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ACC: #1 Power Conference
Coby DuBose
Feature Presentation Columnist
August 31, 2006
So, you think your conference is a football power, huh?
Quickly, name the conference with the best bowl record last season and
the best winning percentage over the past three bowl seasons. It wasn’t
the SEC, the Big 12, or even the powerhouse Big Ten (Eleven). If you
guessed ACC, then you were right. At 5-3, the ACC and Big 12 tied for
best bowl record. Over the past three seasons, however, no one has come
close to catching the Atlantic Coast Conference. Some teams lean on
their conferences like needy crutches. With pointy shanks and padded
arm rests, this crutch may look good for a while.
Atlantic Division Predictions |
| Florida State
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| Finally an FSU season opener with no QB controversy as Drew Weatherford returns for his sequel season. As Drew goes so do the Noles (they’ll need him in GM of YR vs Miami on 9/4).
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| Clemson
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No Charlie Whitehurst, no problem for Death Valley. Soph RB James Davis is back as is SR DE Gaines Adams, that’s good news.
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| Boston College
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The WRs are new and untested, but the RBs L.V. Whitworth and Andre Callender are solid. BC: the kings of fundamental football.
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| Maryland
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Stud RBs (best group in ACC), highly-touted, yet unproven WRs, it all depends on SR QB Sam Hollenbach’s ability to cut back on turnovers and stay healthy. |
| NC State
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It’ll be a battle for last place between the Wolfpack and Demon Deacons, but the Wolfpack has a deal with Oakley sunglasses so they have that going for them. |
| Wake Forest
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They’ll miss RB Chris Barclay, but his departure makes way for Micah Andrew, son of All-Pro RB William Andrews.
Doug McKinney |
At some point, it has
to break down, though. Take South Carolina as prime example number one.
Each and every year, they boast and stick out their chests as they come
up just short against Georgia. Last year, when they finally conquered
Florida and Tennessee, they claimed that they had arrived.
Unfortunately for them, when the season finale against arch-rival
Clemson rolled around, they were once again left searching for answers
and pondering excuses. Maybe the SEC wasn’t as strong as they thought.
If the physical beating Clemson inflicted upon them wasn’t enough,
Missouri’s version of the Tigers cemented it in the Independence bowl.
Who do I think is the best conference in America? Well,
that’s a tough question. I know one thing for certain – it’s not the
SEC. It’s certainly not the Big Ten (Eleven), which went 3-4 in the
bowls last year. Maybe it is the ACC. With its recent expansion, the
league has formed itself into the model “power-conference”. The 5-3
record last year included a big win by 5th place Clemson over Big 12
conference championship participant Colorado.
Boston College spanked an overrated Boise State team on their home field, and Virginia overcame a
deficit to put Minnesota to bed. The ACC is the best conference in
America not because of 1 or 2 standout teams, but because of 7 or 8
very good ones. While Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech, and Clemson
will be the class of the league this year, several others have a chance
to bring bowl-time chatter.
Coastal Division Predictions |
| Miami
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| The Canes have the Wright stuff in QB Kyle Wright to go the distance, but they’ll be tested in GMs at Louisville, GT and MD which aren’t gimmies; neither is @ home vs. VT (who will be looking for revenge after last season’s loss).
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| Virginia Tech
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QB Sean Glennon is nowhere as talented or athletic as Marcus Vick, but he doesn’t have the on and off the field problems that Vick had. Hokies should cruise for the first 4 games. |
| Georgia Tech
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RB Tashard Choice needs to pick up the slack for the departed P.J. Daniels … to be successful they’ll need QB Reggie Ball and WR Calvin Johnson to hook up 6-7 times a game.
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| Virginia
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Howie Long’s son, Chris (DE), is good but is he enough to help improve a defensive unit that ranked 10th in the ACC last season? |
| North Carolina
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John Bunting’s on the hot seat (still), but they may be able to eke out a 6-6 record for a bowl bid. Comedy Relief |
| Duke
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Almost basketball season...
Doug McKinney |
Under Al Groh’s tutelage, Virginia has consistently underachieved,
but they’ve still managed seven or eight wins each year and have been a
major player in the post-season scene. Just up the road in College Park
lies a sleeping giant that won 10 games just four seasons ago. Maryland
may have had a down year last season, but they aren’t far removed from a
league crown themselves.
Georgia Tech boasts one of the nation’s best
receivers in Calvin Johnson and figures to win seven games this year,
as well. Don’t be surprised if they pull a shocker against Notre Dame
on week one in Atlanta. N.C. State has a chance to be decent, as well.
Nowhere else in the nation does a conference go this deep. With
the exception of Duke, anyone in the ACC can play top 25 football on a
given week. This season may come and prove me wrong, but I wouldn’t
count on it. The talk will once again belong to the Big Ten (Eleven)
and the SEC, but when the rubber meets the road around bowl season, the
ACC will stand on top once again.
You can reach Coby @ cdubose@featurepresentationonline.com.
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