ACC Atlantic Preview
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Last season was a good year for the ACC.
Clemson won their first 14 games of the season before losing to Alabama in the national championship. The ACC Atlantic has been the best and most consistent division for the past five years. I’m going to predict the standings for the division.
Clemson is still the favorite to win the conference. Junior quarterback Deshaun Watson will be a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy. He also has a great but very unheralded running back Wayne Gallman, who rushed for 1,527 yards in 2015.
The Tigers are replacing two defensive ends, two linebackers and three defensive backs. The season opens at Auburn September 3rd. They also have road games against Georgia Tech and Florida State. I think Clemson will finish 10-2.
Florida State should also have a strong season led by RB Dalvin Cook. He’s the most explosive back in the nation but he’s coming off of his second shoulder surgery as a Seminole.
Senior Sean Maguire is the projected starter at QB. He’s the biggest weakness on offense. The defense allowed just 17.5 points per game last year. The toughest game is October 29th against Clemson and I think the Noles can win 10 games.
Louisville should finish 3rd in the Atlantic. The Cardinals have been ranked in the top 25 in total D for the last 6 years. I expect that trend to continue.
The offense struggled in 2015 producing their lowest point total in four years. They turned the ball over a lot throwing 15 interceptions and losing 12 of 27 fumbles. Sophomore QB Lamar Jackson should drastically improve. The toughest game outside of the division is November 19th at Houston. The Cards are an 8-win team.
There’s a precipitous drop in talent after Louisville. Syracuse might be the best of the remaining second tier teams.
New head coach Dino Babers will bring his fast-paced offense to the Orange. Syracuse did not win any games outside of the Carrier Dome last year so that has to change. They will win out of conference games against Colgate, South Florida and UConn. I think their capable of winning three conference games to go 6-6 and become bowl eligible.
NC State has a new offensive coordinator, Eli Drinkwitz. The Wolfpack still has personnel for a conservative ground-and-pound running game. The quarterback to replace Jacoby Brissett has not been named yet. They are deep at running back and led by senior Matt Dayes. Dayes rushed for 865 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.
The defense has improved the past two years and that will be the same this season. The front seven will be the strength of the unit. The biggest game is October 8th at home against Notre Dame. The Wolfpack will be 4-0 heading in to that game. They started 4-0 the past two years too but got exposed as the schedule got tougher. They should win six games.
Boston College will have Kentucky transfer Patrick Towles at QB. The Eagles have mediocre talent surrounding him though. The out of conference games against UMass, Wagner, Buffalo and UConn are easy wins. They will win two conference games and go to a bowl game.
Wake Forest has assumed their natural position in the cellar of the ACC. The Demon Deacons and Kansas are the only FBS programs to average less than 20 points in each of the past four years. They should win one conference game to finish 4-8.
