After a few down seasons for ACC standards, there are a lot of teams with plenty of talent in the conference this season. That doesn't mean there'll automatically be success though. Each team still has questions to answer that will dictate how good of a season they truly have.

Boston College: Can Luke Murray lay the foundation in year one?

Boston College hasn't had any success over the last decade and a half. During that time, Boston College hasn't finished at .500 or better in conference play during any season, and they've only had two teams who have finished in the top 100 of KenPom.

Boston College made a change this offseason, hiring Luke Murray as their new coach. Murray, son of actor and comedian Bill Murray, has been a collegiate assistant coach since 2010, most notably having success as a UConn assistant for the last five seasons.

On paper, the roster Murray assembled will be less talented than most of the ACC. In year one, the goal should be just to lay the foundation and figure out the potential system that could work in the long term.

Money Williams is a name to watch for this season. The 6'4" guard averaged 20.6 points and 4.7 assists for Montana last season.

California: How will lost production be replaced?

Head coach Mark Madsen has improved California in each of the three seasons he has coached there. Last season, the Golden Bears went 22-12 overall, including 9-9 in ACC play, while also being a top 75 KenPom team for the first time since 2017.

However, a lot of last season's production is either out of eligibility or transferred out this offseason. Justin Pippen, Dai Dai Ames, Chris Bell, and John Camden all averaged over 13 points per game last season, but aren't on this year's roster.

Sophomore guard Semetri Carr will be asked to take a big leap in his second season. He averaged 16.5 minutes, 3.8 points, and 2.2 assists per game as the backup point guard for California last season. He'll most likely be given the keys to the offense this season.

Jordan Ross and Micahel Cooper are 6'3" guards transferring in from Georgia and Wright State, respectively. Ross will be looking to provide some veteran leadership to the backcourt, while Cooper is someone who could be a top scorer on this team.

Clemson: Will there be enough depth to maintain competitiveness?

Head coach Brad Brownell took Clemson to their third straight tournament last season as Clemson went 24-11 overall. Clemson has to replace six players who averaged at least 20 minutes per game for the Tigers last season.

Ace Buckner returned to Clemson this offseason, and he'll be asked to run the offense. The rest of the projected starting five has talent that should be able to compete. Cole Certa, Liutauras Lelevicius, David Fuchs, and Dylan Faulkner all transferred into the program this summer and project to fill out the starting five.

There currently is very little proven talent on the bench, however, Zac Foster tore his ACL in October and is out for the season. Carter Wlling tore his ACL late in the season last year, and he'll be out for the first part of this season. Dillon Hunter is attempting to get another year of eligibility, but he's currently ruled ineligible.

Chase Thompson averaged nine minutes per game last year for Clemson, and he's the only one in the projected rotation who has seen minutes. Harris Reynolds, Will Stevens, and Amare James may all have to contribute as freshman.

Duke: Will Duke be able to breakthough under Scheyer?

In just four seasons as the head coach of Duke, Jon Scheyer has led the Blue Devils to a Final Four appearance and three Elite Eights. Duke has lost in heartbreaking fashion the last two NCAA Tournaments by blowing leads in the final minute.

Jon Scheyer has figured out the formula for success, he just hasn't been able to get Duke all the way to the title yet. This roster will once again be arguably the most talented roster in the country, with the upside of having both the best offense and defense in the country.

John Blackwell, Caleb Foster, and Cayden Boozer form one of the best backcourts in the country. Patrick Ngongba can be one of the best players in college basketball, let alone one of the premiere centers. 7'2" freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje has arguably the highest ceiling of anyone in college basketball. Dame Sarr is a great defender with good length.

All of this is to say, Duke once again has the talent to cut down the nets in March, but they have to be able to execute down the stretch.

Florida State: Will Florida State's bet on internal development pay off?

Florida State will field an entirely new roster this upcoming season that features five transfers and seven freshman on the roster.

In the era of college basketball getting older again, Florida State is attempting to take freshman and develop them internally. Marcis Ponder is the top ranked player in this freshman class. The 7-foot-0 center is nicknamed "Baby Shaq" and provides real size to the interior of the team.

Martay Barnes, Brandon Bass Jr., Collin Paul, and Jasen Lopez are all freshman that could see consistent minutes this season off the bench.

Transfers Anthony Robinson II and Sebastian Rancik will be expected to handle some of the load offensively as they've both had experience playing at the high major level.

Georgia Tech: Can Victor Valdes transfer up to the high major level?

After Georgia Tech hired Scott Cross this offseason, one of the first things he did was get Victor Valdes to transfer from Troy to Georgia Tech with him.

Troy made the NCAA Tournament last season under Scott Cross, and Victor Valdes was one of the major reasons why. Last season, Valdes averaged 14.8 points, 4.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game for the Trojans. At 6-foot-7, Valdes can be a jumbo point guard, giving opponent defenses a difficult matchup.

