You read that right. We are less than a month away from college football starting at every level. The first FCS and FBS games are Aug. 26. The first ACC game is Presbyterian at Wake Forest on Aug. 31. Let's get my annual previews started.
Syracuse
Last year: 4-8 (2-6 ACC) Best win: vs. Virginia Tech, 31-17 Worst loss: at Clemson, 54-0
Coach: Dino Babers (second season, 41-24 career)
Starters returning: 20 (9 offense, 9 defense, 2 specialists)
Offensive player to watch: QB Eric Dungey. In 2016, the junior upped his production from the 2015 season, completing 64.8 percent of his passes for 2,679 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions and also ran for 293 yards and six touchdowns. Again, though, like 2015, an injury kept him from a full season as a hard hit he sustained to the head and shoulder area during the Clemson game in early November shelved him for the rest of the season.
Defensive player to watch: LB Zaire Franklin. The junior recorded 101 tackles, 10 for loss, two sacks, one pick and one forced fumble as a sophomore.
Special teams player to watch: P Sterling Hofrichter. He was named a Freshman All-American in 2016 and booted 23 punts of 50+ yards.
Schedule: vs. Central Connecticut State, vs. Middle Tennessee State, vs. Central Michigan, at LSU, at N.C. State, vs. Pittsburgh, vs. Clemson, at Miami, at Florida State, vs. Wake Forest, at Louisville, vs. Boston College.
Outlook: The Orange were 4-4 in Babers' inaugural season before getting spanked by Clemson and
losing Dungey for the remainder of the season. Apparently, Dungey was upset that the medical team didn't clear him to play, because he said after the season he felt like he could've played, as did his father. But he got a full spring workout in and obviously can put up big numbers when healthy. Syracuse has had an extremely young team recently as evidenced by the number of returning starters, which is tops in the nation. Babers jumped from 7-5 to 12-1 in his second year at Eastern Illinois and 8-6 to 10-3 in his second year at Bowling Green, so I think we can expect improvement, but the question is how much? Dungey's health is a big key, but the schedule is brutal. All 11 of the Orange's FBS opponents went bowling last season, and right off the bat, you have four presumed losses to Florida State, Louisville, Clemson, and LSU, and for sure, road games at N.C. State and Miami won't be easy. This will put a premium on the games the team should win. I like the Orange a lot on offense, but the defense needs to get better before I can feel confident in calling this a bowl team, given the daunting schedule. But, it's possible.
Win-loss prediction: 5-7 or 6-6
Boston College
Last year: 7-6 (2-6 ACC), won 36-30 against Maryland in the Quick Lane Bowl
Best win: at N.C. State, 21-14 Worst loss: at Virginia Tech, 49-0
Coach: Steve Addazio (fifth season, 24-27)
Starters returning: 17 (9 offense, 7 defense, 1 specialist)
Offensive player to watch: RB Jon Hilliman. The junior was hoping for a bounce-back season last year after getting hurt in 2015. In 2014, he burst onto the scene with more than 800 yards rushing and 13 TDs as a freshman. But in 2016, he managed just 542 yards and six TDs, both of which still led the team. Obviously the more he regains the promise he held as a freshman, the easier things will be on offense for BC, which has struggled mightily on that side of the ball in recent campaigns.
Defensive player to watch. DE Harold Landry. The senior was a beast last season, accumulating 51 tackles, 22 for loss, with 16.5 sacks, an interception, and seven forced fumbles.
Special teams player to watch: K/P Mike Knoll. A junior this season, he made 12 of his 14 field goals last season and averaged 38.3 yards per punt.
Schedule: at Northern Illinois, vs. Wake Forest, vs. Notre Dame, at Clemson, vs. Central Michigan, vs. Virginia Tech, at Louisville, at Virginia, vs. Florida State, vs. N.C. State, vs. Connecticut, at Syracuse.
