It’s never too early to talk about NCAA Tournament bracketology. Of course, there are no results to base any projections on, and most teams across the country have completely retooled their rosters this offseason. It’d be crazy to try to predict who will make the NCAA Tournament, which is exactly why I’m doing just that and projecting which college basketball teams in the Carolinas will be dancing in March. This will be a monthly series where I’ll update where I see teams slotting into the tournament.

Duke: Projected 1 Seed

I’m not gonna pretend there’s any mystery here, Duke will make the 2027 NCAA Tournament. I currently project the Blue Devils to be the best team in the country and earn the top overall seed. Duke is aiming to earn a No. 1 seed for a third straight season and bring home Jon Scheyer’s first national championship as a head coach.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a team with a more complete roster than Duke. At point guard, the Blue Devils have two All-ACC-caliber options in Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer. I see Boozer as a player with slightly more upside, but either way, Duke is in good shape. Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell is a lock in the backcourt and has All-American upside. After a stellar campaign with the Badgers last season, I expect Blackwell to be even better now that he’s surrounded by the best supporting cast in the country.

Patrick Ngongba II gives Duke a real defensive anchor in the frontcourt, while Dame Sarr returns on the wing. The only real question is who starts at the four. Freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje started Duke’s scrimmages against Belmont and Tennessee, making him the most likely candidate to round out the starting five. Boumtje Boumtje is one of several highly touted transfers, many of whom will be key pieces off the bench.

The only real question with Duke is how dominant they are in the regular season. I don’t expect the Blue Devils to coast during the regular season, but even if they let off the gas at times, there’s so much talent that they could still win the ACC and be a No. 1 seed.

Read more

After 14 seasons, NC State football has relieved head coach Dave Doeren of his duties. Doeren’s tenure ends after a 31-28 loss at Stanford that resulted in NC State dropping to 3-4 on the season, which has rapidly spiraled out of control.

Special teams coordinator and running backs coach Todd Goebbel will take over as interim head coach for the remaining…

Read more

N.C. State picked up its first ACC win of the season last week after a promising 31-28 win over a favored Louisville team.

The victory sent sparks of hope through Wolfpack Nation as the team looks to shake off a rocky start and get back to where its fans hoped it’d be coming into 2026.

N.C. State received a more favorable conference schedule compared to other ACC hopefuls, but it’s not without its challenges.

The team was tested right out of the gate with a game against 2025 ACC runner-up Virginia to open the year and failed, losing 34-8. That loss looks even worse in recent weeks as the Cavaliers are also playing below their preseason expectations.

Everyone saw the late-game collapse in its lone Power Four non-conference game against Vanderbilt. Solid play from quarterback C.J. Bailey was forgotten as he fumbled away the win in the end zone with no time left.

Even in a win over App State, the Wolfpack looked like they could be in for a long season.

Coming into the game against Louisville, it felt must-win for both sides. The Cardinals started the year as the No. 24-ranked team in the nation. They were projected as one of the ACC’s more talented programs and expected to compete for a spot in the conference title game.

They’ve since dropped completely out of the polls, and after the State loss, fell to 2-3 on the season. So, should Wolfpack fans actually feel good about a three-point win they nearly squandered again in the second half? Or was that game actually a turning point in the Wolfpack’s season?

How the team performs during its next slate of games will decide that.

Carolina rivals and California challengers await

The Wolfpack will look to clear another hurdle this weekend as Wake Forest makes the trip to Raleigh. The Demon Deacons have been one of the surprise teams in the ACC this season, sitting 4-1 overall, with a respectable loss to Miami.

This is the start of a four-game stretch that sees the Wolfpack play two strong-standing in-state rivals with a pair of California contests in between.

After Wake, the Wolfpack will travel to Stanford, host Cal and host undefeated Duke. If N.C. State can knock off one, or even both, of its fellow North Carolina schools and take care of business against the West Coast teams, the Wolfpack should head into its final three games near the top of the conference standings.

However, if things go south, N.C. State’s highest expectations will become unachievable, and the team will have to settle for another year of middling results.

The Wolfpack will be underdogs against Wake Forest, despite the home field advantage. The Demon Deacons have earned the right to be favored with wins over Stanford, Louisville and Purdue.

Quarterback Gio Lopez has flourished in his new spot, sitting fifth in the ACC in passing yards, sixth in touchdowns and has thrown just one pick this year. Slowing him down will be a must for the Wolfpack defense. Forcing the team to rely on the run could be an avenue to cooling Wake’s offense. The rushing attack has been sound, but not nearly as explosive for the Deacons.

On the flip side, this game should be a great opportunity for Bailey to shine against a defense that is currently 13th in the ACC at stopping the pass. He’s coming off a career-high 373 yards against Louisville.

The ground game will still need to be a viable option, and Wake has been much more successful in stopping the run, holding both Louisville and Stanford under 100 yards on over 30 carries.

Duke Scott has looked good this season for N.C. State but left the game last week with an injury. He’ll miss at least the Wake game, so the load falls on backup Davion Gause.

Regardless of who’s in, if both teams’ previous outings are any indication, this could be an exciting shootout.

State will get a week of rest after the Wake game, and should be favored against Stanford and Cal, setting up an interesting meeting with Duke down the line. The Blue Devils have been another surprise team, jumping to a 4-0 start, featuring wins over Tulane, Illinois and Stanford.

While more untested than the Demon Deacons, Duke has perhaps the best playmaker in the ACC on its team in Nate Sheppard. He will be a handful for any team the Blue Devils play this season, but stopping him is the key to stopping that offense.

Duke’s defense is another story. So far, the Blue Devils have looked like one of the top defenses in the conference, holding three of four opponents to seven points or less. Duke also has the second-best defense in terms of yards allowed per game, just behind Miami.

These next few weeks should give everyone a clearer picture of Duke’s ceiling as the team gets deeper in ACC play. By the time the Blue Devils and Wolfpack face off, it could just be for bragging rights, but it could also have legitimate ACC championship implications.

Week 5 was a separation Saturday across college football, and the Carolinas are no different. The cream rose to the top, and the rest shrunk when the spotlight was brightest. Below are my takeaways from the various games across the Carolinas and what it means for each program.

South Carolina

As of today, head coach Shane Beamer remains in charge at South Carolina; however, his seat is scorching hot after a 35-34 overtime loss to Kentucky. The Gamecocks have looked helpless the last two seasons, and when South Carolina manages to find occasional success, it regularly ends with blowing the lead. Beamer’s Gamecocks built a 17-0 lead in the second quarter and appeared to be firmly in control against Kentucky. However, South Carolina once again vanished around halftime and blew the lead by the end of the third quarter. Despite forcing overtime, South Carolina still lost after allowing the Wildcats to clinch a win with a wide-open pass on a two-point conversion.

There’s only so much goodwill that a coach can build up without making the College Football Playoff. Beamer’s first four years were successful in my eyes, after posting winning records in three of four seasons, defeating rival Clemson twice, and falling just shy of the playoff with an impressive nine-win campaign in 2024. The program appeared to be climbing into the upper half of the SEC. The recruiting also looked promising as the Gamecocks regularly landed blue-chip prospects and dominated in-state recruiting. Then the program collapsed, and nothing has gone right since 2025. The Gamecocks are now just 2-11 against Power Four competition the last two seasons, and it’s now been over a full calendar year since South Carolina won an SEC game.

The roster isn’t in dire shape. The offensive line has improved and running back Matt Fuller is emerging as a star. Various defensive players have flashed in spurts, including cornerback Vicari Swain and edge rusher Anthony Addison. Yet everything remains inconsistent. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers is taking plenty of criticism for his regressions, which is most evident by his erratic accuracy. Still, the issues go beyond him when receivers drop passes, defensive backs bust in coverage, and the defensive line fails to generate pressure, especially in second halves.

The schedule will only get harder for South Carolina, with teams like Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee still on the schedule. Beamer used most of his options to buy time in previous seasons, such as staffing changes. One lever that Beamer could still pull to try to save the season is a quarterback change and replace Sellers with Cutter Woods as the starter. It’s the nuclear button of options, and even with that option, it is likely already too late for Shane Beamer to turn around and save the season.

NC State

Entering Saturday, the Wolfpack faced Louisville in a must-win game for both sides. The Cardinals are a more talented squad, but NC State jumped ahead for a 28-14 lead. For the third week in a row, the Pack blew a double-digit lead, but managed to hit a late field goal and escape with a 31-28 win. The victory is NC State’s first in ACC play and gives the Pack a very narrow path to still make the ACC title game. Now holding a tiebreaker over Louisville and facing a relatively easy schedule moving forward, NC State has an opportunity to make its move for a big season, despite the disastrous start to the year.

One thing became quite clear about the Wolfpack when facing Louisville: NC State can’t win games in a low-scoring defensive fashion as head coach Dave Doeren typically has throughout his career. Instead, the Pack will need to put up points in bunches and play opportunistic defense to force turnovers. The Wolfpack forced five fumbles and recovered three of them, including arguably a season-saving forced fumble by edge rusher Harvey Dyson late in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Popo Aguirre Jr. set a program record by recovering three fumbles, showcasing the instincts that allow him to always be near the ball. It certainly wasn’t a vintage Wolfpack defensive performance with several missed tackles mixed in, but the defense did enough to support the offense.

Quarterback CJ Bailey tore apart the Cardinals’ secondary with 373 passing yards in what was Bailey’s best showing of the season. It’s no secret that Bailey is talented, but a slow start to the season quieted hype around the junior. For the first time this season, Bailey appeared to trust all his weapons and distributed the ball to several new additions, including receiver Jojo Trader, who had five catches. It’s critical that Bailey gets the passing game going as the Wolfpack is dealing with key injuries on the offensive line and at running back. Backup running back Davion Gause stepped up admirably with 21 carries, but was a clear step down from starter Duke Scott.

Overall, NC State’s still not winning pretty, but has quietly turned the season around. With a huge game hosting Wake Forest coming up this week, NC State will face another tough test before the bye week. After the bye week, the schedule truly opens up with several winnable games. Can Doeren’s team capitalize? Often Doeren does his best work in the back half of the season, so there’s reason for optimism. However, every NC State fan also knows that expectations are Doeren’s worst enemy.

Subscribe now

North Carolina

Yes, North Carolina lost by double digits when hosting Notre Dame. However, the 37-26 loss to the Fighting Irish was an encouraging sign. The Tar Heels fought hard and nearly tied the game with a kickoff return touchdown to open the second half. However, a botched PAT killed momentum, and Notre Dame pulled away. Still, this result would have been unthinkable last season, and it’s a sign that head coach Bill Belichick is slowly fixing things in Chapel Hill.

