The ACC had maybe the best football season in their history last season – but with all the expectations, can they avoid taking a step back this year?
For a conference that has always been labeled as a basketball first league, the ACC is taking a deep breath after what may have been the best football year in its over 70 year history. With the Clemson Tigers winning the national title – along with FSU football winning the Orange Bowl, the conference going 9-3 in the postseason and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson winning the Heisman – it was a good time to be a part of the conference.
It was a such a good time that expectations have shot through the roof entering the 2017 season – maybe to the point where the 14 team conference can’t match what took place last year.
The ACC has a favorite to make the college football playoff in the Florida State Seminoles, who are almost unanimously predicted to win the conference and make it to the four team system. Some are hesitant about the Noles after last season, when they were predicted to do the same thing by some, but ended up finishing the year 10-3 and winning a New Years Six bowl.
For the Tigers, the chances of a repeat went down dramatically with the loss of Deshaun Watson and others to the NFL. Don’t get it wrong, there isn’t going to be a losing season in the Palmetto State – but there will be a drop off for teams like the Tigers as well as the Jackson led Cardinals, who lost their final two games of the season.
For Boston College, Wake Forest and NC State, the difference between a winning and losing season was their bowl performances, so it’s not guaranteed they will have another winning campaign.
Over in the Coastal Division, many think the Miami Hurricanes are going to win the first division title in program history, but that has been said for the last five seasons so it’s time for them to put up for shut up. Teams like Virginia Tech and North Carolina bring back decent talent, but still have question entering the season that have some wondering.
Another big part of the ACC’s success was their dominance over the SEC during the 2016 campaign, going 10-4 against their conference rivals. With opening weekend gams featuring FSU and Alabama, Georgia Tech and Tennessee along with NC State and South Carolina, we’ll get an early indication if the ACC can do it again.
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ACC football is at the best point it has ever been – and hopefully, it will stay that way for at least another year.