N.C. State
Last year: 8-5 (3-5), won 34-27 over Central Florida in the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl
Best win: bowl game Worst loss: at Clemson, 41-0
Coach: Dave Doeren (third year, 11-14)
Starters returning: 14 (6 offense, 8 defense, zero specialists)
Offensive player to watch: QB Jacoby Brissett. The senior is the only quarterback returning to a Power 5 conference team (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, Pac-12) that passed for at least 2,000 yards (2,606), ran for 300 yards (529), recorded 20 passing TDs (23), and threw fewer than six INTs (five). The former Florida transfer will be a steadying presence for the Wolfpack as the team looks to take the next step under Doeren.
Defensive player to watch: S Josh Jones. Only a freshman a year ago, Jones was fifth on the team with 56 tackles and led the team with four interceptions, which ranked fourth in the nation among freshmen.
Special teams player to watch: The Wolfpack must replace its kicker and punter and needs to improve in the return game, too. State averaged just 3.6 yards per punt return and 18.3 yards per kick
return in 2014.
Schedule: Troy, Eastern Kentucky, at Old Dominion, at South Alabama, Louisville, at Virginia Tech, at Wake Forest, Clemson, at Boston College, at Florida State, Syracuse, North Carolina.
Outlook: N.C. State greatly boosted its resume last year with a very easy non-conference schedule that consisted of Georgia Southern. Old Dominion, South Florida, and Presbyterian. The Pack's opponents for 2015 might be an even easier slate because Ga. Southern actually ended up being a 9-3 team last year even though it was just becoming a full-fledged FBS team. None of the FBS (EKU is FCS), non-ACC teams on this schedule finished above .500 last year. ODU went 6-6 and South Alabama went 6-7 after losing in a bowl game while Troy was 3-9. The ACC schedule is actually fairly tough with road games at Virginia Tech and FSU and a road trip to a young and probably hungry Wake Forest team trapped in between the game with the Hokies and a home game against Clemson. If State manages to beat Tech, it could be caught looking ahead to Clemson when it travels to Wake. Brissett is a good talent at QB and State also returns solid running backs in Shadrach Thornton and Matt Dayes. The Pack offense last year was very balanced, gaining 2,652 yards through the air and seven more than that on the ground. The defense should be good, too, with lots of returning starters, including the entire secondary. This team should go bowling again and, obviously, any hopes to challenge for an ACC title game berth likely rest on the outcomes of the Clemson and FSU matchups.
Win-loss prediction: 7-5 or 8-4
Clemson
Last year: 10-3 (6-2), won Russell Athletic Bowl over Oklahoma, 40-6
Best win: bowl game Worst loss: at Georgia Tech, 28-6
Coach: Dabo Swinney (eighth year, 61-26)
Starters returning: 10 (7 offense, 3 defense, zero specialists)
Offensive player to watch: QB Deshaun Watson. When healthy, Watson was one of the best freshman QBs in the country last year, completing 67.2 percent of his passes in eight games for 1,466 yards, 14 TDs, and two INTs. However, he battled through a broken wrist and torn ACL that limited him. With Cole Stoudt under center, the Tigers were much less potent on offense, scoring 23 points per game. They scored 36 ppg with Watson healthy.
Defensive player to watch: S Jayron Kearse. The junior was the third-leading tackler on last year's team (60) and also racked up five tackles for loss, three sacks, and two picks.
Special teams player to watch: K Adam Spence. The redshirt freshman is likely to replace Ammon Lakip, who was arrested in June on DUI and cocaine charges. Lakip was on the Lou Groza kicker
award watch list after making 21 of 28 field goals a year ago. He might join the team at some point this season but Swinney said he will miss some games. Lakip might have to step up in some close games if Clemson hopes to have the kind of season fans will remember for years to come.
Schedule: Wofford, Appalachian State, at Louisville, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Boston College, at Miami, at N.C. State, Florida State, at Syracuse, Wake Forest, at South Carolina.
Outlook: The ACC media made the Tigers the favorite this season and not FSU. After an easy start with Wofford and Appy State, the schedule doesn't let up too much until back-to-back contests against Syracuse and Wake Forest. Clemson's two other non-conference games are pretty tough, too -- Notre Dame and South Carolina. The Tigers have to go to Louisville in the ACC but do get FSU and Georgia Tech at home. The offense, as long as Watson stays healthy, should be very good, even with the departure of four-year offensive coordinator Chad Morris to SMU to be that program's coach. Swinney elevated the running backs coach and receivers coach from last season to be co-offensive coordinators. Leading rusher Wayne Gallman and top two receivers Artavis Scott and Mike Williams are back, too. Clemson will have to find some leaders on a defense stripped of a lot of its veterans if it hopes to be the best team in the ACC. The biggest loss on that side of the ball is definitely linebacker Vic Beasley (21.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks), who is now with the Falcons.
