Miami, still seeking its first ACC title, is picked as the league favorite in 2026
- Miami has never won the Atlantic Coast Conference title, but the Hurricanes are picked as the league’s headliner for 2026.
- The Hurricanes are ranked No. 7 in the preseason AP poll, and quarterback Darian Mensah was selected as the preseason player of the year.
- Miami placed a third of the players on the preseason all-ACC team, including running back Mark Fletcher Jr. and receiver Malachi Toney.
- SMU is projected as the main challenger, with quarterback Kevin Jennings leading its hopes after helping the Mustangs reach the ACC title game and the College Football Playoff in 2024.
- Louisville is also expected to contend after adding Ohio State transfer quarterback Lincoln Kienholz to an offense that includes running back Isaac Brown.
- The ACC is moving to a nine-game football schedule as a bridge toward broader nine-game play for most of the league by 2027, and the conference title game is set for Dec. 5 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Miami enters the 2026 season with a familiar distinction and an unfamiliar expectation: the Hurricanes have never won the ACC title, but they are the preseason favorite to do it this year. Under coach Mario Cristobal, Miami has returned to the top 10 and reached the brink of a national title picture, and the program is now being projected to turn that progress into a conference championship.
The Hurricanes are ranked No. 7 in the preseason AP poll. Darian Mensah was named preseason player of the year, and Miami accounted for a large share of the preseason all-ACC team. Mark Fletcher Jr. and Malachi Toney were among the players recognized after strong 2025 seasons.
SMU is the leading challenger. Quarterback Kevin Jennings is back after guiding the Mustangs to the ACC title game and the College Football Playoff in 2024. Louisville is also in the mix after adding Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz at quarterback to an offense that includes Isaac Brown.
The league is also adjusting its schedule structure. The ACC is moving toward a nine-game conference slate, though five schools will remain at eight games this season because of the uneven number of teams. The ACC championship game is scheduled for Dec. 5 in Charlotte.
迈阿密仍在追逐首个ACC冠军，被看好成2026赛季联赛头号热门
迈阿密进入2026赛季时带着一个熟悉的现实和一个不太熟悉的期待：这支球队从未拿过ACC冠军，但如今被看作本赛季最有希望做到这一点的队伍。自马里奥·克里斯托博执教以来，迈阿密已经重返全美前十，并接近冲击全国冠军的层级，如今外界认为他们有机会把这种上升势头转化为联赛冠军。
飓风队在季前美联社排名中位列第7。达里安·门萨被评为季前年度最佳球员，迈阿密球员在季前ACC最佳阵容中占据了很大比例。马克·弗莱彻二世和马拉基·托尼等球员因2025赛季的表现入选。
SMU是最主要的挑战者。四分卫凯文·詹宁斯回归，他曾带领球队在2024年打进ACC冠军赛并进入大学橄榄球季后赛。路易斯维尔也被视为争冠队伍之一，球队在四分卫位置上引进了来自俄亥俄州立大学的林肯·基恩霍尔茨，进攻端还有艾萨克·布朗。
联盟赛制也在调整。ACC正在向九场联盟比赛过渡，不过由于成员学校数量不均，本赛季仍有5所学校保持8场联盟赛。ACC冠军赛定于12月5日在夏洛特举行。