want to take shots at the conference, just know this, the ACC has been closer to a national championship than the SEC the last couple of years. In fact, with Notre Dame playing in the 2024 title game, the ACC had a league member in the national championship game in each of the last two years, sort of.

This season could be a banner year for the league, especially with the rise of programs such as Louisville and SMU, as well as Virginia Tech. Of course, Clemson should be in the mix to finish in the top 4.

Miami, of course, is in a class by itself at the moment with Louisville and SMU sitting in the second tier. They are followed by Clemson, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Virginia. Legitimately, six teams, other than Miami, could be vying for a spot in the ACC Championship Game come December, and two teams might be in the mix for an at large bid to the College Football Playoff.

I am not saying the ACC will get three teams in, but there is a chance the league could get two. Let’s not forget the ACC got two teams in the 12-team playoff in 2024 – Clemson and SMU. Unofficially, Notre Dame made it three teams.

If Clemson can play its way into the championship game, then the league might get three. The Tigers have a tough schedule, though. Not only do they have non-conference matchups with LSU and South Carolina, but they also have to play at Cal and at Duke on Friday nights, as well as travel to Syracuse and Florida State.

Clemson also has home games against North Carolina, Miami, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech. If the Tigers can maneuver through their schedule, it’s favorable enough to have them in the mix for a CFP spot.

Virginia Tech seems to everyone’s darling this year. With James Franklin coming on as the new head coach, the Hokies are considered a serious player in the ACC for the first time in more than a decade.

The question is will Franklin get the Hokies over the hump in Year 1, or will he need a little more time?

Louisville lost a lot of players off last year’s team, but despite bringing eight players back, Jeff Brohm hit the transfer portal hard once again and pieced together what looks like a pretty good team on paper.

Quarterback Kevin Jennings will have a couple of new weapons to throw the football to at SMU. Rhett Lashlee and his staff do as good of a job as anyone when it comes to evaluating players, so you know the Mustangs will be tough again this coming season.

Then there is Virginia. Tony Elliott took the Cavaliers to the ACC Championship Game last year and the program to its first 11-win season in school history. Can he get the Cavaliers back in the mix again?

Only time will tell.

It should be a fun year of football in the ACC.