The 2nd half of the college football season starts tomorrow. We’ve already made our Coastal Division predictions for the 2nd half of the ACC season, and now we have the Atlantic Division.
Let’s get right to it.
Clemson 6-0 (3-0)
The Tigers are the best team in the ACC in 2011, and only Georgia Tech is within shouting distance. Sammy Watkins is the dynamic freshman WR. QB Tajh Boyd has picked up Chad Morris’s up tempo offense and we haven’t even talked about Dwayne Allen, DeAndre Hopkins and Andre Ellington yet. The defense is good but not great, and that will eventually catch up with the Tigers, but this is still your ACC Champions.
Wins: North Carolina, Wake Forest, NC State, South Carolina
Losses: Georgia Tech
Finish: 12-1 (7-1) ACC Champion
Wake Forest 4-1 (3-0)
What Jim Grobe has done this season at Wake Forest is simply amazing. Nobody and I mean nobody had the Deacs contending in the ACC Atlantic. QB Tanner Price has been one of the ACC’s biggest breakout stars for 2011. Like most successful Jim Grobe Wake Forest teams, they don’t look like much on paper; they just find ways to beat you, just ask Florida State. Could they get to a Nov. 12th matchup with Clemson, with a shot to win the ACC Atlantic? It wouldn’t shock me.
Wins: Duke, Maryland, Vanderbilt
Losses: Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Clemson
Finish: 7-5 (5-3)
Maryland 2-3 (1-1)
Randy Edsall is finding the going tough in his first year at Maryland. You can accept hard fought losses to West Virginia and Georgia Tech, but the 38-7 home loss to Temple was inexcusable. Danny O’Brien has been one of the ACC’s most disappointing players. The uniforms have been criticized, Ralph Friedgen has publicly turned his back on the Terps, and some players are reportedly very unhappy with the new coaching staff. This team should be better much better than what it is.
Wins: Boston College, Virginia
Losses: Clemson, Florida State, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, NC State
Finish: 4-8 (3-5)
NC State 3-3 (0-2)
Well we could talk about a certain someone that’s playing quarterback for a certain Big 10… That’s just too easy. I’ll be honest I’m not the biggest Tom O’Brien fan. O’Brien was supposed to elevate the program after Chuck Amato’s departure, but it just hasn’t happened. This will be O’Briens 5th full season at NC State, and I’m sure even he will tell you 3 losing seasons out of 4 and possibly a 4th in 5 are the not the kind of results he expected. There have been a lot of injuries, but as I’ve said this is not just a one year blip. I like QB Mike Glennon, whose only real problem is he followed you know who.
Wins: Boston College, Maryland
Losses: Virginia, Florida State, North Carolina, Clemson
Finish: 5-7 (2-6)
Florida State 2-3 (0-2)
Never would I have guessed Florida State would have started the season 0-2 in the ACC. The simple fact is the Noles can’t run the ball… on anyone they play. Their offensive line has be the most underachieving unit in the ACC. FSU is 105th in the country in rushing offense. That’s putting too much pressure on their inconsistent passing game. The defense hasn’t been great either. It’s a good thing the schedule is soft in the 2nd half, I still think Noles can salvage something out of this lost season.
Wins: Duke, Maryland, NC State, Boston College, Miami, Virginia
Losses: Florida (only because it is on the road)
Finish: 8-4 (6-2)
Boston College 1-5 (0-3)
This season has been an absolute trainwreck for Boston College. Montel Harris is out for the year, the offense has been awful, the defense has been bad, and the coaching mediocre at best. Does that about sum it up? Head Coach Frank Spaziani is skating on very thin ice.
Wins: None
Losses: Virginia Tech, Maryland, Florida State, NC State, Notre Dame, Miami
Finish: 1-11 (0-8)
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