The past three seasons the ACC conference champion has reached the BCS Title game or College Football Playoff. This trend should continue this season with Clemson and Florida State both in the pre-season top five. Florida State has an early season test against Ole Miss in Orlando to start the season but gets Clemson at home. Clemson, on the other hand, plays Auburn to start the season then travels to Doak Campbell in late October. The results of those games will represent the ACC Atlantic division. Predicting who will win the Coastal division is much more difficult as Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Duke and North Carolina have all reached the title game since the creation of the ACC championship game. With the Coastal having three new hires (Miami, Virginia and Virginia Tech) and another coach starting his second season (Pittsburg) the Coastal is wide open.
Atlantic Division (In order of finish):
Florida State: Florida State returns the conference best defense and best defensive player in Derwin James. Along with one of the nation’s best running back in Delvin Cook Florida State can lean on their defense and running game throughout the season. The schedule, however, may help or hurt Florida State for the Playoff; Florida State opens with Ole Miss in Orlando then has Florida at the end of the season at home. Win both games and a loss to Clemson and you still have a shot at making the playoffs; split those games and you need help.
Clemson: Clemson brings back the nation’s best player in Deshawn Watson and with all the controversy in Baylor the countries best offense. Along with Watson Clemson boasts a 1500 yard running back in Wayne Gallman and three receivers with over 700 yards; to say Clemson’s offense is loaded is an understatement. The defense, on the other hand, loses thirty sacks between three players (Shaq Lawson, Kevin Dodd and BJ Goodson) and a shutdown corner (Mackensie Alexander). Dabo Swinney has recruited well but replacing two All-Americans up front and two starters in the secondary is challenging. The Schedule sets up pretty nicely with the toughest game being the showdown with Florida State in late October. This may play against Clemson for playoff consideration; loss to Florida State and your out of the playoff running.
Louisville: Personally I am not a fan of Bobby Petrino (when you coach four teams since 2006 and controversy follows you at each stop…..something is wrong). Petrino, however, can coach and has won at every stop. Outside of Clemson, this may be the best offense in the ACC with returning quarterback Lamar Jackson entrenched as a starter (over 1800 yards passing and over 1100 yards rushing in a limited role). Ian Boyd does a wonderful job explaining how Louisville uses Jackson to maximize his running ability here. Petrino has to navigate through a difficult early schedule (at Syracuse, Florida State, at Marshall and at Clemson). With a young offense, Louisville’s best bet to challenge Clemson and Florida State will be next season.
Wake Forest: Head coach Dave Clawson has a proven track record of turning struggling teams around building sustained winning programs. Typically Clawson’s teams take four years to mature into a ten win winner but they will be ahead of schedule this season due to the schedule and maturation of the offense. Freshman and Sophomores become upperclassmen. The Demon Deacons offensive line will now boast three upperclassmen; quarterback John Wolford will be a senior along with upperclassmen at running back, tight end and wide receiver. The schedule for Wake Forest this year includes ;Tulane, Delaware, and Army. That should be three wins right there along with toss up games with Virginia, Syracuse and Boston College. Win two out of three and your 5-7…..not too shabby since Wake has not gone to a bowl game since 2011.
NC State: Dave Doeren fired his offensive coordinator, hired Eli Drinkwitz (Gus Malzahn disciple) to improve an offense that loses their starting quarterback and three offensive linemen last season. Offensively it may be a rough year for the Wolfpack. Defensively the Wolf have upperclassmen at each level and should keep NC State in games. The schedule, however, is daunting in the latter half of the season: Norte Damn at home, at Clemson, at Louisville, Florida State at home than at North Carolina. That doesn’t include games at Syracuse and Miami at home. That is a tough slate of games.
Syracuse: Dino Babers was on my list of best head coaches you have never heard of published a few weeks ago. Babers track record of improving programs is proven at both Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green. With 100% of the offense coming back and Babers calling the shots the Orangemen should be able to score points and be involved in some entertaining shootouts until the defense “grows up” (Syracuse loses all four defensive linemen and only one linebacker is a senior). Four games against Wake Forest, NC State, South Florida and Boston College are going to either swing the Orangemen to a .500 season or a 5-7 record.
Boston College: Last season Boston College’s defense was awesome ranking first overall in total defense and second in rush defense in route to a 3-9 finish. That is how awful Boston College’s offense was in 2015. Two years ago, with Andre Williams rushing for over 2,0000 yards the Eagles finished 7-6; that production was never replaced and the offense plummeted to 126th overall and 125th in passing. New offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler has his work cut out for him this season, however, Loffler’s offense never really took off at stops at Temple, Auburn or Virginia Tech. The defense should carry the Eagles again this season wins over U Mass, Wagner , Buffalo, and Connecticut. Toss up games versus Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and Syracuse will define their season.
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