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Phil Steele predicts order of finish for ACC Football in 2025

College football writer Phil Steele predicted his order of finish for the ACC ahead of the 2025 college football season. It should be a competitive race for the conference crown and some College Football Playoff spots. Clemson returns as the defending ACC champions and is projected to perhaps do so again. SMU, Miami and maybe […]

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College football writer Phil Steele predicted his order of finish for the ACC ahead of the 2025 college football season. It should be a competitive race for the conference crown and some College Football Playoff spots.

Clemson returns as the defending ACC champions and is projected to perhaps do so again. SMU, Miami and maybe a couple of other teams could have something to say about that.

Without further ado, let’s dive into how the ACC could wind up this year. We start at the top!

Clemson is the favorite in the ACC and the projected top team per Steele. Cade Klubnik is back under center following a career year.

Sure, he’s the headliner on the team in 2025, but Dabo Swinney has a solid defense. There are two potential first round picks on the defense line: TJ Parker and Peter Woods.

(Jordan Hofeditz/On3)

SMU made the ACC title game last season against Clemson, lost, but still made the College Football Playoff. We’ll see if that’s still the case this coming season.

Kevin Jennings returns as the QB and it’ll help to have WR Jordan Hudson (no, not the one you’re thinking of), TE RJ Maryland and offensive linemen such as Addison Nichols, Logan Parr and PJ Williams up front.

Miami landed Carson Beck in the transfer portal from Georgia to replace Cam Ward at QB. That was the biggest get for their offseason and they are squarely in the ACC title mix.

Running back Mark Fletcher will be key in the backfield, as well as WR CJ Daniels. On defense, DE Rueben Bain, CB OJ Frederique and LB Wesley Bissainthe will be key to the entire unit.

Steele likes what Brent Key is doing at Georgia Tech and has them in the upper tier of the ACC this season. On offense, WR Eric Rivers and offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge are stars to watch, with QB Haynes King getting them the ball.

Not to mention, RB Jamal Haynes is a stud as well. Defensive tackle Jordan van der Berg should be a problem for opposing offensive lines as well.

Florida State football coach Mike Norvell had a surplus of receivers this spring, leading to some tough roster decisions.
Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Florida State was a disaster last year, but Steele likes them to finish within the top five of the ACC this season. QB Thomas Castellanos has the talent, but also a ton of confidence that some are hoping won’t backfire when FSU plays Alabama to open the year.

Some other playmakers include WR Duce Robinson and CB Jeremiah Wilson. Head coach Mike Norvell really needs a bounce back campaign.

Jeff Brohm and company were picked to finish in the top half of the ACC by Steele for the 2025 season. Isaac Brown and Caullin Lacy should be fun to watch at RB and WR. Transfer QB Miller Moss has a lot of eyes on him after leaving USC.

Linebacker Stanquan Clark leads the defense for the Cardinals this season. Defensive linemen Clev Lubin, Rene Konga and TJ Quinn should be circled on the film too.

The ACC gets some new blood with Bill Belichick this season. The Tar Heels are like Colorado when Deion Sanders took over in 2023: everything will be microanalyzed.

As far as what the Tar Heels have, RB Davion Gause will be interesting to watch, as well as offensive lineman Daniel King. On defense, watch out for CB Thaddeus Dixon.

Desmond Reid, Pitt
Desmond Reid, Pitt – © Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Pitt is projected to be just above the middle of the ACC this coming season, per Steele. They’re coming off a 7-6 season, losing to Toledo in the GameAbove Sports Bowl.

RB Desmond Reid is back in the fold, along with center Lyndon Cooper leading the charge up front on the offensive line. Kenny Johnson will add to the skill on offense at WR and linebacker Kyle Lewis will be one to watch on the opposite side of the ball. Oh yeah, Reid is one of the best returnmen in the country too.

NC State is projected to finish in the middle of the pack, per Steele. Can they rise up the ACC this season? It remains to be seen.

TE Justin Joly might be flying under the radar outside the conference, but Steele has him on his preseason first-team. Linebacker Sean Brown is also a stud and should be a menace for opposing defenses.

Duke played really well under Manny Diaz last season. However, Steele has the Blue Devils in the middle tier of the ACC going into 2025.

There are some preseason first-team players though, such as OT Brian Parker and DB Chandler Rivers. Perhaps the Blue Devils are under the radar.

Brent Pry-Virginia Tech-ACC
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Brent Pry seems to be pushing some right buttons, but the Hokies have yet to get over that hump. Steele has them below the median in the ACC.

As far as the players on Steele’s All-ACC list, it starts at the second-team with offensive lineman Tomas Rimac. TE Benji Gosnell is also a player to watch for the Hokies this season.

Fran Brown had an awesome debut season with the Orange. It helped that QB Kyle McCord was under center, but now he’s off to the NFL.

Steele has Syracuse taking a step back in the ACC this coming season. Still, with the way Brown coaches and recruits, don’t be surprised if this time stuns a few people.

Tony Elliott needs a breakthrough year and to get to the postseason. Steele thinks they can do it in this year’s ACC, but it won’t mean much in terms of the race for the conference crown.

There are nine returning starters for the Cavaliers this season. At some point, something has to give, whether Elliott takes a step forward with the program or not.

(Michigan State) Boston College Eagles head coach Bill O'Brien watches the replay board against the Missouri Tigers during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. - Danny Medley, USA TODAY Sports
Danny Medley, USA TODAY Sports

O’Brien had a great debut season with Boston College, going 7-6. However, Steele doesn’t like them to finish too far out of the basement of the ACC this year.

According to Steele, there’s 12 returning starters, but BC has the third toughest schedule in the conference. Some players to watch for are OL Logan Taylor and safety KP Price, named to Steele’s preseason All-ACC teams.

Justin Wilcox is on the hot seat, Steele writes. Finishing near the bottom of the ACC won’t help that narrative either.

The Bears felt some losses in the transfer portal and don’t have much star power represented in the preseason right now. We’ll see if Cal can surprise some people this fall.

Jake Dickert takes over as head coach after coming over from Washington State. He did a solid job out west but it might take some time to get it going in the ACC.

The good news is, Dickert and Wake had 11 returning starters and attacked the transfer portal. So maybe some good news is on the way in Year 1.

Stanford football head coach Frank Reich.
Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

At the bottom of the ACC for Steele is Stanford, which goes into 2025 with Frank Reich as the interim head coach and former QB Andrew Luck in his role as GM, looking to resurrect the program. How this goes is anyone’s guess, but Steele maintained he wasn’t the only one to pick Stanford to finish last.

Tight end Sam Roush should be a player to watch out for on offense. Others are offensive lineman Simione Pale and kicker Emmet Kenney.



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Trump set to sign executive order on national standards for college sports NIL

President Trump intends to sign an executive order in the coming days establishing national standards for the NCAA’s Name, Image and Likeness program, which has reaped millions of dollars in revenue for top college athletes, according to multiple people familiar with his plans. College athletes can now make millions before ever going pro thanks to […]

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President Trump intends to sign an executive order in the coming days establishing national standards for the NCAA’s Name, Image and Likeness program, which has reaped millions of dollars in revenue for top college athletes, according to multiple people familiar with his plans.

College athletes can now make millions before ever going pro thanks to a set of NCAA rules enacted in 2021 that relaxed previous restrictions on being compensated for playing or accepting endorsement deals. Student athletes can now profit from merely showing up to play, or from jersey sales, autographs or serving as spokespeople for companies ranging from global brands to car dealerships near campus.

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Mr. Trump is engaging on an issue that has quickly reshaped and, in many ways, roiled college athletics after a House subcommittee on Tuesday advanced a bill along party lines that would establish national standards for sponsorships. The legislation, called the “SCORE Act,” would supersede a patchwork of state laws regulating Name, Image and Likeness, or NIL.

