Where USA TODAY ranks Dabo Swinney, ACC coaches going into 2025 season

Nobody in the ACC can match Dabo Swinney's success in the college game.

Brandon Rink - Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer - Friday, May 02 2025

USA TODAY ranked the ACC's football coaches this week, where No. 1 wasn't really in question.

Dabo Swinney is one of the most accomplished active coaches and rising up the historical ranks, making him an easy No. 1 in an ACC with an intriguing coaching picture.

"Frank Sinatra’s 'My Way' would be an appropriate soundtrack for Swinney’s career. His sign, develop and retain method still gets results. Clemson won the ACC last season after not adding a single transfer. Clemson did add a few transfers this offseason, but if you’re going to mostly kick it old school, do it with a coach who develops rosters as well as Swinney. At his peak, Swinney won 55 games and two national titles in a four-year span, behind great quarterbacks and wide receivers. He won’t recreate that, but Clemson remains nationally relevant," said USA TODAY's Blake Toppmeyer.

The Tigers are scheduled to face the next three behind Swinney within the rankings this season, with Louisville's Jeff Brohm, SMU's Rhett Lashlee and Florida State's Mike Norvell.

After a 13-0 run but suffering a crucial late-season injury in 2023 (QB Jordan Travis), FSU has lost 11 of its last 13 games and starts the 2025 season by hosting Alabama.

"Call a spade a spade: Florida State’s 2024 campaign became a monstrous flop on the heels of Norvell’s career-best season. His transfer-fueled formula went belly up, but one pitiful season should not entirely erase his track record. He’s recruiting well and reloaded with a fresh batch of talented transfers. Tommy Castellanos from Boston College provides a quarterback upgrade after Norvell whiffed on DJ Uiagalelei. Norvell’s roster overhaul positions him to clean up last year’s mess," Toppmeyer said.

Viral media subject (or associate to the main character) Bill Belichick checks in at No. 10 in Year 1 with UNC.

"North Carolina made one of the most interesting hires in college football history when it tapped a coach with six Super Bowl titles to elevate a program that enjoys enough advantages to take a step up the food chain. We know Belichick, 73, can coach. Can he thrive in modern college football? That’s anyone’s guess. Running a college program differs from coaching pro ball. If you’re monitoring early indicators, UNC amassed a nice batch of transfers," Toppmeyer said.

Former Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott ranks No. 16 at Virginia, a spot of ahead of Stanford interim coach Frank Reich.

"Elliott’s tenure shows no indications of progress, a bad sign for a coach entering his fourth season. Virginia lost six of its final seven games last season, cranking up the hot-seat thermostat. Despite Elliott’s background as a successful offensive coordinator, his teams consistently struggle to score. Elliott assembled a big batch of transfers for a final swing at this," Toppmeyer said.