While the overall college football scene has been subject to change and cancellations across the nation, it seems the ACC is going to try to truck through a season, with kickoff scheduled for Sept. 10. The ACC has pumped out a schedule that includes 10 conference games for each team as well as one nonconference game for each.

The typical Coastal and Atlantic conferences are merged, and Notre Dame is a full-time member of the conference for the season. The two teams that finish with the highest winning percentage will play each other in the ACC championship game, currently scheduled for Dec. 12 or 19. With the landscape of the ACC in place, let’s take a look at where each team stands heading into the season.

Contenders

Time after time, it is usually easy to pick who the one contender from the ACC is each season, but with the unusual circumstances surrounding this season, there is another. Let’s take a look at who the contenders in the ACC are.

Clemson

This one is a no-brainer. The Tigers are coming off yet another championship game appearance and are once again expected to have supreme talent in the ACC. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne are back and both are in the Heisman conversation.

Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish are probably relieved to have a football home for 2020, but the news comes at the chagrin of other top ACC teams that might not be able to keep up with Notre Dame. Quarterback Ian Book has a chance to boost himself into the conversation of elite college quarterbacks and help his draft stock. Notre Dame now has a regular season game scheduled against Clemson, which could provide major implications for how a potential championship matchup would fare.

Secondary contenders

With so many good teams in the ACC, it’s hard to lump them all in as “contenders” when truly only two teams fit that bill. Here’s a look at some teams that will make noise in 2020, while being a step or two below Clemson and Notre Dame.

North Carolina Tar Heels

Sam Howell aside, the Tar Heels look to be a much more formidable team than recent years under head coach Mack Brown’s leadership. Brown has a ridiculous recruiting class to work with, including five-star cornerback Tony Grimes, as well as many impactful returners.

UNC-Chapel Hill is also returning most of its receivers and backs, including Michael Carter and Javonte Williams, who make for a dynamic backfield, and Dazz Newsome and Dyami Brown, who each recorded over 1,000 receiving yards last season.

Louisville Cardinals

This season will provide an extended look at Micale Cunningham, who emerged last season due in part to Tutu Atwell and Dez Fitzpatrick, who combined for 18 touchdowns. The team also returns its rushing machine in Javian Hawkins, who will look to help the Cardinals soar through the 2020 season.

Virginia Tech Hokies

Look for Hendon Hooker to have a big season, as his fundamentals are there, and he has a big frame to go along with great rushing ability. Hooker is surrounded by a talented line, and that alone should be able to help him take the Hokies to the top.

Add Tre Turner and Tayvion Robinson to the equation, and the Virginia Tech offense will easily be able to take off in 2020. As for the defensive side of the ball, Rayshard Ashby should prove to be a strong veteran presence and will lead a respectable defense.

Miami Hurricanes

The Hurricanes would be in a much better position if defensive standout Gregory Rousseau had decided to opt into the season. Unfortunately, the lineman who recorded 14 sacks and played a major role for Miami is out, and there are much more complete teams out there. Quarterback D’Eriq King will likely be phenomenal, but it might not be enough for a championship appearance…yet.

Florida State Seminoles

The Seminoles might just be a sleeper team in the ACC and one that could turn some heads if first-year head coach Mike Norvell’s transition goes as smoothly as possible. Norvell led the Memphis Tigers to an 11-1 record and championship game win last season and is looking to bring his winning ways to Tallahassee.

As for the players, defensive tackle Marvin Wilson has the talent to make that line a fearsome foe, while cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. and defensive end Joshua Kaindoh are primed for good seasons. On the other side of the ball, Tamorrion Terry should once again stand out as the team’s best receiving threat.

Scrapping for a winning season

These teams are not bad teams in the slightest, or at least shouldn’t be on paper, but each has its own list of questions to figure out. Here are the teams that are battling for either a rebound or repeat season.

Pittsburgh Panthers

If defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman was playing, an already stout defensive line would look unstoppable. Unfortunately, the Panthers don’t have enough going for them on offense to be a true contender. Defensive end Rashad Weaver is returning from injury after pouring in 6.5 sacks in 2018 and that, along with end Patrick Jones, should help Pitt stay afloat in 2020.

Virginia Cavaliers

The Cavaliers are coming off a very successful season that saw the team claim its first ever Coastal title but is losing a good chunk of what got them there. Bryce Perkins is gone, and the receiving corps is young, though the linebacker group led by Charles Snowden and Noah Taylor figures to be one of the most electric in the country.

NC State Wolfpack

It seems unlikely the Wolfpack will have a contending season following a miserable 2019 outing, but to some degree, the Pack is a sleeper. The team won’t be contending this season but should be in for a few surprise wins, especially given some of the sturdy talent on the defensive line, led by junior defensive tackle Alim McNeill.

On top of that, the three-headed running monster of sophomore Zonovan Knight, junior Ricky Person Jr. and sophomore Jordan Houston should give the team ample time to figure out it’s tricky quarterback situation, which is preventing the team from being better than it is.

Duke Blue Devils

The Blue Devils are seemingly entering 2020 as one of the most underrated teams in the ACC. Let’s not forget how close this team was to a bowl appearance in 2019. There are some rightful questions surrounding the team, but Clemson transfer quarterback Chase Brice should be able to elevate a receiving corps that is questionable. It helps that the team is returning tight end Noah Gray and receiver Jalon Calhoun, who should each be able to build on their 2019 campaigns.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

The loss of Jamie Newman will certainly sting, but it is overblown given that Sam Hartman has proven that he is more than capable of taking over. Unfortunately for the Demon Deacons, there are too many question marks on offense for this group to be as explosive as last season. The defense will be good, led by defensive end Carlos Basham, but it might not be enough to push the team over the edge.

Afterthoughts

It might be cruel to label the following teams as afterthoughts, but it seems impossible that any of the following will have winning seasons, let alone contend for an ACC title. Let’s take a look at the teams that are projected to finish near the bottom of the conference.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Georgia Tech has some decent pieces that should amount to a handful of surprise wins, like transfer O-linemen Ryan Johnson from Tennessee and Devin Cochran from Vanderbilt, but the team lacks enough talent to truly compete. The Yellow Jackets shouldn’t be terrible, at least not on paper, but they look to still be figuring things out this season.

Syracuse Orange

After a very rough season in 2019, the Orange simply haven’t done enough on paper to be considered a serious ACC threat. The secondary led by safeties Andre Cisco and Eric Coley will be impactful, but it seems quarterback Tommy DeVito still does not have enough receiving help this season to push the team to a winning season.

Boston College Eagles

The biggest story for the Eagles is how the team can move on from, and replace the production of, running back A.J. Dillon. Unfortunately for the team, that answer is not clear, and the team still has too much to figure out in the quarterback room to make any noise in 2020.

Predicted standings

1. Clemson Tigers

2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

3. North Carolina Tar Heels

4. Louisville Cardinals

5. Virginia Tech Hokies

6. Miami Hurricanes

7. Florida State Seminoles

8. Pittsburgh Panthers

9. Virginia Cavaliers

10. NC State Wolfpack

11. Duke Blue Devils

12. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

13. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

14. Syracuse Orange

15. Boston College Eagles