The Tar Heel defense struggled against Notre Dame, which shouldn’t be a shock given how talented the Irish are. Failing to record a single sack, Notre Dame QB CJ Carr had enough time to pick apart the Heels’ defense. With little pressure on Carr, the Tar Heels also failed to force any turnovers, despite rainy conditions that often present chances for chaos. Furthermore, Notre Dame successfully established the run and averaged over five yards per carry. To get back in the win column, UNC will need more from its defense. Outside of a game against Miami, however, Carolina won’t face many offenses like Notre Dame’s.

QB Billy Edwards saw his share of struggles, which included a pair of picks in the first half that nearly buried the Tar Heels. However, there were signs of life as multiple weapons stepped up to support Edwards. Receiver Jordan Shipp looked outstanding with a team-high seven receptions, while tight end Jelani Thurman remained a reliable option for Edwards. If the running game can make improvements, which there is reason to believe Benjamin Hall is growing nicely into a lead back, the Tar Heels will have a potent enough offense. Next week’s matchup against Pitt, who lost starting quarterback Mason Heintschel to a torn ACL this week, will be pivotal for Carolina. Despite the scoreboard, I’m buying stock in the Tar Heels this week.

Clemson

Miami walked into Death Valley and did what Clemson did for years to teams: slowly but surely torch an underdog’s upset bid. With the ABC primetime treatment, Clemson found itself on a familiar stage. However, the magic of head coach Dabo Swinney is gone, and so are the primetime wins for the Tigers. There was never much doubt during this game that Miami would win; the question was simply how bad would it get for Clemson.

Going into the game, I expected Miami to be able to name a final score and then post it. While it wasn’t quite that lopsided, as the Hurricanes only won 41-13, there were very few bright spots for the Tigers. Freshman QB Tait Reynolds couldn’t keep pace with the explosive Miami offense, despite throwing for nearly 300 yards. Receivers Bryant Wesco Jr. and Tyler Brown did a good job of getting separation and combined for 19 catches. However, the rest of the Clemson offense looked incapable of challenging Miami.

Defensively, the Tigers were bludgeoned in the run game. Running backs Mark Fletcher Jr. and Javian Mallory time and time again. The only time Clemson wasn’t worn down in the run game was when QB Darian Mensah found his go-to receivers Malachi Toney and Cooper Barkate for explosive plays through the air.

The reality for Clemson is that the Tigers are nowhere near elite and will be fighting to simply achieve a winning record. I’d expect Clemson to be an underdog in at least three more games this season when facing Virginia Tech, Florida State, and Duke. Even if Clemson can pick off one of these games, handle business against weaker ACC competition, and close the year with a win over rival South Carolina, the standard won’t be met. Until further notice, Clemson is an average ACC football program, a far fall from its recent glory as a model program of the sport.

Expectations were not very high for Duke’s football team heading into the 2026 season.

The Blue Devils are coming off a surprise ACC championship win in 2025, their first since 1989, but had nothing but negative headlines in the offseason.

Quarterback Darian Mensah entered the transfer portal at the 11th hour to go to Miami and took top receiver Cooper Barkate with him. Duke fought the move in court before eventually settling and having to turn elsewhere in the portal with very limited options.

At the start of the year, the Blue Devils were projected to finish 10th out of the conference’s 17 teams. Duke had one of the lowest percentages of returning contributors in the ACC, and many other teams made more notable additions.

However, four games in, Duke is looking a lot better than the 10th-best team in the ACC. In fact, the Blue Devils look like they can make a run to a second straight ACC championship appearance and are on the verge of an AP top-25 selection.

Here’s what they have to do to get there.

Keep leaning on their Heisman-level running back

Everyone knew sophomore running back Nate Sheppard was going to be a focal point of the Duke offense, but few expected his impact to be this profound.

Sheppard enters this week as the nation’s leader in rushing yards, running for 644 in Duke’s first four games. Against Tulane, he ran for 227. He had 147 against Illinois. He ran for 154 more in the win over Stanford, and last week against William and Mary, he had 116 yards on just nine carries.

His contributions haven’t stopped on the ground as he’s been a viable weapon in the pass game, catching 10 balls for 70 yards. He’s found the end zone nine total times this year.

“The level he’s playing at right now is as good as any running back that I’ve seen,” head coach Manny Diaz said during a recent appearance on the ACC Network. “The best stat about Nate is everyone knows to stop Duke, you’ve got to stop number 20, and he’s had 100 yards at halftime in [our first] three games.”

Nobody has been able to stop him, and Duke’s approach so far has been, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

The Blue Devils have relied heavily on his production to open up other aspects of their offense. While other teams are busy watching Sheppard, things start to open up downfield for new QB1 Walker Eget.

That makes Duke’s offense dangerous.

As the Blue Devils get deeper into ACC play, it will be important not to lose the identity they’ve established early. Sheppard proved last season what he can do against conference competition. You just have to be sure to keep him healthy.

Maintain their success on both sides of the ball

In Diaz’s first two seasons, one side of the ball has always been significantly weaker than the other.

In 2024, the Blue Devils had the ACC’s seventh-best defense, but sixth-worst offense. 2025 saw the team produce the conference’s highest-scoring offense, but the Blue Devils allowed the fourth-most points.

This season, the team is looking a lot more balanced. Duke enters this week in the ACC’s top-10 for both offense and defense. They’re getting production from both new and returning players, and against William and Mary, some of the young guys got to shine.

Receivers Kavon Simmons and Javion Solomon each caught a touchdown pass. Linebacker Bradley Gompers led the team in tackles, and future potential starting quarterback Dan Mahan got some run.

“Run the football on offense, limit big plays on defense and make people have to earn it,” Diaz said. “That’s gone back, stood the test of time on how to win a football game.”

Duke is outscoring teams 145-44 so far this year. 27 of those points came in one game against Illinois.

The Blue Devils look greatly improved on the defensive line, showing no problems generating pressure. The offensive line is holding strong and creating gaps in the run game. Even the special teams unit is setting Duke up with favorable position most times out.

The schedule will get tougher, and there are a few areas the team can improve on.

Duke will have to limit explosive plays and generate some of their own on offense. The team will also need to clean up its penalties. It could and has cost the program games in the past.

The Blue Devils should be favored in their next four outings against Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Virginia and Boston College.

If Duke can make it through that stretch with little to no damage, it could set up a very interesting meeting on Nov. 14 against No. 4 Miami and their former quarterback Darian Mensah.

Continue developing their vertical passing game

While Nate Sheppard is the center of Duke’s offense, the Blue Devils will need to continue working on their downfield passing attack to balance things out and avoid becoming one-dimensional.

Eget has looked a lot better since a rocky first outing against Tulane.

He was excellent in the narrow win over Illinois, going 15-of-21 for 206 yards and three touchdowns. However, he looked a little less efficient in the win over Stanford, completing 14-of-24 passes for 202 yards, one touchdown and an interception.

In the win over William and Mary, he looked closer to what he did in the Illinois game, connecting on 16-of-22 attempts for 182 yards and two touchdowns before being pulled to rest.

Even though the numbers have looked solid, the team has lacked any form of explosive plays in the pass game. Before William and Mary, it was mostly check-downs and dump-offs.

The Blue Devils finally broke through against the Tribe and had multiple successful passes deep downfield. Duke scored its first 20+-yard passing touchdown of the season, and then did it again four times after that.

Obviously, future opponents won’t be William and Mary, so time will tell whether Duke continues trending in the right direction.

It won’t all be on Eget. The receivers will also have to step up, and someone will need to separate themselves as a viable first option.

Jeremiah Hasley, Jonah Burton and Solomon have led the way so far.

“What we’ve been seeing in practice is now starting to show up on game day,” Diaz said. “ When those guys would get confidence, look out because we really think we’ve got some talented young receivers.”

Avoid the same mistakes that burned them before

Duke is currently experiencing one of its most successful four-year stretches in program history. It is by far the best stretch in the team’s modern era, but one can’t help but feel they could’ve achieved more.

Despite winning the ACC last season, Duke was left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff field because of its 8-5 overall record.

The Blue Devils’ non-conference losses to Tulane, UConn and Illinois, plus its two ACC losses to Georgia Tech and Virginia, were too much for the committee to overlook. Three of those games were winnable, and perhaps winning just one of them would’ve put the team in the playoff.

Even in prior seasons, Duke has lost crucial games that kept it out of ACC title contention. Last-second scores, game-changing penalties and careless losses have followed the team from the Elko era.

Duke took advantage of the ACC tie-breaker system last season, but those rules are gone. This year, the team will need to avoid the midseason bump that previously knocked it off the path to contention.

That means winning the games you’re supposed to, and stealing one or two you aren’t.

Week 3 proved to be a chaotic weekend for college football teams across the Carolinas. With several teams playing big games, you’d expect to find answers to questions. Instead, I found myself asking more questions about most programs, with the lone exception being Duke.

Subscribe now

South Carolina:

I made my way down to Williams-Brice Stadium this weekend to watch the Gamecocks host Mississippi State. Despite jumping ahead to an early 16-0 lead, South Carolina managed to collapse and ultimately lost 41-34 in the SEC opener. This isn’t head coach Shane Beamer’s first mid game collapse. Last year the Gamecocks blew a 30-3 halftime lead at Texas A&M in what was one of the biggest collapses I’ve ever seen. USC has also blown double digits under Beamer against Florida in 2023 and LSU in 2024.

There’s still time for South Carolina to turn things around, but another blown lead heats up Beamer’s seat. The schedule will only get tougher with five AP top 25 teams remaining on the schedule, plus games against Kentucky and Oklahoma who just missed the cut. This season is likely the end of a window with edge rusher Dylan Stewart and potentially with other talented players like QB LaNorris Sellers.

One of the biggest issues for the Gamecocks is that LaNorris Sellers isn’t playing anywhere near his potential. After a genuinely elite 2024 season, Sellers hasn’t captured that same magic since. Now as a third year starter, Sellers somehow looks worse than when he played as a redshirt freshman. That’s an indictment on coaching for failing to put a talented player in a position to succeed.

Another glaring issue is Beamer’s game management. When holding a lead, USC regularly turns into a shell of itself by depending too much on the run. While milking the clock is important, that can still be done while remaining aggressive through the air. With a mobile quarterback in Sellers and playmakers like Nyck Harbor and Donovan Murph available, leaning too much on the run removes advantages and becomes predictable. Furthermore, it becomes more likely that when the offense does pass, it’s in third and long situations, leading to desperate throws and turnovers. I’d also add that Beamer’s early use of timeouts, which became a problem against the Bulldogs, creates an opportunity cost to save clock to score late in the half.

It’s also worth noting that the Gamecock defense grew worse throughout the game against the Bulldogs. Defensive coordinator Clayton White did a good job of making MSU quarterback Kamario Taylor uncomfortable early when he tried to attack the middle of the field. Good teams adjust though, which Mississippi State did by pushing their passing game towards the perimeter. Mississippi State found its first points by attacking the sidelines vertically and began to pick on cornerback Judge Collier, a talented player who lacks top end speed. This is just one of a few examples of the defensive backs being asked to take on matchups they are unequipped to handle. Moving forward, it’ll be critical to make better defensive adjustments.

