With the Big Ten’s addition of USC and UCLA starting in 2024, the college football landscape is more in flux than ever. The strength of the regional ties that defined conference alignments in previous decades is dissipating more and more as prestige emerges to the forefront.

As conferences like the Big 12 and Pac-12 struggle to maintain relevance, the fate of ACC football hangs in the balance. Clemson’s success on the national level has defined the previous decade or so of ACC football, but the newfound potential for the Tigers to switch over to the SEC, for example, now forces the ACC into a do-or-die season to prove its overall merit as a football conference. 

Fortunately for ACC football and its fans, the conference has its share of programs with the history and/or potential to make some noise on the national stage. Yes, Clemson football has been the crown jewel of the ACC with two national championships and seven conference championships since 2011, but it wasn’t too long ago that challengers like Florida State, Miami and Virginia Tech kept parity alive and well in the conference.

If ACC football is to survive this brave new world of college football, these traditional powerhouses will need to return to prominence. The main criticism of modern ACC football is the notion of “Clemson versus everyone else” that leaves people wondering what the conference has to offer if the Tigers decide to jump ship. If the Seminoles, Hurricanes and Hokies resurge this season to at least challenge Clemson for the title of top dog, the conference’s legitimacy will be strengthened by having multiple competitors.

But much like conference realignment nationwide, the power dynamics in the ACC are also changing. Rising programs like NC State, Pitt and Wake Forest all finished the 2021 season in the AP Top 25, so the Wolfpack, Panthers and Demon Deacons all have the potential to generate more staying power for ACC football. Pitt’s 2021 conference championship puts the Panthers firmly on the right track, but NC State and Wake Forest are not far behind.

Outside of the on-field results, the ACC has a storied history of passionate fanbases and lengthy traditions that, if highlighted, give even more credence to the continued existence of ACC football. Clemson has Howard’s Rock. Virginia Tech has Enter Sandman. Miami has “The U.” If NC State and other rising programs continue their success, more traditions and more prestige are sure to follow.

Of course, these cultural factors won’t hold nearly as much weight if teams not named Clemson keep falling short of their potential. If USC and UCLA can strike a deal nearly overnight to eventually join the Big Ten, surely Clemson can switch conferences in the blink of an eye. Simply put, the time is now for ACC football to make its case for why it belongs in this new era of college football. With the help of sleeping giants and rising stars, the conference can ensure its existence in the realm of college football for the foreseeable future.