Good bye divisions! ...Good bye, Clemson?! (2023 ACC preview thread)

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

So with the ACC killing off the Atlantic and Coastal divisions, what will happen next for the league? A rampart fight for the top, or will it just be "Clemson and everyone else"... like it has been over the last several years?

I guess that's what this thread is here, for that very discussion.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Virginia

The first preview segment for the Atlantic Coast Conference: The Virginia Cavaliers

Last season: It was tough sledding for the Cavs in Tony Elliott's 1st year, but none of that mattered for the team. Not after that tragic shooting on November 14th of last year.
Now with a new season on the horizon, the Cavs are just hoping to have a better team (and not have any more tragedies).

Bad news: The coach's new offense never got going last year, and the passing game this year could be hot garbage; QB Brennan Armstrong transferred out and the O-line is undergoing a complete rebuild... for the 2nd year in a row.

Good news: The defense should be able to carry the team early on thanks to 8 starters coming back. The D-line in particular looks to be pretty big.

Key games:
9/9 vs. James Madison (After facing Tennessee in the opener, Virginia must deal with a in-state rival that is HUNGRY for a monster win. Not a great way to start your season, eh Cavaliers?)
9/16 @ Maryland (Oh, but it gets worse. After the Dukes, Virginia will visit a former ACC rival...)
9/22 vs. NC State (...before starting ACC play against NC State. And guess what? Brennan Armstrong is now a starting QB for the Wolfpack!)
11/25 vs. Virginia Tech (...Just know that emotions will be running high for this installment of the "Commonwealth Cup".)

Bottom line: I don't want to pile on the Cavaliers after what happened to them last year, but it really doesn't look good for them. If the offense doesn't show some big improvements, they could be on the bottom of the ACC this season.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Clemson

Preview segment: The Clemson Tigers

Last season: If you just looked at the ACC standings, you would think that nothing's wrong with Clemson. I mean, they swept through the conference and took another ACC title. But go to their games outside of the ACC, and you'll see the cracks within this proud program. Notre Dame outclassed the Tigers. Ditto for Tennessee in that Orange Bowl. And worse of all, Clemson lost to South Carolina for the first time since the CFP began.
Now Dabo Swinney and Clemson are at a crossroads. Can they get back to their dominant form?

2023 X-factor: New offensive coordinator Garrett Riley- For Clemson fans, the DJ Uiagalelei era was a disappointment. Now with DJ bolting for Oregon State, the pressure shifts to sophomore QB Cade Klubnik. And Cade will be under the tutelage of Garrett Riley, who was at TCU last year helping the Frogs get to the CFP title game. Let's see how well Cade and Garrett get along and help each other.

Good news: There are no major worries on defense, which is loaded in many areas. And expect the secondary to be better than it was last year. On offense, Clemson can always lean on it's rushing attack; Will Shipley is a BEAST and the O-line is thin but strong.

Bad news: Besides helping out the QB, Garrett Riley must also find playmakers at wide-receiver. And the options he has now doesn't inspire confidence.

Key games:
9/4 @ Duke (Wait a second. A Duke/Clemson game is on the list?! Duke must be REALLY confident of a continued rise in the ACC, so how will the Clemson offense react?)
9/23 vs. Florida State (7 straight wins over the Seminoles, and the game's in Memorial Stadium this year? That shouldn't matter for Clemson; this will still be their toughest test in conference this season.)
11/4 vs. Notre Dame (What will be on Clemson's mind when they host the Irish? Simple. Revenge. REVENGE!)
11/18 vs. North Carolina (Hmm... Could this be a preview of the ACC title game. Who knows?)
11/25 @ South Carolina (I think I already mentioned why this rivalry game will be so big in 2023.)

Bottom line: Clemson also has road games at Miami and NC State, so their road back to the top of the nation won't be easy this year. Especially with Florida State wanting to take their heads off. If the defense holds up and the passing game improves, Clemson should be back in the CFP race.
That's a VERY big ask, though. Dabo... Garrett... a lot is riding on your shoulders this year. Good luck.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Syracuse

Preview segment: The Syracuse Orange

Last season: I'll admit it, folks. I got excited about the Orange's 1st half performance, too. Expected to just fight for a bowl spot, Syracuse instead started out 6-0. And during the Clemson game, they were fighting it out tooth and nail with the Tigers. "This is too good to be true!", I thought.
Sadly, injuries happened to the Orange. And before you knew it, we finished 7-6. So now I'm just wondering what the Orange will look like in 2023.