Overall, South Carolina will need to find ways to hold a lead if the Gamecocks are going to be anything more than a five win team. Beamer’s teams have a tendency to significantly improve from September to November, but that won’t matter if they can’t find SEC wins early. The Gamecocks are too talented this season to afford a third losing season in four years, which is why I believe Beamer is coaching for his job for the first time during his time at USC.

NC State:

NC State legend Phillip Rivers once said “Wolfpack ain’t for soft people” in a speech to the 2016 Wolfpack football team. Those words have never been more true than this week after the Pack invented a new way to lose a football.

Leading by 3 points with just six seconds left at Vanderbilt, NC State had the ball on fourth and seven from its own five yard line. While a rare situation, it’s not challenging to navigate; the universal move here is to drop back and take a safety. If the Pack had done just that, NC State would leave Nashville with a 31-30 victory. Instead, quarterback CJ Bailey opted to roll to his right in the end zone in an effort to kill the clock with defenders in his face. The Commodores successfully punched the ball out from Bailey, who inexplicably was loosely carrying it with one hand. Vanderbilt of course recovered the fumble in the endzone and stunned the Pack 35-31, dropping NC State to 1-2 this season and continuing the Wolfpack’s 24 year drought of non-conference Power Four road wins.

You could blame Bailey for refusing to take the safety. You could also blame head coach Dave Doeren for failing to prepare Bailey for this situation. You could also blame Doeren for letting a fumble prone QB run the final play when backup QB Will Wilson was available and doesn’t have a fumbling problem. To me, this is a collective failure by both Bailey and Doeren. In a scenario where only several key mistakes could allow Vanderbilt to have a chance to steal the win, the Wolfpack made sure to make every mistake possible.

The other problem NC State needs to solve is avoiding being in a position where Vanderbilt can win at the end. The Wolfpack led 14-0 after the first quarter, firmly in control of the game. However, a recurring theme under Doeren is the refusal to deal the knockout blow when holding a lead. NC State’s drives in the second and third quarters finished as follows:

• Punt

• Field Goal

• Punt

• End of the First Half

• Interception

• Touchdown

• Punt

So what went wrong for NC State during that stretch? The Wolfpack tried to start draining the clock early and stubbornly stuck with the run. Unfortunately for the Pack, the offensive line failed to get any push, leaving running back Duke Scott helpless. Throw in an ill-timed interception plus Vanderbilt’s offense finally heating up and it became clear the Commodores would have a fighting chance in the fourth quarter.

Things turned truly disastrous in the fourth quarter. Defensive coordinator DJ Eliot, who’s struggled with in-game adjustments throughout his time in Raleigh, once again failed to adjust when Vanderbilt fully committed to letting freshman QB Jared Curtis air it out in the fourth quarter. Reeling off 163 passing yards in the fourth quarter alone, NC State’s defense looked helpless against Curtis, who was making his first ever collegiate start. Even with a late interception by safety Brody Barnhardt, which should have put the game away, NC State’s defensive fourth quarter performance was shameful. Letting the Commodores hang around ultimately is the mistake that allowed the Wolfpack to become just the second team in the last 20 years to lose a college football game despite having the ball and the lead with 10 seconds to play.

Duke:

Buy stock now into Duke football. As crazy as it may sound, the Blue Devils look like the most competent football team in the Carolinas. I can only imagine how good Duke would be if quarterback Darian Mensah didn’t leave Durham at the eleventh hour in the transfer portal. Still, head coach Manny Diaz has built a roster built to win with enough playmakers on both sides of the ball to be dangerous.

As expected, Duke’s offensive attack is built around running back Nate Sheppard. Against Stanford, it took a quarter for Sheppard to get rolling, but by the time the second quarter began Sheppard was steam rolling through the Cardinal’s defense. Sheppard broke through the middle of the defense, cut to the left to avoid multiple defenders for Duke’s first touchdown, then caught another touchdown before halftime and punched another touchdown in early in the third quarter. By the end Sheppard racked up 154 yards with an average of 6.7 yards per carry. While Duke will face tougher defenses later in the season, I thought Sheppard’s elusiveness looked good enough to make him a force against better competition. Additionally, the Blue Devils have found a suitable backfield partner for Sheppard in running back CJ Campbell Jr., who enjoyed his best game of the season. Keeping Sheppard fresh is critical and Campbell is equipped to be the Robin to Sheppard as Batman.

The passing game remains a work in progress for Duke with quarterback Walker Eget. Known as a gun slinger at San Jose State, Eget showed his interception tendency early. Rolling to his right on an early 4th and goal, Eget tried to fit a pass into double coverage, which was picked off. Duke’s receivers will need to get better separation, but Eget also deserves blame for not looking elsewhere. With the gameplan focused on running the ball, Eget’s numbers don’t show it but he did settle in afterwards and continues to build chemistry with tight end Jeremiah Hasley, who led the team with five receptions and 88 yards. Moving forward, I’d like to see receiver Jaivon Solomon get more involved after making his first two catches of the season, including high pointing a deep pass down the sideline.

Defensively, Duke caused chaos up front and clearly made Stanford QB Davis Warren uncomfortable. Both edge rushers Tyshon Reed and Kevin O’Connor got multiple sacks, which is a positive sign for the Blue Devils after last year’s pass rush appeared inconsistent all season. Having a one-two punch off the edge sped Warren up and allowed the secondary to make plays. While Duke didn’t pick any passes off, they blanketed Stanford’s receivers and knocked away several passes.

Moving forward, Duke is a legitimate candidate to have a big season. I can’t envision the Blue Devils upsetting Miami on the road and a trip to Virginia will be challenging, however the rest of Duke’s schedule is incredibly manageable. Teams like Clemson, NC State, and Georgia Tech appear worse than preseason projections, while teams like Boston College and William and Mary pose very little threat. The talent is in place for Duke to win eight plus games this year and once again finish towards the top of the ACC standings.

Clemson and North Carolina:

I’ll keep my thoughts brief here as SportCLT will have a more in depth breakdown on the Clemson-UNC game. However there are a few things to take away from the Tigers 28-20 comeback win over the Tar Heels.

For Clemson, this is another example of the Tigers looking unprepared early. LSU made Clemson pay in Baton Rouge for a lethargic offensive performance, while Georgia Southern lacked the talent to take advantage of Clemson’s offense spinning in circles. Against UNC, it appeared that Clemson finally found a team of a similar caliber.

Head coach Dabo Swinney elected to start freshman QB Tait Reynolds, who appeared functional but didn’t elevate the offense. Early in the second half Reynolds made a key mistake by throwing a pick, which is to be expected for a freshman. However, given the state of the Tigers’ offense, turnovers will be costly since there’s little room for error. On a positive note, the Tigers’ defense improved throughout the afternoon and gave UNC QB Billy Edwards Jr. trouble. The path for Clemson to see success will be winning the turnover battle and successfully play bend-don’t-break defense.

For North Carolina, the second half collapse after leading 14-3 at the halfway mark is a red flag. Tight end Jelani Thurman disappeared and similar to last season Carolina became dependent on star receiver Jordan Shipp bailing out the offense. The run game did support the offense well as both running backs Benjamin Hall and Demon June were efficient between the tackles. The offense isn’t broken, but it will need one or two more playmakers to assist Edwards and keep the chains moving.

The good news for the Tar Heels is they looked prepared early. Carolina punched out a fumble on Clemson’s first drive and of course picked off Reynolds. With the change at defensive coordinator elevating Brian Belichick into the role, the Tar Heels successfully forced Clemson into field goals and stopped them from finishing drives. That bodes well for Carolina, especially in a road performance. Given that UNC was missing star defensive lineman Melkart Abou Jaoude, the Tar Heels’ defense will improve when he returns.

With a bye week before a stretch of five games that features brutal tests against the likes of Notre Dame, Miami, and rival Duke, UNC is hitting the most intense section of its schedule soon. However, there’s enough pieces to pull off an upset, keep the season afloat and be in position to finish the year strong, especially if Thurman can reemerge in the passing game.

Bill Belichick and Dabo Swinney are two of the most accomplished coaches in the game, but their teams came into their opening ACC matchup with a lot to prove.

Two programs looking to quiet separate narratives.

The Tar Heels are hoping to show the Belichick experiment is working. There’s been a lot of off-field headlines in recent weeks, but coming into the Clemson game, the on-field results were positive.

The Tigers were embarrassed on national television in week one versus LSU and had an uninspired effort in week two versus Georgia Southern. Many questioned Swinney’s roster-building abilities in this new age of football, but he was insistent that his team would improve.

In the end, both teams left their meeting with many of the questions surrounding them still unanswered.

North Carolina got off to the better start, but a 2.5-hour rain delay was enough time for Clemson to regroup and steal the win in the final eight minutes, 28-20.

As both teams shift gear and prepare for a rough road ahead, there are a few lessons to be learned from this game that could help down the line.

Let’s take a look at some of the top takeaways for both teams.

Clemson’s youth fuels comeback

Tait Reynolds looked a lot more comfortable leading the Clemson offense as he had time to settle into the game.

The freshman finished 20-of-29 for 215 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He wasn’t perfect, missing a few throws and making some bad reads, but he got better as the game progressed and avoided mistakes on the closing drives.

“If you can’t see Tait Reynolds and be excited, I don’t know what you’re looking at,” Swinney said.

Reynolds wasn’t the only young star to shine.

Sophomore Gideon Davidson had his best game of the season so far, breaking the 100-yard mark and finding the end zone to put the Tigers ahead.

Juniors Bryant Wesco Jr., T.J. Moore and Christian Bentancur had a solid game as the leading receivers, combining for 150 yards.

With how dire things looked the first two weeks, Clemson can go into week four knowing there were positive signs of life on offense against the Tar Heels.

While still a far cry from their glory days, the Tigers can be a competitive ACC team by having competent offensive production.

UNC’s offense is too one-dimensional

On the contrary, alarm bells should be going off inside North Carolina’s locker room because they have a huge problem. The offense is too predictable.

It didn’t hold the Tar Heels back early, but Clemson’s comeback was in part fueled by UNC’s own failure to get anything going.

Quarterback Billy Edwards looked overwhelmed, finishing the game 13-of-30 for 135 yards, a touchdown and an interception. It was easily his worst game of the season, following two decent but far from exciting outings against TCU and ETSU.

The Tar Heels understood his limitations early and leaned on their run game, with a mix of quick, short passes.

This game plan helped UNC build a 17-3 lead about 20 minutes into the game, but Clemson’s defense adjusted accordingly. North Carolina earned 179 yards on its first four drives, but got just 63 on its next four.

