Louisville
Last year: 9-4 (5-3), lost 37-14 to Georgia in Belk Bowl
Best win: at Notre Dame, 31-28 Worst loss: at Virginia, 23-21
Coach: Bobby Petrino (second year for this stint; also coached Louisville from 2003 to 2006, compiling a record of 41-9)
Starters returning: 11 (6 offense, 4 defense, 1 specialist)
Offensive player to watch: QBs Reggie Bonnafon and Will Gardner. Whichever signal caller Petrino goes with should give the Cardinals some quality starts. Gardner started seven games a year ago and completed 57.5 percent of his passes for 12 TDs and just three picks. Bonnafon started five games and completed 50.8 percent of his passes for five scores and four picks. Gardner would be the best QB, but he tore his ACL for a third time last year and missed all of spring ball. It seems like for now Bonnafon will be the guy but it is still very much up in the air. Reports said that Bonnafon made a statement in the spring with his play.
Defensive player to watch: DL Sheldon Rankins. The senior finished with 13.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. Both marks led the team.
Special teams player to watch: K John Wallace. The senior has made 79.7 percent of his field
goals during his career. He made 20 two years ago and 15 of 19 last season.
Schedule: Auburn (in Atlanta), Houston, Clemson, Samford, at N.C. State, at Florida State, Boston College, at Wake Forest, Syracuse, Virginia, at Pittsburgh, at Kentucky.
Outlook: Whether Bonnafon or Gardner starts might not matter much. The offense has enough weapons back, I think, to have success. The Cardinals' best running back (Brandon Radcliff) and receiver (James Quick) from a year ago are back as are two offensive linemen. The problem is, the defense, with only four starters coming back, might not be as dominant as it was a year ago. Louisville could have problems scoring enough to keep up in games if the defense has a sub-par game. The first part of the schedule is tough. Auburn could definitely be a loss, Houston is no pushover but the Cards should prevail, and Clemson was picked to win the ACC's Atlantic Division. And FSU? On the road no less? Ouch. The second half of the schedule is much easier and Louisville could definitely win the last five or six games. This team will go bowling because it is good enough and Petrino is a good coach. The quality of bowl will be determined by how the defense comes together and if Gardner or Bonnafon can be consistent through the air.
Win-loss prediction: 8-4 or 9-3
Wake Forest
Last year: 3-9 (1-7) Best win: vs. Virginia Tech, 6-3 in 2OT Worst loss: vs. Syracuse, 30-7
Coach: Dave Clawson (second year)
Starters returning: 14 (7 offense, 7 defense, special teams: NA)
Offensive player to watch: TE Cam Serigne. The sophomore can perform at an All-ACC level even on a team that had an historically bad offense in 2014. He caught 54 balls for 531 yards and five touchdowns.
Defensive player to watch: LB Marquel Lee. The junior was third on the team a year ago with 101 tackles and was first with 12 tackles for loss while also recording four sacks.
Special teams player to watch: P Alex Kinal. He got lots of practice a year ago and it paid off. He punted for an average of 43.6 yards and placed 27 of his 81 punts inside the 20-yard line.
Schedule: Elon, at Syracuse, at Army, Indiana, Florida State, at Boston College, at North Carolina, N.C. State, Louisville, at Notre Dame, at Clemson, Duke.
Outlook: Clawson has built an eventual winner everywhere he has been. His first year at Fordham,
he went 0-11, but he won a combined 19 games his fourth and fifth seasons there. At Richmond, he was 3-8 in 2004 but 11-3 in 2007. And at Bowling Green, he went 7-6 and then 2-10, but by his final and sixth year there, went 10-3 and won the MAC. I think it is safe to expect some improvement in Winston-Salem this year, but the going will still be tough. The offense last year was one of the worst in college football (14.8 ppg). Freshman QB John Wolford was overwhelmed at times. He's bound to improve this year and did near the end of last season, too. He threw 14 picks overall, but just four in his final seven games. He completed 58.3 percent of his passes for 12 TDs. The Wake offensive line allowed 48 sacks, a national high, surely part of the problem. The Demon Deacons couldn't rush the ball either at just 1.3 yards per carry. Three starters are back on the O-line as are the top two RBs in Dezmond Wortham and Isaiah Robinson. The defense, which was solid last year (60th in ppg allowed) considering the woeful offense it had making life difficult, brings back all three linebackers and that unit is expected to be one of the best in the ACC. The secondary lost three of four starters, though, including cornerback Kevin Johnson, who went 16th in the draft to the Texans. The schedule is manageable early and then kind of up and down after that.
