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Ranking the ACC at the End of the 2008 College Football Season

Correspondent Written on January 12, 2009

1. Virginia Tech (10-4, 5-3)—Last week: 3

You have to give credit to Frank Beamer and Virginia Tech. After Clemson's collapse as pre-season favorite, the ACC race was wide open, and the Hokies took advantage.

Hey until someone knocks off the Hokies, they ought to be the 2009 favorite to win the ACC again.

Quarterback Tyrod Taylor will be a year more experienced, top rusher Darren Evans returns, and Bud Foster's defenses are always physical and tough. I wouldn't bet against them.

2. Florida State (9-4, 5-3)—Last week: 4

Florida State had by far the ACC's best bowl performance, a 42-13 wipeout of Big 10 team Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl. It wasn't the first time this year that the Noles looked more like it was 1998 rather than 2008.

Coach Jimbo Fisher is getting real close to returning to FSU to their glory days. Oh yea, ole Bobby Bowden is still there doing something...anyway, The Seminoles will be heavy favorites to win the ACC's Atlantic division next season.

3. Georgia Tech (9-4, 5-3)—Last week: 1

It would have been one thing to lose the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, it was totally another to not even show up. A 38-3 whopping at the hands of the LSU Tigers, left a sour taste on an otherwise fantastic season for Georgia Tech.

The bowl served as a wake up call to the Jackets, who received a lot of good media after their defeat of UGA. Expect coach Paul Johnson to use the result as motivation to keep the Jackets grounded in the off-season.

That said NOBODY expect a nine-win season with a win over the hated Dawgs out of Georgia Tech. If the Jackets can manage the losses to graduation of three of their four top defensive linemen, there is no reason why this team can't challenge Virginia Tech for the Coastal Division title.

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written on January 12, 2009 Rankings/List