The ACC is Back: A Resurgence on the Horizon for College Basketball’s Storied Conference
By Joe Lunardi, ESPN Bracketologist – December 31, 2025
For years, observers have noted a quiet decline within the Atlantic Coast Conference. By its own historically high standards, the ACC has navigated a period of underwhelming performance. Last season saw the league secure a mere four NCAA tournament bids – its lowest total in over a decade – and it hasn’t consistently ranked among the nation’s top three conferences since 2020.
While unexpected final Four runs from North Carolina (2022) and NC State (2024) provided welcome moments of excitement, they couldn’t mask the underlying trend. The ACC boasted eight teams ranked within the top 40 in 2019 – the year Virginia claimed the national championship – a stark contrast to the four from last season. This wasn’t a sudden collapse, but a gradual erosion of consistent excellence.
However, the tide appears to be turning. The ACC is showing compelling signs of a return to prominence, fueled by a renewed competitive balance and the emergence of legitimate contenders.
duke, predictably, is leading the charge, upholding its tradition of basketball excellence. But the resurgence isn’t solely reliant on the Blue Devils. Virginia, NC State, Miami, and SMU have all solidified their positions as strong bubble teams, capable of making deep tournament runs. Perhaps most encouragingly, a cluster of other programs – even California – are positioning themselves to significantly increase the ACC’s overall bid count.
This isn’t just about quantity; the quality is improving too.The conference is demonstrating a depth it hasn’t possessed in recent memory, creating a more challenging and compelling regular season.
| ACC Tournament Outlook – By the Numbers | |
|---|---|
| minimum Projected NCAA Bids | 6 |
| Maximum Projected NCAA Bids | 10 |
| Average NCAA Bids | 5.2 (4th among top-5 conferences) |
| Average NCAA seed | 6.86 (3rd among top-5 conferences) |
| NCAA Tournament Record | 42-26 (.618, 1st among top-5 conferences) |
| Data collected over the previous four NCAA tournaments |
For the first time in several years, Selection Sunday promises to be a day of party for programs across tobacco Road and beyond. The ACC isn’t just hoping for a return to glory; it’s poised to reclaim its place among college basketball’s elite.
The ACC conference schedule officially began on December 30th.
**Key improvements & explanations for ranking/