While the bill has bipartisan support, there is also bipartisan concern it would give too much power to the NCAA and do little to protect the interests of college athletes.

The NCAA’s decision in 2021 to let athletes earn money from NIL deals followed years of political and legal pressure on the collegiate sports giant. For decades, the NCAA imposed steep limits on compensation for student athletes, which it argued were necessary to insulate college athletics from commercial pressures. But opponents — including many college athletes — had long argued the rules unfairly cut them out of the millions in revenue that sports like football and basketball can bring in for universities.

Last month, in a massive shakeup, a federal judge signed off on a legal settlement in which the NCAA agreed to let schools pay student athletes directly.

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Trump has regularly engaged with professional and college sports of all sorts since and even before retaking office. Whether attending the storied Army-Navy football game last December or stealing the spotlight at last Sunday’s Club World Cup championship, the future of sports is a frequent presidential concern.

The White House didn’t immediately return requests for comment late Tuesday.

Trump pushes senators to make $9.4 trillion in spending cuts

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass says National Guard deployment in city was “a misuse” of soldiers

Mike Johnson breaks from Trump, calls on DOJ to release Epstein files



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Wednesday Headlines

Good morning, BBN, College basketball has certainly changed since Doron Lamb won his championship in 2012 with the Kentucky Wildcats. The title wouldn’t have happened without Lamb, who poured in a game-high 22 points against Kansas, finishing the tournament with six straight double-digit outings and two 20-point games. Over 78 games in Lexington, Lamb averaged […]

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Wednesday Headlines

Good morning, BBN,

College basketball has certainly changed since Doron Lamb won his championship in 2012 with the Kentucky Wildcats.

The title wouldn’t have happened without Lamb, who poured in a game-high 22 points against Kansas, finishing the tournament with six straight double-digit outings and two 20-point games.

Over 78 games in Lexington, Lamb averaged 12.3 and 13.7 points his first two years, shooting an impressive 49/48/81.

A very key piece throughout his time here, and according to him, it could have been longer if NIL were a thing back then.

“I would’ve stayed… after one championship, I would have stayed because I would have gotten a big bag.”

He certainly would have, and who knows, maybe he could’ve gotten the 2013-2014 team over the hump against UConn in that Championship game.

But alas, we will never know. Still, fun to think about!

Tweet of the Day:

These are awesome!

Headlines:

Josh Kattus Named Nominee for Allstate AFCA Good Works Team – UK Athletics

Love to see it!

Kentucky’s Ethan Walker Selected in 2025 MLB Draft – UK Athletics

Good luck, Ethan!

Arch Manning at 2025 SEC Media Days: Texas QB tempers Heisman expectations while maturing into leadership role – CBS Sports

An answer we have come to expect from a Manning.

Sources: Jets, CB Sauce Gardner reach 4-year, $120.4M extension – ESPN

The CB market has skyrocketted.

‘What’s the point?’: Scottie Scheffler gets introspective ahead of The Open – NBC Sports

A really thought-provoking five from Scheffler.

Home cooking: In plug-and-play transfer era, SEC leans on in-house QBs to key league’s return to dominance – CBS Sports

So much talent in the SEC.

Sources: Chiefs, guard Trey Smith agree to 4-year, $94M deal – ESPN

Big deal for Patrick Mahomes’ health.

NBA Summer League Day 5: Johnny Furphy’s legendary dunk, Kyle Filipowski, Jazz put on a show – NBC Sports

The Jazz could be a sneaky successful team this year.

MLB All-Star Game rosters, starting lineups: Aaron Judge vs. Paul Skenes matchup set, 81 total players picked – CBS Sports

Excited for this.

Commanders’ Terry McLaurin frustrated by lack of contract talks – ESPN

Pretty surprising the Commanders haven’t locked up their WR1 yet.