Out of the delay, the Tar Heels moved into the red zone and could’ve gone up nine in the fourth quarter. The team tried three straight run attempts inside the 10, but failed and had to settle for three.

“We missed an opportunity down there. I’ll just leave it at that,” Belichick said.

Clemson took the lead, and the Tar Heels had no response, turning the ball over on downs and throwing a pick on the final two drives. The pass game just couldn’t get going and match what Clemson had.

The loss undermines a strong outing from running back Benjamin Hall. He surpassed the 100-yard mark for the first time this season, averaging 7.2 yards per carry.

His efforts were not enough to overcome the rest of UNC’s offensive shortcomings.

The path ahead gets challenging

This meeting was just one of the first in a string of upcoming tough games for both teams, making the results of this meeting all the more important.

Clemson’s playoff hopes are still intact, as an early ACC loss to an unranked UNC team would’ve deflated any confidence the team could make it there.

The Tigers will travel to the West Coast next to play Cal. Then comes the most interesting stretch of the season as the team’s next three conference games are against No. 6 Miami, James Franklin’s Virginia Tech and Florida State.

To achieve what they want this season, Clemson will likely need to win at least two of those games.

North Carolina’s upcoming schedule is somehow even more difficult.

The Tar Heels’ season could quickly get away from them as the team travels to Notre Dame before jumping back into conference play with games against Pitt, Duke, Syracuse, Miami and Louisville. Excluding Syracuse, the other four teams are a combined (11-1) this season.

A once promising start to the year will either quickly sour or surprise. One thing that’s for sure, by the end of that stretch, we’ll have a better idea of Belichick’s future in Chapel Hill.

Subscribe now

Week 3 has arrived and conference play is finally kicking off for several teams. From an SEC shootout to an ACC defensive battle, here are the biggest games of the week locally.

Subscribe now

Mississippi State at South Carolina

This game has all the makings to be the most entertaining game of the week. Featuring a QB duel between Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, there will be offensive heroics and fireworks all afternoon.

Edge rusher Dylan Stewart is expected to make his season debut against the Bulldogs. Adding the speedy, wrecking ball that is Stewart to this defensive line will be huge as the Gamecocks look to contain Taylor. Torching both UL Monroe and Minnesota, Taylor has been incredibly effective through the air and on the ground. However, he’s faced very little pressure and has been sacked only once. South Carolina’s pass rush will be the toughest matchup for the Bulldogs so far. If the Gamecocks can get to Taylor quickly, watch for the secondary to capitalize with turnovers.

Offensively the Gamecocks received good news as left tackle Jacarrius Peak is expected to return and make his USC debut. It’s impossible to know if South Carolina’s offensive line has improved based on two wins over lower level opponents. However, what I can say confidently is that Peak is a better offensive lineman than anyone USC has had in a few years. Inserting that caliber of player on the line should help the Gamecock offense.

South Carolina will likely need to work around Mississippi State cornerback Kelley Jones, one of the best defensive backs in the nation. One way for USC to do so is to push the ball away from Jones by incorporating running backs and tight ends more into the offense. Additionally, I’d expect a healthy dosage of Matt Fuller on the ground.

One of the most interesting aspects of the matchup is the mirror image of both teams’ offenses. Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby and South Carolina OC Kendall Briles, who are brother in-laws, both run up tempo offenses built to spread defenses horizontally. With nearly identical offenses, the question is who has the personnel to run it better? I like South Carolina to take care of business at home and for Sellers to remind everyone why he became the talk of college football in 2024.

North Carolina at Clemson

Before the season started, I would’ve considered this game unwinnable for North Carolina. Now that both sides have played a pair of games, the Tar Heels look like they’ll be a competent team while the Tigers’ stock is plummeting.

The big story for Clemson is that QB Tait Reynolds, a true freshman, will be starting for the Tigers. Reynolds saw the bulk of the work against Georgia Southern and underwhelmed. Failing to top 200 yards, throw a touchdown, or complete 60% of his passes against a Sun Belt defense doesn’t inspire much confidence. Now Reynolds will face a Tar Heel defense that’s been built by UNC head coach Bill Belichick, who regularly confused and smothered inexperienced QBs at the NFL level.

One wrinkle for the Heels is the departure of defensive coordinator Steve Belichick this week. Safeties coach Brian Belichick will now be the defensive coordinator. However, I’m expecting Bill Belichick to be heavily involved with what the defense runs.

Clemson’s defense successfully shut down Georgia Southern last week, but appeared helpless when facing Lane Kiffin’s LSU offense. Which Clemson defense is the real one? It’s impossible to tell, but I suspect the defense will be the Tigers’ stronger side of the ball this season. UNC QB Billy Edwards will have his toughest task of the season, entering a hostile environment and facing a step up in competition. For UNC to win this game they don’t need Edwards to be Superman; instead they’ll need him to make smart throws and find his playmakers. Tight end Jelani Thurman will be at the top of Edwards’ target list, followed by receiver Jordan Shipp. If Edwards can get those two involved early, Carolina will be in business.

This is one of the toughest games of the week to pick. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has made an example out of North Carolina before in a “we’re still Clemson” game, as recently as last season. This could certainly be another spot where the Tigers put the foot down. However, I don’t believe Clemson has the talent anymore to do that and will be taking the Tar Heels to pull off the upset.

NC State at Vanderbilt

When was the last time NC State football won a road non-conference game against a power four team? You’d be correct if you guessed 2002, when the Wolfpack won a 51-48 shootout at Texas Tech. The Commodores appear to be vulnerable after winning in uninspiring fashion over Austin Peay and Delaware. However the same can be said about the Pack, whose 34-8 loss at Virginia remains a stark reminder of all of NC State’s flaws this year.

Vanderbilt is pushing the chips to the table for this win by starting true freshman Jared Curtis for the first time. Ranked the No. 2 high school prospect in his class by 247Sports, Curtis appeared in both of the Commodores first two games, but wasn’t the starter. If the offense is truly handed over to Curtis, I’d expect Vanderbilt to be explosive on offense. The most dangerous thing for NC State is the threat of Curtis tearing up the defense on the ground after struggling to contain UVA QB Beau Pribula, who ran for 110 yards against the Pack. If NC State manages to pull the upset, it will almost assuredly start with slowing Curtis’ legs.

The Wolfpack will also have to find a way to contain Vanderbilt’s top two running backs, Sedrick Alexander and MK Young. Alexander has 99 yards and Young has 62 yards through two games. While neither has been particularly impressive so far, both had strong seasons last year, averaging over 5 yards per carry. NC State’s run defense has already looked like barbeque chicken once vs Virginia; there’s a strong possibility it happens again here. However unlike the UVA game, NC State is now without its starting WILL linebacker, AJ Richardson. The pressure for NC State will be on linebacker Popo Aguirre Jr. to step up in Richardson’s absence.

For NC State to have a chance in this game, CJ Bailey will have to put together a strong performance. Bailey’s numbers decline sharply when he plays on the road, which is a real concern even if the atmosphere at Vanderbilt isn’t particularly daunting. Last year, Bailey threw nine interceptions, eight of which came in road games. Then in the opener at Virginia, Bailey tossed another pick. It’ll be critical for offensive coordinator Kurt Roper to give Bailey easy reads on short, quick passes to establish a rhythm early.

While the Wolfpack has a chance against Vanderbilt, I wouldn’t pick NC State to win this one. The matchup pits Vanderbilt’s strengths against the Wolfpack’s weaknesses. Even after taking all its anger out on Richmond last week, I don’t trust NC State yet after the debacle at Virginia.

Stanford at Duke

Duke is in a classic let down spot with Stanford coming to town. Coming off an upset victory at Illinois, the Blue Devils’ next challenge will be avoiding complacency against an inferior opponent.

The key for Duke is to get the run game rolling early. I’d expect running back Nate Sheppard to once again be center of the offense. Through two games, Sheppard is averaging 6.3 yards per carry and has already amassed 374 yards on the ground. Notably, Stanford’s lone strength is run defense, which opens the door for a possible upset. Last week against Miami, Stanford held star running back Mark Fletcher Jr. to just 40 yards on 13 carries. While the Hurricanes pulled away with ease due to their passing game, the Blue Devils can’t trust the passing attack enough to feel comfortable if Sheppard can’t get going.

Defensively, the key for Duke is getting pressure home against QB Davis Warren. Through two games, Warren hasn’t thrown an interception, but he’s been shaky. When Warren was a starter at Michigan in 2024, he threw more interceptions than touchdowns. While not really a gunslinger, Warren gets himself into trouble by staring down receivers and force feeding the ball rather than reacting to what the defense gives him. For Duke, getting pressure quickly on Warren while his top receivers remain covered would effectively neutralize Stanford’s passing game.

Overall, this is a game Duke should expect to win comfortably. The Blue Devils have already proven they can hang with quality competition. From the friendly confines of Wallace Wade Stadium, now Duke needs to make sure it doesn’t let its foot off the gas in its ACC opener. Stacking another win on its resume would quietly position Duke in the upper echelon of ACC teams competing for a chance to likely face Miami in the conference championship.

Subscribe now

Entering into Charlottesville for a critical early game, NC State football fell flat on its face in a 34-8 loss to Virginia. I made the trip to Scott Stadium to see what was in store for the Pack in this season and watched a team that was woefully unprepared and outmatched. There’s plenty of takeaways from the Wolfpack’s season opener and none of them are pretty.

Identity Crisis

NC State doesn’t have an identity. After most games you can find at least a few positives even in a loss, but not this game. The only real positive for the Pack is that punter Jackson Waller looks to be the real deal. With all due respect to special teams, if a punter is the only positive in a game then that performance is undeniably a collective team failure.

Offensively, the Wolfpack failed to throw for 100 yards and failed to rush for 100 yards. The Pack turned it over more than it scored. Seven different drives ended in punts. Meanwhile on defense, Virginia had its way in both the passing and running game. While the Cavaliers leaned on the rushing attack to score, they were highly effective when they chose to pass as QB Beau Pribula completed 9 of 11 passes including a pair of touchdowns. With nothing to build off of and no signs of life, it’s safe to say that the Wolfpack is already suffering an identity crisis.

CJ Bailey Hits a Career Low

NC State entered the year as a worse team on paper compared to last season. The hope is Raleigh was that quarterback CJ Bailey would continue to improve enough to offset the losses around him and carry this roster. Against Virginia though, Bailey turned in his worst career performance. Bailey finished just 12 of 23 through the air for 84 yards, marking career lows as a starter in passing yards and completions.

The biggest issue for Bailey in this one appeared to be mental. Bailey often locked onto one receiver at the start of the play. If that receiver was covered or the pass rush got through before that receiver could get open, Bailey panicked time and time again.

Run Defense is a Dumpster Fire

Virginia entered the game with a clear plan: run the ball down NC State’s throat. The Wolfpack failed to show any ability to stop UVA from executing that plan, allowing 258 yards on 57 carries. That second number, 57 rushing attempts, is a glaring problem. Teams never do the same thing 57 times in a game unless there is no doubt that a defence won’t stop it.

