Miami Football: 3 Takeaways from Hurricanes’ win over FSU

3. The ACC is the premier conference

The ACC used to be an also-ran type of football conference. I’ve been writing about the conference and its status as the new elite conference over the entire 2017 season. It started with Jimbo Fisher and has rolled on with big hires like Justin Fuente, Mark Richt and the highly doubted hiring of Dabo Swinney as full-time head coach at Clemson. Coach Swinney has now won a national title and is on his way to building an annual college football playoff power.

The top tier is strong with Clemson as the front-runner. From there the Noles and Hokies have been great “next” teams while Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Miami are holding down the top of the pack. With Wake Forest improving the ACC is strong from top to bottom in 2017.

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Mark Richt has elevated Miami to where college football fans thought it would be when the ‘Canes joined the ACC in 2004. The one time Miami could’ve played for the ACC title, in 2012, they were on a self-imposed post-season ban anyway. Flash forward to 2017 and Miami just beat FSU in Tallahassee and the conference is as exciting as ever. Mark Richt was the hire that put the conference over the top along with Justin Fuenete to the Hokies. The ACC is the elite conference because of coaches, and players and a showcase game like this proved the point.

With Miami’s win the ACC will have a showcase match-up with Miami taking on Virginia Tech on Nov. 4 at Hard Rock Stadium.