If you thought the 2013 additions of Louisville, Syracuse and Pitt to the ACC felt strange, just wait until the 2024 season begins. As a new round realignment takes hold, the Atlantic Coast Conference is welcoming new members SMU (Dallas, Texas), Cal (Berkeley, California) and Stanford (Palo Alto, California) as the league swells to 17 teams.
A year ago, the western frontier for an ACC conference game was Louisville, which is in the Eastern time zone. This year, six teams from the league's old guard will be required to make cross-country treks to play either Cal or Stanford in conference games three time zones away.
Then, there's SMU. While Cal and Stanford are at least neighbors in the ACC's new West Coast block, the Mustangs are on an island in the Lone Star State. SMU is also one of the league's most difficult teams to project. On the heels of an 11-3 (9-0 AAC) season, third-year coach Rhett Lashlee is leading his team into its new league with momentum. However, the uptick in competition will bring challenges for a program that will play games in Nevada, Kentucky, California, North Carolina and Virginia. So as the season approaches, what can the odds teach us about the 2024 ACC football season?
Here's a breakdown of the full title odds sheet and some plays to consider as the season creeps closer.
| Team | 2024 Odds |
|---|---|
Florida State | +270 |
Clemson | +350 |
Miami | +430 |
Louisville | +600 |
NC State | +600 |
Virginia Tech | +1400 |
SMU | +1800 |
North Carolina | +4500 |
Syracuse | +4500 |
California | +10000 |
Georgia Tech | +10000 |
Pitt | +11000 |
Duke | +13000 |
Boston College | +15000 |
Virginia | +15000 |
Wake Forest | +25000 |
| Stanford | +50000 |
Best Bet -- Miami (+430): Miami doesn't play Clemson or NC State, and the Hurricanes get Florida State at home. They also play two of the three ACC schools with first-year coaches at Duke (Manny Diaz) and Syracuse (Fran Brown). With continuity at both coordinator positions and the nation's No. 10 transfer class, the 'Canes are poised for a big leap in coach Mario Cristobal's third season. That potential rise is heavily contingent on the right arm of Washington State transfer quarterback Cam Ward, who threw 48 touchdowns to just 16 interceptions while approaching 7,000 yards passing in two seasons with the Cougars. Reinforcements have also arrived on the defensive front to replenish a unit headlined by All-ACC returners Francisco Mauigoa and Rueben Bain Jr.
Worst Wager -- Clemson (+350): Betting on Clemson takes major faith in coach Dabo Swinney's contrarian approach to roster management. The Tigers didn't take a single transfer, leaving them vulnerable to attrition and banking aggressively on internal development. Should starting quarterback Cade Klubnik go down, the Tigers would likely have to turn to Christopher Vizzina. The redshirt freshman took nine total snaps last season after ranking as a four-star prospect in the Class of 2023. Even if Klubnik stays 100% healthy, the Tigers' lack of explosive receivers is cause for concern. Two of the last three ACC title games have been played without Clemson, and there's enough parity in the league to cast reasonable doubt on whether the Tigers will make it to Charlotte in 2024.
Value Pick -- NC State (+600): Now in Year 12, coach Dave Doeren has established his program as one of the league's steadiest winners. The Wolfpack finished with a 6-2 league record in two of the past three seasons and look ready for the next step. While they travel to Clemson on Sept. 21, the schedule is otherwise manageable as they miss both Florida State and Miami. With Coastal Carolina transfer Grayson McCall taking over at quarterback after leading the Chanticleers through their greatest era, NC State is a clear ACC title contender.
Long Shot -- SMU (+1800): Last season, SMU tore through the AAC with nine straight wins between late September and early December to build momentum for this year's transition. The Mustangs ranked fourth among ACC schools in ESPN's SP+ Rankings exiting spring practice. They don't play Clemson or NC State and get three bye weeks thanks to a Week 0 game. The travel will be tough, but if Lashlee's bunch can split with Florida State and Louisville to begin league play, it will be well-positioned to thrive against a manageable slate of conference foes over the season's second half.