Good news: QB Garrett Shrader is back for one more year, and RB LeQuint Allen looks like a guy that can fill the shoes of Sean Tucker. On defense, Rocky Long (who basically invented the 3-3-5 defense) comes in as the new coordinator, and he'll have some good linebackers on his side. What's more, the elimination of divisions means we no longer have to play Clemson and Florida State every year!

Bad news: The O-line will be missing a few starters, and Dino Babers and his staff must be careful of the injury bug striking again; overall team depth is not great. And what's THIS? Clemson and Florida State are STILL on the schedule? Shit!

Key games:
9/16 @ Purdue (Purdue might be rebuilding, but they'll remember how the Orange stole a win from them last year.)
10/7 @ North Carolina (Dealing with a high-flying UNC team led by Drake Maye is one thing. Having this game sandwiched between the Clemson and FSU games, THAT is another thing entirely.)
10/26 @ Virginia Tech (But on the other hand, I think we can win in Blacksburg this year!)
11/11 vs. Pittsburgh [at Yankee Stadium] (These 2 teams playing in the Bronx? You guys may find this cute. I see it as a potential stepping stone for the Orange.)
11/25 vs. Wake Forest (Garrett Shrader's final game at Syracuse.)

Bottom line: The 2nd-half slide definitely stung, but overall 2022 was a step in the right direction for Syracuse football. Now we can just hope that Dino Babers and his team can find another bowl berth so that the climb upwards can continue.
I WILL say this: I am expecting the team to do better during the latter half of the year.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Duke

Preview segment: The Duke Blue Devils

Last season: I don't want to throw more pressure on Jimbo Fisher over at Texas A&M, but just look at what his former defensive coordinator did in his first year at Duke! Duke was expected to win about 3 or 4 games in 2022. Instead, they won NINE including the Military Bowl over UCF. WTF?!
You wanna hear a bigger "WTF" statement? Duke is looking to make the ACC title game in 2023.

Good news: QB Riley Leonard (with his duel-threat capabilities) is back, and so are his helpers at RB and WR. The special teams look to be rock-solid, and there are no big worries on defense.

Bad news: However, the defense will be missing linebacker Shaka Heyward (who's now with the Cincinnati Bengals). And the O-line has a lot of moving parts, so we don't know how study it'll really be.

Key games:
9/4 vs. Clemson (See my Clemson preview.)
9/30 vs. Notre Dame (Hosting the Irish looks scary for Duke, but hey! Duke did defeat Sam Hartman when he was at Wake Forest last year, and now Sam is a QB for Notre Dame.)
10/21 @ Florida State (Uh oh. Suddenly, I don't like Duke's chances in the ACC anymore.)
11/2 vs. Wake Forest (Oh, I almost forgot! Duke will be facing the Demon Deacons again this year.)
11/11 @ North Carolina (Hmm... A Duke/UNC football game with lots on the line for BOTH squads. And another QB duel between Drake Maye and Riley Leonard? Sold! I'll be paying attention to this game.)

Bottom line: Look at how low expectations were for Duke in Mike Elko's 1st year on the job. Now look at how high Duke's expectations are for Mike Elko's 2nd year. That is f--king amazing. And even more amazing is that Duke has the tools to get about 8 or 9 wins once again.
However, the schedule is WAY harder than it was a year ago. So if Duke wants to shock the nation and make the ACC title game, they'll have to EARN it.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Boston College

Preview segment: The Boston College Eagles

Last season: In the Boston College preview I made last year, I jokingly said that with the injury bug still haunting the Eagles they would finish 6-6. Turns out I was being kind; the Eagles went through a wretched 3-9 season in 2022. And it wasn't really due to injuries; it was a shit offense that did them in.

Bad news: The secondary is being retooled thanks to 4 starters leaving from last year. But the offense is STILL the big worry; QB Phil Jurkovec transferred to Pittsburgh, WR Zac Flowers went in the first round of the NFL Draft, and is that awful O-line EVER going to get fixed?

Good news: At least BC found some good people to fill in the vacancies; Emmett Morehead is now the head QB, and solid WR Ryan O'Keefe comes in from UCF. The pass-rush looks good, and overall team depth looks a lot better than it did a year ago.