Win-loss prediction: 4-8 or 5-7
Last year: 9-4 (5-3), lost 37-14 to Georgia in Belk Bowl
Best win: at Notre Dame, 31-28 Worst loss: at Virginia, 23-21
Coach: Bobby Petrino (second year for this stint; also coached Louisville from 2003 to 2006, compiling a record of 41-9)
Starters returning: 11 (6 offense, 4 defense, 1 specialist)
Offensive player to watch: QBs Reggie Bonnafon and Will Gardner. Whichever signal caller Petrino goes with should give the Cardinals some quality starts. Gardner started seven games a year ago and completed 57.5 percent of his passes for 12 TDs and just three picks. Bonnafon started five games and completed 50.8 percent of his passes for five scores and four picks. Gardner would be the best QB, but he tore his ACL for a third time last year and missed all of spring ball. It seems like for now Bonnafon will be the guy but it is still very much up in the air. Reports said that Bonnafon made a statement in the spring with his play.
Defensive player to watch: DL Sheldon Rankins. The senior finished with 13.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. Both marks led the team.
Special teams player to watch: K John Wallace. The senior has made 79.7 percent of his field
Schedule: Auburn (in Atlanta), Houston, Clemson, Samford, at N.C. State, at Florida State, Boston College, at Wake Forest, Syracuse, Virginia, at Pittsburgh, at Kentucky.
Outlook: Whether Bonnafon or Gardner starts might not matter much. The offense has enough weapons back, I think, to have success. The Cardinals' best running back (Brandon Radcliff) and receiver (James Quick) from a year ago are back as are two offensive linemen. The problem is, the defense, with only four starters coming back, might not be as dominant as it was a year ago. Louisville could have problems scoring enough to keep up in games if the defense has a sub-par game. The first part of the schedule is tough. Auburn could definitely be a loss, Houston is no pushover but the Cards should prevail, and Clemson was picked to win the ACC's Atlantic Division. And FSU? On the road no less? Ouch. The second half of the schedule is much easier and Louisville could definitely win the last five or six games. This team will go bowling because it is good enough and Petrino is a good coach. The quality of bowl will be determined by how the defense comes together and if Gardner or Bonnafon can be consistent through the air.
Win-loss prediction: 8-4 or 9-3
Wake Forest
Last year: 3-9 (1-7) Best win: vs. Virginia Tech, 6-3 in 2OT Worst loss: vs. Syracuse, 30-7
Coach: Dave Clawson (second year)
Starters returning: 14 (7 offense, 7 defense, special teams: NA)
Offensive player to watch: TE Cam Serigne. The sophomore can perform at an All-ACC level even on a team that had an historically bad offense in 2014. He caught 54 balls for 531 yards and five touchdowns.
Defensive player to watch: LB Marquel Lee. The junior was third on the team a year ago with 101 tackles and was first with 12 tackles for loss while also recording four sacks.
Special teams player to watch: P Alex Kinal. He got lots of practice a year ago and it paid off. He punted for an average of 43.6 yards and placed 27 of his 81 punts inside the 20-yard line.
Schedule: Elon, at Syracuse, at Army, Indiana, Florida State, at Boston College, at North Carolina, N.C. State, Louisville, at Notre Dame, at Clemson, Duke.
Outlook: Clawson has built an eventual winner everywhere he has been. His first year at Fordham,
Win-loss prediction: 4-8 or 5-7
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