Offseason ACC Football Rankings For 2016
Offseason ACC football rankings for 2016. While Clemson was king last season, Florida State looks to be the team to beat this year.
Offseason ACC football rankings for 2016. While Clemson was king last season, Florida State looks to be the team to beat this year.
Clemson came extremely close to bringing the ACC its second national title in three years before ultimately falling, 45-40, to Alabama. The Tigers are loaded again for a run, but so is Florida State. The Seminoles are looking to reclaim their spot atop the conference, while Louisville is not to be slept on.
1. Florida State
Jimbo Fisher has his most talented team since his championship squad. If healthy, expect to see Dalvin Cook in New York at the Heisman ceremony.
2. Clemson Tigers
Speaking of Heisman contenders, Deshaun Watson is the cream of this year’s quarterback crop.
3. Louisville Cardinals
Louisville could be a fly in the ointment, and disrupt the status quo in the Atlantic Division.
4. Miami Hurricanes
Miami fans were burnt out on Al Golden, and Mark Richt is here to refresh them. It’ll be fascinating to watch how he takes Brad Kaaya under his wing.
5. North Carolina Tar Heels
The Tar Heels lose some key pieces, but still should be in the thick of the Coastal Division race.
6. Pitt Panthers
Pat Narduzzi is building from the defensive side out. With that and an emotional leader in James Conner, expect this team to show a lot of heart.
7. Virginia Tech Hokies
Can Justin Fuente inject the Hokies with some offense? It’ll be fun watching him try.
8. NC State Wolfpack
Dave Doeren needs to do more than finish 4th or 5th in the conference’s weakest division. He doesn’t have to win the Coastal; just be competitive.
9. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets went 3-9 last year … which means they’ll probably rip up the competition and win the division. Such is the M.O. of Paul Johnson’s erratic program.
10. Boston College Eagles
Let’s just try and win a game in the division.
11. Syracuse Orange
Time to inject some life into that offense, Dino Babers. A 6-2 start isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
12. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
It’ll be a rough start to the year for the Demon Deacons. Another 3-9 campaign could be on the horizon.
13. Duke Blue Devils
Back-to-back road contests against Northwestern and Notre Dame hurt. Same goes for back-to-back road games to end the year against Pittsburgh and Miami.
14. Virginia Cavaliers
Welcome to the East Coast, Bronco Mendenhall. That road contest against Oregon won’t be fun, but if you go 2-1 in a three game home stand against Pittsburgh, North Carolina and Louisville, then we might just have something here.
