Balance or Mediocrity?

The Atlantic Coast Conference is well-known as a basketball powerhouse.  The same was expected from football when Miami, Boston College and Virginia switched from the Big East.  However, Miami and Florida State have struggled and the conference suffered through nearly a decade of BCS losses.  They don't have a national championship contender but I feel like most of the teams in the league are getting better.  Things are nowhere close to where they are in basketball but the ACC has some very good talent and young quarterbacks that are fun to watch.

Atlantic Division

6.  Maryland Terrapins- 9 returning starters (5 offense, 4 defense) 4-8 (2-6)

The Terrapins surprised many last season by winning eight games.  They lost 30 lettermen and will be hard pressed to replace them.  Maryland has a senior quarterback in Chris Turner and Da'Rel Scott is a very talented junior running back.  The passing game took a big hit when Darrius Heyward-Bey went to the NFL.  They don't have anyone to replace his big-play ability.  The offensive line graduated 116 career starts which means they will struggle to sustain any offense.  The news is not much brighter on defense.  Maryland returns only 56% of their lettermen, the fewest of any non-military academy.  They will manage to beat Virginia at home and win at Duke.

5.  Wake Forest Demon Deacons- 13 returning starters (9 offense, 4 defense) 4-8 (2-6)

Jim Grobe is one of the best coaches in the country but Wake Forest will not be repeating last year's eight-win total.  Riley Skinner is solid quarterback that has had a lot of experience, his senior season needs to be his best one yet.  The running backs are solid, the wide receivers are very inexperienced but have potential and the offensive line returns nine of the top ten.  The offense should be pretty good.  The problems are on defense where only four starters return.  Aaron Curry was a top-5 draft pick and cornerback Alphonso Smith is the all-time ACC interception leader.  Wake Forest does not have the players to replace that kind of star power.  They have a difficult schedule and I have them losing to Baylor and Stanford to open the season.  They will beat Maryland at home win at Duke to get two conference victories.   

4.  Boston College Eagles- 12 returning starters (6 offense, 6 defense) 6-6 (3-5)

Boston College appeared to be poised for a pretty good season after a strong 9-5 finish and a division title.  However, head coach Jeff Jagodzinski was fired after interviewing for an NFL job.  They promoted longtime defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani.  Quarterback Dominique Davis was kicked off the team and star linebacker Mark Herzlich was diagnosed with cancer.  Unfortunately, Herzlich will be forced to miss the entire season and the Eagles will sorely miss his leadership and talent.  He was the probably the best returning defensive player in the conference.  I still think BC has enough talent to go to a bowl game but another division title is not going to happen.  They should be able to beat Wake Forest at home and win road games at Virginia and Maryland.  

3.  NC State Wolfpack- 14 returning starters (7 offense, 7 defense) 7-5 (4-4)

I like the Wolfpack this year for two reasons.  The first, Tom O'Brien is a great coach.  The second, Russell Wilson will be the best quarterback in the conference.  The sophomore was inserted midway through the season and showed that he can make the offense tick.  He has thrown 249 passes without an interception, the longest streak in the nation.  They are solid on the lines of scrimmage and the defense is okay.  NC State needs some more playmakers to help Wilson out.  If they can find some, the Wolfpack will be extremely dangerous.  I still see them beating Wake Forest, Boston College, Duke and Maryland to go 4-4 in the ACC.

2.  Florida State Seminoles- 13 returning starters (8 offense, 5 defense) 7-5 (4-4)

Florida State is missing something.  They really have lost their luster and I don't see it coming back anytime soon.  The recruiting is still going pretty well but they haven't had electric playmakers on offense or dominant defenders for quite a while.  Christian Ponder is probably the best quarterback they have had recently and the receivers have the potential to be pretty good.  Mickey Andrews almost always has a good defense but this unit doesn't have NFL-talent like we have seen from the Seminoles in the past.  They have a pretty tough schedule which dooms them to another lower bowl game.  I think they beat BC, NC State, Wake Forest and Maryland.  

