play1:19Duke Blue Devils vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders: Game HighlightsDuke Blue Devils vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders: Game Highlights
Duke Blue Devils vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders: Game HighlightsDuke Blue Devils vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders: Game Highlights
Joe LunardiDec 30, 2025, 08:00 AM ETClose Resident college basketball bracketologist for ESPN Contributor to SportsCenter, ESPN Insider Published first public bracket in 1995Follow on X
By its own lofty standards, the ACC has muddled through a string of mediocre seasons. The 18-team league received its lowest number of NCAA bids in more than a decade (four) last season, and it hasn’t been a top-three conference since before 2020.
Unexpected Final Four appearances by North Carolina (2022) and NC State (2024) have cushioned the fall, but the decline was always there. The ACC had eight top-40 teams in 2019 — the year of its last national title, via Virginia — compared to last season’s four.
The mediocrity has been mostly in the middle of the standings, but it might finally be ending. With Duke doing Duke things at the top, the likes of Virginia, NC State, Miami and SMU have emerged as solid bubble teams. A half dozen others, even Cal, are in position to add to the ACC’s bid count.
Duke Blue Devils vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders: Game Highlights
Duke Blue Devils vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders: Game Highlights
The Blue Devils are an obvious choice behind Player of the Year contender Cameron Boozer, but UNC with a healthy Seth Trimble and Louisville can also mount a serious challenge in March.
Virginia is the “feel good” story here under new coach Ryan Odom. With wins over Northwestern, Texas, Dayton and Maryland, the Cavaliers sit atop the ACC’s resurrected second tier.
The West Coast additions are both ahead of schedule in their second ACC season. This year, they also host Duke and Carolina for the first time in league play, which should make for an interesting road swing for the conference’s traditional powers.
The Hokies have a future pro in Greek freshman Neoklis Avdalas and have surrounded him with mostly veteran and productive role players. At 11-2, they’re doing their best to erase the 13-19 nightmare from a season ago.
The ACC may be vastly improved, but not enough to lift its bottom four teams into NCAA tournament consideration. New coach Luke Loucks is succeeding a legend (Leonard Hamilton) at Florida State and will need a little more time. And time may be running out at the other three schools, which have nonconference losses to the likes of Quinnipiac, Drake and Central Connecticut.
March 7: North Carolina at Duke. Probably a bigger game for the Tar Heels at that point of the season.
For the first time in a good while, Selection Sunday should bring very good news to Tobacco Road.
Duke Blue Devils North Carolina Tar Heels Louisville Cardinals
Virginia Cavaliers Clemson Tigers SMU Mustangs NC State Wolfpack Miami Hurricanes
Cal Golden Bears Stanford Cardinal Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Pittsburgh Panthers Florida State Seminoles Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Boston College Eagles
Close Resident college basketball bracketologist for ESPN Contributor to SportsCenter, ESPN Insider Published first public bracket in 1995Follow on X
Jan. 6: Duke at Louisville. The first of two meetings, and also Duke’s most likely conference loss.