Virginia QB Beau Pribula torched the Wolfpack with 110 rushing yards on 15 carries. It was no secret that Pribula’s biggest strength is his legs, yet the Pack never figured out how to stop the QB run game. Always a step slow to react, the Wolfpack routinely allowed Virginia to get ahead of the chains with QB draw plays. Credit is certainly due for the Cavaliers’ offensive line, but the Wolfpack linebackers are also to blame for whiffing on multiple tackles. Virginia especially targeted edge rusher Harvey Dyson and linebacker AJ Richardson, who appeared unplayable whenever Pribula took off and ran.

Zero Playmakers Emerge

NC State’s leading receiver was tight end Vander Ploog, who finished with 2 receptions for 25 yards. You read that right, the Wolfpack failed to get even 30 yards for any individual player. NC State has a serious problem with separation, as most of the receiving core failed to get any space. Bailey could have been more accurate and offensive coordinator Kurt Roper could have run more creative concepts to manufacture production, but ultimately those things would have only helped marginally if receivers can’t separate.

NC State’s biggest additions in the receiving core this offseason included Buffalo transfer Victor Snow and Miami transfer Jojo Trader. The duo combined for just three catches and 24 yards. That simply cannot happen. NC State needs its playmakers to actually be playmakers, otherwise the Wolfpack offense will remain anemic all season.

In the run game, NC State also lacked playmakers. Running back Duke Scott impressed during the offseason and earned the starting job with the expectation of being a work horse back. However, with the spotlight on him, Scott managed just 20 yards on 7 carries. Of course the offensive line will need to give Scott more space to operate, but part of Scott’s role is breaking tackles as a power back.

Failure to Adjust

The best coaches find ways to adjust when their initial plan fails. However, neither of NC State’s coordinators adjusted to Virginia and the result was a total collapse by the third quarter.

Offensive coordinator Kurt Roper remained stubborn with his game plan, looking to run a slow, methodical offense. However, with Virginia draining the clock quickly and the deficit rising in the second half, the Wolfpack needed to find a way to stop the bleeding. An up tempo, no huddle adjustment could have caught the Cavaliers off guard and allowed the Pack to claw back into striking distance. Instead, NC State insisted on running on early downs, killing clock, and puzzlingly refusing to attack the middle of the field.

Defensively, NC State had no answer for Virginia’s run game. The Wolfpack eventually tried rotating in different players up front to get fresh bodies in the game. However, the playcalling remained similar and notably defensive coordinator DJ Eliot refused to load the box to try to stop the run. Loading the box is always risky with the threat of the offense throwing over the top, but I’d argue it’s just as risky to hand the opposition a free five plus yards per run.

The Dave Doeren Cycle remains Inevitable

Stop me if you’ve seen this movie before: NC State football enters a season with hype and dark horse ACC expectations, crumbles on the national spotlight, fan morale sinks, before finding its way late and finishing the year with seven to nine wins. We just saw NC State no show on ESPN in arguably its most important game of the year. This likely isn’t rock bottom for the Wolfpack with tough games against Vanderbilt and Louisville looming in the next month. Early losses will pile up because this team isn’t filled with stars and lacks depth. They’ll likely find an identity eventually, because Doeren’s teams almost always do.

You never want to overreact to one game. The sky isn’t falling, NC State can still put together a respectable season and win around eight games especially when the schedule softens up by mid October. To get there though, things have to change. Bailey will have to find a way to return to his 2025 self. Multiple players on defense will have to step up and be difference makers. Somebody on offense has to step up to be a go-to playmaker for Bailey to lean on. The season isn’t lost, but it’s on the rocks and will take several things breaking NC State’s way for the Wolfpack to be anything more than a mediocre ACC team.

It wasn’t easy and it certainly wasn’t pretty, but North Carolina football is 1-0 after a 15-10 victory over TCU. For the first time during the Bill Belichick era, the Tar Heels showed tangible reasons for optimism on the field. I’ve got several takeaways after watching Carolina’s 2026 debut.

Defensive Line is a Major Strength

The Tar Heels’ defensive line improved throughout last season and took another big step forward against TCU. Xavier Lewis stepped up and won ACC defensive lineman of the week after spending last season as a depth option. Lewis delivered with a pair of sacks and looks like the type of player that can be an every down player this season. While undersized, Lewis has the speed and craftiness to get into the backfield and is a worthy pass rusher to pair with Melkart Abou-Jaoude.

Speaking of Abou-Jaoude, the Tar Heels’ best pass rusher last year got started early this season with a strip sack in the third quarter. The play sunk TCU’s offense and allowed Carolina to remain ahead for the rest of the afternoon.

Not to be forgotten, Leroy Jackson proved to be a monster on the interior. With eight total tackles, Jackson got involved in stopping the run and helping round out the offensive line. Additionally, by eating up blocks to create opportunities for the linebackers, Jackson proved to be one of the most valuable players on the field. There’s no doubt in my mind that this defensive line is going to be a problem for opponents and is a real building block for the Tar Heels.

Bill Edwards Jr. will be a Capable Starter

Carolina needed competent quarterback play this year to make new OC Bobby Petrino’s offense work. Billy Edwards Jr. was perfectly competent as a game manager, despite adjusting to adverse weather and learning a new offense. Edwards is a very different QB from last year’s starter, Gio Lopez, as a pocket passing, steady signal caller, which is exactly what Carolina needed. Operating primarily in RPO plays, Edwards looked comfortable making quick, short reads, a hallmark of Petrino’s offense.

While I don’t expect Edwards to become a star, I do believe he can be a star in his role as a game manager. With a bye week and an FCS game at home against East Tennessee State up next, there’s plenty of time for Edwards to build rapport with his receivers and grow more confident before ACC play kicks off. A confident Edwards gives Carolina the steadiness needed to continue to improve offensively.

Jelani Thurman is the Real Deal

Transferring in from Ohio State, Jelani Thurman was one of the best pickups for Carolina this offseason. In my preseason preview show, TarHeel247’s Noah Weiskopf made sure to point out Thurman as one of the top names to watch. Thurman validated that optimism with an impressive four catch, 94 yard debut. Thurman is a big, athletic weapon for Edwards to lean on with the potential to break away for explosive gains, which he demonstrated against the Horned Frogs.

Thurman’s emergence as a real threat is crucial after Carolina was forced to lean solely on receiver Jordan Shipp last season. Shipp is back and remains a reliable first option for Edwards still, while Thurman’s presence now opens up space for Shipp. Defenses can no longer key in on Shipp with Thurman on the field. The next step for the Heels will be finding a quality third option to open up even more space. Receivers Mason Humphrey and Trech Kekahuna are both potential solutions here; building chemistry with Edwards in the East Tennessee State game will be something I’m watching for.

Inconsistent Rushing Attack

My biggest concern for Carolina is the run game. While the run game wasn’t terrible, it’s a key piece of Petrino’s offense and it didn’t look particularly impressive. It appears that Carolina is rolling with a running back by committee approach with Ben Hall taking up roughly half the carries and the other half split between Jaylen McGill and Demon June.

As the lead back, Hall left a lot to be desired. With just 36 yards on 11 carries and a fumble, Hall’s impact was replacement level at best. If he’s going to be the go to power back for the Heels, he’ll have to step up. Meanwhile McGill and June produced better averages with over four yards per carry each and McGill ran in the Tar Heels lone touchdown of the day.

Of course, the running backs don’t receive the full credit or blame in the run game; the offensive line will need to create better push for the backs to maximize the run game. The line was much improved from last year by cutting down on penalties and giving Edwards enough time to throw, but I thought the interior could have given a little more space for the backs to operate from. Like many units though, this group includes multiple new players and should improve as players get adjusted to the scheme.

Linebackers are a Surprising Strength

Entering the year, UNC returned just 4% of its snaps at the linebacker position. For me, this position was a significant concern. However, Carolina eased any pessimism I had with a strong day from the linebackers. Two players in particular, Derek McDonald and Jonathan Agumadu impressed.

Transferring in from Syracuse, McDonald arrived in Chapel Hill as a sixth year player with inconsistent results and an injury history. Despite a season ending hip injury last year, McDonald hit the ground running and led the Tar Heels with 11 total tackles, earning ACC linebacker of the week honors. The key for McDonald was keeping TCU running back Jeremy Payne out of the secondary where he can do damage. As a steady presence in the middle, McDonald looks like the type of player Carolina can depend on.

Agumadu meanwhile showcased his talent in pass coverage. Flying around seemingly every time TCU tried to throw over the middle, Agumadu posted a 72.1 PFF coverage grade, which ranked second on the Tar Heel defense. I’d expect Agumadu to continue to grow into an impact player that Carolina can lean on even as the competition improves.

2026 North Carolina is Vastly Better than the 2025 Tar Heels

It would have been incredibly easy for North Carolina to fold after a disastrous 4-8 campaign. To Belichick’s credit, he learned from the experience, built a much better roster, and gave us a data point for why the Belichick-UNC marriage could be successful. One quality win doesn’t erase everything that happened last season. However, it raises the floor for this season and should give Tar Heel fans reason for optimism.

Looking ahead, Carolina should enter Clemson in week three undefeated. Potentially with momentum and confidence, a trip to Death Valley won’t be easy, but it’s less daunting than it appeared a week ago. For the first time in the Belichick era there’s tangible proof of concept, the off field drama is fading into the background, and Carolina looks like an ascending football team.

Ahead of the 2026 college football season, I’ll be dropping my preseason power rankings for the five major teams in the Carolina, including Clemson, Duke, NC State, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Topping the list at No. 1 is the Clemson Tigers.

Subscribe now

Suffering their worst season since 2010 after finishing 7-6, Clemson’s time as a national title contender appears to be done. However, there’s still plenty to like about the Tigers this season. Notably, head coach Dabo Swinney dipped into the transfer portal window to retool his roster. While high school recruiting will always be the lifeblood of Swinney’s program, the Tigers brought in program record 11 transfers this offseason.

Losing nine players to the NFL Draft, Clemson retooled with the portal more than ever this offseason. That started in the secondary where cornerback Elliott Washington II is projected to take over for Aveion Terrell, who was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons. Washington’s success will be key for Clemson as an experienced outside corner who spent three years at Penn State. Already familiar with defensive coordinator Tom Allen from their time together with the Nittany Lions, Washington is the X factor that will determine how dangerous Clemson’s secondary is.

Joining Washington at corner is Ashton Hampton. Hampton is one of the ACC’s premier man coverage corners and will likely take on taller X receivers due to his size. Additionally, Hampton contributes in run defense and is more than willing to contribute on early downs. While not the fastest corner, if everything clicks for Hampton he has potential to earn himself a strong draft position after the season.

