*note: PGOTY = Pivotal Game of the Year
Atlantic Division
1. Clemson 10-2 7-1
high hopes for the Tigers, but the schedule is just too tough to go unblemished...the Textile Bowl in Raleigh will be tough in particular...with their schedule, 10-2/7-1 is actually one heckuva season IMO
PGOTY: at Louisville, Thursday, Sep. 17...this Week 3 road game on short rest could be an ambush for a team replacing 13+ starters early in the season
2. FSU 10-2 6-2
easy OOC schedule is a breeze, road trips to Death Valley and Grant Field are only losses
PGOTY: at Georgia Tech, October 24...the Noles could and probably should be 6-0 when they trek north to Atlanta...a win at GT sets the stage for a possible national playoff run
3. NC State 9-3 5-3
another breeze of an OOC schedule (come on, NC State!), I'll drink the Jacoby Brissett Kool-Aid
PGOTY: at Virginia Tech, Friday, October 9...if the Pack can defeat UofL the week before at home, they should head into Blacksburg at 5-0 and likely ranked...a win in Week 6 (with a week off following) would set the Pack up for serious consideration to battle for the Atlantic and ACC crown which they haven't won since 1979...note: Va Tech hasn't beaten an Atlantic opponent during the regular season since 2011
4. Louisville 6-6 4-4
like Clemson, lots of studs to replace and I see losses vs Auburn and at Kentucky OOC...winning at Pitt will be tough and the 3 above in the Atlantic will be difficult as well...Cards will make a small bowl
PGOTY: home vs Clemson, Thursday, Sep. 17...like Clemson, this opening ACC game for the Cards could change the tone of their season...I know it is early, but losing likely places them at 1-2 overall and they have upcoming games at NC State and at FSU in Weeks 5 and 7...they can't afford to lose at home to a division contender if they have aspirations of winning the Atlantic
5. Boston College 6-6 3-5
it will be tough - no, make that VERY tough - to replace QB Murphy...I think the Irish will beat the Eagles at Fenway...BC will defeat VPI&SU at home to get them bowl eligible
PGOTY: at Duke, October 3...BC should enter this game 3-1/0-1, with a very winnable home game against Wake the following week, the Eagles have a shot at getting out to a 5-1 start if they can come up big in Durham...I think BC has one of the best head coaches in the ACC so it is possible
6. Syracuse 3-9 1-7
should get off to a decent start, but can't see them doing much after September...they must win in Week 2 at home over Wake or this season could see them finish at rock bottom of the division
PGOTY: at Virginia, October 17...the Wake game in Week 2 could be the PGOTY but assuming they win that one the Orange very well could be 4-1 when they trek to Charlottesville if they can win at South Florida the week before...a win at South Florida and a win at Virginia (tall task) would get them pretty darn close to bowl qualification at the midway point to the season...again, tall task
7. Wake Forest 3-9 0-8
I would love to see the Deacs do better than this and they probably will...a win at home vs Duke in the season ender is definitely possible as Wake always plays Duke tough...but this is a tough schedule with road trips to Army and Notre Dame along with hosting a dangerous Indiana team not giving too many gimmes for the Deacs
PGOTY: at Syracuse, September 12...I hate to set a PGOTY so early in the season, but looking at the Deacs schedule this early one looks like their best shot at winning an ACC game and possibly avoiding the Atlantic basement
Atlantic Division
1. Clemson 10-2 7-1
high hopes for the Tigers, but the schedule is just too tough to go unblemished...the Textile Bowl in Raleigh will be tough in particular...with their schedule, 10-2/7-1 is actually one heckuva season IMO
PGOTY: at Louisville, Thursday, Sep. 17...this Week 3 road game on short rest could be an ambush for a team replacing 13+ starters early in the season
2. FSU 10-2 6-2
easy OOC schedule is a breeze, road trips to Death Valley and Grant Field are only losses
PGOTY: at Georgia Tech, October 24...the Noles could and probably should be 6-0 when they trek north to Atlanta...a win at GT sets the stage for a possible national playoff run
3. NC State 9-3 5-3
another breeze of an OOC schedule (come on, NC State!), I'll drink the Jacoby Brissett Kool-Aid
PGOTY: at Virginia Tech, Friday, October 9...if the Pack can defeat UofL the week before at home, they should head into Blacksburg at 5-0 and likely ranked...a win in Week 6 (with a week off following) would set the Pack up for serious consideration to battle for the Atlantic and ACC crown which they haven't won since 1979...note: Va Tech hasn't beaten an Atlantic opponent during the regular season since 2011
4. Louisville 6-6 4-4
like Clemson, lots of studs to replace and I see losses vs Auburn and at Kentucky OOC...winning at Pitt will be tough and the 3 above in the Atlantic will be difficult as well...Cards will make a small bowl
PGOTY: home vs Clemson, Thursday, Sep. 17...like Clemson, this opening ACC game for the Cards could change the tone of their season...I know it is early, but losing likely places them at 1-2 overall and they have upcoming games at NC State and at FSU in Weeks 5 and 7...they can't afford to lose at home to a division contender if they have aspirations of winning the Atlantic
5. Boston College 6-6 3-5
it will be tough - no, make that VERY tough - to replace QB Murphy...I think the Irish will beat the Eagles at Fenway...BC will defeat VPI&SU at home to get them bowl eligible
PGOTY: at Duke, October 3...BC should enter this game 3-1/0-1, with a very winnable home game against Wake the following week, the Eagles have a shot at getting out to a 5-1 start if they can come up big in Durham...I think BC has one of the best head coaches in the ACC so it is possible
6. Syracuse 3-9 1-7
should get off to a decent start, but can't see them doing much after September...they must win in Week 2 at home over Wake or this season could see them finish at rock bottom of the division
PGOTY: at Virginia, October 17...the Wake game in Week 2 could be the PGOTY but assuming they win that one the Orange very well could be 4-1 when they trek to Charlottesville if they can win at South Florida the week before...a win at South Florida and a win at Virginia (tall task) would get them pretty darn close to bowl qualification at the midway point to the season...again, tall task
7. Wake Forest 3-9 0-8
I would love to see the Deacs do better than this and they probably will...a win at home vs Duke in the season ender is definitely possible as Wake always plays Duke tough...but this is a tough schedule with road trips to Army and Notre Dame along with hosting a dangerous Indiana team not giving too many gimmes for the Deacs
PGOTY: at Syracuse, September 12...I hate to set a PGOTY so early in the season, but looking at the Deacs schedule this early one looks like their best shot at winning an ACC game and possibly avoiding the Atlantic basement