In the five games against Quad 1 and 2 opponents last season, Valdes averaged 18.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.6 steals per game. It's a small sample size, and Valdes has to fit with a new team this season, but there is reason to believe that Valdes can produce for Georgia Tech this season.

Louisville: Can Pat Kelsey figure out how to win big games?

Louisville has enough talent to compete at the top of the ACC this season, and there aren't many major areas of concern with this roster on paper. It's reported as one of the most expensive rosters in all of college basketball, and the projected starting lineup of Jackson Shelstad, Adrian Wooley, Karter Knox, Alvaro Folgueiras, and Flory Bidunga can be one of the most complete five in the sport.

The Cardinals have made the NCAA Tournament in both seasons under head coach Pat Kelsey, but they haven't made the second weekend either year. Part of the issue last season was Louisville going only 1-9 in Quad 1A games.

Talent will not be the question this season. Kelsey's system and ability to adapt it to all the starpower to the roster will be the major questions. If he can maximize the skill in the backcourt along with the size and talent in the front court, Louisville will put themselves in the spots to win big games.

Miami FL: Can the sophomore backcourt reach an elite level?

The first season of the Jai Lucas era at Miami went well with the hurricanes going 26-9 overall and making the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Now in year two, Lucas has put together a roster that should be highly competitive once again. The backcourt trio of Acaden Lewis, Dante Allen, and Shelton Henderson may end up dictating what the ceiling of this team is.

Acaden Lewis transferred to Miami this offseason after averaging 12.2 points, 5.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game during his freshman season at Villanova. Similar to Tre Donaldson last season, Lewis will be expected to lead the offense.

Dante Allen and Shelton Henderson returned to Miami for their sophomore season. Henderson averaged 13.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game with his physical style of play, predicated on getting downhill. Dante Allen averaged 6.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, showing he can be a connecting guard who can provide in multiple areas.

N.C. State: Will the fresh start equate to success?

The Will Wade era lasted only one season, before Wade resigned from coaching N.C. State in order to take the LSU job. This wasn't an anticipated move, and it left the Wolfpack having to figure things out in a short period of time.

N.C. State hired Justin Gainey, the associate head coach of Tennessee. Gainey has been an assistant coach in college basketball for over 15 years, and he also was the Director of Basketball Operations for N.C. State from 2006-2009.

Gainey had to put together an almost entirely new roster, and he only had a week between being hired and the transfer portal opening.

Gainey got a lot of up transfers from the mid-major level, headlined by 6-foot-1 guard Preston Edmead from Hofstra who averaged 16.1 points and 4.4 assists per game.

Darius Adams transferred from Maryland after a shaky freshman season. Adams is a former 5-star recruit, and although he didn't click at Maryland, he's someone who could breakout.

North Carolina: Will Mike Malone translate to the college game in year 1?

North Carolina made a big splash this offseason, hiring head coach Mike Malone. Malone was a head coach in the NBA from 2013 to 2025, most notably winning the 2023 NBA Championship while coaching Nikola Jokic. Malone hasn't been a coach in college since 2001, when he was an assistant coach for Manhattan.

Malone has proven he can lead a team to a championship, but there are different responsibilities that come with leading a college team.

Malone's first task was assembling an almost entirely new roster. Jarin Stevenson was the only rotational player to return to UNC this off season. Neoklis Avdalas was one of the bigger names in the portal with his ability to score and playmake at 6-foot-9.

Malone said this summer he wants UNC to have an anlytical approach, taking very few mid-range shots. That philosophy can provide a higher floor for a team, especially in the first year under a new coach.

Notre Dame: Can the Braeden backcourt duo give Notre Dame offensive output?

Braeden Smith and Braeden Shrewsberry will be the focal points for the upcoming Notre Dame offense. Braeden Smith transferred in from Gonzaga after averaging 5.1 points and 3.6 assists in 17.1 minutes per game. Braden Shrewsberry, son of head coach Micah Shrewsberry, averaged 11.9 points while shooting over 40 percent from 3 last season.

Micah Shrewsberry is looking to build some momentum in South Bend. The Fighting Irish struggled last season, finishing 13-18 overall, including 4-14 in ACC play.

Notre Dame has run an offensive system that utilizes a lot of pick-and-rolls and isolations, relying on guards to go create. That'll be the plan once again with the Braeden backcourt duo. The two players fit well together as Smith is a pass-first point guard, while Shrewsberry is a scoring guard who is more efficient playing off-ball.

Pittsburgh: Will the offense bounce back with an entirely new roster?

Pitt won just 13 games last season, the fewest since 2022. The Panthers were never able to find any rhythm, and they lost a handful of pretty close games. The surprising part was the offense ranking outside the top 100 of KenPom.

The best Pitt teams under Jeff Capel have been fueled by the offensive side of the ball, including top 30 offenses in 2023 and 2024. Capel has to get back to that formula with a roster this season that features only one player, Macari Moore, who played minutes for the Panthers last season.