Key games:
9/16 vs. Florida State (The ACC schedule for BC looks a lot nicer than it did over the last several years, too. And at least the Eagles will get their hardest conference game over and done with at the beginning.)
9/23 @ Louisville (BC was able to nip the Cardinals last year 34-33. Can they do it again at Louisville?)
10/28 vs. UConn (A critical part of the schedule will come when BC looks to avenge a terrible loss to UConn from last year.)
11/3 @ Syracuse (And then, BC looks to take out the Orange to raise their profile in the Northeast.)
11/16 @ Pittsburgh (Oh, look! The Eagles gets to face their old friend Phil Jurkovec!)

Bottom line: All kidding aside, this is a "make-or-break" year for coach Jeff Hafley. After 2 disappointing seasons in a row, fans are anxious for him to get Boston College back on the right track. And to be fair, Hafley did a good job in the offseason addressing the depth issues. But the offense NEEDS to be a lot better.
BC is looking to get back to the postseason in 2023. But if that doesn't happen, the head coach could be saying bye-bye.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

North Carolina

Preview segment: The North Carolina Tar Heels

Last season: Thanks to the emergence of QB Drake Maye, UNC defied low preseason expectations in 2022. They would win close game after close game to get a 9-1 start and a berth in the ACC championship game! But then their luck ran out as the close games kept coming... and they would finish with a 4-game losing streak.
Oh well. At least expectations are back to being high for Mack Brown and the Tar Heels.

Good news: If the O-line gets better (and the odds are good that it will), Drake Maye's Heisman campaign will be running on all cylinders. The linebackers look to be good...

Bad news: ...and they'll have to be, as improvements must be made all across the defense. The most work will have to be done in the secondary, which has the least amount of playmakers. Oh, and the running game looks like it'll be a trial-by-committee.

Key games:
9/2 vs. South Carolina [from Charlotte] (Hmmm... my mom is a fan of BOTH of these teams. So I don't know where she'll stand in this huge season opener.)
9/16 vs. Minnesota (First the Gamecocks, then a battle with in-state nemesis App. State, and then THIS big home game against a healthy Minnesota squad. Man, the 2023 Tar Heel defense will be sorely tested right out of the gate, won't it?)
11/11 vs. Duke (As the first 3 games of UNC's schedule will be big, so will the last 3. First will be their annual battle with Duke. And I'll tell you guys, this might be the biggest game in the entire history of the Duke/UNC football series.)
11/18 @ Clemson (Then UNC will have to visit Clemson, who has beaten the Tar Heels 5 straight times now.)
11/25 @ NC State (And then finally, it'll be the annual war with the Wolfpack.)

Bottom line: Coach Mack Brown has been telling his team "Nine [wins] is not enough" throughout the offseason. And I'll bet that he said that mostly to the defense, which needs to get better if UNC wants to get back to the ACC title game. But if they navigate a tough September, who knows? Maybe the Tar Heels CAN do more damage... and Drake Maye really WILL be in New York for the Heisman ceremony.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Virginia Tech

Preview segment: The Virginia Tech Hokies

Last season: Too bad. The Hokies stunk up the joint in 2022, going 3-8. Mostly because the offense was garbage. And yet, coach Brent Pry says that the team is VERY excited about 2023. How can that be?

Good news: Much like their in-state rivals, Virginia Tech should be carried by a potent defense; defensive tackle in particular looks nasty. And much-needed reinforcements have come in for the offense; 3 proud wide-receivers has come in via the transfer portal.

Bad news: The O-line has been the Achilles-heel of Va-Tech for a few years now, and it might be that way again. This time, a lack of depth may drag it down.

Key games:
9/9 vs. Purdue (This should be the first big test for Va-Tech's new offense.)
9/16 @ Rutgers (Former Big East teammates go at it for the first time since 2003. A low-scoring game is expected.)
9/30 vs. Pittsburgh (The conference opener for the Hokies. And they'll want to look good in it, since a trip to Florida State is right afterwards.)
11/18 vs. NC State (Last year, Va-Tech missed an upset of the Wolfpack by just 1 point.)
11/25 @ Virginia (It won't be easy to face a rival on the road, especially when said rival will be emotionally charged.)

Bottom line: The coaching staff and the team sounds optimistic, but this is still a team in transition. Virginia Tech may just be stuck fighting for a bowl spot in 2023.

 

[foster4prez]

Virginia Tech

Preview segment: The Virginia Tech Hokies

Last season: Too bad. The Hokies stunk up the joint in 2022, going 3-8. Mostly because the offense was garbage. And yet, coach Brent Pry says that the team is VERY excited about 2023. How can that be?