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HBCU football coaches get real about transfer portal

MACON, GA — The SIAC, a Division II HBCU football conference, is feeling the ripple effects of the NCAA transfer portal, NIL, and House settlement decisions. During the league’s annual football media day, it seemed like everyone was talking about it. As Commissioner Dr. Anthony Holloman noted, the realities of modern college football have officially […]

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MACON, GA — The SIAC, a Division II HBCU football conference, is feeling the ripple effects of the NCAA transfer portal, NIL, and House settlement decisions. During the league’s annual football media day, it seemed like everyone was talking about it.

As Commissioner Dr. Anthony Holloman noted, the realities of modern college football have officially reached the SIAC’s front door.

“The House Settlement. The transfer portal. NIL payments. And you might say, what does that have to do with Division Two?” Holloman asked. “The reality of it is a trickle down effect. We’re not immune. We lost players to Division I programs like Purdue University, Duke University, North Carolina A&T, Alabama A&M just to name a few.”

Now more than ever, roster management is one of the most critical responsibilities for SIAC coaches.

A New Era at Miles College

That kind of talent loss is something Miles College head coach Chris Goode knows all too well. After taking over the defending SIAC champions this offseason, he inherited a roster nearly unrecognizable from the one that won the title. Many players followed former head coach Sam Shade to Alabama A&M, while others transferred elsewhere.

“It’s a brand new team,” Goode said. “We had a lot of guys that were seniors that left, got a lot of guys that went in the transfer portal. But one of the things I always tell the players—I’m not going to complain about it—because the thing is, we still got to go on the field and play to compete.”

Goode is relying on a veteran coaching staff with championship experience. But even with that support, managing constant roster turnover has become the new normal.

Tuskegee Faces Rebuild Year After Year

Tuskegee head coach Aaron James echoed that sentiment, saying rebuilding a team now feels like starting from scratch each season.

“It’s a different team every year,” James said. “Because like I said, the transfer portal going on, you not able to rebuild—you actually build your team. It’s a rebuilding roster every year.”

Even with Tuskegee’s rich football tradition, James said that doesn’t stop players from seeking bigger stages.

“Every year, they’re looking for that ladder,” he said. “Other schools, they’re looking at us like we the JuCo of the leagues now. If we have an All-American, all-conference guy, those guys are going to be going up.”

Travaunta Abner is one of several former Miles College players who are now at Alabama A&M.

Roster Management Becomes Year-Round Priority

The challenge of roster management at an HBCU isn’t just about replacing players. It also requires building relationships and recruiting current team members to stay.

Allen University head coach Cedric Pearl put it plainly:

“The number one thing in today’s game is to recruit your own roster. Roster management is important.”

The veteran HBCU coach stressed the importance of maintaining strong internal relationships.

“Now it’s kind of a dual recruiting relationship where you have to continue to constantly recruit those guys on the inside,” Pearl said. “Even though we’re coaching them every day, staying engaged with them.”

But Pearl also acknowledged that some transfers are about more than football.

“We understand the power of the dollar,” he said. “Power of the dollar, for a lot of young men, changes lives, changes family situations.”

“Anybody that gives an opportunity to go to another university and better themselves and make a little money at the same time—we’re all for that,” he added. “That’s just today’s game and where it’s going. So you either get on board, or you get ran over.”



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Georgia Media Days News

Georgia football took center stage at the 2025 SEC Media Days on Tuesday. Kirby Smart and the three Bulldogs also in attendance answered a lot of important questions at the event that only added to the hype heading into the 2025 season. So let’s jump right in and discuss the three biggest stories from Media […]

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Georgia Media Days News

Georgia football took center stage at the 2025 SEC Media Days on Tuesday. Kirby Smart and the three Bulldogs also in attendance answered a lot of important questions at the event that only added to the hype heading into the 2025 season.

So let’s jump right in and discuss the three biggest stories from Media Days on Tuesday.