Capel's best offenses at Pitt were teams that took a lot of 3s, shot the ball well, and really limited turnovers. Naithan George transferred from Syracuse, and he projects to fill the point guard role. He's had some issues with turnovers, but he's also shown he can run an offense. Jonathan Powell, Baye Ndongo, A'lahn Sumler, and Timofei Rudovskii all shot above 35 percent from three last season, giving Pitt some perimeter shooting.

SMU: Can a potentially improved defense keep SMU's momentum?

SMU made it to the tournament last season for the first time since 2017, losing to Miami OH in the First Four. SMU had a strong offense who shot the ball and rebounded well, carrying them to finishing 28th in KenPom offense.

However, the defense held the Mustangs back from having a bigger season, finishing 106th in the country. SMU wanted to take away shots at the rim defensively, giving up a lot of 3-point attempts. Despite limiting shots at the rim, opposing offenses still shot above average from both 2s and 3s.

Jaden Toombs returned to SMU, looking to have a breakout sophomore campaign at the center position. Nic Codie transferred in from Texas, and the 6-foot-8 forward had flashes of positive defense last season.

David Terrell Jr. and Rowan Brumbaugh transferred in from North Texas and Tulane, respectively. Both averaged over 1.5 steals per game, potentially giving SMU the ability to force more turnovers.

Stanford: Who is going to score for Stanford?

Stanford had a lot of movement this offseason, losing much of their roster to the transfer portal or the NBA. Instead of going deep in the portal, head coach Kyle Smith has opted to bring in five freshmen this season and only two transfers to fill out the roster.

No one on the roster is a proven scorer at the high major level, however. Christian Bliss averaged 16.7 points and 5.9 assists per game for Delaware last season, but he'll be taking a big jump in competition level. Aidan Cammann averaged 6.3 points per game last season for Stanford, and he'll be projected to have an expanded role.

Aziz Olajuwon, son of Hakeem Olajuwon, projects to be an impactful shooter from day one of his freshman season, and he'll pair well alongside a facilitating point guard.

Julius Price is a 6-foot-3 freshman who can be a combo guard to try and help initiate the offense.

Syracuse: Will Siena uptransfers work at the ACC level?

Syracuse hired head coach Gerry McNamara this offseason, who previously coached at Siena and took them to the NCAA Tournament last season.

McNamara was a point guard on the 2003 National Championship team at Syracuse, starting all four seasons. He'll be looking to get the Orange back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021.

McNamara brought three Siena players with him: Gavin Doty, Francis Folefac, and Tasman Goodrick. Folefac and Goodrick will be projected rotational players, but Doty will be asked to be a focal part of the offense after he averaged 18.0 points per game last season.

Syracuse won't solely have to rely on the Siena players as guys like Garqey Dual and Aiden Tobiason should produce, but if the three Siena transfers can translate, it gives the system some stability in year one.

Virginia: Can the offense be among the elite in the country?

In the first season under head coach Ryan Odom, Virginia went 30-6 overall while having the 27th ranked offense per KenPom.

The 2027 preseason rankings have the Cavaliers ranked high. KenPom has Virginia 15th overall with the 24th best offense. Bart Torvik has Virginia as a top five team with the fourth best offense.

Rankings are just rankings, but it's indicative that this Virginia offense may have a very high ceiling. Thijs de Ridder averaged 15.6 points per game as a freshman at Virginia, and he could see an even bigger role this season. Sam Lewis averaged double digit points last season while being a 40 percent three point shooter. The projected starting five for Virginia all shot at least 35 percent from three last season.

Virginia Tech: Will transfers fill in the missing pieces from last year's core?

Virginia Tech returned Ben Hammond, Tyler Johnson, and Amani Hansberry from last year's team that went 19-13 overall and was on the wrong side of the bubble. Those three combined for 61 starts last season.

With Virginia Tech able to retain a solid core, the objective then becomes to fill in the gaps with the transfer portal. The two biggest transfers were Jaylen Curry from Oklahoma State and Musa Sagnia from NC State.

Curry averaged 10.1 points and 3.5 assists per game last season, forming a good backcourt duo with Ben Hammond. Musa Sagnia only played 12.4 minutes per game last season, but he did have upside in both rebounding and rim protection to pair with Amani Hansberry.

Wake Forest: Can the offensive production of last season be replicated?

Wake Forest had eleven players transfer out of the system and another player run out of eligibility. The most notable name was Juke Harris, who averaged 21.4 points per game last season.

With almost an entirely new roster, head coach Steve Forbes will have to figure out who the offense is going to be run for.

Kevair Kennedy and Justin Ray are guards who transferred from Merrimack and Monmouth, respectively. They both averaged over double digit points last season, but they do take a big jump in competition level.

Gavin Placide is a 4-star freshman with good athleticism and the ability to get to the rim. His defense projects to translate first, but the offense won't be far behind.

Jamari McDowell transferred in from Kansas after falling in and out of the consistent rotation last season. He projects to bring shooting to Wake Forest with potential to try and fill the scoring role left behind by players like Juke Harris and Myles Colvin.