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

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.

4. Boston College (9-5, 5-3)—Last week: 2    

Houston, we have a problem...First, Boston College lost the ACC title game to Virginia Tech, then they lost the Music City Bowl to Vanderbilt, then they got rid of one the ACC's better coaches, Jeff Jagodzinski who got fired by BC after interviewing with the NFL's New York Jets.

Whether you agree with the firing or not, this is a huge blow to BC. Jagodzinski made Boston College the ACC's most consistent winner outside of Virginia Tech, and now he's gone.

BC never overwhelmed you with their raw talent, so they better make a good choice for the new Head Coach. It was going to difficult enough to keep up with Florida State next season in the Atlantic division, and now it got a lot tougher.

5. North Carolina (8-5, 4-4)—Last week: 7

North Carolina's season ended with a whimper. After a 28-7 victory over Georgia Tech late in the season, the Heels looked ready to win the ACC. Then they promptly lost three of their last four games.

Still the Tar Heels and their fans have to pleased with their season. One year after winning four games, the Heels seriously contended for the ACC's Coastal Division, and along with Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech should challenge for next year's title as well.

Receiver Hakeem Nicks does turn pro, so the Heels will have to find a way to replace his big play making ability.

6. Maryland (8-5, 4-4)—Last week: 10 

You never knew which Maryland team would show up this season, but while most ACC teams laid bowl game eggs, the Terps came up with a 42-35 Humanitarian Bowl win over Nevada.

Coach Ralph Friedgen continues to be one of the ACC's best coaching tacticians, but until the talent level at Maryland is upgraded another notch through recruiting the Terps will continue to be inconsistent.

They haven't had a top 20 class since 2004, and that needs to improve. The loss of the great wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey is going be even tougher for the Terps to replace than UNC with Nicks.     

7. Wake Forest (8-5, 4-4)—Last week: 8

Just another eight-win season at Wake Forest. No big deal. Has there been a better turnaround of a program in America than what Jim Grobe has done Wake Forest the last four years?

Wake Forest gives hope to every also ran program in the country that with good coaching and highly motivated players, you can consistently win 7-9 games a season.

Their win over Ole Miss, might have been the ACC's most underrated non-conference win. With quarterback Riley Skinner returning and of course Grobe, the Deacons have a great shot at another seven-plus-win season.

8. Clemson (7-6, 4-4)—Last week: 5

Dabo Swinney and Clemson fans are waiting on whether CJ Spiller will turn pro or not. I think he returns as he will finally get the chance to be the feature back after three years behind James Davis.

It was season where Clemson was by far the ACC's most disappointing team. Swinney managed to rally the team to a bowl game, but three of your top four offensive playmakers are gone, QB Cullen Harper, RB James Davis and WR Aaron Kelly, and if Spiller goes that's alot of holes to fill.

With the emergence of FSU, the Tigers window of opportunity to win the Atlantic Division, might be closed for the next two or three years.

9. NC State (6-7, 4-4)—Last week: 6

No player means more to their team than quarterback Russel Wilson does to the Wolfpack. The Pack were well on their way to defeating Rutgers in the Papajohns.com bowl before Wilson got hurt.

Already, Wilson might be the best quarterback in the ACC, and it's imperative he stay healthy next season, for the Pack to have success. The Pack will be the Atlantic Division's darkhorse contender next year, and a team to keep an eye on.

10. Miami (7-6, 4-4)—Last week: 9

Randy Shannon's Hurricanes ended the season in total disarray. They entered November with their sights on the Coastal Division; they left December without their starting quarterback Robert Marve or offensive coordinator Patrick Nix.

Jacory Harris is definitely an upgrade over Marve, and anybody will be an improvement over Nix, but Shannon has a lot of work to do to clean up the mess.

Miami is one the premier programs in the country, but right now, they aren't even one of the better teams in their own division. Shannon probably gets one more season to start making some real progress at Miami, because the natives are getting restless.

11. Virginia (5-7, 3-5)—Last week: 11        

One team that finished even more meekly than UNC or Miami, was the Virginia Cavaliers. They limped to the finished with four straight losses, and quarterback Marc Verica suddenly couldn't complete a pass.

With former quarterback Jameel Sewell returning, Verica may not even be the starter next season. 

Top receiver Kevin Ogletree is not returning for his senior season, and top running back Cedric Peerman graduates. If Al Groh wins more than seven games next year, he should be ACC coach of the year.

12. Duke (4-8, 1-7)—Last week: 12

Duke lost four games by 10 points or less and for the first since time mid-'90s, there's a little bit of optimism in Durham, and it's not just for the basketball team. The Blue Devils smartly gave a head coach David Cutcliffe an extension that will go through the 2015 season.

It might not be next year or the year after, but the Duke Blue Devils will make it back to a bowl game before this year's recruiting class graduates. David Cutcliffe is the best thing to happen to Duke Football since Steve Spurrier roamed the sidelines there.