ACC Power Rankings

FOOTBALL! FOOTBALL! FOOTBALL! It's here. To get yourself acclimated what what is going on in the ACC, the contributors to the site, Pat, Mitch and I, have each made a power ranking for the ACC teams to begin the season. Based on the individual rankings we have a composite power ranking for the ACC. 

     Chris                          Mitch                        Pat

1. Florida State          1. Florida State           1A./1B. Florida State/Virginia Tech

2. Virginia Tech          2. Virginia Tech

3. NC State               3. Clemson                 3. NC State

4. Maryland               4. NC State                4. Miami

5. UNC                      5. Boston College       5. UNC

6. Clemson                6. Georgia Tech          6. Clemson

7. Georgia Tech         7. UVA                       7. Maryland

8. UVA                      8. Maryland                8. UVA

9. Miami                   9. Wake Forest           9. Boston College

10. Boston College   10. UNC                     10. Georgia Tech

11. Duke                  11. Duke                    11. Duke

12. Wake Forest      12. Miami                   12. Wake Forest

Composite Power Ranking

1. Florida State

Mitch: Deep, deep defense. Only two of the first six games should be tough and only on is a conference match-up, at Clemson. The conference schedule sets up favorably.

Chris: The fact that EJ Manuel already has big game experience should bode well for Florida State. He was the MVP of the Gator Bowl in 2010, started in the ACC Championship in 2010 and played most of the game in Chick-Fil-A bowl victory over South Carolina. He's early experience should help him throughout the season.

2. Virginia Tech

Pat: To rank these teams 1 and 2 would be unfair. More like 1 and 1A, these teams are head and shoulder above the rest of the conference. If all goes well for the teams in Blacksburg and Tallahassee, last year’s offensive highlight reel should be an indication of how this year’s face-off will go in the ACC Championship game. E.J. Manuel should fill the shoes of Christian Ponder without busting the Nikes at the seams. Record-breaking Tyrod Taylor’s shoes may be a little too large for Logan Thomas, but all reports of the sophomore seem to indicate their satisfaction. The Jimbo Fisher era at Florida State is trending smoothly and should result in a steady climb to the front of the pack in the ACC, but Frank Beamer’s aggressive hold on the conference is a challenge Fisher is prematurely contesting. The anxiety for a match-up between these two in the conference championship is all too unbearable and could potentially result in a bid for the national championship without too many slip-ups in the regular season for either team. 

Chris:  It's Frank Beamer's 25th season in Blacksburg and he has the task of replacing Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Williams and Darren Evans who together made up one of the most potent backfields in the country last year.  Virginia Tech's early schedule gives backups time to acclimate themselves with their roles before the conference schedule begins. The new quarterback, Logan Thomas, and running back, David Wilson, have the fans excited in Blacksburg and anything less than an 8th straight 10-win season will be a disappointment. 

3. NC State

Pat: The Wolfpack will be a threat in the ACC with the talent they have at each position, but the best thing going for them is scheduling.  Though the Coastal Division has been the more stellar of the two since the realignment began, this season the divisions should be more evenly matched. But, of the three ACC teams the Pack plays from the Coastal division, two should finish in the weaker half of the ACC and the other is the supreme rival Tar-Heels, (of which N.C. State has owned in the last few match-ups) whom they meet at home. The Atlantic Division match-ups they face are not much tougher. There’s no question they are vast underdogs heading to Tallahassee, but besides this blemish on the schedule, the Pack have the decent competition at home and the practice walk-through games on the road. This should make for a great ‘Pack’ing to the Wolfpack’s regular season record…ya see what I did there? But not undeservingly. Tom O’Brien seems so satisfied with his Junior Quarterback, Mike Glennon, that he dismissed his shifty record-setter, Russell Wilson. And rightfully so. Glennon should have enough talent around him to ‘pack’ his stats (once more for shits’n’giggles) and lead the team to a 6-2, 10-2 season.

Mitch: The cajones on Tom O'Brien to get rid of Russel Wilson. The back-up, Mike Glennon, better be good. Due to the fall of UNC and Miami, NC State has vaulted up to 3rd in the ACC depth chart. Oh, ACC how far we have fallen. 

4. Clemson

Mitch: Great talent year in and year out on both sides of the ball. The coaching staff is full of great assistants. The only problem? Dabo Swinney. If his learning curve as a head coach occurs he may actually make something of the only team that underachieves more than the University of Georgia. Dabo will squeak out some wins on emotion alone and continue to believe that college football games are won like Disney movies and Tim Tebow say, just "trying harder" than the other team. 

Chris: Clemson has a TOUGH schedule this year. They play Auburn and Florida State at home back to back, go to Virginia Tech, and finish the season at South Carolina. If they win even three of those games Clemson could make some noise on a national level. But expect their solid talent to continue to be done in by poor coaching. 

5. Maryland

Chris: Last year Maryland started a freshman quarterback that led the team to a 9-4 record beating almost no one of note. Their biggest win came against NC State in a game that only three fan bases remember, Maryland's, NC State's, and FSU's. Their victory over NC State gave Florida State the Atlantic Division Championship and the honor of playing Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship. Maryland's quarterback, Dan O'Brien, might be the most solid quarterback in the ACC or at least the quarterback that we know the most about. That should let you know that the ACC is struggling at quarterback. 

Mitch: Everyone say it together "We must protect this house!" I didn't really research Maryland, mainly because they are Maryland.  