Win-loss prediction: 10-2 or 11-1
Florida State
Last year: 13-1 (8-0), lost in Rose Bowl (national semifinal game) to Oregon, 51-20
Best win: Georgia Tech, 37-35, in ACC championship game Worst loss: welp, only had one
Coach: Jimbo Fisher (sixth year, 58-11)
Starters returning: 12 (3 offense, 7 defense, 2 specialists)
Offensive player to watch: QB Everett Golson. With the loss of Jameis Winston to the NFL and the dismissal of QB De'Andre Johnson for punching a woman, the transfer of former Notre Dame QB Golson was a godsend for the Seminoles. The seasoned veteran completed 60 percent of his passes for the Fighting Irish last season for 3,445 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He also ran for 283 yards and eight TDs. There is no guarantee he will start, but reports have been he has been meshing well with the team and the offense.
Defensive player to watch: S Jalen Ramsey. The junior was fourth on the team last year with 79 tackles and also tallied 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two picks. He is being touted as one of
the best safeties for the 2016 NFL draft.
Special teams player to watch: Return man Kermit Whitfield. One of the saviors of the Seminoles during the national championship game two years ago against Auburn, he averaged just over 20 yards per kick return last year but did not score a touchdown. I could have said kicker Robert Aguayo, but that would be kind of a boring answer at this point. He is the best kicker in the country and everyone knows it, as he booted 27 of 30 field goals in 2014.
Schedule: Texas State, South Florida, at Boston College, at Wake Forest, Miami, Louisville, at Georgia Tech, Syracuse, at Clemson, N.C. State, Chattanooga, at Florida.
Outlook: Fisher and the Seminoles have endured a tough offseason. QB Jordan was kicked off the team after his incident and then the team's best returning tailback, Dalvin Cook, got in trouble for allegedly hitting a woman as well (there was video of Jordan's accident, but not of Cook's encounter). Recently, FSU took two team pictures: one with Cook and one without Cook, showing his state of limbo with the team. Nothing has been decided in his case. If he misses some games or the season, FSU will be missing its starting QB, RB, and WR (Rashad Greene -- 99 catches, 1,365 yards, seven TDs) from a year ago. Plus, the 'Noles are breaking in four new offensive linemen. Ouch. Cook rushed for over 1,000 yards last year and eight touchdowns. The team also lost Karlos Williams out of the backfield, who is now with the Bills. It is looking like Mario Pender (206 yards, four TDs) will be the team's game one starter. If Golson isn't the guy under center, it will likely be Sean Maguire, a junior who completed 25 of 49 passes last year with one TD and two picks. The FSU offense might struggle, so it might have to rely on a fairly experienced defense and solid special teams to get the job done. The non-conference schedule looks very easy except for maybe Florida, but the ACC schedule is pretty tough in the middle, with road trips to Georgia Tech and Clemson and a home game against Louisville. I also think the ACC opener on a Friday night at BC could be tricky. BC and its physical style upset another top team, USC, at home early in the season. We aren't looking at a .500 FSU team, but it seems as if the grip FSU has had on the ACC the past few seasons (three titles in a row) is definitely loosening.
Win-loss prediction: 9-3 or 10-2
Clemson
Last year: 10-3 (6-2), won Russell Athletic Bowl over Oklahoma, 40-6
Best win: bowl game Worst loss: at Georgia Tech, 28-6
Coach: Dabo Swinney (eighth year, 61-26)
Starters returning: 10 (7 offense, 3 defense, zero specialists)
Offensive player to watch: QB Deshaun Watson. When healthy, Watson was one of the best freshman QBs in the country last year, completing 67.2 percent of his passes in eight games for 1,466 yards, 14 TDs, and two INTs. However, he battled through a broken wrist and torn ACL that limited him. With Cole Stoudt under center, the Tigers were much less potent on offense, scoring 23 points per game. They scored 36 ppg with Watson healthy.
Defensive player to watch: S Jayron Kearse. The junior was the third-leading tackler on last year's team (60) and also racked up five tackles for loss, three sacks, and two picks.
