NCAA D1 FBS Predictions Sure To Go Wrong: ACC – SportsBlog.com (blog)
Apparently, these predictions that I am assuming will not be correct are making quite an impact on some people. Whether it be because I made a factual error or stated an opinion that someone did not agree with, I am blown away at the response that these posts have seen. That being said, I must press on.
The ACC has produced a championship contender each of the last 3 years. in 2013 and 2014, it was Florida State, winning it all in the final BCS championship game in 2013 and making the Rose Bowl in the first ever CFB Playoff in 2014, albeit in a losing effort to Oregon. Last year, it was Clemson who made the championship game, although they, too, came up short in their quest for a title.
While the chances are good that those 2 schools will once again duke it out for the Atlantic Division title, some other schools will be looking to break out of the massive shadow cast by Jimbo Fisher and Dabo Sweeney (damn, those are two fine football names). Some schools will be dormant giants long awaiting a chance to reclaim glory, while others are relative newcomers to the spotlight.
What better thing to do than to go ahead with the predictions sure to go wrong for the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Favorite: Florida State. This is a surprisingly easy one for me. The Seminoles return the entire starting offense from last year’s 10-3 squad that lost just once in ACC play (gee, I wonder who that was….), as well as 6 starters on defense. Florida State is just 2 years removed from the time of Jameis Winston and back to back ACC Championships. The ‘Noles get Clemson at home, but do have to travel to Louisville and Miami, although for an experienced bunch such as this, those are not as difficult as they may seem. Having gone through their entire schedule, and seeing that their final game is at home against the hated Gators, I firmly believe that Florida State has a legitimate chance to run the table in the regular season and go 12-0 prior to the ACC Championship game.
In The Hunt: Clemson. Last year’s national runner-up brings back one of the front runners, if not THE front runner for the 2016 Heisman Trophy in Deshaun Watson at quarterback. Clemson only fell to Alabama in the championship game, though the Tigers have nothing to be ashamed of. They certainly lost a lot on defense, but they bring back so much on offense, that it might not make much of a difference. Clemson’s hardest game by far will be at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, and if they can win that one, then they would have a strong chance to return to the CFB Playoff. Unfortunately, they may have to settle for an 11-1 overall record in 2016, unless they can do the improbable (though not impossible) and beat this loaded Seminoles team.
Miami. It has been a tough go of it for the Hurricanes since Larry Coker was leading this team on national championship runs in the early 2000’s. While they may not have turned the corner yet, and let’s be honest, they have a long way to go from last year’s embarrassment to Clemson at home, they will have a great chance to turn some heads this year, returning 10 of 11 offensive starters from a team that did end up winning 8 games in 2015. Look for Miami to make a run in the Coastal Division, possibly even making their first ACC championship game (that is the stat of the day, Miami has NEVER made an ACC championship game in 11 tries). 9-3 is possible, though this relatively unproven Hurricanes team will have to withstand the test to get to that mark.
Disappointments: North Carolina. Last year was a special run for the Tar Heels. North Carolina went undefeated in conference, only to have their spoiler dreams come crashing down as they failed to take down Clemson in the ACC title game. Needing to replace some key positions, most notably the quarterback position, I see Carolina taking a step back this year, especially with the difficult task of having to travel to Duke and Miami. 7-5 is by no stretch a giant leap in reverse, but compared to last year’s spectacular run, it just doesn’t have the same kind of pizzazz.
Sleepers: Louisville. The Cardinals bring back 10 of 11 offensive starters and 18 of 22 overall starters from last year’s 8-5 group. Louisville is one of the newcomers to the ACC, but they have a strong football history over the last 20 years, going back to Howard Schnellenberger reviving this program in the mid 90’s. 2016 may be a turning point for this team, as they get to host Duke and Florida State. This year might not be the year to break through, though, seeing as 2 potential Top 5 teams stand in their way atop the Atlantic Division. Still, a 9-3 record is an improvement over last year, and is a strong step in the right direction for this potential contender.
Duke. The Blue Devils have been a basketball powerhouse for decades, and yet, here we are sitting here discussing if they are fit to be ACC Football Champions. They made the ACC title game in 2013, losing to Florida State, and are coming off an 8-5 season in 2015. The downside for Duke is they have 11 starting positions to fill for 2016, though that hasn’t seemed to slow down this program much over the last few years. Having to compete with Miami and North Carolina in the same division is a tall task for any team, even one as strong as Duke. I see the Blue Devils getting 8 wins again, but if they can pull the upset at Miami, they may have a chance at stealing the trip to the ACC championship game.
Projected ACC Standings: ATLANTIC: 1.) Florida State 2.) Clemson 3.) Louisville 4.) North Carolina State 5.) Wake Forest 6.) Syracuse 7.) Boston College COASTAL: 1.) Miami 2.) Duke 3.) Virginia Tech 4.) North Carolina 5.) Pittsburgh 6.) Georgia Tech 7.) Virginia
The dream matchup of Florida State v. Miami in the ACC Championship game will finally happen in 2016. It’s what ACC officials were hoping for year in and year out when the conference expanded in 2005. Florida State will be going into this game with a shot at an undefeated season and the number 1 ranking going into the CFB Playoff, and you know that the only thing Miami will have on their minds will be making sure their bitter in state rivals don’t get that opportunity. The Seminoles are too strong, though, as they take down their rival Hurricanes to complete the undefeated season and advance to the CFB Playoffs as the presumptive favorites to win it all. However, as we saw in 2014 and 2015, an undefeated regular season does not guarantee a championship, so you will have to come back on July 4 to see if Florida State will in fact break that trend and win it all.
