Clemson is the defending ACC football champion and the Tigers are one of the three teams we can believe can win the league in 2023.
When it comes to Power-5 conferences, the ACC isn’t given the same level of respect as the Big Ten or the SEC.
Really, outside of Clemson, ACC football teams haven’t done much on the national scale, and the Tigers, at least in recent years, have been the only relevant program nationally.
Florida State is looking to change that this season. The Noles are fresh off a 10-win season and with Jordan Travis back at quarterback, the expectations are high for 2023.
North Carolina also started last season winning nine of 10 games, before losing four in a row, including the ACC championship game against Clemson. The Tigers are the top dog among ACC football teams until someone else proves otherwise and looking ahead to the 2023 ACC season, here are three teams that can win the conference championship.
3. North Carolina
The Tar Heels lost their offensive coordinator to Wisconsin, but more importantly, they have Heisman Trophy contender Drake Maye back for another season.
Maye threw for 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns last season compared to just seven interceptions. Josh Downs is gone to the NFL and the Tar Heels took a hit when transfer wideout Devontez Walker from Kent State was denied a waiver to play this season.
Walker was supposed to help fill that void. But the offense should still be among the best in the ACC. The defense returns eight starters but needs to be better after allowing more than 30 points per game season, which was the most in the ACC.
North Carolina has added five defensive transfers, with one four-star and three coming from other ACC programs, so the defense should be better and if the offense can keep rolling with Maye, an ACC football championship isn’t out of the question.
2. Clemson
The Tigers are the defending ACC champions and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Cade Klubnik is a former five-star quarterback and showed what he can do during the ACC championship game.
Clemson lost the Orange Bowl with him as the starting quarterback. Yet, with the hiring of Garrett Riley away from TCU, the offense should take a step forward. Plus, running back Will Shipley is one of the best in the country and will be the bell cow once again.
The Tigers signed 26 recruits but just one transfer. Four of the top five signees are defensive linemen and the fifth is a linebacker. Of course, the defense is going to be good — it always is and that shouldn’t change this season.
The question will be the offense and the quarterback. Klubnik can’t just be a game manager, especially to beat Florida State and North Carolina.
However, the Tigers got some good fortune with the schedule as Florida State and North Carolina are both coming to Death Valley. Clemson does have road games against Duke and Miami, but this team has a great shot of making the ACC football championship game once again.
1. Florida State
I’ve been on the Florida State hype train all offseason. The Noles finished the 2022 season looking like the best team in the ACC last year.
A 4-3 start which included a loss to Clemson doomed the Noles in the ACC title race, but Florida State won its last six games and with Jordan Travis back, they are going to be formidable.
Mike Norvell has finally his hit stride in Tallahassee and has the most talented team in the conference this season in my estimation. Running back Trey Benson is one of the best, plus adding wideout Keon Coleman and tight end Jaheim Bell in the transfer portal was huge.
Jared Verse should be in the NFL and is expected to be an All-American, while Fentrell Cypress, a Virginia transfer, was one of the best pickups in all of the transfer portal.
Johnny Wilson is also back at receiver and is one of the top wideouts in the conference. Plus, Florida State added eight four-star transfers, many of them offensive or defensive linemen.
Clemson is on the road, but outside of that, the toughest road trip is against Pitt. The Noles avoid North Carolina, plus they get Duke and Miami at home.
Even if the Noles lose to Clemson, you could see them running the table and forcing a rematch for the ACC football championship on a neutral field, which is exactly what the league needs.