Good news: Much like their in-state rivals, Virginia Tech should be carried by a potent defense; defensive tackle in particular looks nasty. And much-needed reinforcements have come in for the offense; 3 proud wide-receivers has come in via the transfer portal.

Bad news: The O-line has been the Achilles-heel of Va-Tech for a few years now, and it might be that way again. This time, a lack of depth may drag it down.

Key games:
9/9 vs. Purdue (This should be the first big test for Va-Tech's new offense.)
9/16 @ Rutgers (Former Big East teammates go at it for the first time since 2003. A low-scoring game is expected.)
9/30 vs. Pittsburgh (The conference opener for the Hokies. And they'll want to look good in it, since a trip to Florida State is right afterwards.)
11/18 vs. NC State (Last year, Va-Tech missed an upset of the Wolfpack by just 1 point.)
11/25 @ Virginia (It won't be easy to face a rival on the road, especially when said rival will be emotionally charged.)

Bottom line: The coaching staff and the team sounds optimistic, but this is still a team in transition. Virginia Tech may just be stuck fighting for a bowl spot in 2023.

Old Dominion University - Sept. 2 - Home
Purdue - Sept. 9 - Home
Rutgers - Sept. 16 - Away
Marshall - Sept. 23 - Away
Pitt - Sept. 30 - Home
Florida State - Oct. 7 - Away
Wake Forest - Oct. 14 - Home
Syracuse - Oct. 26 - Home
Louisville - Nov. 4 - Away
Boston College - Nov. 11 - Away
NC State - Nov. 18 - Home
UVA - Nov. 25 - Away

6-6 Wins in bold.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Miami

Preview segment: The Miami Hurricanes

Last season: So Miami had a new head coach, new schemes, and a tough schedule in 2022. And despite ALL of that, quite a few people made Miami the favorite in the Coastal division. So the Hurricanes go out and... play like a team that was going through a few transitions. Adding to the mess were humiliating losses to Middle Tennessee, Florida State, and Clemson.
The end result was a 5-7 record in Mario Cristobal's 1st year. Oopsy-doopsy!

2023 X-factor: The new guys on the coaching staff- During the offseason, Mario brought in 7 new assistants (including new coordinators on both sides of the ball) to try and fix this mess. Obviously, people in Miami will be watching to see all of these new people get along with each other.

Bad news: Adding to the mystery of this Miami squad is the lack of returning starters; only 9 of them are back. That may be most felt on the running attack; the O-line only returns 1 starter, and RB Jaylan Knighten left to go to SMU.

Good news: Hopes are high that QB Tyler Van Dyke will return to the form he showed as a freshmen. And we still have good individual pieces over here; tight-end Cam McCormick comes in from Oregon, and safety Kamren Kinchens will help to anchor the secondary.

Key games:
9/9 vs. Texas A&M (Easily the biggest game on the early schedule for Miami. Here, we'll see if all of the new transfers can work together as a motley crew to beat the rebuilding Aggies.)
10/14 @ North Carolina (You know, Miami almost got the Tar Heels last year, only losing to them by a field goal.)
10/21 vs. Clemson (Now Miami has a losing all-time record against Clemson, and hasn't beaten them since 2010. Hopefully by this time, Miami's offense will have a heartbeat.)
11/11 @ Florida State (...Just know that Miami doesn't like losing to FSU at home... by a score of 45-3.)

Bottom line: In 4 of the last 5 seasons, the Hurricanes have finished with a record around or below .500. Needless to say, that has to change. But with so many new pieces all over the practice fields, nobody knows what to expect from Miami in 2023.
To me, a middle-of-the-road finish looks likely.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Pittsburgh

Preview segment: The Pittsburgh Panthers

Last season: Okay, so they couldn't get back to the ACC title game. Other than that, it was pretty darn good for Pittsburgh in 2022 as they finished 9-4. They would also upset UCLA in the Sun Bowl to finish in the final Top 25, and they now enter 2023 on a 5-game winning streak. Can Pitt keep this pace up without the cozy confines of the Coastal division?

Good news: Team depth and experience is plentiful across both sides of the ball, especially at the lines. The kicking game looks good as well, and QB Phil Jurkovac has come to Pitt to author a storybook ending to his college career.

Bad news: Let's all hope Phil stays healthy this time; he has battled injuries through his careers. And yes, the defensive line is deep, but it doesn't have any true standout playmakers on it.

