2. The ACC is getting deeper
Jimbo Fisher ruffled some feathers when he declared the ACC the “premier conference in college football” during the offseason. While the definition of “premier” was subsequently debated for weeks following those comments and no clear determination was reached. However, the ACC has made tremendous strides in 2017.
There might not be a deeper conference than the ACC. The Big Ten has Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin. Alabama and Georgia are all that’s worth mentioning the SEC. Likewise, the Pac-12 has Washington and USC while the Big 12 has a much less defined upper tier.
The ACC has three teams in the top 13 of the College Football Playoff rankings. NC State checked in at No. 20. The top is good, but then there are teams like Syracuse. The Orange aren’t an elite program, but they were one of six ACC unranked ACC teams that entered Saturday .500 or better.
Florida State or Clemson has won the ACC each of the last six years. That made that game the defacto championship game prior to the officially ACC Championship game at season’s end. Now The ACC Coastal has reemerged and the bottom tier of the Atlantic division is strong. Syracuse’s surge is one more feather in the cap for the ACC’s bragging rights.