The ACC has not been in the national title discussion for quite some time now. That may all change this season as both Florida State and Virginia Tech appear to be powerhouses heading into 2011. The Hokies won the conference last season with a perfect 8-0 record in ACC play, then beat FSU 44-33 in the conference title game. This conference needs a jolt after going 13-21 in bowl games over the last four years, and 9-16 against AQ teams last season.
There are also a few teams that are going under the radar, yet have nearly as much talent as the Hokies and Seminoles. Look out for Miami, UNC and Clemson as sleeper teams in the ACC. FSU was favored to win the conference from 1992 to 2007, but they haven’t been the favorites in any of the last three seasons. The Seminoles are back in the role of the favorite this year. Here are my college football predictions on how the ACC plays out in 2011.
Atlantic Division
1. Florida State - FSU has more talent than the rest of the teams in the ACC, hands down. Jimbo Fisher is doing an excellent job in recruiting and he’s ahead of the game already in just his second year on the job. The Seminoles haven’t won an ACC title in five years, but have an excellent shot of doing so in 2011. They draw Duke and Virginia out of the Coastal division which makes for about as easy of a schedule as possible. Their only real ACC tests will be at Clemson and at Boston College. We’ll find out a lot about this team when they host Oklahoma on September 17th.
2. North Carolina State - The Wolfpack lose QB Russell Wilson, who has transferred to Wisconsin. The good news is that new QB Mike Glennon has been drawing comparisons to Matt Ryan by head coach Tom O’Brien. This is a team that went 9-4 last season and, with a softer schedule than last year, the Wolfpack should finish in the top half of the Atlantic division.
3. Clemson - The Tigers are coming off of their first losing season since 1998. Clemson suffered some terrible breaks last season with four losses by a touchdown or less, and easily could have beaten Auburn, Miami, UNC and FSU. The loss of their top two defensive players will be big, but their offense should be more explosive with nine returning starters. I have them in third behind NC State, considering they will have to travel to face the Wolfpack.
4. Maryland - New head coach Randy Edsall resurrected the Connecticut football program, and now he looks to do the same at Maryland. He led the Huskies to a Big East title last season, and a trip to the Fiesta Bowl. The Terrapins are coming off a 9-4 season in which they finish plus-15 in turnovers and took advantage of a lot of breaks. They have a bright future behind sophomore QB Danny O’Brien. Maryland will be a tough out with 14 returning starters, but I don’t believe they will be able to catch as many breaks as they did a year ago.
5. Boston College - The Eagles come in with a lot of momentum after winning the final five games of the regular season to get to a bowl game in 2010. This year it appears they can get off to a fast start, but with five road games over their final seven contests, the Eagles will struggle down the stretch. They even have to visit both Virginia Tech and Miami out of the Coastal, who I have slated as the top two teams in that division.
6. Wake Forest - The Demon Deacons were outgained by 166 total yards per game last season in ACC play while finishing 3-9 overall, and 1-7 in the conference. The good news is that Wake Forest returns the second-most starters (17) in the ACC and there is a lot of room for improvement. This is a better team than the 2010 version, but drawing Virginia Tech and UNC from the Coastal will make it difficult to improve upon their win total.
Coastal Division
1. Virginia Tech - The Hokies won the ACC last season in spite of a defense that gave up 362 total yards per game, ranking No. 52 in the FBS. From 2005 to ‘09, Virginia Tech finished no worse than No. 12 in YPG allowed. With an improved defense and a surprise QB in 6’6” Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech shouldn’t miss a beat in 2011. Frank Beamer will play almost all of his toughest games at home, while dealing with a very manageable road schedule. The Hokies will rise to the top of the Coastal once again and are a legitimate national title contender.
2. Miami - The Hurricanes have been a bunch of underachievers over the past few years. They have a combined 28-23 record over the past four years, and probably more talent than any team in the ACC the past two seasons. New head coach Al Golden resurrected Temple, and now he has the same job here, except he’ll have access to a lot more talent. He’ll be tested in his first year with three road games against Top 25 ACC opponents in FSU, VT and UNC. The ‘Canes also must face Ohio State in the non-conference slate, and I just can’t see them winning the Coastal with such a brutal schedule.
3. North Carolina - The Tar Heels had more starts (89) lost to injury or suspension than any other team in the FBS. They only return 13 starters this season, but have a lot more experience than most teams in the conference because of the injuries and suspensions. They will get Miami at home, and even though they have to play Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, they’ll have a bye week to prepare. This is certainly the sleeper team in the Coastal, but I just don’t believe they are quite on the same level as VT and Miami in the talent department.
4. Virginia - Head coach Mike London is already making a huge impact on the Virginia football program in less than two years on the job. He did a remarkable job just getting the Cavaliers to four wins last year, and has now brought in one of the top recruiting classes in the country. They draw FSU from the Atlantic division, but get Georgia Tech and Duke at home, which is why I have them finishing ahead of both schools. Look for the Cavaliers to top their win total from last season.
5. Georgia Tech - Head coach Paul Johnson has certainly overachieved in his three years at Georgia Tech. He won ACC Coach of the Year in both 2008 and 2009, winning the ACC title in ‘09 en route to an 11-win season. He did suffer through his first losing season at GT in 2010 as the Yellow Jackets finished 6-7. With just 12 returning starters (tied for fewest in ACC), Georgia Tech is likely to suffer through another mediocre 2011 campaign. Then again, Johnson has seemed to surprise when expectations are low.
6. Duke - David Cutcliffe has at least turned Duke into a respectable football program in his three years here. The Blue Devils are 12-24 during that time, but are coming off a 3-9 campaign in 2010. I believe this is Cutcliffe’s most talented team yet as they will feature one of the top offenses in the ACC. A winning record and a bowl bid are finally within reach. What may hold them back again is a defense that gave up 35.4 points and 450 total yards per game last year, and it doesn’t appear to be any more formidable in 2011.
Check out our ACC predictions database to find out how many other experts see the conference playing out this fall.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/776718-acc-football-2011-conference-predictions
No comments:
Post a Comment