Key games:
9/9 vs. Cincinnati (Cool! Pitt gets a visit from an old rival from their days in the Big East.)
9/16 @ West Virginia (Just know that last year's "Backyard Brawl" was a hoot and a half, and Pitt wants to win it again [this time in Morgantown].)
9/23 vs. North Carolina (Wait. Pitt will start ACC play against the motivated Tar Heels? Man, the Panthers are gonna be BUSY in September.)
11/4 vs. Florida State (Huh. Pitt has only faced Florida State twice since they joined the ACC. I'd love to see how the Seminoles are gonna handle the tough defense of the Panthers.)
11/11 vs. Syracuse [from Yankee Stadium] (Wow. These 2 teams have played each other every year since 1955. What will happen this time?)

Bottom line: 20 wins over the last 2 years for Pittsburgh. Clearly, coach Pat Narduzzi knows what he's doing over here. And the problems this Pitt team has looks minimal in comparison to the other teams in the league. Maybe all Pittsburgh has to do to return to ACC contention is to make sure that QB Phil Jurkovac gets the storybook ending that he wants.

 

[BigFin]

So with the ACC killing off the Atlantic and Coastal divisions, what will happen next for the league? A rampart fight for the top, or will it just be "Clemson and everyone else"... like it has been over the last several years?

I guess that's what this thread is here, for that very discussion.

Clemson’s gotta get knocked off sometime, and FSU looks like it has the horses to do so this season.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Louisville

Preview segment: The Louisville Cardinals

Last season: Another mediocre regular season by Louisville standards, as they went 7-5. But everything after that came out roses for the Cardinals. First, coach Scott Satterfield left the program. Then, Louisville snagged one of their former heroes as the new head man: Former master QB Jeff Brohm. And for the topper, Louisville took care of rival Cincinnati in their bowl game.
Now it's time for Jeff Brohm to come down from the high of getting hired by his alma-mater and get to work.

Good news: For the QB spot, Jeff brought in a former starter from his days at Purdue: Jack Plummer. With him and workhorse RB Jawhar Jordan running the show, the offense SHOULD run well. The defense should still be aggressive and force turnovers.

Bad news: Coach Brohm may have brought in some good pieces, but he still has to replace a LOT from last year's team. 3 of the top 4 WR's from last season is gone, the O-line is missing 3 starters, and I don't know how good the pass-rush is truly going to be.

Key games:
9/1 vs. Georgia Tech [from Atlanta] (Hmm. A neutral-site game disguised as a home game for Georgia Tech. I guess this is where we'll start to see which new players Jeff Brohm will hitch his wagon to.)
9/29 @ NC State (An important trend-setter for both ACC teams. Louisville and NC State has split their last 6 meetings.)
10/7 vs. Notre Dame (Just a simple battle between 2 well-versed, well-coached teams here.)
11/25 vs. Kentucky (4 straight losses to the rival Wildcats. Obviously, Louisville will be under pressure to reverse the trend.)

Bottom line: We have a lot of moving pieces going on in Louisville right now, but MAN did they luck out on the schedule front! They'll host Kentucky and Duke, plus they won't have to deal with Florida State OR Clemson. The Cardinals may not be a serious ACC contender in 2023, but they should easily make another bowl game.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Georgia Tech

Preview segment: The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Last season: It REALLY looked like Georgia Tech was in for another wretched season, as they started out 1-3 before firing Geoff Collins. Then Brent Key came in as interim coach, and the Jackets actually went 4-4 the rest of the way. That was pretty cool! So cool, in fact, that the university actually made Key the new coach entering 2023.
So... how will Brent handle the job 24/7? That will be the big plot point for this season.

Good news: Line play should be exceptional on both sides of the ball for GT, and Key has eliminated the mental mistakes that made the Jackets a punching bag over the last few years. The running game should be better, also.

Bad news: Jeff Sims transferred out, so now we have a QB duel between Zach Pyron and Haynes King going on. The outside receiver slot is pretty bare, and linebacker is a glaring problem after Charlie Thomas and Ayinde Eley both left.

Key games:
9/1 vs. Louisville [from Atlanta] (As I mentioned earlier, Louisville will use this game to rat out some new playmakers. Georgia Tech's goal in this game is way more basic: Win. Win and build momentum for the rest of the year.)
9/23 @ Wake Forest (After a scary trip to Ole Miss, the Yellow Jackets will take a scary trip to Wake. But I think they can win this because A. The Demon Deacons are missing their star QB Sam Hartman. And B. The Jackets haven't lost to Wake since 2006.)
10/28 vs. North Carolina (Amongst that 4-4 record to end 2022 for GT was a win in Chapel Hill against North Carolina.)
11/4 @ Virginia (Here's another winnable game for the Yellow Jackets.)
11/25 vs. Georgia (Uh... Maybe this year, the Yellow Jackets can at least keep it close against mighty Georgia.)

