There's a chill in the air! Well, ok not really. It seems like there have been a billion consecutive days of 90-degree plus heat. However, the college football season is less than a month away. Games begin Thursday, Sept. 1, and I'm getting psyched. Over a period of four days (not necessarily consecutive) I'll be compiling three-team previews each day for the 12 ACC teams, culminating at the end of August or early September with a look at Virginia. After I'm finished researching and writing the previews, I'll give my predictions for order of finish for the two divisions and the championship game result.
Today, I'll start in the ACC's Atlantic Division and go geographically from the North to the South and look at Boston College, Maryland and Wake Forest. Whenever I get an opportunity to write again, I'll look at N.C. State, Clemson and Florida State.
Boston College
Last season: BC went 7-6 last season, 4-4 in the ACC, good enough for fourth in the Atlantic. The Eagles lost 20-13 to Nevada in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. The Eagles had a very good defense and running game last year. Montel Harris was a first-team All-ACC performer in the backfield, rushing for 1,243 yards (2nd in the ACC) and didn't even play in the team's final two games because he got hurt against Virginia in the team's 10th game. Their achilles heel was at QB, where they started three different QBs. They ended up going with true freshman Chase Rittig for the majority of the snaps but he completed only 51 percent of his passes and threw six TDs and nine INTs.
Offense: The offense is bound to improve some this season as Rittig is expected to have the job under center full-time and the Eagles return nine starters on that side of the ball, including Harris.
Defense: BC will probably be strong on defense again. Linebacker Luke Kuechly is one of the best in the ACC -- he led the league last year in tackles with 183, 54 more than second place Abraham Kromah of Duke.
Schedule, notes, outlook: The Eagles' schedule is pretty brutal. They open with Northwestern at home, always a high-scoring and dangerous team, and also face Central Florida, a team on the rise, Notre Dame, and Massaschusetts, which is moving to the MAC next season, in their non-conference slate. In the ACC, BC has to visit Clemson, Virginia Tech and Miami. Keep in mind that BC lost its inspirational leader, linebacker Mark Herzlich, to graduation. Through it all, it seems like BC is always there at the end of the year in a bowl game and I expect the Eagles to finish 6-6 or 7-5 in the regular season this year.
Maryland
Last season: Maryland went a surprising 9-4 last season and 5-3 in the ACC for a second-place finish in the Atlantic. The Terps crushed East Carolina 51-20 in the Military Bowl. Maryland opened the year with a nice 17-14 win over what was supposed to be a terrific Navy team (it disappointed somewhat) and kept its good play going throughout the season. The Terps struggled against better teams, however, losing to West Virginia, Clemson, Miami and Florida State. The Terps finally got a quality win in their final game of the regular season when they beat N.C. State 38-31, preventing the Wolfpack from going to the ACC championship game. True freshman Danny O'Brien emerged as one of the better QBs in the ACC, throwing 22 TDs against only eight INTs. The defense was up and down, and gave up 352 yards per game.
Offense: O'Brien should be solid for the Terps again though he won't take ACC opponents by surprise as he did last year. Maryland returns seven starters on offense, including leading rusher Davin Megget, who rushed for over 700 yards in 2010. Maryland loses their two main receiving threats, including All-ACC first-teamer Torrey Smith.
Defense: Seven starters return to this up and down unit which should improve. The Terps improved drastically in points allowed per game from 2009 (31.3) to 2010 (22.2).
Schedule, notes, outlook: Of course, the big news surrounding College Park is the hiring of Randy Edsall as head coach from UConn. Edsall was with UConn for 12 years, bringing the Huskies up to prominence in the Big East. UConn made four straight bowl games at the end of his tenure, including a BCS appearance last year vs. Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. Ralph Friedgen, despite turning Maryland around in 2010 from a 2-10 record in 2009 and being named ACC Coach of the Year, was asked to leave. Obviously, Maryland thinks they have something special with Edsall as it appeared as if Friedgen had Maryland turned back in the right direction. As a Virginia fan, having Edsall coach Maryland scares me. The Terps are one of the Cavs' biggest rivals and recruit some of the same areas that Virginia recruits. He took the UConn program up from FBS infancy in 1999 to one of the best teams in the Big East. I think he can definitely start something special with the Terps. Maryland's schedule is decently challenging. They open Monday night, Sept. 5 against Miami at home. The Terps' non-conference schedule includes West Virginia, Temple, Towson and Notre Dame at FedEx Field on Nov. 12. In the ACC, Maryland faces Florida State on the road, but gets Clemson and BC at home and avoids Virginia Tech altogether. I think Maryland will have a good season, but not quite the Cinderella season it did last year. Edsall can certainly get Maryland to a BCS bowl, but I don't think this is the year. I see Maryland getting to 7-5 or 8-4 in the regular season this year.
