Spring football is here, and while we’re still months away from the first official games of the 2025 season, buzz is already building among the FBS programs in our state.
Five of seven schools in North Carolina will feature new head coaches, including the high profile hiring of Bill Belichick to lead the UNC Tar Heels.
Experts at places like FanDuel Sports Book have released early “win totals” for power conferences like the ACC. These are snapshots of how the betting experts see teams stacking up.
So, what do these numbers mean, and where do Duke, NC State, UNC, Wake Forest, Charlotte, East Carolina, and Appalachian State rank? Let’s sort it out:
First, a quick explanation: “win totals” represent predictions of regular-season victories, typically over a 12-game slate. A team with a 9.5 win total, like ACC favorite Clemson, is seen as a powerhouse—experts think they’ll win 9 or 10 games. A 4.5 win total, like Wake Forest, suggests a tougher road—maybe 4 or 5 wins.
Bettors who believe a team will win more games than their predicted total will bet the “over,” while those who think a team will fall short of their projected win total will take the “under.”
The “.5” just splits the difference for clarity – and doesn’t allow for a tie on a bet. We’ll leave betting advice to the pros and just consider win totals data from VegasInsider.com as one metric to evaluate North Carolina’s FBS contingent.
The ACC’s Big Four: A Mixed Bag
Reigning ACC champion Clemson leads the conference with a 9.5 win total. Louisville, Miami and SMU are close behind at 8.5. Here’s a look at North Carolina schools:
- North Carolina (7.5): Despite the hoopla surrounding the arrival of Belichick, experts don’t see a major surge for the Tar Heels. This number suggests a seven- or eight-win campaign, an improvement over last year’s 6-6 regular season record but out of the title-game hunt. A lighter ACC schedule – the Heels avoid Miami, Louisville, SMU, Florida State – has many pundits eying the “over” for the Heels in 2025.
- Duke (6.5): The Blue Devils far exceeded expectations a year ago, winning nine games in Manny Diaz’s coaching debut. Sports books like FanDuel look to be sleeping on Duke again, pegging Diaz’s second team as a likely 6-6 or 7-5 contender. The Devils also avoid some of the ACC’s heavyweights (Miami, SMU and Louisville), but do play Illinois and at Tulane in the non-conference.
- NC State (6.5): The Wolfpack match Duke’s mark, signaling a respectable season. But would a 6-6 or 7-5 regular season finish sit well with NCSU fans after the disappointment of a year ago? Will the Pack ever break through? The schedule looks to be the toughest in the state, with road games at Wake, Duke, Notre Dame, Pitt and Miami, plus home dates against Florida State, Virginia and UNC.
- Wake Forest (4.5): The Deacs, under new management in Jake Dickert’s first season as head coach, drew a low number, near the bottom of the league with Virginia and Syracuse. Wake Forest will be a team to watch, though. Dickert is a proven head coach, and Wake could be the 2025 version of Duke, sneaking up on unassuming opponents. No Clemson, no Miami and no Louisville on the schedule certainly helps.
New Look, New Hope For North Carolina’s ‘Group of Three’
Beyond the ACC, Charlotte (AAC), East Carolina (AAC), and Appalachian State (Sun Belt) round out North Carolina’s FBS crew. Win totals have not been posted yet for these schools by places like FanDuel.
All three have new men in charge. Dowell Loggains takes over at Appalachian State. Tim Albin is the new head man in Charlotte, while Blake Harrell had the interim tag removed late last season at East Carolina.
ECU will enter 2025 riding the most momentum. The Pirates sizzled once Harrell took command, winning five of their final six games – including a 26-21 Military Bowl triumph over NC State.
College Football News ranks East Carolina eighth and Charlotte 12th in its pre-spring evaluation of American Athletic Conference teams. The same outlet pegs Appalachian State as the No. 10 team in the Sun Belt Conference. Not great.
Call us biased, but we’ll take the “over” on the Pirates, 49ers and Mountaineers with regards to these low expectations.
As a side note, FanDuel lists UNC as a 2.5-point favorite in its season opener against TCU on Labor Day Monday.
Check out the 2025 North Carolina college football ‘Master Schedule’ here. Still under construction, this schedule features every game for every college program in the Old North State.
Find your favorite North Carolina team’s 2025 college football schedule here.
How did North Carolina college football teams fare in 2024? Visit our Statewide Standings page.
ACC Win Totals | FanDuel sports book
Clemson: 9.5
Louisville: 8.5
Miami: 8.5
SMU: 8.5
Florida State: 7.5
Georgia Tech: 7.5
North Carolina: 7.5
California: 6.5
Duke: 6.5
NC State: 6.5
Virginia Tech: 6.5
Boston College: 5.5
Pittsburgh: 5.5
Syracuse: 5.5
Virginia: 5.5
Wake Forest: 4.5
Stanford: 3.5
