In the world of modern college basketball, things move in a flash. The ACC is far from your father's ACC — it's barely your older brother's ACC. The conference has shifted radically from what we saw even just last season.
New coaches are in place at NC State, Virginia, Miami and Florida State, with more than half the returning coaches aware they need a big year to continue at their program (looking at you, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Pitt, Notre Dame and Boston College).
Of the 15 players who made the end of last season's All-ACC teams, just three remain in the conference, none from the first team.
And even though it's the third year post-realignment, it's still baffling to have ACC games played in the Pacific Time Zone at Stanford and Cal.
In total, the ACC amounts to a ridiculous, overwhelming 18-team conference. It's a puzzle to handicap, but for those dedicated to navigating its nooks and crannies, there's plenty of value to be found. So, here's my ACC predictions and futures for the 2025-26 NCAAB season.
2025-26 ACC Regular Season Title Odds
| Team | Odds (bet365) |
|---|---|
| Duke | +150 |
| Louisville | +200 |
| NC State | +750 |
| UNC | +750 |
| Clemson | +2000 |
| Virginia | +2000 |
| SMU | +2500 |
| Miami (FL) | +3000 |
| Syracuse | +4000 |
| Pittsburgh | +6000 |
| Wake Forest | +8000 |
| California | +10000 |
| Virginia Tech | +10000 |
| Florida State | +15000 |
| Georgia Tech | +15000 |
| Notre Dame | +15000 |
| Boston College | +20000 |
| Stanford | +20000 |
ACC Favorite
Duke Blue Devils (+165)
Stop me if you've heard this before: The Duke Blue Devils are talented and expected to compete for the ACC regular season crown. Shocking, I know.
In reality, however, the Blue Devils have converted their national prominence and NCAA Tournament success into a lot fewer ACC titles than you might think. Duke has won or shared the crown just twice since 2011. The Blue Devils have more Final Fours in that span than ACC titles.
It's the same formula we've seen at Duke in recent years, with an incredible recruiting class backfilling for the talent that headed for the NBA. Replacing three top-10 picks — including phenom first overall selection Cooper Flagg — is a tall task, but Jon Scheyer and his staff may have done it.
The headliner is Cameron Boozer, son of Duke great Carlos Boozer, a do-everything power forward with a chance to follow Flagg's footsteps to the top of the draft.
He's joined by his brother Cayden Boozer and critical returnees Caleb Foster and Isaiah Evans.
If any of those three guards can play at an all-conference level, Duke will remain the favorite to win the ACC all season long.
ACC Best Futures Bet
Louisville Cardinals (+475 to Make the Final Four)
There's two reasons to like the Cards this season.
The first is on the sidelines, where Pat Kelsey is one of the growing stars of the profession. He's won at every stop in his career and Louisville — after just one year — looks like it should continue that trend.
If I'm buying a preseason future, I'd better like the coach, and this one is a slam dunk.
The second reason for optimism is the roster Kelsey has built. J'Vonne Hadley returns to a bigger role, alongside Kasean Pryor, who scored 12 points per game but was limited to just seven outings before an injury last season.
Xavier transfer Ryan Conwell has a chance to be an all-ACC performer, and shooter Isaac MckNeely arrives via Virginia.
BYU transfer Aly Khalifa will be the anchor on the interior, with sophomore Adrian Wooley (19 points per game at Kennesaw State last season) as a possible X-factor.
I like these odds better than Louisville's price to outduel Duke for the ACC title. If this team gels and gets hot late, it could absolutely play a semifinal game in April.
ACC Best Value Bet
Clemson Tigers (+2200)
This one is based on price more than promise. Louisville and Duke should be the top tier of the league, with some combination of NC State, North Carolina, Virginia and Clemson compromising the next tier.
Most books lump the first three into their own category, with Brad Brownell's Tigers a step behind.
NC State and Virginia each have a new coach — Will Wade and Ryan Odom, respectively — and I like each of their chances to build something eventually. However, it might take some time.
North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis enters the season squarely in the pressure cooker, certainly grateful that the football program has taken some attention off of his team for the moment. That's not exactly where the Heels want to be.
Clemson, meanwhile, was 15-2 in ACC play last season and though the Tigers have lost most of the production from that team, there's reason for optimism.
Starting guard Dillon Hunter is back, joined by a trio of transfers who produced 13 or more points per game last season elsewhere, Nick Davidson (Nevada), Jestin Porter (Middle Tennessee) and Carter Welling (Utah Valley).
Preseason KenPom rankings have the Tigers as the third best team in the conference. That's certainly worth a flier as a long shot.
ACC Player to Target for Props
Terrance Arceneaux, NC State
I'm a little wary when players choose to leave a program like Houston. Sure, there was likely NIL money offered elsewhere, but it's hard to deny what Kelvin Sampson has created with the Cougars.
For the last decade, he's been producing junkyard dogs on both ends of the floor, especially on defense and on the glass. Terrance Arceneaux appeared to be on the precipice of joining that lineage at Houston.
When he departed, I wasn't sure we'd see him reach that potential. But when he found his way to Raleigh to play for Will Wade, my spirits rebounded.
I love this match of player and coach, and I think we could see real production from Arceneaux this year. He'll score, though the real numbers will come further into the box score.
Will Wade's last three teams have all been top-20 nationally in forcing turnovers, and Arceneaux nabbed nearly two steals per 40 minutes last season.
He's also a great rebounder for his size and Wade loves to send bodies to the offensive glass.