6. UNC

Pat: The Tar Heels are reeling from questions facing the program, as well as, an above average purge of remarkable talent to the NFL. The Tar Heels have holes to fill on offense, defense, and the sidelines. Bryn Renner had an optimistic showing in spring practice, a necessary desire for North Carolina success.  The wide-receiving core is good enough to help Renner adjust to T.J. Yeatts’ well-run position. The best thing going for the defense is the experienced they gained last year while their counterparts were forced to sit. Well, that and the three All-Americans that help form the front seven. Quinton Coples has been compared to names like Julius Peppers on the left side. Ideal optimism? We’ll see. But there’s no question he can hold his own, and could be the leader North Carolina needs with so many seniors gone. The Tar Heels could face weaknesses at Defensive Back and Halfback, but the most intriguing position of all is on the sidelines. Interim head coach Everett Withers has been put in a tumultuous position following the delayed firing of Butch Davis amidst controversy. This will be a make or break season for the future of the program and a large portion of it relies on the skills of Withers, on and off the field. The Tar Heels finish 5-3 in conference play.

Chris: Carolina is such a difficult team to rank preseason. They faced a lot of adversity last year with players discovering if they were eligible throughout different points of the season but Butch Davis kept the team together and they played well. Now Butch Davis is gone, in a sloppy dismissal by the University, and the team is now coached by Everett Withers and we don't know if he can handle the pressures of being a head coach. The talent on this team could help Carolina have a solid season or this team could self-destruct due to the off-field mess.  

7. Georgia Tech/UVA

Chris: "I'm a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech and a hell of an engineer, 

A helluva, helluva, helluva, hell of an engineer, 

Like all the jolly good fellows, I drink my whiskey clear, 

I'm a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech and a hell of an engineer." 

Hands down best fight song in college football. Too bad there won't be that many touchdowns to hear this played. 

Mitch: Georgia Tech and that triple option. Maybe the Ewing Theory (see: Simmons, Bill) will kick in with Nesbit. It's a system and it's possible he grew too big for it. 

Chris: UVA is probably helped most by the scandals at UNC and Miami. We don't know what to expect from those Universities and UVA is on the rise. Mike London was a great hire by the University and has dedicated himself to recruiting hard in the state of Virginia. This team could potential finish second in the Coastal division almost by default. 

Mitch: At least they can still call themselves "Mr. Jefferson's University."

9. Boston College

Mitch: Competing with NC State as the Atlantic Division dark horse. Boston College grinds out at least eight wins every year and they upset a team because of their God awful November weather (watch out FSU). Plus, they have hogmollies like no other, on both lines every freaking year. If only they had Matty Ice again. 

Chris: Boston College goes on the road to Virginia Tech (though they don't seem to be scared of playing in Blacksburg) and Notre Dame. They do get FSU at home but the talent level shouldn't be close. I had to check to see who Boston College's head coach is, Frank Spaziani, and for a few years there they seemed to change every off-season. It seems that all the coaching changes finally diminished the talent level at Boston College. 

10. Miami

Pat: Though the Hurricanes are facing sanctions that could eliminate any near future for the program. The line-up for the U…niversity of Miami is all too appealing to miscarriage a successful season. The schedule they face is unforgiving with visits to Blacksburg, Tallahassee, College Park, and Chapel Hill, which could be an Achilles heel for the youthful squad. The only question is who will play? Jacory Harris has been announced as ineligible (along with 12 others), but he was already a concern of reliability. Harris’ preseason competition, Stephen Morris, will have to step up to the plate with the talent around him. If he can become a bit more dependable than Harris’ 1 to 1.1 touchdown/interception ratio of the previous year and his own 9-interception/7-touchdown spree, the talent at wide-out and running back could pull an 8 win season. We just feel for Al Golden…What a mess to inherit?

Chris: Ohhhhhhhhhhh Miami!! Thirteen players have already been declared ineligible until the NCAA says differently and there is really no time table for when the NCAA will make their ruling (See the University of North Carolina last year). The off the field mess will be too big to keep out of the locker room as the University could be struggling to keep the team and not catch the ultimate wrath of the NCAA, the dreaded "death penalty". Expect a tough season down there at the Sun Life, Landshark, Pro Player stadium, but don't worry there still won't be too many people there to see it. 

11. Duke/Wake

Mitch: A Good coach and a few talented players. Steve Spurrier was successful there because college football wasn't what it is today and the ACC didn't have FSU or Virginia Tech. Unfortunately for the few Duke football fans, academics are a priority. Duke would never make it in the SEC. 

Pat: You ever go to a fancy restaurant with all the accouterments (Editors Note: What?) that emphasize a quality meal? You anticipate everything from the fine wine to the 5-star filet…an all together unforgettable experience. You know that glass of water sitting just inside your reach at the table? The water you won’t touch while you anxiously anticipate a drink and a menu? Extensive metaphor, but analogous to the football season/basketball season quality and fan following in Durham. The Blue Devil nation does not awaken until November. Too bad, because the Devils should have a few impressive athletes on the field in early October. Quarterback play has been a hallmark of David Cutcliffe’s career. This year Sean Renfree will have a fine wide-out tandem with ACC leading receiver Conner Vernon and teammate Donovan Varner. The defense is another story. There are significant holes on defense that should cater to any foe’s running game. As unappetizing as a glass of water, the Blue Devils should fall well short of a .500 season, again.

Mitch: Poor Jim Grobe. He had a good year with a fluke collection of seniors and a down FSU team. He has a good system but not that good. Hey, thank God for Miami and UNC, oh...and, I guess, the NCAA's need to seem relevant and vaunt an antiquated idea of amateurism. 

Chris: Wake Forest and Boston College's big games are actually against the three same teams. Wake Forest will play Florida State, Virginia Tech, and Notre Dame all at home. Congratulations Wake Forest fans you will see exactly three good football teams this season. You will see one horrible team every weekend. That is your own. 

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