With the reshuffling of the college football landscape, the ACC has become one of the most powerful conferences in the country. We take a look inside the ACC with the first of our BCS conference college football previews. Taking each team in order, here's how we see the ACC shaping up:
BOSTON COLLEGE Why they'll Win:
With a weak OOC schedule (C Michigan, BYU, Maine, Buffalo) the Eagles
should have no problem making a bowl game with even minimal performance
in conference. BC had a solid offense a year ago (387.8YPG) and with
the return of six from that unit including an improved Matt Ryan, they
should continue to produce. The OL should be stout, and Sr WR Tony
Gonzalez and Speedster Soph Brandon Robinson should be good for some
big plays in the fall.
On the schedule, Clemson and VT both travel to Chesnut Hill where the Eagles are 31-10 straight up over the last 41 games.
Why They'll Lose:
The Eagles took some big blows in the front seven on the defensive side
of the ball as stud Mathias Kiwanuka and MLB Ray Henderson are gone.
Add in the fact that only 12 starters return and that the Eagles have
some rough roadtrips to Florida State and Miami, and they are still
looking like the second or the third best team in the Atlantic
Division.
CLEMSON Why they'll Win:
The O-Line is stacked with all five starters back including stud Tackle
Barry Richardson. Soph James Davis is explosive out of the backfield
and the receiving corp is deep. The addition of true frosh Jacoby Ford
adds big play threat to the Tiger O.
Why They'll Lose:
With QB Whitehurst gone the Tigers turn to Senior Will Proctor to lead
the attack. Proctor looked shaky in the spring, and with two big road
games at Boston College and FSU in the first three weeks of the season
the Tigers could easily get off to a shaky start. Questions remain in
the secondary and if they get burned while looking for a replacement
for CB Tye Hill who is off to the NFL.
DUKE
Why they'll Win:
Well, the Devils haven't had a winning campaign since 94, and drawing
Florida State and Boston College out of the Atlantic doesn't help their
chances. They do have a realistic shot at starting the season 1-0 by
beating Richmond, but the rest of the season is likely a downward
spiral.
Why They'll Lose:
Quite simply, the Dukies are out of thier league in the stronger than
ever ACC and they would be better suited to play in a smaller non-BCS
conference. With a defense that allowed 33PPG last season and the
offense only mustered 17 there isn't much to celebrate. The straight up
losses will mount again this season, but there is always hope they can
put together a nice run against the spread.
FLORIDA STATE Why they'll Win:
The Noles have eight home games this season and if they manage some
respectable O-Line play, they may have the most potent offense in the
Conference. QB Drew Weatherford has a solid year under his belt and
threw for an ACC Freshman record of 3220 yards last season. His ratio
(1/1 LY) should improve as he settles in this season and with four year
RB Booker, and speedy WR Greg Carr back from nagging injuries, the
offense should be solid.
Why They'll Lose:
The OL is still a big question mark and this is a team that returns
only 11 starters. Critics have also complained that though the Noles
have been loaded with talent, offensive production has dropped steadily
since Jeff Bowden has taken over as Offensive Coordinator. His team
mustered just 26.1 points per game over the last two seasons (v. Div 1A
opponents) and that is the Noles lowest production since 1981.
GEORGIA TECH Why they'll Win:
The Wreck has possibly the best wide out in the nation in Calvin
Johnson, and QB Reggie Ball has show flashes of brilliance that rival
the best in the game. Couple this with one of the best defenses in the
ACC boasting an incredible front seven and the Yellow Jackets have
enough to get through a fairly manageable schedule. If they can muster
a big upset over Notre Dame early (a la Auburn last year) they'll be
well into the Top 25.
Why They'll Lose:
Ball still had more picks last year than TDs and though he has show
incredible skills at times, he has made incredibly poor decisions at
others. The front seven on defense are as good as anywhere in the
nation but the secondary is very green and could get picked apart early
versus NOtre Dame and other pass happy attacks in the ACC.
MARYLAND Why they'll Win:
Maryland has some experience this season after being incredibly low on
that in the last two campaigns. The defense should be the best since
Freidgen assumed the reigns and with everything back on the DL
(starters and reserves) the offense might not have to put 30+ on the
board every week to get the victory. Lance Ball and Josh Allen should
provide a spark in a ground game that has been somewhat lackluster the
last few seasons.
Why They'll Lose:
The Terps haven't gotten the play they've needed at QB of late and
predicted starter Sam Hollenbeck didn't impress in the spring (7 of 17,
2 INTs). His backup, Soph. Jordan Stephy is challenging, but the real
future of Maryland ball may lay in Florida Transfer Josh Portis who has
to sit out this season. The schedule is also murder on the Terps with a
roadtrip to OOC foe WVU, FSU and Miami at College Park, and a total of
five road games against teams that played in bowls last season.
