ACC Football Betting Preview: Picks, Predictions, Over/Unders and Dark Horses
By Reed Wallach
The ACC is going through a bit of a transition.
2022 brings as much intrigue to the conference as there has been in the past decade, one that was ruled by Clemson. However, after the Tigers fell off in 2021, Pitt climbed to the top of the ACC by beating Wake Forest in the ACC Championship.
Clemson is transitioning with two new coordinators on both sides of the ball, while Pitt tries to move on from the Kenny Pickett era. North Carolina State and Wake Forest loom with similar rosters as last season while the new look Miami Hurricanes look to crash the party.
Let's preview the ACC in 2022.
ACC Regular Season Win Totals for Every Team
- Boston College: 6.5 (Over +110/Under -130)
- Clemson: 10.5 (Over +110/Under -130)
- Duke: 3 (Over +100/Under -120)
- Florida State: 6.5 (Over -125/Under +105)
- Georgia Tech: 3.5 (Over -125/Under +105)
- Louisville: 6.5 (Over +105/Under -125)
- Miami (Florida): 8.5 (Over +100/Under -120)
- North Carolina: 7.5 (Over +115/Under -135)
- North Carolina State: 8.5 (Over -150/Under +130)
- Pittsburgh: 8.5 (Over -110/Under -110)
- Syracuse: 4.5 (Over +100/Under -120)
- Virginia: 7.5 (Over (+130/Under -150)
- Virginia Tech: 6.5 (Over +125/Under -145
- Wake Forest: 8.5 (Over +110/Under -130)
Every Team’s Odds to Win ACC in 2022
- Boston College: +4000
- Clemson: -130
- Duke: +100000
- Florida State: +3500
- Georgia Tech: +20000
- Louisville: +2800
- Miami (Florida): +550
- North Carolina: +1500
- North Carolina State: +900
- Pittsburgh: +900
- Syracuse: +20000
- Virginia: +3500
- Virginia Tech: +6000
- Wake Forest: +2000
ACC Championship Favorite: Clemson (-130)
Clemson had everything go wrong for it in 2021, snapping its streak of six consecutive ACC titles. The team was plagued by injuries and poor play at quarterback, but remains the odds on favorite heading into 2022.
D.J. Uiagalelei is likely the starting quarterback once again, but star recruit Cade Klubnik lurks if Uiagalelei struggles yet again. The team will be transitioning to a new offensive coordinator in Brandon Streeter, but they have a stable of strong running backs on hand from last season. With better health on the offensive line, the unit should round into form.
While the offense sputtered in 2021, the defense kept the team in games and propelled the team to a 10-3 record, despite falling short of expectations. Out is famed defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who is the new head coach at Oklahoma, and in is Wes Goodwin. Goodwin only has six returning starters to work with, but arguably the best defensive line in the country with Bryan Bresee and Myles Murphy back.
The team has some more questions heading into the season after a humbling 2021, but are the rightful favorites with the talent on hand.
ACC Championship Dark Horse Pick: Wake Forest (+2000)
While the easy answer is somebody in the non-Clemson ACC Coastal division, finding value in getting to the ACC Championship, creating hedge opportunities in the process, I'm going the other way and looking for chaos with a dark horse.
Clemson is the rightful favorite, and North Carolina State has a ton of momentum heading into this season with a ton of returning pieces to a 9-3 club that was a few bounces away from an ACC Championship berth. However, it's last year's Atlantic champs that stick out to me.
The team brings back a ton of talent, namely Sam Hartman at quarterback. The offensive line has more than 90 starts returning to the trenches and the team has replacements for receiver Jaquori Robinson.
The defense was the Achilles heel to the roster, but there is optimism that they can become passbale in 2022 with former Purdue DC Brad Lambert joining the coaching staff. Lambert helped create an elite defense in West Lafayette last season, and even a marginal jump can make the Demon Decans more formidable.
It's tough to follow up an 11-3 season, but the path is there, starting on Sept. 24 at home against Clemson. Road trips to Florida State, Louisville and North Carolina State are tricky, but if the two favorites slip up along the way Wake has experience and talent to get back to the ACC Championship game.
ACC Championship Best Bet and Pick: Miami Over Clemson
While the Hurricanes are always one to break hearts, this season is setting up very nicely for Mario Cristobal's first.
The Canes are in a Coastal division that is undergoing a bit of a facelift. Pitt lost Pickett and its star receiver Jordan Addison. Despite bringing in Kedon Slovis, I'm not sure we can expect as much from the Panthers in 2022 compared to last season's title campaign.
North Carolina lost Sam Howell at QB and can't be trusted with so many questions on offense. Both Virginia and Virginia Tech are in Year 1 of new regimes and may take some time to contend.
Miami stumbled on a star at the end of last season by way of Tyler Van Dyke, who is primed to take a big step forward with a strong offensive line (137 returning starts) and new head coach Cristobal bringing in a host of transfers.
The schedule isn't a cake walk, namely going to Clemson, but team hosts Pittsburgh in the regular season finale, which may determine who wins the Coastal. There's upside on this team moving forward and I can see a world where Cristobal returns to his alma matter in a big way.
I'm not all the way sold on Clemson and Uiagalelei, who has more competition to deal with in the Atlantic. I'm going to wait to bet Miami to win the conference outright, but I'm eyeing them at plus money to win the ACC Coastal and be live for a title.