Wake Forest
Last season: Wake had a disappointing 2010, going 3-9 and 1-7 in the conference, which slotted them last in the Atlantic Division. The Demon Deacons started 2-0 with wins, albeit unimpressive, over Presbyterian and Duke. Wake proceeded to lose nine straight games before downing Vanderbilt 34-13 in the regular season finale. The Deacons' defense was absolutely dreadful, giving up 35.8 points per game and 431 yards per game. Wake gave up 48 points to Duke, 68 to Stanford, 52 to Virginia Tech and 62 to Maryland. Two years before that in 2008, Wake gave up just 18.3 ppg and 297 ypg. The offense moved the ball at times last year, but it didn't matter. As a freshman, Josh Harris ran for over 700 yards. Wake had a number of players see time at QB. Freshman Tanner Price got the most snaps and completed 56.8 percent of his passes with seven TDs and eight INTs.
Offense: Harris should have a strong year for the Deacons. Price should have a better season with a year of experience under his belt and Wake will be consistent on offense if he can stay in the No. 1 QB slot. True freshman QB Kevin Sousa chose Wake Forest over Michigan and could push for the QB job if Price falters.
Defense: I don't know if it can get much worse. Last year, it seemed as if every time I turned around, someone else was walloping Wake and putting up a gazillion points. Head coach Jim Grobe has had pretty steady defenses during his tenure. In the 2006 ACC title run, Wake gave up just over 15 ppg. I think Wake's defense will improve vastly.
Schedule, notes, outlook: For a few years, it looked as if Grobe might have Wake headed in the direction of being a consistent contender but the last couple seasons have put that in doubt. Was the 2006 ACC title a fluke? Wake needs to get something going in the right direction this season. Wake draws Syracuse on the road at Notre Dame at home, but also Gardner-Webb and Vanderbilt in the non-conference schedule, so those four games are challenging but not grueling. Wake plays Clemson on the road but N.C. State, Florida State and Virginia Tech all at home. I think Wake takes a step forward this year with 17 returning starters and gets to 5-7 in the regular season. One upset, and they could be headed toward a bowl game.
Today, I'll start in the ACC's Atlantic Division and go geographically from the North to the South and look at Boston College, Maryland and Wake Forest. Whenever I get an opportunity to write again, I'll look at N.C. State, Clemson and Florida State.
Boston College
Last season: BC went 7-6 last season, 4-4 in the ACC, good enough for fourth in the Atlantic. The Eagles lost 20-13 to Nevada in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. The Eagles had a very good defense and running game last year. Montel Harris was a first-team All-ACC performer in the backfield, rushing for 1,243 yards (2nd in the ACC) and didn't even play in the team's final two games because he got hurt against Virginia in the team's 10th game. Their achilles heel was at QB, where they started three different QBs. They ended up going with true freshman Chase Rittig for the majority of the snaps but he completed only 51 percent of his passes and threw six TDs and nine INTs.
Offense: The offense is bound to improve some this season as Rittig is expected to have the job under center full-time and the Eagles return nine starters on that side of the ball, including Harris.
Defense: BC will probably be strong on defense again. Linebacker Luke Kuechly is one of the best in the ACC -- he led the league last year in tackles with 183, 54 more than second place Abraham Kromah of Duke.
Schedule, notes, outlook: The Eagles' schedule is pretty brutal. They open with Northwestern at home, always a high-scoring and dangerous team, and also face Central Florida, a team on the rise, Notre Dame, and Massaschusetts, which is moving to the MAC next season, in their non-conference slate. In the ACC, BC has to visit Clemson, Virginia Tech and Miami. Keep in mind that BC lost its inspirational leader, linebacker Mark Herzlich, to graduation. Through it all, it seems like BC is always there at the end of the year in a bowl game and I expect the Eagles to finish 6-6 or 7-5 in the regular season this year.
