Last years ACC Title winner came out of the Atlantic Division, as the Clemson Tigers parlayed and 8-0 start to an eventual ACC Championship game win over Virginia Tech. This year the ACC Front runner is be the Florida State Seminoles, but Clemson is loaded again and may be better than last year, so they may give the Noles a run for their money. Still I expect FSU to win this division and then go on to win the ACC Title game as well. Below are some quick notes about the ACC, along with how I see the Atlantic Division Shaping up. The Teams Odds to win the Title are in ( ). Odds are taken from BetOnline.com.
ACC Quick Hits: For the first time in league history the ACC returns 10 QB’s, with 5 of them that threw for 3000+ yards last year, which could make for some very exciting games in the ACC this year…. In the 7 years that the ACC has been a 12 team league they have sent 58 teams to bowl games, which is second only to the SEC’s 60… Florida State #1 (30), Virginia Tech #3 (19) and Georgia Tech #4 (15) are 3 of the top 4 teams in the nation with the longest consecutive bowl bids streaks… The ACC has had just 1 team win a BCS bowl game since 1999 and that was Virginia Tech in 2008… The ACC is just 15-27 in bowl games the last 5 years, including 2-6 last year… Pitt and Syracuse will be joining in 2013 and that means that 7 ACC will have Big East backrounds.
Atlantic Division
Florida State (+100): The Noles return 17 starters and 68 lettermen overall. They have the BEST defense in the nation (Like Bama last year) and a set of offensive skill position players that are top notch as well. If this team gets better play form Manuel (Bama’s QB was mediocre last year though) then there is no way they don’t go undefeated and win it all. They get Clemson and Florida at home, but VA Tech on the road. I expect this team to ride their awesome defense to the National Title game in January, just like Bama did last year.
Clemson (+450): Just like the Noles, the Tigers are loaded with returning starters (14). The Tigers must get over their bowl loss of 70-33 to West Virginia, after winning the ACC title last year. The Tigers are loaded on offense and their back 7 on defense will be very tough as well. Still, overall their defense has a lot of ground to make up (allowed 394 ypg and 29.3 ppg LY) and that should have this team in plenty of shootouts this year. They get Va Tech and Ga Tech at home, but FSU on the road. The Tigers should put up DD wins this year, but they will not take the top spot from FSU in the Atlantic division.
North Carolina State (+1600): A 3000+ yard passer (Mike Glennon), 4 OL that have totaled 133 starts and their top 2 RB’s return. Some work needs to be done with the WR corps, but this will still be an exciting offense to watch. The Defense has all four starters returning from a secondary that led the nation in picks last year, but just 2 of the front 7 return, so they may allow more than the 24.7 ppg they did last year. They play Clemson and North Carolina on the road, and avoid GT and VT from the coastal. They should make it to a bowl, but will not leapfrog Clemson. May be a year away.
Boston College (+5000): 17 returning starters should give BC a good chance at getting back to a bowl game, after their streak of 12 bowls in a row was snapped last year. The defense struggled last year, as they allowed 23.5 ppg which is the most in their last 7 years. With 7 starters back they should return to allowing less than 20 ppg. Offensively they struggled and averaged just 18.2 ppg, but with 10 starters back, including QB Chase Rettig and all of their skill position players they should be much improved on that side of the ball. The Eagles travel to GT, FSU and NC State, plus get Clemson and VT at home, so making headway in the standings will be hard for this team, but they may have enough to sneak into a bowl game.
Wake Forest (+2500): The Decaons have just 11 starters back, but this young team did have the benefit of extra bowl practices last year. They must rebuild their OL, but it does have plenty of young talent on it. QB Tanner Price (3017 yards, 20 TD’s and 8 Int’s) returns, so all is not hopeless for this unit, but they will not put up the 26 ppg they did last year. Defensively, 9 of their top 12 taklers are back so an improvement over the 27.4 they allowed last year should be made. I like the Decaons in this spot, but if they lose at Maryland on Oct 6th, then they could end up in the basement.
Maryland (+8000): The Terps are off a horrible 2-10 season and while they will be better this year, getting out of the basement will not be easy. They lose their QB and top RB from last year, while they right side of their OL must be replaced as well. 9 starters are back on defense, but that group allowed 34.3 ppg last year, so it may not be a blessing. The Terps have a tough schedule and a lot of ground to make up (-77 ypg last year). Randy Edsall will get this team turned around, but not this year.
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