The Atlantic Coast Conference is undergoing a makeover. The league welcomes some new additions in 2024. Stanford, California and SMU are coming into the fold, as the conference landscape continues to shift. Florida State football ran away with the league in 2023, going 13-0 before losing badly in the Orange Bowl to Georgia. While the Seminoles are undoubtedly a power program in the ACC, there are some other schools ready and willing to challenge them for the conference crown.
Here are three ACC teams that are ready to challenge Florida State football for the top spot in the league.
Clemson football
The Clemson Tigers have had a lot of success in recent years. With Trevor Lawrence at quarterback, Clemson became a national power. Dabo Swinney's team claimed national championships in 2016 and 2018. The football program also made it to the championship game in 2019.
Swinney is a stellar head coach, and no one should discount Clemson, despite their recent struggles. In 2023, the Tigers finished the season with a 9-4 record. The team finished a disappointing 4-4 in the ACC, and the program didn't meet expectations.
That makes Clemson even more dangerous. Swinney and his team have revenge on their mind in the 2024 campaign. The polls are favorable to Clemson, as the squad is ranked 14th in the country in the early preseason polls.
The Tigers return an outstanding rusher in Phil Mafah, who gained more than 900 yards on the ground in 2023. Clemson also returns their starting quarterback in Cade Klubnik, who threw for 2,844 yards last season. He tossed 19 touchdown passes, with 9 interceptions. These key returning offensive pieces will help Clemson compete for an ACC title.
Clemson and Florida State football battle on October 5, in a game that will have a far-reaching impact on the conference standings.
Miami FL football
The Miami Hurricanes are also prepared for an exciting season. The Hurricanes are ranked 19th in preseason polls. Miami also returns a lot of talent from last year. The Hurricanes are also looking to improve from the 2023 season, which saw the team win only seven games.
Miami football has a very talented roster. In fact, their group of guys may be the best sneaky good roster in the entire ACC, outside of Florida State. Miami has five players on the ESPN preseason Top 100 list, as reported by 247 Sports.
These five players come at a range of positions. This includes an offensive lineman as well as a defensive lineman. The most interesting player though may be quarterback Cam Ward. Ward is a transfer who played at Washington State last season. The gunslinger had a phenomenal year, throwing for 3,736 yards and 25 touchdowns. The quarterback may be the most talented play caller in the ACC.
North Carolina football is the wild card
The prior two teams on this list are not unreasonable choices. Both Miami and Clemson are ranked this preseason. A team that isn't is North Carolina football. The Tar Heels are an under the radar program that can compete in the ACC this year.
One reason why North Carolina isn't getting as much respect is because the team lost Drake Maye. Maye is now in New England, preparing to launch his NFL career with the Patriots. The Tar Heels, however, have a talented backup that should get the starting job in Maye's absence. That player is dual threat play caller Conner Harrell.
Harrell had an outstanding performance in the Duke's Mayo Bowl against West Virginia, at the end of last season. While North Carolina lost the game, the young gun finished the contest with 199 yards passing. He threw a touchdown, while also gaining 25 rushing yards.
Harrell got knocked around in that game, getting sacked seven times. The young quarterback didn't seem that rattled, however, and kept his poise despite those frustrations. Harrell is the X factor for North Carolina this season. If the young quarterback can keep his composure, there will be a lot to look forward to in Chapel Hill.
It's certainly an exciting time to be a fan of the ACC, as the league undergoes these new changes.
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