The ACC this season will be no cakewalk for the Tar Heels. As North Carolina heads through a developmental and transitional period within the program, there's no worse time for the ACC to be as tough as it’s slated to be this upcoming season.Many teams have loaded up with talent through the portal and in their respective recruiting classes, and while North Carolina has made great strides in those areas, so have its peers. Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the North Carolina Tar Heels logo on the shorts of forward Caleb Wilson (8) during the second half against the SMU Mustangs at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn ImagesHere are the five toughest games the Tar Heels will likely have circled on their calendar come basketball season. For the sake of variety, we’ll only include one of the Duke and Louisville series.No. 5 - NC StateNC State has sneakily put together an impressive portal class. Headlined by guys such as Christian Hammond, Kyle Evans, and Preston Edmead, the Wolfpack could contend in the ACC if things go their way.Mar 20, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Hofstra Pride guard Preston Edmead (1) shoots against Alabama Crimson Tide guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (3) in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn ImagesThat said, their roster is still not as strong as others', and with so few returning players and the absence of a “superstar,” it’s hard to make a case for putting them any higher.The Tar Heels will also get the privilege of playing NC State in Chapel Hill, a factor that only decreases State’s chances of appearing scary.No. 4 - MiamiMar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Miami (FL) Hurricanes head coach Jai Lucas answers questions at a press conference after the game against Missouri Tigers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images | Jeff Le-Imagn ImagesAnother game the Tar Heels get at home is Miami. In Jai Lucas’s second year with the team, Miami could really make a splash in the ACC. They have some key returning players who will be matched up with a strong portal class to really contend with some of the bigger names in the conference. No. 3 - VirginiaMar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Chance Mallory (2) dribbles the ball against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn ImagesVirginia is the hardest of the home games dealt to Chapel Hill aside from the two series games in Louisville and Duke. Virginia is returning most of their key players and has built a pretty solid roster that can really contend for an ACC title. As we saw last year, when Virginia gets hot, they can be a very scary team. No. 2 - LouisvilleMar 21, 2026; Buffalo, NY, USA; Louisville Cardinals head coach Pat Kelsey reacts in the second half against the Michigan State Spartans during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn ImagesLouisville earns the award for the most improved roster through the offseason. From portal additions to recruiting classes, Louisville may have had the best offseason in the country.They filled all their roster holes and replaced outgoing talent. Pair that with a competent coach, and Louisville is not a team you want to play twice if you’re North Carolina. No. 1 - DukeMar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer talks to a referee against the UConn Huskies in the first half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesOf course, the hardest game on the schedule will once again be the Blue Devils. The better question is, when will it NOT be the Blue Devils? Duke has reloaded their roster to be one of the deepest and best in the country, and they’ll be a hard team to compete with when the time comes.As it stands, it’s really their conference to lose. Of course, this doesn’t mean they're unbeatable, and if anyone can go into Cameron Indoor Stadium and take down Duke, it’s certainly North Carolina. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow