The 11-game ACC schedule is underway and most of the teams have a couple games already under their belt, but playing football this fall – which appeared to be in jeopardy because of COVID-19 – is important to every ACC program. There are certain schools within the conference that have more to gain on the recruiting front than others this season by playing this fall.
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TEAMS WITH THE MOST TO GAIN: Big Ten | SEC
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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1. CLEMSON
Clemson already recruits at an elite level, but its pursuit of a national title and the recruiting implications of possibly winning a third championship in six years is what puts them at No. 1 on this list. The window to win a championship can be so small and it’s hard to know when exactly it could end, so Clemson needs every opportunity it can get to maximize its success when it is positioned to be a dominant team.
This season is about winning another national title and Trevor Lawrence has put the Tigers in a great position to accomplish this feat yet again. Expect Clemson to run through the large majority of the ACC schedule and jump into the College Football Playoff with some lofty expectations.
2. NORTH CAROLINA
Perhaps no other ACC has as much going for them right now as the North Carolina Tar Heels. Mack Brown and his staff have done an excellent job rebuilding their recruiting ground and dominating in-state recruiting, which was one of their top priorities with such a talent rich state like North Carolina.
Quarterback Sam Howell is one of the top passers in the nation and getting to show off his progress after another offseason of development is big for the future of the North Carolina program. Keeping their momentum going on and off the field is huge for recruiting and having a successful 2020 campaign is crucial if they hope to continue this upward trend.
North Carolina has a ton to gain this season and there are some people that feel like they could be the team to knock off Clemson this year after its one-point loss last season.
3. MIAMI
How many times have Miami fans claimed that The U is back? They might actually be right this year but we wouldn't have known if the ACC didn't have a season.
Miami's in a great position to really jump back into the national conversation with outstanding quarterback D'Eriq King and a really solid team around him. The Canes got off to a great start on the field and just blew out rival Florida State to go 3-0. If this momentum can continue to build, we could be looking at the actual resurgence of the Miami program, especially if they're able to beat Clemson in two weeks.
Manny Diaz and his staff already have a top 10 recruiting class , but there is always room to improve. With a couple spots left to fill in this class, a major win against Clemson could push the Canes over the top for some of their top remaining targets.
4. NOTRE DAME
Expectations are once again sky-high for Notre Dame as it returns a number of key players this season. Ian Book is one of the most seasoned quarterbacks in the nation and he has plenty of new and old weapons around him to make this a potent offense.
Kyle Hamilton leads a solid Notre Dame defense that shouldn’t have too much trouble navigating the large majority of this ACC schedule. The Irish got off to a shaky start against Duke but are now 2-0 with a matchup with Florida State coming up in two weeks. It would be a big deal for Notre Dame and their fanbase if they could run through this relatively easy ACC schedule, win a conference title for the first time ever and head into the College Football Playoff with a lot of confidence.
5. PITTSBURGH
The Pitt Panthers don't have huge expectations this year, but showing what they can do on the field, especially on the defensive line, was a major point of emphasis coming into this season. Pat Narduzzi and his squad have put together one of the best defensive lines in the nation despite losing one of their best players in Jaylen Twyman.
If they can continue to gain headlines throughout this season for having a dominant defensive front, it will certainly help them on the recruiting trail. Pitt has already landed multiple big time defensive line recruits in the 2021 class and they're hoping to build more momentum for the 2022 recruiting class as this season goes on.
