BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES (7-6)

Final Grade: B-

It’s hard to win at Boston College, but Bill O’Brien exceeded expectations in his first season at the helm. The Eagles hit seven wins in the regular season and entered the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2018, an impressive feat considering starting quarterback Thomas Castellanos left the team in November. 

DUKE BLUE DEVILS (9-4)

Final Grade: A-

Manny Diaz enjoyed a wildly successful first year in Durham. The Blue Devils won nine games for just the second time in the last decade and went 3-0 against in-state rivals North Carolina, Wake Forest and NC State. Diaz enters the 2025 season having climbed the top of the mountain in the Tar Heel State in his debut season.

SYRACUSE ORANGE (10-3)

Final Grade: A

First-year coach Fran Brown led Syracuse to just its eighth 10-win season in program history and first since 2018. The Orange boasted the second-ranked offense in the ACC and went 3-1 against ranked opponents this fall. The Orange has plenty of juice entering 2025.