Every week after Large 12 media days, it is the ACC’s flip.
The annual spectacle commences on Wednesday and continues by way of Friday because the convention’s 17 groups preview the upcoming season.
Beneath are our 5 largest tales for the ACC in 2026.
The 2025 nationwide runner-up Hurricanes are the headliners on Day 1 of ACC media days, and all eyes shall be on Mensah after his high-profile departure from the reigning convention champion Duke Blue Devils this offseason.
Final season, Mensah accomplished 66.8 % of his passes for 3,973 yards (7.9 yards per try), 34 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. As one of many nation’s high returning quarterbacks on certainly one of its high groups, the 2025 second-team All-ACC choice shall be tasked with ending the job each he and the Hurricanes began final yr.
James Franklin takes over at Virginia Tech
For years below former coach Frank Beamer, the Virginia Tech Hokies had been a perennial ACC contender, claiming 4 convention titles and successful not less than 10 video games in 11 seasons over a 13-year span from 1999-2011.
The Hokies hit all-time low a season in the past, going 3-9, tied for the second-most single-season losses in program historical past, prompting Franklin’s daring hiring after being fired in-season by the Penn State Nittany Lions. Regardless of a behavior of disappointing in massive video games, Franklin is a confirmed culture-setter, turning Penn State right into a playoff contender and main Vanderbilt to back-to-back bowl wins amid a pair of nine-win seasons (2012-13).
With the switch portal, groups can stage turnarounds in a rush, and with bowl appearances within the 12 months 1 at his earlier two stops, something much less in Blacksburg shall be a disappointment.
California Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele ranges up
Sagapolutele simply might have fled for (arguably) greener pastures after an excellent freshman season at Cal, however his choice to stay in Berkeley offers first-year coach and former Oregon Ducks defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi a significant enhance heading into 2026.
Sagapolutele, certainly one of Cal’s participant reps at media days, completed 316-of-492 (64.2 %) for 3,454 yards, 18 touchdowns and 9 interceptions final yr because the Golden Bears completed 7-6, their first successful report since 2019.
Earlier this offseason, On3 reported the ascending quarterback had obtained curiosity from a number of Energy 4 colleges, solely to stay at Cal.
“I by no means had any ideas of leaving,” he instructed On3’s Pete Nakos, including he believes the Golden Bears “have the expertise” to compete for an ACC title. Few groups within the convention have a extra gifted quarterback, and that will take Cal farther than many anticipate.
It is simple to ascertain how Belichick could have anticipated the 2025 season to have gone. Two years after being fired by the New England Patriots — the workforce he coached from 2000-23, successful six Tremendous Bowls — he’d take over at North Carolina, lead a fast rebound and remind NFL entrance workplaces why he must be on certainly one of their sidelines, touchdown an eventual opening.
As an alternative, North Carolina went 4-8, the Patriots went to the Tremendous Bowl, and we heard the identify Jordon Hudson far too many occasions (apologies to Dallas Cowboys undrafted rookie wideout Jordan Hudson).
Secure to say, issues did not go as deliberate.
Stakes are excessive getting into season No. 2, Belichick needing a successful season to show he hasn’t misplaced his contact. He’ll be below a highlight when addressing the media on Friday, and the scrutiny will develop through the common season if Belichick fails to ship a fast repair.
Dabo Swinney seems to get Clemson again on observe
No. 4 within the Related Press 2025 preseason ballot, Clemson completed unranked at 7-6, its worst report since 2010, Swinney’s second season as head coach. We’ll get a have a look at the state of Clemson soccer when the two-time nationwide champion takes the rostrum on Thursday. Based mostly on earlier offseason feedback, we must always see a totally energized Swinney.
In June, he instructed On3’s Chris Low he is removed from considering retirement, as an alternative saying, “I am simply getting going. I am proper about the identical age Nick [Saban] was when he obtained to Alabama.
“I’ve obtained seven playoff appearances,” Swinney continued. “There ain’t one other coach nonetheless teaching with seven playoff appearances.”
Swinney will doubtless be simply as defiant if requested about his longevity through the second day of media days. And until he will get Clemson again to the Faculty Soccer Playoff, he’ll face the road of questioning once more subsequent offseason.