Outlook: The Eagles really struggled on offense again a season ago, averaging 20 points per game, but were able to make a bowl by rallying for three wins at the end of the season when they were 3-6. Then they actually scored 36 points in defeating Maryland. Addazio has three 7-6 seasons in addition to his
disastrous 3-9 campaign of 2015. Last year, Patrick Towles, a transfer from Kentucky, was serviceable at QB. He's graduated, and the likely starter is once again Darius Wade, who was the starter at the beginning of the 2015 season but got hurt in the third game. Wade is a dual-threat QB who has completed 47.8 percent of his passes for 355 yards, two touchdowns, and two picks in his time at BC. Freshman Anthony Brown was providing good competition at the position in the spring. Hilliman will be a central part of the offense, as will be 2016's second-leading rusher Davon Jones and freshman tailback A.J. Dillon, whom was headed to Michigan then changed his mind. Defense will again be the calling card for the Eagles, and they'll have to pile up wins early and late in the year as the middle of the season brings tests: Clemson, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Florida State, and N.C. State. Winnable games against Northern Illinois, Wake, and Notre Dame will be critical to a possible bowl berth. The finale against Syracuse could determine which of those teams continues playing.
Win-loss prediction: 5-7 or 6-6
Syracuse
Last year: 4-8 (2-6 ACC) Best win: vs. Virginia Tech, 31-17 Worst loss: at Clemson, 54-0
Coach: Dino Babers (second season, 41-24 career)
Starters returning: 20 (9 offense, 9 defense, 2 specialists)
Offensive player to watch: QB Eric Dungey. In 2016, the junior upped his production from the 2015 season, completing 64.8 percent of his passes for 2,679 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions and also ran for 293 yards and six touchdowns. Again, though, like 2015, an injury kept him from a full season as a hard hit he sustained to the head and shoulder area during the Clemson game in early November shelved him for the rest of the season.
Defensive player to watch: LB Zaire Franklin. The junior recorded 101 tackles, 10 for loss, two sacks, one pick and one forced fumble as a sophomore.
Special teams player to watch: P Sterling Hofrichter. He was named a Freshman All-American in 2016 and booted 23 punts of 50+ yards.
Schedule: vs. Central Connecticut State, vs. Middle Tennessee State, vs. Central Michigan, at LSU, at N.C. State, vs. Pittsburgh, vs. Clemson, at Miami, at Florida State, vs. Wake Forest, at Louisville, vs. Boston College.
Outlook: The Orange were 4-4 in Babers' inaugural season before getting spanked by Clemson and
Win-loss prediction: 5-7 or 6-6
Boston College
Last year: 7-6 (2-6 ACC), won 36-30 against Maryland in the Quick Lane Bowl
Best win: at N.C. State, 21-14 Worst loss: at Virginia Tech, 49-0
Coach: Steve Addazio (fifth season, 24-27)
Starters returning: 17 (9 offense, 7 defense, 1 specialist)
Offensive player to watch: RB Jon Hilliman. The junior was hoping for a bounce-back season last year after getting hurt in 2015. In 2014, he burst onto the scene with more than 800 yards rushing and 13 TDs as a freshman. But in 2016, he managed just 542 yards and six TDs, both of which still led the team. Obviously the more he regains the promise he held as a freshman, the easier things will be on offense for BC, which has struggled mightily on that side of the ball in recent campaigns.
Defensive player to watch. DE Harold Landry. The senior was a beast last season, accumulating 51 tackles, 22 for loss, with 16.5 sacks, an interception, and seven forced fumbles.
Special teams player to watch: K/P Mike Knoll. A junior this season, he made 12 of his 14 field goals last season and averaged 38.3 yards per punt.
Schedule: at Northern Illinois, vs. Wake Forest, vs. Notre Dame, at Clemson, vs. Central Michigan, vs. Virginia Tech, at Louisville, at Virginia, vs. Florida State, vs. N.C. State, vs. Connecticut, at Syracuse.
Outlook: The Eagles really struggled on offense again a season ago, averaging 20 points per game, but were able to make a bowl by rallying for three wins at the end of the season when they were 3-6. Then they actually scored 36 points in defeating Maryland. Addazio has three 7-6 seasons in addition to his
Win-loss prediction: 5-7 or 6-6
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