ACC Football: Season preview and final standings predictions
ACC Champion – Florida State (12)
Also receiving votes: Clemson (2), Louisville (1), Miami (1)
The outcome of the final voting wasn’t surprising, but the distribution of votes was a bit curious. On paper, Florida State looks like an elite football team with very few weaknesses. Even with a true freshman at running back, the Noles seem ready to take the next step from their 9-3 finish in 2016. What’s better than that? A trip to the College Football Playoff.
More: Projected 2-deep depth chart for Florida State in 2017
There were four first place votes that did not go to the Noles. Clemson, Louisville and Miami each garnered some love from at least one member of the Saturday Blitz staff. These weren’t homer picks, and there’s a combination of reasons that makes these other candidates seem viable.
Clemson’s case is pretty straight forward. They’re the defending champions. Yes, they lost a lot of pieces, but Dabo Swinney is an elite coach and a large chunk of their championship team remains intact. The Clemson vs. Florida State game from a year ago was a thriller. The Noles might have a bit more seasoned talent, but if the Tigers are able to win that game they’ll be in the driver’s seat to win the conference again.
Louisville also gave Clemson a run for their money in 2016, but Miami is a somewhat new face to the conference race. The Hurricanes are one of the more recognizable brands in college football, but it’s been a while since they were real players on the national stage. Our staff tabbed the ‘Canes as heavy favorites, receiving nearly two-thirds of the vote to take the Coastal Division. If they can make it to the championship game with one loss or fewer, they have a real shot at an ACC title and a trip the playoff. They’re not the favorites, but they’re a legitimate contender.
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Can Florida State put it all together and return to the College Football Playoff, or will their be a new face representing the ACC in the playoff, perhaps Miami or Virginia Tech? What do you think? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook or Twitter.