1.  Clemson Tigers- 15 returning starters (7 offense, 8 defense) 10-2 (6-2)

Tommy Bowden was fired in the middle of last year's 7-6 debacle.  Clemson fans had finally seen enough of top talent being wasted.  Dabo Swinney was promoted and the players seemed to respond to him.  This will be his first full-season and I think it will go well.  CJ Spiller returns to lead the backfield and quarterback Kyle Parker (a better baseball player) has reportedly improved a lot.  The defensive end tandem of Ricky Sapp and Da'Quan Bowers are the best in the conference.  The schedule sets up nicely and I think the Tigers finally get a division title.  Their only losses will be at Georgia Tech and at Miami.  

Coastal Division

6.  Duke Blue Devils- 11 returning starters (6 offense, 5 defense) 3-9 (0-8)

Head coach David Cutcliffe (mentor of the Mannings) has done a nice job of bringing a can-do attitude to Duke football.  However, they only have 11 starters back and the schedule is tough.  This will be a minor step-back in the building process but if Cutcliffe stays at Duke, he will eventually succeed.  Watch quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, NFL scouts like him quite a bit.  

5.  Virginia Cavaliers- 11 returning starters (5 offense, 6 defense) 4-8 (1-7)

Al Groh has produced a lot of NFL talent in his time as the UVA coach.  However, he has not had very many good teams.  The heat is on in Charlottesville and Groh needs a big year to keep his job.  Jameel Sewell returns after spending a season away from the team.  Ras-I Dowling will be a cornerback in the NFL and he is the best player on this squad.  Virginia's schedule is not too bad but they just aren't that good.  They should beat William & Mary, Southern Miss, IU in a close one, and Duke at home.  I doubt four wins will keep Groh's job.

4.  Miami Hurricanes- 15 returning starters (8 offense, 7 defense) 7-5 (5-3)

Miami is a much-improved squad from last season's 7-6 team.  However, the schedule is absolutely brutal.  They open up at Florida State (win), Georgia Tech (loss), at Virginia Tech (loss), and against Oklahoma (loss).  If they could manage to split those four games it would be a huge success.  The running backs need to show more than have in their careers.  Graig Cooper and Javarris James have more talent than we have seen.  I like Jacory Harris and it is good that he is now the full-time starter.  A more manageable non-conference schedule would have me calling for this team to win ten games.

3.  North Carolina Tar Heels- 15 returning starters (6 offense, 9 defense) 10-2 (6-2)

I think more of North Carolina than most people do.  Butch Davis has brought in three very good recruiting classes and this is his most talented team.  They only lost 14 lettermen from an 8-5 team and they have seven home games.  The non-conference slate is The Citadel, UConn, East Carolina and Georgia Southern.  They also get Florida State and Miami at home.  I have them losing to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech for their only two defeats.  

2.  Virginia Tech Hokies- 15 returning starters (8 offense, 7 defense) 10-2 (7-1)

Frank Beamer is one of the best.  He took a squad that looked horrible at the beginning of the year and turned them into ACC Champions and Orange Bowl champions.  Tyrod Taylor has improved a lot as a quarterback and Beamer's defense is always good.  Darren Evans led all freshman in rushing yards last season but he has a torn ACL and will be out for the season.  Freshman Ryan Williams and David Wilson will now be the backs and they probably have more talent than Evans.  However, I think the injury really hurts them in their opener against a physical Alabama team.  I see them losing a slugfest to 'Bama and losing at Georgia Tech.

1.  Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets- 18 returning starters (10 offense, 8 defense) 12-0 (8-0)

I know that sounds crazy.  Georgia Tech going undefeated, what?!?  They have 18 starters back from a 9-4 team and they have another season under Paul Johnson's option offense.  Running back Jonathan Dwyer is the reigning ACC Player of the Year and I see no reason why he can't win it again.  Josh Nesbitt is perfect for Johnson's system and the defense should be improved.  Their toughest non-conference game is their finale as they will host rival Georgia.  They get Virginia Tech and North Carolina at home as well.  Georgia Tech will not play in the National Championship game but I see an Orange Bowl berth for the Yellow Jackets.