CF 2008 Preview: ACC

The fun that is the ACC begins with N.C. State traveling to South Carolina on Thursday night, giving me the chance to preview the conference and tell you what I think is going to happen in one of the weaker ACC seasons in years. No one in this conference (Clemson, Va. Tech, I'm talking about you) has a realistic chance to go undefeated or win a national title. These 12 teams will be playing for the right to win their divisions and go to the conference title game....which sends the winner to the Orange Bowl.

Here's what I like about the ACC this year:
1) Florida State and Miami...two powerhouses are getting no respect. One of them is due to have a big bounceback year. Both teams have too much talent to not be mentioned among the elite in college football. The problem with both schools remains the QB situation, as neither has been able to replace Chris Weinke or Ken Dorsey from earlier this decade.

2)Clemson's ability to run the football. Spiller and Davis are a sick tandem that will shred defenses throughout the conference. Cullen Harper is a solid QB as well and Clemson has as good a chance as anyone to win this conference.

3)North Carolina will be improved. Butch Davis is a successful college coach and he will get the most out of his ballclub. He can recruit and eventually this program will move to the upper echelon of the conference.

What I don't like about the ACC this year:
1)No national title contenders. This conference might have a few undefeateds going into October, maybe even November. But there's no way any of these teams win a national title. That hurts the conference in terms of nationally televised games as well as publicity. Even the Big East (a conference I rate as tied for 5th out of 6 conferences in the BCS) has a national title contender (West Virginia).

2)Bottom feeders galore in the ACC. Duke is terrible. N.C. State will be bad this year. Georgia Tech is implenting a whole new offense under Paul Johnson. There will be many bad teams at the bottom of this conference with potential for more if Maryland and North Carolina struggle. Just a lot of blowouts on Saturday afternoons...boring :(

Prediction Time:
Atlantic Division
1) Clemson
2) Florida State
3) Wake Forest
4) Maryland
5) Boston College
6) NC State

Coastal Division
1) Virginia Tech
2) Miami
3) North Carolina
4) Georgia Tech
5) Virginia
6) Duke

Conference Title Prediction: Virginia Tech over Clemson