Let's begin the breakdown of the conferences by looking at the ACC. Each conference article will include its predicted standings, champion, a breakdown of each team, key players to watch, and big games to mark on your calendar. Each team breakdown will include its projected record, schedule, returning starters, and a small outlook on each team.
ACC
This should be an interesting year for ACC football. This will be the year that the ACC reasserts itself in the college football world, overtaking the Big Ten and possibly the Pac-10 in the conference standings.
This will be driven by the two powerhouses of the conference, Clemson and Virginia Tech, the reassertion of power by Florida State and Miami, the continued growth at Wake Forest, and the dark horse for the Coastal title, North Carolina. All six of these teams will be ranked in the top 20 at some point this season, and possibly the top 15.
The ACC will overtake the Big East in the drama category, as several teams will scramble to win the Coastal division crown. The Atlantic champion will be Clemson, followed closely by Wake Forest. The Coastal champion will be North Carolina, followed by Virginia Tech and Miami.
However, each of these teams has holes to fill, and it will be interesting to see how these matchups play out this fall.
Atlantic
1. Clemson: 10-2 (Offense 8, Defense 8, ST 2)
Clemson is returning several explosive starters on offense, including the RB threats of James Davis and C.J. Spiller, and QB Cullen Harper. These three did not return because they would not have been picked in the NFL draft—they returned to bring an ACC Championship to Clemson, and possibly a National Title.
The problem I see with this team is the offensive line, where they have to replace four starters. For this reason I see the Tigers losing their opener against Alabama. It takes a few weeks of play for an offensive line to come together, and with them opening up against an improved Tide team in Atlanta, I don't see them gelling enough to stop Alabama's defense.
However, they have several games to get their act together afterward before what will be a great game in Winston-Salem against Wake Forest on Oct. 9.
Clemson will also have to replace two linebackers and a second-round CB. However, Tommy Bowden's recruits such as Scotty Cooper should be able to fill these holes nicely.
3 comments Last one added 11 months ago — Leave a Comment
Jay Schrimpf 11 months ago
Very good summary of Clemson. Clemson loses four starters on the offensive line. Since Clemson has been playing football, when they lose four starters on the offensive line, they win just 54% of their games the next year! OUCH! Of course Clemson fans would be quick to point out the 2007 team had to replace four starters as well up front; and the 2007 Tigers won 9 games. ( the bigger statistic is that Clemson has lost eight starters in two years on the offensive line!)
Wake Forest has also lost four starters on the offensive line if you count DeGeare.
FSU is my pick to win the division. Last year the Noles finished 7-5, and three of those losses were by 8 points or less! This year the Noles return 15 starters and Jimbo Fisher is in his second year as offensive cordinator.
UNC could be a fun team to watch. We know they already have the coach that can lead them to winning. We also know Crum and Brown won their during they tenures. This year the Tar Heels return 18 starters! UNC finished 4-8 last year. Six of those losses were by seven points or less! I would look for some of those close games to go the other way this year.
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A.J. Mealor 11 months ago
Thanks for the comments. FSU is going to be an interesting team to watch this season. Many of the pundits figure this to be Bobby's last year at the helm but I'm not so sure, it will depend a lot on how this season goes. They have a tough home schedule, but then again they could be playing these games away and it would be even harder. They get Wake, Colorado, Va Tech, Clemson, and Florida all at home this year. I would love to be living in Tallahassee this season and have season tickets. Each of these games should be great. I am really worried about Weatherford. Skinner and Harper return this season, both proven excellent QBs, and both with great running games in the backfield with them. As I said above line play as all about how the line comes together, if Clemson beats Alabama by blowing them off the ball it will be a long season for the rest of the conference. But FSU and Wake have great Defenses. Anyways, like you said its going to be a fun season.
Yeah, I'm going out on a huge limb with the UNC pick. They just need to turn the corner while the other teams in their division are weaker, and win some close games and they'll be right there in the running. They win just half of those games you pointed out their 7-5 and going bowling in Butch's first year there.
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Jay Schrimpf 11 months ago
I really do not see Clemson winning the game against Alabama. I do not think replacing three linebackers is something you can over come in the first game against a quality opponent. But the Alabama game is a game that means nothing to either school. And here is why: 1) The two schools rarely get into recruitiing wars. This is not to say they do not want or offer the same kids, but it is not like Clemosn and Georgia. The Tigers and Dawgs go after the same kids every year with many of the kids on both teams narrowing down to Georgia and Clemson. 2) Since they do not pay every year it is not a rivalry game. It is not like the Clemosn/South Carolina game or Auburn/Alabma game. 3) It is not a conference game 4) It is early in the year, the loser could lose this game and still finish 10-2 or 9-3 and no one will remember. 5) Would Alabama rather beat Clemson and beat Ole Miss or beat Ole Miss and lose to Clemson. The answer to that tells you just how importance of this game. Or better yet, would Clemson rather beat Duke this year or Alabama? It will be a fun game like the FSU/Alabama game was last year. Or like the Clemson/Texas A&M game was a few years ago. The only negative thing about the game is that i wish the two teams played two times, once at Legion Field and once at Death Valley.
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