The Tigers also will likely start transfers at safety with Old Dominion’s Jerome Carter III and Southern Miss’ Corey Myrick. Setting a school record with six interceptions, Carter projects to be the Tigers ball hawk in the secondary. Meanwhile, Myrick broke out last season as a sophomore, finishing third in tackles for the Golden Eagles and should be a steady last line of defense this season.

Up front, the Tigers are replacing both Peter Woods and TJ Parker, both selected in the top 40 picks in the NFL Draft. Oklahoma transfer Markus Strong is the transfer most likely to fill Woods’ role. While only seeing limited action, Strong was an effective rotational pass rusher with three sacks from the inside that helped the Sooners earn a College Football Playoff bid. Meanwhile Jaheim Lawson, brother of former Clemson star Shaq Lawson, is set to fill an edge role in Parker’s spot.

One final name to know on the defensive line is defensive end Will Heldt. Last year Heldt posted 7.5 sacks and was a focal part of the Tigers’ pass rush. For Clemson to get back to winning double digit wins, Heldt will need to continue improving his game. I’d expect Heldt to get double teamed throughout the season, making it critical that Strong and Lawson take advantage and support Heldt in the pass rush.

At linebacker, Sammy Brown returns and is expected to be the straw that stirs the drink for the defense. A former five star prospect, Brown is a proven player who’s racked up at least 80 total tackles in each of his first two seasons with the Tigers. Brown is also a sneaky good pass rusher with 10 career sacks. I’d expect Brown to remain a force in run defense given his impressive speed while blitzing the quarterback in passing spots since Brown generally struggles in pass coverage.

Offensively, the biggest questions are at offensive coordinator and quarterback after Garrett Riley was dismissed and Cade Klubnik departed for the NFL. Last year’s offense grew stale and inconsistent, making a reset necessary. Head coach Dabo Swinney brought back former offensive coordinator Chad Morris as a familiar play caller. Meanwhile quarterback Christopher Vizzina is the most likely candidate to win the Tigers’ most pivotal position battle.

Much like his first stint at Clemson, I’d expect Morris to run an up tempo offense and take a large number of shots downfield. Vizzina fits the scheme well with a strong arm and ability to extend plays. While Vizzina’s experience is very limited, in his lone start last season the Birmingham native impressed against SMU with 317 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. My biggest concern with Vizzina is his tendency to hold onto the ball too long, which led to him taking four sacks against the Mustangs.

Surrounding Vizzina with playmakers, I expect Clemson’s offense to be sneaky good. The Tigers’ best transfer pickup was SMU’s Chris Johnson Jr. Much like his dad was with the Titans, Chris Johnson is lightning fast and will make life easier for the rest of the offense. The Tigers also have a trio of talented receivers, including Bryant Wesco Jr and TJ Moore on the outside and Tyler Brown in the slot. With plenty of pieces to work with, Vizzina is positioned to succeed.

If the offense doesn’t click this year, it will likely fall on the offensive line, which is breaking in multiple new starters. Most notably, offensive tackle Blake Miller left for the NFL and was selected by the Detroit Lions. Brayden Jacobs, a six-foot-seven monster on the line and son of two time Super Bowl champion running back Brandon Jacobs, will likely fill Miller’s spot. Meanwhile on the interior the Tigers will lean on Harris Sewell at center to lead from the inside. With 17 career starts, Sewell is by far the most experienced player on the line. Collin Sadler, another veteran presence, should provide help on the right side and is versatile enough to play guard or tackle.

Overall, I expect Clemson to bounce back to nine plus wins this season. While Vizzina is a wildcard, the Tigers have surrounded him with talent and a proven playcaller. Defensively, Clemson lost plenty of talent to the NFL, but by finally working the portal the unit has potential to be an effective group.

Week 0 has arrived, which means it’s time to finally preview games. This week, both North Carolina and NC State take the field to begin the 2026 season. The Tar Heels kickoff in Dublin against TCU at noon on ESPN, while the Wolfpack travels to Virginia for a 3:30 kickoff also on ESPN.

UNC vs TCU

The Tar Heels and the Horned Frogs opened last season in Chapel Hill, a game that was as disastrous as you could draw up for Bill Belichick’s college debut. The good news for Carolina is that the 2025 roster is largely gone. The bad news is the 2026 roster was rebuilt with freshmen and several lower level transfers. TCU also saw significant turnover since that game, notably replacing quarterback Josh Hoover and offensive coordinator Kendal Briles.

Unlike the fast, spread offensive that Briles ran at TCU last season, the Horned Frogs will likely run a more pro style system with new OC Gordon Sammis, who led UConn’s offense last year. TCU is also breaking in a new QB, Harvard transfer Jayden Craig. While decent at the FCS level, I have concerns about Craig’s ability to be a star against much better competition. Getting pressure on Craig will be critical as he’s not a dynamic threat to run. If UNC can get Melkart Abou-Jaoude into the backfield it could spell trouble for the Horned Frogs. Furthermore, if Leroy Jackson can continue stuffing the run from the interior, there’s real potential for TCU to struggle to move the ball.

Where I’m concerned for Carolina in this matchup is when the Tar Heel offense takes the field. Wisconsin transfer Billy Edwards Jr. won the quarterback competition this offseason, giving Carolina an experienced signal caller. While a decent enough game manager, Edwards isn’t the type of player I’d expect to elevate the rest of the offense. Last year, the Tar Heels failed to give QB Gio Lopez much support outside of receiver Jordan Shipp. While Shipp is back, the rest of the playmakers surrounding Shipp are unproven at best. Tight end Jelani Thurman is Carolina’s best shot at a breakout playmaker and will have to play well for the Heels to score enough in this one.

New offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has stressed the importance of establishing the run, another key aspect of the matchup. Ben Hall and Demon June have shown flashes as power backs, but will they be enough to control the game against TCU? With six games surrendering 130 or more rushing yards last season, the Horned Frogs biggest defensive weakness could be exploited by Petrino.

Weather conditions are expected to feature heavy rain, so I’d watch for both teams to try to establish the run early. Whichever side can do that will likely emerge victorious. Given the complete lack of continuity for Carolina, I project the Horned Frogs to come out on top, albeit by a much slimmer margin than last year.

Prediction: TCU wins 20-17

NC State at Virginia

Originally scheduled to meet in Brazil, the Pack and the Cavaliers matchup was moved last minute this summer to Charlottesville. Heading into the first sellout at Scott Stadium since 2008, NC State will face one of its toughest tests to open the season.

After winning a program record 11 games last season, Virginia retained much of its roster. However, the Cavaliers are breaking in a new QB, Missouri transfer Beau Pribula. Replacing Chandler Morris, Pribula is almost assuredly a step down. Much of Virginia’s success last year can be credited to Morris ability to create gains from broken plays. That formula won’t work this year as Pribula often panics when pressured, leading to turnovers and unnecessary sacks.

The question of if NC State can stop UVA is if the Pack can actually generate pressure against UVA. At the jack position, NC State will depend on Harvey Dyson III to lead the charge. While I fully expect Dyson to make an impact, I’m skeptical if the Wolfpack can generate enough pressure elsewhere given the unproven nature of the defensive line. Notably, Virginia returns a wealth of experience with all five projected starters being fifth through seventh year starters. Given UVA’s experience, they’ll likely have an edge on the line of scrimmage.

Another key matchup is the Virginia rushing attack against the Pack’s defense. NC State improved the linebacker room, which will be led by Popo Aguirre Jr and AJ Richardson. Both linebackers are best at stuffing the run and will be critical in stopping Cavalier running back Peyton Lewis. Transferring from Tennessee, Lewis largely saw action as a backup with the Vols. I project the Wolfpack to have an advantage here and potentially for Virginia to throw more than they’d like to.

Offensively, the Wolfpack will have to build chemistry quickly. With NC State’s top 5 receiving targets all gone, quarterback CJ Bailey faces a talented defense and is armed with several question marks. Also concerning is that Bailey played significantly worse on the road last season with eight of his nine interceptions coming away from home. Bailey will need to elevate his play and minimize turnovers for the Pack to keep pace with Virginia.

Where NC State could have an edge is the running game. While running back Duke Scott primarily served as a backup last season, he was spectacular in his two starts last season. Virginia’s star linebacker, Kam Robinson remains questionable to play in the opener. If Robinson is out or even just playing on a limited basis, there’ll be a big opening for Scott to take advantage of.

Overall, I expect both teams to start slow before picking things up in the second half. The Pack will likely lean on Scott to keep the chains moving, while Virginia will depend on its line to allow Pribula enough time to pick apart the Wolfpack’s secondary. This one feels like a tossup, but given home field advantage and more experience in the trenches, Virginia would be my pick to win.

Prediction: Virginia wins 34-27

Ahead of the 2026 college football season, I’ll be dropping my preseason power rankings for the five major teams in the Carolina, including Clemson, Duke, NC State, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Checking in at No. 2 is the NC State Wolfpack.

Every few years NC State has a team that appears poised to be a dark horse in the ACC, most recently in 2024. Yet every year that team tends to fall on its face and underwhelm. Can head coach Dave Doeren finally break that cycle this season with hype building around quarterback CJ Bailey and the surrounding core? 2026 may very well be a repeat of the cycle, but this year’s schedule offers a unique opportunity for the Wolfpack to finally break through.

While ideally I’d avoid starting with the schedule for a power ranking, it’s impossible to ignore NC State’s slate of games. The Pack will face just one team ranked in the preseason AP Top 25: No. 24 Louisville at home. Outside of the Cardinals the Wolfpack’s toughest matchups are road games at Virginia and Vanderbilt. That trio of opponents comes in the first half of the season before the home stretch opens up with several lower tier ACC opponents. If NC State can win even one of those games, a 10 win campaign is on the table.

While the offense saw plenty of change, three key pieces remain intact: head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterback. QB CJ Bailey enters his third year in the program with 22 total starts and strong familiarity with offensive coordinator Kurt Roper’s system. I’d expect Bailey to take another step forward this year. Bailey is now a team captain and is evolving into a more vocal leader in addition to his work on the field.

Bailey’s strengths as a quarterback stem from his impressive physical traits. A six-foot-six athletic playmaker, Bailey has the arm strength needed to attack any spot on the field and enough speed to navigate the pocket and scramble for first downs. Additionally, he’s proven he can work efficiently through reads, demonstrated by his 68.8% completion percentage. Where Bailey still struggles is making smart reads under pressure, leading to risky throws. Additionally, Bailey occasionally sails passes over receivers in the intermediate game. Improving one or both of these problems would elevate Bailey from one of the better ACC quarterbacks to a nationally elite QB.

While Bailey remains, his top offensive teammates are gone. Running back Hollywood Smothers, offensive tackle Jacarrius Peak, and receivers Noah Rogers and Terrell Anderson transferred out to bigger programs, while tight end Justin Joly was drafted by the Denver Broncos. Additionally, breakout receiver Teddy Hoffman is suspended for the entire 2026 season after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. If the Wolfpack wants to build off of last season, it will need its young players and new transfers to step up.

The Wolfpack will look to Duke Scott to lead the running back room this season. Scott racked up 595 yards on the ground with 5.6 yards per carry. In his two starts against No. 8 Georgia Tech and Memphis, Scott achieved over 100 yards in both games. Against the Yellow Jackets, Scott pounded Georgia Tech’s defense for 196 rushing yards and was instrumental in NC State’s ability to pull off the upset. Scott’s combination of power and speed, shown by his 375 pound power clean and 4.35 40 yard dash, makes him especially dangerous. After receiving the No. 1 jersey, a prestigious honor awarded annually by the coaching staff for leadership, it’s clear that Scott will be the top option for the Pack in the run game.

While Scott will receive much of the workload on first and second downs, UNC transfer Davion Gause and quarterback Will Wilson will see snaps on third downs. In limited action, Gause showed promise as a pass catcher and is a better blocker than Scott. Meanwhile, Wilson proved to be a short yardage specialist for NC State last season despite being a QB. Wilson ran in 10 touchdowns last year and was often called upon to move the chains in short yardage situations.

At receiver, Keenan Jackson is the lone returner that is expected to play a key role. The Waxhaw native is a quality X receiver who can win jump balls with his large frame and will look to build off a 281 yard sophomore campaign. Inside, I expect Buffalo transfer Victor Snow to start in the slot. While Snow is only five-foot-eight, he’s incredibly dangerous after the catch and earned 1st-Team All-MAC honors last season. Snow will also contribute on special teams.

The Wolfpack will need at least one more player to step up as a receiver. NC State will need someone to stretch the field on the outside, which is where App State transfer Davion Dozier and Miami transfer Joshisha Trader fit in. Dozier is the more established player with a whopping 20.4 yards per catch last year and a key piece for the Mountaineers. Trader has more upside as a former top 100 high school prospect with a track background. Notably, Trader played high school football with Bailey at Chaminade-Madonna.

The Wolfpack is replacing most of its production at tight end and will lean on Montana State transfer Hunter Provience and Oregon transfer Vander Ploog. Provience is a proven pass blocker and FCS national champion, while Ploog has untapped potential as a former four star prospect.

On the offensive line, the Wolfpack enjoyed key wins by retaining right tackle Teague Andersen and center Spike Sowells Jr. Bringing back Sowells was particularly important after he surrendered just four pressures and no sacks in 128 pass blocking snaps. At guard there’s a three way competition between Kamen Smith, Yousef Mugharbil, and Texas transfer Daniel Cruz. For now I’d project Mugharbil to start at left guard, Smith at right guard, and Cruz to be a versatile backup. Rounding out the offensive line is left tackle Jimarion McCrimon, an ECU transfer who leans towards being a better pass protector than run blocker.

Defensively, NC State returns defensive coordinator DJ Eliot for year 2. He’ll run a 3-4 scheme with two high safeties. Last year’s defense was wildly inconsistent with the new scheme and a rash of injuries, but with a year to build the defense to fit his scheme better the defense should improve.

The defensive line is likely NC State’s biggest question mark. At nose tackle, Josiah Victor is expected to step in to replace Brandon Cleveland, who was drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders. Isaiah Shirley is a safe bet to start on the end, who notably earned a scoop and score vs Wake Forest last season. I’d also watch for Joseph Adedire to rotate in on passing downs and Colby Cronk, a defensive end with impressive physical tools, to factor into the rotation.

Harvey Dyson III, a Tulane transfer, was one of the Pack’s biggest transfer portal additions this year and could lead the Wolfpack in sacks from the “Jack” position. Dyson posted eight sacks last year in a breakout campaign, including sacks in the Green Wave’s biggest games in the AAC championship and first round of the College Football Playoff.

Under Doeren, NC State has produced several exceptional linebackers. The Wolfpack is hoping that Miami transfer Popo Aguirre Jr. can be the next great linebacker in Raleigh. Aguirre appeared in 39 games with the Hurricanes, primarily in a reserve role. However, when he got his opportunity on the field he displayed excellent instincts and the ability to play fast. While Aguirre is undersized, he’s the safest bet to see the field at linebacker for the Pack.

Elsewhere in the linebacker room, I’d watch out for AJ Richardson and Penn State transfer DaKaari Nelson. Richardson was a standout at the Juco level and is now a team captain for the Wolfpack. Expect Richardson to provide run support on early downs. Nelson is likely to play in passing situations and is a converted safety who excels in zone coverage.

The secondary has the highest upside of any area on the defense. Brian Nelson II returns and will start on the outside as a high risk-high reward corner who will try to bait QBs into risky throws. Opposite of Nelson, I project Georgia transfer Ondre Evans to take the other outside corner spot. Evans struggled with injuries with the Bulldogs, but is a former four star prospect that the Wolfpack wanted out of high school. After a brief tour in Athens, Evans arrives in Raleigh with elite speed and will likely be tasked with locking down opposing vertical speed threats.

At nickel, Jackson Vick returns after gaining valuable experience last season. Vick struggled with the role early but improved by the end of the year. Rounding out the secondary are safeties Ronnie Royal and Penn State transfer King Mack. Royal is an undersized, but hyper athletic free safety who was once a blue chip recruit. Like Vick, Royal worked through a learning curve last season, but became much better in the final weeks of the season. Mack is also an undersized safety, but holds up as a steady tackler. Additionally, Mack has impressive speed and is a nice option as a last line of defense.

The Wolfpack will depend on transfers across the board to maximize its window with Bailey. However, with a soft schedule and some hits in transfer evaluation, 2026 has the potential to be one of Doeren’s best seasons. While I believe the Pack ultimately falls short of an elusive ACC championship game appearance, the stars are aligned for NC State to win nine plus games and maintain the steady model of consistently being good that Doeren has established.

Ahead of the 2026 college football season, I’ll be dropping my preseason power rankings for the five major teams in the Carolina, including Clemson, Duke, NC State, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Today the series rolls on with No. 3 South Carolina.

2025 was nothing short of a disaster for South Carolina. Entering the year with College Football Playoff aspirations, the Gamecocks face planted enroute to a 4-8 record. With a dead in the water offense and a tendency to fall apart late, most notably blowing a 27 point lead at Texas A&M, it may seem strange to rank the Gamecocks so high. However, South Carolina’s roster is filled with potential NFL talent and made a key staffing hire to bring optimism.

After just one season, offensive coordinator Mike Shula is out. Shula’s offense appeared to set quarterback LaNorris Sellers back and failed to establish much of an identity. In comes TCU’s Kendall Briles with his up tempo spread offense. With its roots originating at the high school level, Briles scheme is a welcome change by simplifying the offense after Shula’s complex pro style offense. To me, this is the most important move for the Gamecocks this entire offseason.

At quarterback, LaNorris Sellers is set to start for a third consecutive season. Sellers is a big, athletic dual threat quarterback. To me, Sellers’ super power is his ability to avoid defenders by throwing off players and juking his way through traffic. Paired with a strong arm to push the ball downfield, Sellers is an excellent fit for Briles offense. If Sellers can clean up his progressions and cut down on turnovers, there’s potential for Sellers to reemerge as a household name as he did in 2024.

Outside of offensive coordinator, the Gamecocks biggest weakness was the offensive line. Sellers was sacked 42 times last season, third most of any QB in the nation last season. While some of that comes with Sellers’ determination to create something out of broken plays, the offensive line did him no favors. South Carolina reeled in NC State’s star left tackle Jacarrius Peak, arguably the best offensive lineman in the transfer portal this offseason. While Peak suffered a knee injury in February, he is expected to return early in the season and is a critical anchor for the offensive line with NFL upside.

Outside of Peak, the rest of the offensive line is full of position battles. Five star freshman Darius Gray has the highest upside on the interior and was compared to Cleveland Browns guard Zion Johnson by 247 Sports. Shed Sarratt Jr appears to be the favorite at right tackle after seeing significant playing time as a freshman last year and showcased incredible raw strength, but will need to improve his balance. The rest of the line remains a mystery, but I’d keep an eye on UCF transfer Carter Miller at center who’s an experienced five year player with 29 career starts.

Much like the offensive line, the skill positions are filled with moving pieces with spots up for grabs. Six-foot-five receiver Nyck Harbor is slated to be the Gamecocks top target. His size and speed combination makes him lethal on vertical routes. As a former elite track athlete, Harbor clocked in an impressive high of 22.4 miles per hour last season and has gotten better every year. Given Sellers arm strength and Briles desire to push the ball downfield, I expect Harbor to be the focal point of the passing game and is a dark horse All-SEC candidate.

Outside of Harbor, it gets much more challenging to project starters. As a true freshman, Jayden Sellers, younger brother of LaNorris, emerged late with 337 yards. I believe Sellers has the upside to carve out a key role thanks to his elusive ability after the catch and chemistry with his brother at QB. Meanwhile Brady Hunt projects to be the top tight end for the Gamecocks. While Hunt has yet to break out in Columbia, he showed great potential at Ball State as a safety valve before transferring. Briles typically prioritizes tight ends and should unlock some of that potential.

The Gamecocks have a pair of unproven, but talented running backs who will battle for the starting role. Matt Fuller is a speedy player who’s spent the past two seasons developing behind older players. Meanwhile Christian Clark is a Texas transfer that’s flashed as a strong, power back in limited action with the Longhorns. If at least one of the two backs can emerge as an average SEC running back, the Gamecocks run game should take a step forward.

Defensively, the Gamecocks have less questions. Defensive coordinator Clayton White returns for year 6 in Columbia and has proven to be one of the best staff hires head coach Shane Beamer has made. Utilizing a 4-2-5 scheme, White’s defenses regularly create pressure and turnovers. While turnovers can be volatile, I expect it to continue given White’s track record.

The most talented player on the Gamecocks is Dylan Stewart, a monster off the edge, who has the upside to be a top ten selection in the upcoming NFL Draft. With 11 sacks in his first two seasons, Stewart is already used to taking on double teams. His impressive speed off the edge will draw the attention of offensive lines and open things up for the rest of the defense. Additionally, Stewart is a hard hitter with six career forced fumbles and plays to White’s strength of forcing turnovers.

Opposite of Stewart, I expect true freshman Julian Walker and Tennessee transfer Caleb Herring to both contribute on a rotational basis. Both have the size and athletic tools to be effective in the SEC, despite a lack of experience. Herring did enjoy a career best four sacks last season at Tennessee and may have the edge early in the battle. On the interior, it appears murky who will start, but it’s a critical spot for South Carolina in run defense.

