FSU Football: Will the ACC improve over its 2017 product?
By Kelvin Hunt
FSU football could play a huge part in the ACC improving over last years product on the field.
The year was 2016 and FSU football capped off a huge Orange Bowl win against Michigan as seven point underdogs.
The ACC saw Clemson defeat Alabama to win the national championship and the ACC laid unquestionably laid claim to the best conference in the land.
We knew the ACC would take a step back in 2017 with the loss of a number quarterbacks lost to the NFL. Nobody anticipated FSU football falling off like Big Mac toppings due to an injured quarterback and a staff that quit on the team.
However, the conference did see the resurgence of Miami who finally made a ACC Title game though their season was full of lucky breaks and NC State won nine games for the first time in a while.
Florida State Seminoles Football
Wake Forest had a great season by their standards and beat Texas A&M in their bowl game to reach eight wins.
Overall the conference had a losing record against all the other Power Five conferences aside from a (2-2) record against the BIG 12.
Will the ACC improve over it’s 2017 product?
I think it’s safe to say FSU football will be much better in 2018 and Clemson should pick up right where they left off.
A lot of people are high on Miami, but I’m not sure they are going to find the same success they found last year. Virginia Tech is a big question mark due to all the players they’ve lost off their defense.
NC State returns QB Ryan Finley but lost a ton off last years team. Wake Forest lost their QB who stirred their offense for them and Louisville will be without Lamar Jackson.
So really it’s going to depend upon how much teams like UNC, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Syracuse and Georgia Tech fare.
Those teams were competitive in a lot of their losses last season but always seemingly fell short. It also doesn’t help the ACC in that they play more out of conference Power Five games than any other conference.
Next: 3 Reasons Willie Taggart Could Win ACC Coach of the Year
They went (10-14) last year after going (17-9) in 2016. Athlon Sports has the ACC as the third best conference going into the 2018 season. Is that being generous or right about where they are supposed to be?