Maryland
Last season: Maryland went a surprising 9-4 last season and 5-3 in the ACC for a second-place finish in the Atlantic. The Terps crushed East Carolina 51-20 in the Military Bowl. Maryland opened the year with a nice 17-14 win over what was supposed to be a terrific Navy team (it disappointed somewhat) and kept its good play going throughout the season. The Terps struggled against better teams, however, losing to West Virginia, Clemson, Miami and Florida State. The Terps finally got a quality win in their final game of the regular season when they beat N.C. State 38-31, preventing the Wolfpack from going to the ACC championship game. True freshman Danny O'Brien emerged as one of the better QBs in the ACC, throwing 22 TDs against only eight INTs. The defense was up and down, and gave up 352 yards per game.
Offense: O'Brien should be solid for the Terps again though he won't take ACC opponents by surprise as he did last year. Maryland returns seven starters on offense, including leading rusher Davin Megget, who rushed for over 700 yards in 2010. Maryland loses their two main receiving threats, including All-ACC first-teamer Torrey Smith.
Defense: Seven starters return to this up and down unit which should improve. The Terps improved drastically in points allowed per game from 2009 (31.3) to 2010 (22.2).
Schedule, notes, outlook: Of course, the big news surrounding College Park is the hiring of Randy Edsall as head coach from UConn. Edsall was with UConn for 12 years, bringing the Huskies up to prominence in the Big East. UConn made four straight bowl games at the end of his tenure, including a BCS appearance last year vs. Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. Ralph Friedgen, despite turning Maryland around in 2010 from a 2-10 record in 2009 and being named ACC Coach of the Year, was asked to leave. Obviously, Maryland thinks they have something special with Edsall as it appeared as if Friedgen had Maryland turned back in the right direction. As a Virginia fan, having Edsall coach Maryland scares me. The Terps are one of the Cavs' biggest rivals and recruit some of the same areas that Virginia recruits. He took the UConn program up from FBS infancy in 1999 to one of the best teams in the Big East. I think he can definitely start something special with the Terps. Maryland's schedule is decently challenging. They open Monday night, Sept. 5 against Miami at home. The Terps' non-conference schedule includes West Virginia, Temple, Towson and Notre Dame at FedEx Field on Nov. 12. In the ACC, Maryland faces Florida State on the road, but gets Clemson and BC at home and avoids Virginia Tech altogether. I think Maryland will have a good season, but not quite the Cinderella season it did last year. Edsall can certainly get Maryland to a BCS bowl, but I don't think this is the year. I see Maryland getting to 7-5 or 8-4 in the regular season this year.
Wake Forest
Last season: Wake had a disappointing 2010, going 3-9 and 1-7 in the conference, which slotted them last in the Atlantic Division. The Demon Deacons started 2-0 with wins, albeit unimpressive, over Presbyterian and Duke. Wake proceeded to lose nine straight games before downing Vanderbilt 34-13 in the regular season finale. The Deacons' defense was absolutely dreadful, giving up 35.8 points per game and 431 yards per game. Wake gave up 48 points to Duke, 68 to Stanford, 52 to Virginia Tech and 62 to Maryland. Two years before that in 2008, Wake gave up just 18.3 ppg and 297 ypg. The offense moved the ball at times last year, but it didn't matter. As a freshman, Josh Harris ran for over 700 yards. Wake had a number of players see time at QB. Freshman Tanner Price got the most snaps and completed 56.8 percent of his passes with seven TDs and eight INTs.
Offense: Harris should have a strong year for the Deacons. Price should have a better season with a year of experience under his belt and Wake will be consistent on offense if he can stay in the No. 1 QB slot. True freshman QB Kevin Sousa chose Wake Forest over Michigan and could push for the QB job if Price falters.
Defense: I don't know if it can get much worse. Last year, it seemed as if every time I turned around, someone else was walloping Wake and putting up a gazillion points. Head coach Jim Grobe has had pretty steady defenses during his tenure. In the 2006 ACC title run, Wake gave up just over 15 ppg. I think Wake's defense will improve vastly.
Schedule, notes, outlook: For a few years, it looked as if Grobe might have Wake headed in the direction of being a consistent contender but the last couple seasons have put that in doubt. Was the 2006 ACC title a fluke? Wake needs to get something going in the right direction this season. Wake draws Syracuse on the road at Notre Dame at home, but also Gardner-Webb and Vanderbilt in the non-conference schedule, so those four games are challenging but not grueling. Wake plays Clemson on the road but N.C. State, Florida State and Virginia Tech all at home. I think Wake takes a step forward this year with 17 returning starters and gets to 5-7 in the regular season. One upset, and they could be headed toward a bowl game.
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