South Carolina’s linebackers are one of the biggest wildcards on the team. Justin Okoronkwo is a freak athlete who was inconsistent last season. However, when he’s at his best he can be a game wrecker in run defense. If he can find some consistency, he’ll be a force to deal with. Similar to Okoronkwo, Fred Johnson was a bit erratic last season but is a big, athletic force. Breaking out in last year’s opener against Virginia Tech, Johnson struggled to find that same success in SEC play, but the potential is there to be a quality starter.

While USC lost key pieces in the secondary including cornerback Brandon Cisse, who was drafted by the Green Bay Packers, the Gamecocks still have an abundance of talent. Cornerbacks Vicari Swain and Judge Collier return with experience at corner, while Peyton Williams will start for a second season at safety. The Gamecocks also found SEC experience in the transfer portal, securing Kentucky’s Quay’Sheed Scott who can play in the nickel.

A lot has to go right for South Carolina’s offense to bounce back, but the pieces are there to succeed. If the defense remains a strength and Briles unlocks Sellers full potential, the Gamecocks are a dangerous team that could win eight plus games. However, the SEC schedule will be merciless if things go south. However, I think it’s most likely that Beamer makes it work and builds some momentum heading into 2027.

Ahead of the 2026 college football season, I’ll be dropping my preseason power rankings for the five major teams in the Carolina, including Clemson, Duke, NC State, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Today we continue with the Duke Blue Devils, checking in ahead of North Carolina.

The reigning ACC champions will have their work cut out for them after losing quarterback Darian Mensah to the transfer portal. However, Manny Diaz earned the benefit of the doubt last season by guiding the Blue Devils to their first ACC title since 1989.

The Blue Devils offense will likely center around running back Nate Sheppard. While Mensah and the passing attack stole the show last season, Sheppard quietly impressed with 1132 yards on the ground, second most in the ACC. Sheppard’s ability to make defenders miss proved to be lethal. While he’s not the biggest or the fastest running back, he’s certainly one of the craftiest backs in the nation. If Sheppard can replicate his 5.7 yards per carry average this season, Duke will be well-positioned for success.

The quarterback battle will be pivotal for Duke. The Blue Devils have three options, which include San Jose State transfer Walker Eget, North Alabama transfer Ari Patu, and returning backup Dan Mahan. For now, Eget seems to be the most likely starter after starting the past two years at San Jose State. Eget is primarily a pocket passer and has a tendency to make risky throws. It shows in his high turnover numbers, throwing 19 interceptions over the last two seasons. Eget also was unable to complete 60% of his passes each of the past two seasons. If Duke rolls with Eget, watch for the Blue Devils to be a highly volatile offense.

The Blue Devils are also replacing standout wide receiver Cooper Barkate, who joined Mensah at Miami. Duke will turn to Penn transfer Jared Richardson, who totaled at least 600 yards and seven touchdowns in each of his first three seasons. Moving up from FCS to ACC certainly poses questions for Richardson though, so it’s no guarantee his skillset will translate. With an inexperienced room outside of Richardson, the Penn Transfer’s success is critical for Duke’s offense.

Fortunately for the Blue Devils, tight end Jeremiah Hasley returns after a breakout season. A Preseason All ACC selection, Hasley is one of the best tight ends in the conference and will be a reliable option for whoever wins the quarterback battle. While he’s not the biggest or the fastest tight end, Hasley has reliable hands and runs sharp routes, which should help raise the floor for the Blue Devils’ offense.

The Blue Devils retained key players on the interior of the offensive line, but will need to replace both tackles. Duke attacked the transfer market and secured Nick Del Grande from Coastal Carolina and Braden Miller from Cal. Del Grande is an experienced two-time All Sun Belt selection who earned the highest PFF season grade amongst Sun Belt offensive tackles last season. Miller meanwhile has made seven career starts and is a bigger gamble for the Blue Devils, but has all the athletic tools needed to succeed in the ACC.

Defensively, Duke lost significant talent, most notably cornerback Chandler Rivers and defensive end Wesley Williams. The Blue Devils will need a number of unproven pieces to emerge for the defense to live up to head coach Manny Diaz’s defensive standards.

Arguably the biggest upside piece for Duke is defensive end Bryce Davis. Davis is a former four star, top 100 recruit out of Grimsley High School where he racked up 27 sacks as a senior. Star ratings aren’t gospel, but they do show upside and athletic traits which Davis possesses. After spending most of last year developing, Davis is a prime breakout candidate that Duke will need to emerge as a quality pass rusher.

The interior of the defensive line also remains unproven. Options include Penn State transfer Owen Wafle and returners Preston Watson and David Anderson. None have played significant snaps at the collegiate level making it a major area of concern. The Blue Devils will need someone to step up from this group in order for the defense to be functional.

The linebacking room is more promising with Luke Mergott returning. Mergott emerged as a breakout player last season as a tall, do it all linebacker. A steady tackler with underrated speed, Mergott is the anchor that the Blue Devils will lean on this season. I’d watch for Elliott Schaper to compete for a starting role after showing some promise before a season ending injury last season. Nick Morris Jr, who returns for a sixth season, should also compete for a starting role after spending much of his career as a depth piece.

Some of Duke’s best transfer portal work came in the secondary. Retooling the unit was critical, but Diaz found a pair of potential gems in Montana’s Kyon Loud and Western Kentucky’s Dylan Flowers. While Loud didn’t have any interceptions last season, quarterbacks largely avoided throwing his way thanks to his coverage ability. Flowers journey to Duke included several schools from College of the Canyons to Western Kentucky. During that time, Flowers developed strong zone coverage skills. Whether or not Loud and Flowers will translate to the ACC is unknown, but they’ve succeeded in previous stops.

On paper, there’s too many questions to project Duke to contend for the ACC title again. However, Manny Diaz proved he can find talent with many overlooked players shining during Duke’s 2025 ACC title run. For now, Duke can expect to still be a bowl team that can cycle back up next season as their starters gain valuable experience.

Ahead of the 2026 college football season, I’ll be dropping my preseason power rankings for the five major teams in the Carolina, including Clemson, Duke, NC State, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Today we begin at the bottom of the power rankings with the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Last season was nothing but a train wreck for North Carolina last season under head coach Bill Belichick. The Tar Heels lost five of their first seven games and never recovered en route to a 4-8 finish and missed a bowl game for the first time since 2018.

Belichick aggressively reshaped his operation this season, starting at offensive coordinator. Replacing offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens with former Arkansas and Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino should inject some creativity into the playcalling. It’s fair to question the hire given Petrino’s past, but from purely an on-field perspective this is an upgrade.

The roster also saw significant turnover this offseason with 61 new players entering the program. Whether it works is impossible to know, but it was certainly necessary after missing on several evaluations last season.

The biggest key for North Carolina will be finding capable quarterback play after a roller coaster season with Gio Lopez, who’s since transferred out to Wake Forest. Billy Edwards Jr. appears to be the favorite to start for the Tar Heels in his sixth season. After spending four years at Maryland, including starting in 2024, Edwards played at Wisconsin last year but suffered an early season injury. While not an elite athlete, Edwards showed the ability to be a capable game manager in 2024 with Maryland. It’s also worth mentioning that if things don’t click with Edwards, the Heels have Travis Burgess, a six-foot-five freshman who was highly touted coming out of high school.

While North Carolina didn’t have a star back last season, they do return Demon June and Benjamin Hall as a potential running back by committee. June exploded for over 100 yards against both Richmond and Syracuse last season, but was otherwise inconsistent against tougher competition. I’d expect him to factor in as a pass catcher and speedy runner. Meanwhile Hall never had a true breakout game, but can be a safe, early down runner.

Wide receiver Jordan Shipp was one of the few bright spots last season. Posting 671 yards and 6 touchdowns last season, Shipp is a reliable outside receiver. I was particularly impressed with his route running which should help Edwards have a reliable first option. Opposite of Shipp, Mason Humphrey, a Lehigh transfer, is the most promising option. A six-foot-four receiver who can win jump balls, Humphrey produced for three years at Lehigh showing statistical improvement each season. However the jump from the FCS to the ACC is massive so it may take Humphrey time to adjust to bigger and faster competition.

The offensive line was an area of weakness last season, consistently struggling with penalties last year. The Tar Heels injected some new talent into the right side of the line with guard Andrew Threatt and tackle JacQawn McRoy. Threatt is another FCS star who will need to adjust to the ACC, while McRoy is a six-foot-eight physical beast from Arkansas who did not see playing time. For now, it’s impossible to say whether the line will be improved, but the bar is low.

Defensively, Carolina struggled despite Belichick’s defensive success at the NFL level. The biggest reason for optimism however is the defensive line which improved throughout the season last year. If the Tar Heels are going to take a step forward, the defensive line will need to be the anchor that steps up throughout the season.

Defensive tackle Leroy Jackson impressed as a redshirt freshman last season, posting 36 total tackles and proving himself as a run stopper. Jackson will need to step up as a pass rusher after failing to get a sack last year, but is a safe bet to be the Tar Heels anchor inside on early downs.

Helping in the pass rush is edge rusher Melkhart Abou Jaoude, who racked up an impressive 10.5 sacks. Earning Second Team All-ACC honors last year, Abou Jaoude will be needed in the pass rush. His presence will also be valuable in opening up opportunities for the rest of the defensive line to get to the QB, which is especially key given the unproven nature of the rest of the pass rushers.

Belichick has a long track record of success with linebackers, including Jamie Collins who coaches Carolina’s linebackers. There is virtually no returning production in the linebacker room, making it a challenge for the Tar Heels however as they’ll need players to gel quickly. The top transfers Carolina brought in include Syracuse’s Derek McDonald and Richmond’s Peyton Seelmann. McDonald is a tall, experienced run stuffer who missed most of last season due to injury, but contributed in his first few years with the Orange. Meanwhile Seelmann was a do it all standout at the FCS level with 120 tackles and 2 picks last year, but is undersized and will need to adapt to the ACC, a familiar theme for many of Carolina’s transfers.

Like linebacker, the secondary is also a major question mark. One of Carolina’s biggest recruiting wins was cornerback Kenneth Dopson III, a four star cornerback who flipped from Miami. Known for his impressive man coverage ability, expect Dopson to challenge for a starting role. The Tar Heels also reeled in four star safety Jakob Weatherspoon who could earn playing time. With multiple freshmen potentially seeing the field and other spots still up for grabs, the Carolina secondary has a wide range of outcomes. However, experience is always valuable for defensive backs and right now the Tar Heels lack that, which is a concern for me.

The bottom line for North Carolina is that the Tar Heels need results now. After investing heavily in Belichick and his entire operation, another 4-8 season won’t cut it. The schedule however is very unforgiving with five of the top seven teams in the ACC Preseason Poll on Carolina’s schedule. That doesn’t include TCU, who UNC will face in their season opener in Ireland. Given the schedule, the numerous question marks across the roster, and instability of Belichick’s operation, it would be surprising to see Carolina reach bowl eligibility even if the Tar Heels show improvement from last season.