ACC Preview

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Welcome back!

Over last week and this week, I will be previewing each of the conference races, one per day, and giving my prediction on how they will finish.  This is based on a formula that I have devised, and has nothing to do with the power rankings I presented over the last three weeks.  While the power rankings are for how strong each team is, we all know that the schedule each team plays has a huge impact on their overall record.  After the season, I will compare my predictions with the actual results to see how I did.  Let's get to it!

Predicted order of finish:

Atlantic Division
1. Clemson
2. FSU
3. NC State
4. Louisville
5. Boston College
6. Wake Forest
7. Syracuse

Coastal Division
1. Miami
2. Virginia Tech
3. Georgia Tech
4. Duke
5. Pittsburgh
6. North Carolina
7. Virginia

Championship Game: 
Clemson vs Miami

Conference Champion:
Clemson

Key Conference Games: 
Va Tech @FSU, Sep 3
Clemson @GT, Sep 22
FSU @Miami, Oct 6
NC St @Clemson, Oct 20
GT @Va Tech, Oct 25
Clemson @FSU, Oct 27
FSU @NC St, Nov 3
Miami @GT, Nov 10
Miami @Va Tech, Nov 17


Key Non-Conference Games:
UNC @Cal, Sep 1
Louisville vs Alabama (Orlando), Sep 1
Miami vs LSU (Arlington), Sep 2
Va Tech @FSU, Sep 3
Virginia @Indiana, Sep 8
Duke @Northwestern, Sep 8
Penn St @Pitt, Sep 8
Clemson @Texas A&M, Sep 8
UCF @UNC, Sep 15
Duke @Baylor, Sep 15
West Virginia @NC St, Sep 15
Notre Dame @Wake Forest, Sep 22
Boston College @Purdue, Sep 22
Pitt @UCF, Sep 29
Notre Dame @Va Tech, Oct 6
Pitt @Notre Dame, Oct 13
FSU @Notre Dame, Nov 10
Syracuse vs Notre Dame (Bronx), Nov 17
GT @Georgia, Nov 24
Kentucky @Louisville, Nov 24
FSU @Florida, Nov 24
South Carolina @Clemson, Nov 24


Chances to make the Playoffs:
Clemson is the ACC's best chance to make the playoff.  A one-loss ACC champion always has a great chance to get in (see 2017).  No one else in the ACC is currently close to Clemson's level, and it would take a catastrophe for them not to win the ACC.  If they stumble, however, the best hope for the conference would be for Miami to win.  Behind those 2 teams are 12 others that are roughly equal, so the final result could be very different from what I am predicting.

Don't be surprised if...
the ACC gets swept in their big out-of-conference games on Labor Day weekend (UNC @Cal, Louisville vs Alabama in Orlando, and Miami vs LSU in Arlington).

I'm not convinced...
NC State will be as good as the media is predicting they will be.  They should easily win 3 of their non-conference games (James Madison, Ga St, @Marshall), but the game @West Virginia will be difficult.  They also have to go on the road to Syracuse, Louisville, UNC, and Clemson.

Feel free to leave a comment and tell me who I have overvalued or undervalued.  Tomorrow, I will finish my conference previews with the SEC.  Until then, may you and your loved ones be blessed!



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