Bottom line: The ACC is pretty deep, but at least Georgia Tech won't destroy themselves this year. So I'll just say this: I think the Jackets are gonna shock somebody in 2023; teams like Miami and North Carolina should watch out.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Florida State

Preview segment: The Florida State Seminoles

Last season: Despite Clemson taking the ACC title, the most upbeat fanbase right now is Florida State. Why? Because Mike Norvell has FINALLY gotten the program back on solid ground, as evidenced by their first 10-win season in five years. Oh, and they defeated both Miami and Florida in the same year for the first time in 6 years.
And now they think that a return trip to the CFP is on the horizon. Well, it's about time!

Good news: Let me just give you guys a list of the players that are now here in Tallahassee. QB Jordan Travis. RB Trey Benson. WR Johnny Wilson. Six of their top 7 tacklers from a year ago. And a collection of new talent to shore up their weak points.

Bad news: There are just a couple of minor gripes here; safety Jammie Robinson has graduated, and there's not much experienced depth at the linebacker spot.

Key games:
9/3 vs. LSU [from Orlando] (This will easily be the biggest game on the Week 1 slate, and the winner of it will have a head start in their chase for the CFP. And don't forget the ending of last year's game between these two.)
9/23 @ Clemson (The LSU game will be a fun challenge match. But this one will be ALL business, as FSU is very hungry for their first win over Clemson since 2015.)
11/4 @ Pittsburgh (Now who could trip up the Seminoles' march to glory? Maybe Pittsburgh can do it; after all, FSU has to visit the Panthers...)
11/11 vs. Miami (...before their annual fight with their bitter rivals from Miami.)
11/25 vs. Florida (FSU won a 45-38 nail-biter against the Gators last year.)

Bottom line: This is more like it; Florida State is ready for a national title push! But Mike Norvell and his team isn't stupid; they know that the LSU and Clemson games loom large. If Jordan Travis and crew clear those hurdles, the Seminoles will take not only the ACC championship but also a playoff spot.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Wake Forest

Preview segment: The Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Last season: Another fine season by Wake Forest standards, as they went 8-5 while Sam Hartman continued to go nuts. They even made it to the Top 10 again... until Louisville (and everyone else on Tobacco Road) ruined the fun.
But it's now 2023... and Wake Forest has some tough issues to deal with.

Bad news: How many times did I mention Sam Hartman's transfer to Notre Dame so far this year? It'll be hard for Wake to win without him around, and even more so if the O-line doesn't get better at protecting people. The D-line also have some unproven pieces.

Good news: At least Wake nailed down their replacement QB in Mitch Griffis. And Mitch will have some strong WR's to help him out. The back part of the defense looks to be strong as well.

Key games:
9/9 vs. Vanderbilt (Yes, I know Wake defeated Vanderbilt last year, but that's not the point. The point is that I want to see how Mitch Griffis does in his 1st game against a "Power 5" opponent.)
10/7 @ Clemson (Wake lost a heartbreaker to Clemson last year 51-45. Can Wake's defense handle the pressure of playing at Clemson this time?)
10/28 vs. Florida State (This game will start off a BIG part of Wake's schedule. First, they'll host a FSU team they defeated last year.)
11/2 @ Duke (Then, Wake will go to Duke for the 2nd year in a row [thanks to a scheduling quark] for a revenge game. And then after hosting another "Tobacco Road" rival in NC State...)
11/18 @ Notre Dame (...it's the dreaded reunion game with Sam Hartman and his new team.)

Bottom line: Don't count out Dave Clawson and the Demon Deacons; they have always found ways to keep making bowl games and be competitive in the ACC. But with a new starting QB and some unproven parts on defense, Wake may be stuck with 6 or 7 wins in 2023.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

North Carolina State

The last preview segment for the ACC: The NC State Wolfpack

Last season: You can't fault NC State fans for being frustrated after finishing outside of the Top 25 in 2022. I mean, NC State was a tough out. They started out the year 7-2, even while the offense sucked. And they took out the Tar Heels inside Chapel Hill. But 3 losses during their last 4 games [including their bowl against Maryland] rendered the season a failure.
So now with expectations going down, what will NC State do to fix themselves?