MIAMI Why they'll Win:
Excluding the blowout against LSU, the Miami stop unit was one of the
best in the country last season allowing just 14 points and 270 yards
per game. The secondary is stout on this years unit and the front
seven, though less experienced, is filled with blue chippers. QB Kyle
Wright comes in to this campaign with a full season under his belt and
should show better productivity and maturity than last season.
Why They'll Lose:
Last year's attack was the weakest Miami has had in nearly a decade
(27ppg/353yards) and changing assistants isn't going to fix the problem
immediately. The schedule is favorable in the second half of the
season, but big games against FSU and Louisville in the first three
will be a test. NORTH CAROLINA Why they'll Win:
This year the Heels find themselves with a much more accomodating
schedule than last season. They get to skip FSU, Maryland, and BC, and
the only rough OOC game is Notre Dame. The trio of tailbacks is solid
and the defense has been resepctable and improved each of the last
three seasons. With any adequate play out of the new QB, the Heels
should find themselves solidly in the middle of the ACC and bowl
eligible.
Why They'll Lose:
The questions at QB don't have an easy answer and the games at Miami
and Clemson don't look like victories. The Heels are also on the road
against Notre Dame, Virginia, and Duke, and only one of those three
appear to be an easy win. UNC will need a solid run at home through the
schedule to make it bowling.
NC STATE Why they'll Win:
The Wolfpack has a great schedule this year and that should give them
enough wins to be bowl eligible even with mediocre play. The play of
the potent tailback combo should chew enough clock to keep a young
defensive unit fresh.
Why They'll Lose:
The offensive production was spotty last year, and QB Stone will have
to improve on his efficiency (48% completions LY) to keep the defenses
from keying on Brown and Baker (and possible Frosh Eugene who stunned
in the Spring Game). The Pack also lost quite a bit to graduation and
the draft and likely isn't nearly as talented as last year's squad.
VIRGINIA Why they'll Win:
The first nine games of the season give the Cavs a shot to start off
with a fairly solid record. Games at Pitt and at GT are the toughest in
that stretch and we wouldn't be surprised to see Virginia roll into
Florida State with a 7-2 or 6-3 record.
Why They'll Lose:
Quite frankly, this is a rebuilding year at UVA. The Cavs have an
incredibly young defense and lost four assistant coaches since last
season (including the OC and DC). Add in losses of star players to both
the NFL and through dismissals from the team (Brooks, Franklin, Redd)
and the Cavs are going to need some blue-chippers to step up to the
plate to get things done.
VIRGINIA TECH Why they'll Win:
This Hokie team has the benefit of a great schedule featuring only four
road games and only one that would be classified as difficult (@
Miami). VT should sail to an easy 4-0 start and get their first test
when GT visits Blacksburg in late September. If they have found some
decent production at QB by that point, they can pick up a victory
there, before entering the meat of the schedule. The rest of the season
has some tests, but if the offense is clicking the defense will be
strong enough to keep the Hokies in every game.
Why They'll Lose:
The big question marks on this team sit on the offensive side of the
ball. With the dismissal last season of Marcus Vick and questions about
the health of Soph. RB Brandon Ore the core of the offense has some
real questions. With the line picked over by graduation and the
possible loss of their only experienced TE, Tech will need to find some
cohesive unit on the offense if it wants to pick up victories past
September.
WAKE FOREST Why they'll Win:
The defense is as good as it has been in any year since Coach Grobe
took the reigns five years ago and if QB Ben Mauk gives the offense
some regular production the running game is solid enough to provide
Wake with a balanced attack. With even a shade more production, the
Demon Deacons could look to chalk up several more victories as they
have lost a full 21 games by 8 points or less over the last three
years. Additionally, Wake Forest has a legit shot at opening the season
5-0 before running into Clemson and that might give them enough
confidence to rell off another win or two late in the season to qualify
to go bowling.
Why They'll Lose:
The Demon Deacons still have yet to find an offense that clicks and in
each of the last three years they have been outgained in conference
play by an average of 72 yards. If Mauk and company cannot put together
some consistent offensive series no defense will save them. The tail
end of the schedule also isn't exactly a walk in the park with games
against Clemson, Boston College, and Va Tech, and at Florida State.
With the reshuffling of the college football landscape, the ACC has become one of the most powerful conferences in the country. We take a look inside the ACC with the first of our BCS conference college football previews. 