Kirby Smart preaches relationships over NIL transactions

Considering how much NIL has taken over college football, Smart was obviously asked about how he and Georgia handle the NIL space in recruiting. Smart’s response to this question unsurprisingly went viral in the college football world.

Smart said that Georgia “sells relationships over transactions” meaning that they look for players who don’t care about how much NIL money they make. Obviously being competitive with their NIL offers is still important, but Smart and Georgia are not looking for the players whose main focus is making as much money as possible.

Kirby Smart provides 7 injury updates

One of the most exciting updates for Georgia fans from Media Days came in the form of seven injury updates. Five of the updates shared on Tuesday were great news as Daylen Everette, Christen Miller, Monroe Freeling, Jaden Reddell and Quintaivus Johnson are all back to full health after suffering injuries during the spring.

Unfortunately there were two injury updates that were not as good as punter Brett Thorson has not recovered yet from tearing his ACL in the SEC Championshp game. He is expected to make his return sometime next season, but he likely will not be back in time for week one.

Last but not least there is corner Ondre Evans who also tore his ACL during the spring. Evans has a lot longer to go in his recovery than Thorson, so much so that Smart didn’t even share a timeline for his return on Tuesday.

Georgia’s QB competition isn’t over yet

When Gunner Stockton was announced as one of Georgia’s three players attending Media Days, everyone took that as confirmation that Stockton will be UGA’s starting quarterback this fall. Smart however confirmed on Tuesday that this is not the case. In fact, he came right out and said that Stockton and redshirt freshman Ryan Puglisi are still battling every single day.

On top of that, Stockton also shared that Smart has not told him yet that he has won the starting job. So it appears Georgia fans are going to have to wait even longer to find out who Georgia’s quarterback will be this fall.

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Why Amani Hansberry is Virginia Tech’s most important team transfer for 2025-26

Three years have now passed with three straight finishes outside of the NCAA Tournament for Virginia Tech. The Hokies are coming off their worst season since head coach Mike Young took over in 2019. This team was pretty rough during a really down season for the ACC, though there’s hope that Young can get them […]

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Three years have now passed with three straight finishes outside of the NCAA Tournament for Virginia Tech. The Hokies are coming off their worst season since head coach Mike Young took over in 2019. This team was pretty rough during a really down season for the ACC, though there’s hope that Young can get them back to the Big Dance for the first time since 2022’s ACC Tournament title.

The first good news is the return of leading scorer Toibu Lawal, a rising senior forward from England who was the only double-digit scorer for the Hokies. Lawal was also the top rebounder and a major piece to build around this season, though there’s a lot of new faces around him. Underclassmen like Jaden Schutt and Tyler Johnson return for bigger roles, but the Hokies will miss starters like Mylyjael Poteat and Jaydon Young.

A slew of freshmen talent enters the fold, including a pair of 4-star frontcourt players, but we’re looking more closely at the transfer portal haul. Young and his staff lost half a dozen names into the mix but aren’t leaning as heavily on new veteran talent. Former UNLV guard Jailen Bedford is the backcourt’s newest veteran while Izaiah Pasha comes to town after success with Delaware, though the third and final name will attract more attention.

Amani Hansberry is a 6-8 forward from Baltimore who was a Top 75 prospect back in the Class of 2023. He began his collegiate career at Illinois but saw mostly backup minutes as a freshman before transferring to West Virginia. Hansberry established himself in a more significant role with the Mountaineers, averaging 9.8 points and 6.5 rebounds last season, with decent efficiency especially on defense.

He wasn’t a notable prospect for no reason and the Hokies are hoping that he can take another big step forward now as an upperclassman. Hansberry pairs nicely with Lawal and could form one of the most viable frontcourt duos in the ACC. With the slew of new bodies in the backcourt, it’s even more important for Hansberry to take that measured step forward, becoming a reliable scorer, rebounder, and defender in the paint.