2023 X-factor: New offensive coordinator Robert Anae- With Ted Beck now the head coach at Coastal Carolina, NC State is now counting on Robert Anue to get the offensive numbers up. But here's the interesting part: It turns out Anue knows new transfer QB Brennan Armstrong quite well. So let's see if that friendship will help out the team.

Good news: The defense has the chance to still be great despite only returning 5 starters; the D-line could be study and the secondary returns a nice core from a year ago. And despite QB Devin Leary leaving to go to Kentucky, Brennan Armstrong gives NC State a viable replacement for him.

Bad news: It wasn't just Devin Leary who left Raleigh; the O-line is missing some All-ACC players from last year. That may not help the offense get better balance; the rushing game ranked 109th overall in 2022.

Key games:
9/9 vs. Notre Dame (This is the final exam for all of these new stars at NC State. Thankfully, this game will take place in Carter-Finley Stadium, which has been a difficult place to visit over the last few years.)
9/29 vs. Louisville (After Brennan Armstrong takes on his former team in Virginia, he must turn around and face the Cardinals in a vital early contest for both squads.)
10/28 vs. Clemson (The last time Clemson visited NC State, the Wolfpack kicked their @$$. Let's see if that will happen again!)
11/11 @ Wake Forest (You know, NC State has faced Wake Forest more times than North Carolina. Don't you guys find that weird?)
11/25 vs. North Carolina (Speaking of North Carolina, expect the Tar Heels to be snorting fire in this installment of this rivalry.)

Bottom line: With a new starting QB and questions at other key places, expectations for NC State in 2023 will be middle-of-the-road. But then again, NC State usually does well when people doubt them. Maybe they'll surprise if the defense remains strong.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

ACC predictions

So now, it's finally time to see what no divisions is going to do to a crowded ACC. Yep, time to make my predictions for this league this year:

1. Florida State (Conference champs, maybe playoff)
2. Clemson (Maybe "New Year's Six")
3. North Carolina
4. Duke
5. Pittsburgh
6. NC State
7. Louisville
8. Miami
9. Syracuse
10. Wake Forest
11. Virginia Tech
12. Georgia Tech
13. Boston College
14. Virginia

...and I'm done! Tomorrow, I start my look at the Big 10 Conference, but I'll come back to this thread if something major happens.

 

[redskinsfan1963]

virginia is gonna be awful again.

 

[Xeliou66]

I think the ACC will be competitive and is deeper than it usually is - I predict Clemson will win it but I think North Carolina and Florida St also have the ability to contend for the ACC crown and I think the ACC has several good teams this year.

Here are my brief thoughts on each ACC team, in no particular order

Clemson - Clemson is my pick to win the ACC and I think they have a good chance at getting back to the playoffs. I think Cade Klubnik will be far superior than Uiagalelei was at QB, and I expect a much more potent passing attack, most of their receivers return and should be more productive, and the RB 1-2 punch of Shipley/Mafah is excellent. The Clemson defense is the ACC’s best - their LB unit is particularly outstanding, and their secondary and D-Line are very talented as well. Clemson is one of the most complete teams in CFB IMO and they are my pick to win the ACC.

North Carolina - The Tar Heels have one of the best QB’s in CFB in Drake Maye, so they are a contender in the ACC. Their rushing game should be more productive with everyone back and defenses focusing on Maye, and while they do lose their top 2 receivers they still have a lot of guys with experience at receiver and I expect a couple of them to emerge as top targets. Their defense is very experienced and their top 5 tacklers from last year return. They will contend for the ACC crown and are a strong team.

Florida St - The Seminoles had a great season last year, winning 10 games for the first time since 2016, and they have a good amount of talent returning from that team. Jordan Travis is a strong QB, their RB unit is very deep, they did lose 3 of their top 4 receivers but they add in a couple of transfers and still have a good unit. Most of their defense returns, with their pass rush/front 7 looking particularly strong. Florida St is probably most peoples preseason favorite for the ACC crown, and they are a strong team. Clemson, FSU and UNC are the 3 clear cut best teams in the ACC IMO.