Special teams player to watch: K Adam Spence. The redshirt freshman is likely to replace Ammon Lakip, who was arrested in June on DUI and cocaine charges. Lakip was on the Lou Groza kicker
Schedule: Wofford, Appalachian State, at Louisville, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Boston College, at Miami, at N.C. State, Florida State, at Syracuse, Wake Forest, at South Carolina.
Outlook: The ACC media made the Tigers the favorite this season and not FSU. After an easy start with Wofford and Appy State, the schedule doesn't let up too much until back-to-back contests against Syracuse and Wake Forest. Clemson's two other non-conference games are pretty tough, too -- Notre Dame and South Carolina. The Tigers have to go to Louisville in the ACC but do get FSU and Georgia Tech at home. The offense, as long as Watson stays healthy, should be very good, even with the departure of four-year offensive coordinator Chad Morris to SMU to be that program's coach. Swinney elevated the running backs coach and receivers coach from last season to be co-offensive coordinators. Leading rusher Wayne Gallman and top two receivers Artavis Scott and Mike Williams are back, too. Clemson will have to find some leaders on a defense stripped of a lot of its veterans if it hopes to be the best team in the ACC. The biggest loss on that side of the ball is definitely linebacker Vic Beasley (21.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks), who is now with the Falcons.
Win-loss prediction: 10-2 or 11-1
Florida State
Last year: 13-1 (8-0), lost in Rose Bowl (national semifinal game) to Oregon, 51-20
Best win: Georgia Tech, 37-35, in ACC championship game Worst loss: welp, only had one
Coach: Jimbo Fisher (sixth year, 58-11)
Starters returning: 12 (3 offense, 7 defense, 2 specialists)
Offensive player to watch: QB Everett Golson. With the loss of Jameis Winston to the NFL and the dismissal of QB De'Andre Johnson for punching a woman, the transfer of former Notre Dame QB Golson was a godsend for the Seminoles. The seasoned veteran completed 60 percent of his passes for the Fighting Irish last season for 3,445 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He also ran for 283 yards and eight TDs. There is no guarantee he will start, but reports have been he has been meshing well with the team and the offense.
Defensive player to watch: S Jalen Ramsey. The junior was fourth on the team last year with 79 tackles and also tallied 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two picks. He is being touted as one of
Special teams player to watch: Return man Kermit Whitfield. One of the saviors of the Seminoles during the national championship game two years ago against Auburn, he averaged just over 20 yards per kick return last year but did not score a touchdown. I could have said kicker Robert Aguayo, but that would be kind of a boring answer at this point. He is the best kicker in the country and everyone knows it, as he booted 27 of 30 field goals in 2014.
Schedule: Texas State, South Florida, at Boston College, at Wake Forest, Miami, Louisville, at Georgia Tech, Syracuse, at Clemson, N.C. State, Chattanooga, at Florida.
Outlook: Fisher and the Seminoles have endured a tough offseason. QB Jordan was kicked off the team after his incident and then the team's best returning tailback, Dalvin Cook, got in trouble for allegedly hitting a woman as well (there was video of Jordan's accident, but not of Cook's encounter). Recently, FSU took two team pictures: one with Cook and one without Cook, showing his state of limbo with the team. Nothing has been decided in his case. If he misses some games or the season, FSU will be missing its starting QB, RB, and WR (Rashad Greene -- 99 catches, 1,365 yards, seven TDs) from a year ago. Plus, the 'Noles are breaking in four new offensive linemen. Ouch. Cook rushed for over 1,000 yards last year and eight touchdowns. The team also lost Karlos Williams out of the backfield, who is now with the Bills. It is looking like Mario Pender (206 yards, four TDs) will be the team's game one starter. If Golson isn't the guy under center, it will likely be Sean Maguire, a junior who completed 25 of 49 passes last year with one TD and two picks. The FSU offense might struggle, so it might have to rely on a fairly experienced defense and solid special teams to get the job done. The non-conference schedule looks very easy except for maybe Florida, but the ACC schedule is pretty tough in the middle, with road trips to Georgia Tech and Clemson and a home game against Louisville. I also think the ACC opener on a Friday night at BC could be tricky. BC and its physical style upset another top team, USC, at home early in the season. We aren't looking at a .500 FSU team, but it seems as if the grip FSU has had on the ACC the past few seasons (three titles in a row) is definitely loosening.
Win-loss prediction: 9-3 or 10-2
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