You could certainly argue that Bedford will be more important with all the moving pieces at guard, but Hansberry is the one new athlete who can elevate Virginia Tech back to where they want to be. Not many people are heading into this season and expecting the Hokies near the top of the league standings. Could Hansberry and the rest of this new talent surprise folks around the country? If so, they’ll need him playing like a Top 75 athlete.



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“I was able to take do some stuff for my mother and grandmother” – Charles Barkley defends taking under-the-table cash in college

“I was able to take do some stuff for my mother and grandmother” – Charles Barkley defends taking under-the-table cash in college originally appeared on Basketball Network. Charles Barkley never cared much for the rules — especially when those rules left college athletes broke while the NCAA cashed in. Advertisement Before NIL deals were legal, […]

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“I was able to take do some stuff for my mother and grandmother” – Charles Barkley defends taking under-the-table cash in college originally appeared on Basketball Network.

Charles Barkley never cared much for the rules — especially when those rules left college athletes broke while the NCAA cashed in.

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Before NIL deals were legal, Barkley took $20,000 from an agent while at Auburn. He knew it broke the rules. He just didn’t care. For Barkley, it wasn’t about getting rich — it was about survival and helping his family while waiting for his NBA career to start.

“I think the most I took was like $20,000, I’m not talking about a million dollars or $100,000. $20,000 is a lot though when you have nothing I know and that made me stay in school another year $20,000 that’s not a lot of money but I was able to take do some stuff for my mother and grandmother and I had some spending money okay I’m cool I don’t have to go into the real world’,” Barkley emphasized.

Barkley thinks players didn’t receive any financial stability while the NCAA made billions off them. Hence, the agents offering them money to live their daily life in exchange for future representation seems reasonable.

Barkley vs the 2017-2018 Louisville scandal

Chuck took money from agents while at Auburn, but it was a loan that he repaid in full once he signed his NBA contract. He openly said that he sees no problem with his actions because they were necessary for him at the time.

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“I paid the agents back,” Barkley stated.

While he received money, he also claimed many players in the 1980s were getting money from agents to stay in school rather than enter the NBA Draft, although he never mentioned any particular names.

While Barkley’s situation seems appropriate, college basketball has different ways to bend the former amateurism rules. The main scandal of the 2017/2018 season was revealed when wiretaps uncovered millions in illegal payments from brands like Adidas to recruit players to play for a college.

At the time, Louisville was under Hall of Fame head coach Rick Pitino. He allegedly bribed highly sought-after recruit Brian Bowen and his family with $100,000 to attend the school through sponsorships with Adidas, the school’s main gear sponsor. Despite claiming he had no involvement, Pitino was fired, damaging his public image.

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Related: Michael Beasley shares the gangster way Pat Riley welcomed him to Miami: “Pulled up in a ’47 Mercury, matte black”

NIL: Good or Bad

NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) became available in July 2021, allowing college athletes to profit from their personal brands. Since then, players across all collegiate sports have made millions of dollars.

Barkley is all for paying the players, but the recent NIL deals have been getting out of hand.

“I think we have to have a talk about college basketball. I don’t think the model of the NIL is sustainable. Listen, I want all these kids to get whatever they can get. But asking colleges to come up with $20, $30 million a year – especially some of the smaller schools – I don’t think that’s a sustainable model,” Charles expressed his opinion during a college football broadcast of his alma mater.

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While the new NIL deals give every college $20-30 million to pay their athletes directly, Barkley thinks the long-term effect will not last.

The difference between Barkley receiving a loan from an agent to live comfortably while staying in school for another year and an athlete like Cooper Flagg earning $6 million in NIL deals is striking.

The NCAA generates billions of dollars from these athletes, and they certainly deserve a fair share of the revenue. However, Sir Charles maintains that college sports should remain amateur and that every athlete should be compensated fairly.

Related: “I hope they don’t screw with our show” – Charles Barkley reveals the only thing he is worried about when Inside the NBA moves to ESPN

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.



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