Louisville - I believe Louisville is going to be strong this year, Jeff Brohm is a great hire as coach. They get a solid transfer in at QB in Jack Plummer from Cal who originally played for Brohm at Purdue, they add in several transfers at receiver as well and their leading RB is back. On defense, their secondary is strong and experienced and their front 7 is pretty good also. They have probably the most favorably schedule in the ACC, as they don’t have to play Clemson, UNC or FSU, and they only have 3 “true” road games as their games against GA Tech and Indiana are at neutral sites. I think the Cards will surprise people and have a strong team.

Pittsburgh - The Panthers are an interesting team as they lose most of their key players from last year, but Pat Narduzzi is a stellar coach and will get the most from his team and they still have talent. They add in transfer QB Phil Jurkovec from Boston College, he’s a very talented QB but not always consistent, and while they lose a 1000 yard rusher and a 1000 yard receiver, they still have a decent amount of talent at those positions. On defense, their secondary is strong but the front 7 is somewhat of a question mark, but Narduzzi almost always fields a strong defense so I’m sure they’ll be fine. I don‘t see Pitt competing for the ACC crown but this should be another solid winning season for them.

Syracuse - The Orange had a terrific start to last season before completely falling apart in the second half. They are an unpredictable team but usually competitive, and this year they return most of their starters. They’ve had major problems with injuries at QB the past few years but if Garrett Shrader stays healthy he should give them their best QB play they’ve had in a while, and the Cuse almost always has a solid rushing game. Most of their defense returns and should be decent. It’s always hard to predict what Syracuse will do but I think they’ll have a winning record and make a bowl.

Duke - The Blue Devils had a surprising 9 win season last year and this year they return most of their starters including their entire offense, led by QB Riley Leonard, who’s one of the most underrated QB’s in CFB. They return 8 starters on defense as well and should be solid at each level. However their schedule is brutal, they draw all of the top ACC teams plus Notre Dame. Duke is talented and experienced but their schedule is much harder this year, so it will be interesting to see if they match last years 9 wins, they should definitely make a bowl and have a winning record though.

NC State - I’m not quite sure what to expect from the Wolfpack this year, they lost a lot of players from last years team, but they had injuries and kind of underachieved last year so they are back under the radar this year, I like Dave Doeren as a coach and he almost always fields a competitive team. Their QB play should be solid as Brennan Armstrong transfer in from Virginia where he put up some big numbers, and their rushing game should be better, it was pretty weak last year. They do lose 5 of their top 6 tacklers and so their defense is a question mark. I think NCST will get to another bowl and could match last years 8 wins.

Wake Forest - Dave Clawson is doing an excellent job at Wake and has turned it into a decent and consistent program. They lose their star QB Sam Hartman who transferred to Notre Dame, so the QB play is kind of an unknown, but they do return a lot of their skill position players so they should have a decent offense, and 5 of their top 7 tacklers are back on defense. I don’t think the Demon Deacons have as strong of a team as they’ve had the last 2 years, but I expect them to get back to another bowl.

Miami - I have less than zero confidence in “The U” - I’ve heard that they “are back” so many times only for it to not be the case that I don’t expect much from them. They return most of their starters on both sides of the ball so they should be improved, but they just weren’t good last year and I just don’t expect much from them, Miami is a mediocre program now. They draw several of the top ACC teams plus Texas A&M so the schedule isn’t easy. They should make a bowl but I’m not expecting much from them given how they almost always underachieve.

Boston College - BC was terrible last year, they haven’t had a winning season since 2018 and they haven’t won more than 7 games since 2009. They are a mediocre program and while they return most of their starters the talent level looks mediocre again. Their schedule is rather favorable so a bowl is possible but I doubt they have a strong season.

Georgia Tech - The Yellow Jackets managed to win 5 games last year which was surprising, given how low expectations were, this year they lose most of their starters and key players plus they have to play Ole Miss and Georgia out of conference, so given the low talent level and the tough schedule, they will likely have a difficult season as coach Brent Key tries to turn things around In Atlanta.

Virginia Tech - The Hokies had their worst season in ages last year, winning only 3 games In Brent Pry’s first year as coach, this year they look to be slightly better as more players return and they can only be better on offense after their dismal play last year. I don’t know if the Hokies have enough talent to get to 6 wins and a bowl but they should be more competitive.

Virginia - The Cavs were awful last season, winning only 3 games and then the tragic shooting led to them cancelling their final 2 games, and this year looks to be a rebuilding year as they lose their QB Armstrong and most of their leading players, their schedule is tough as they face Tennessee and Maryland out of conference, and I believe the Cavs look to be the weakest team in the ACC.


So there is my ACC preview, I hope you enjoy reading it!!