College Football: 2017 ACC Preview, Storylines, Teams to Watch

The ACC has sneakily been one of the more competitive conferences in college football the last several years. Sure, each of the last six ACC titles have belonged to either Clemson (3) or Florida State (3). But, the conference as a whole has seen a tremendous increase in the number of teams making it to bowl eligibility in a given year. Last season, 11 out of the 14 teams in the ACC went bowling and eight returned to campus victorious (nine wins counting Clemson's two in the CFP). In 2017, several of the retooling programs in the ACC will look to build upon the success of a .500 season and postseason win last year (BC, Wake Forest, NC State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech), while others such as Clemson, Florida State, and Louisville will try and remain atop the conference and compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff. We got a lot to talk about so let's get this sucker rolling.

Check out my preseason rankings here.

Team-By-Team Breakdown, Key Players



2017 serves as a massive season for Steve Adazio and BC football as they look to build upon their QuickLane Bowl win over Maryland. The Eagles lost quarterback Patrick Towles to graduation but word out of the Heights is that Adazio and his staff are extremely high on redshirt freshman quarterback Anthony Brown. Brown and junior Darrius Wade will continue to fight for the starting job, but the job seems to be Brown's to lose, especially when Wade's ceiling as a passer appears as if his arm isn't even there. 


The Eagles return two of their top running backs from last season in Davon Jones and Jon Hilliman as well as their two top wideouts in Jeff Smith and Michael Walker. The quarterback situation at BC may not be ideal as the job is fought for by a redshirt freshman and a guy who's arm strength is mediocre at best, but the Eagles have the running game necessary to keep the offense versatile and the receiving options to make the development process of Brown (please please don't be Wade) a little easier. BC also returns three of their starting offensive linemen from last season so while the line has struggled some to protect the quarterback in recent years, the excuse of a collective lack of playing time or experience isn't an option this season.


Senior middle linebacker Connor Strachan and senior defensive end Harold Landry highlight an extremely talented Eagle front-seven. Landry could have left for the NFL after leading the nation in solo sacks last season (16.5) but opted to stay in school and earn his degree. In past years, BC has relied heavily on its defense and in 2017, the defense will once again be a deciding factor as to whether or not BC is a legitimate contender in the ACC Atlantic (by contender I mean seven or eight wins). 



You all know what Clemson did last season, stunning Alabama with a last-second touchdown to win the national title. The question now is what are the Tigers going to do in life after Deshaun Watson? Junior Kelly Bryant figures to take over as the starting quarterback for Clemson and despite the loss of top wideout Mike Williams, he’ll have a full arsenal of junior receivers to work with that includes Deon Cain, Ray-Ray McCloud, as well as title game hero and slot man Hunter Renfrow. C.J. Fuller will likely take over the starting running back job in place of Gallman, and he’ll run behind an offensive line that returns four starters including All-ACC left tackle Mitch Hyatt and All-ACC right guard Tyrone Crowder.



Gone is Clemson’s leading tackler from last season in linebacker Ben Boulware, but the Tigers seem to have found a solid replacement in redshirt junior Kendall Joseph (124 tackles in 2016). The Tigers also return both of their starting defensive tackles from last season in junior Christian Wilkins and sophomore Dexter Lawrence. Redshirt sophomore defensive end Clelin Ferrell figures to be Clemson’s top rusher off the edge after strong performances against Ohio State and Alabama in last season’s playoff. The Tigers return a pair of senior corners in Ryan Carter and Marcus Edmond but both are going to have to compete for playing time with junior Mark Fields and sophomore Trayvon Mullen as Carter and Mullen are currently atop the depth chart. At safety, junior Van Smith and sophomore Tanner Muse will battle with sophomore K’Von Wallace and senior Korrin Wiggins for the two starting jobs.

Clemson’s defense was dominant last season, and while they certainly lost a big piece with the departure of Ben Boulware, their front seven is still loaded with talent. The bigger worry for this team should be on the offensive side of the ball, as Kelly Bryant tries to develop chemistry with Renfrow, Cain, and McCloud. The loss of an elite quarterback like Deshaun Watson is going to have its effects, but Bryant will be working behind a strong offensive line. We’ll see whether or not Clemson suffers a championship hangover, but the expectation is obviously for the Tigers to win the ACC and get back to the playoff, which will be extremely hard to do in the Atlantic Division. The Tigers will be tested early when they host Auburn in week two and travel to Louisville in week three.


David Cutcliffe hasn't quite turned Duke into a football school just yet, but he's close. Under Cutcliffe, the Blue Devils have won the ACC Coastal Division (2013) and the program is beyond its days of being a national laughing stock. Before last season's 4-8 campaign, the Blue Devils had been to four straight bowl games. 2017 could see a slight improvement from 4-8, but it will be another rebuilding year. The Duke offense returns a massive piece in quarterback David Jones, but the defense returns just one of their four starting defensive linemen from 2016 in senior Mike Ramsay.



Duke does have two linebackers in Ben Humphreys and Joe Giles-Harris as well as sophomore corner Mark Gilbert, senior corner Bryon Fields, and senior safety Alonzo Saxton all returning, but the amount of holes up front and lack of depth at safety are massive areas of concern.

The Blue Devils have the unfortunate task of facing Florida State this season, along with their normal coastal slate of Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, and Miami. Duke does catch somewhat of a break not having to play either Clemson or Louisville, but this is not a favorable schedule by any means for a team trying to climb back over .500 and get to a bowl game.


Jimbo Fisher’s squad may not have put together the season they had in mind last year, but a win in the Orange Bowl over Michigan was certainly a solid consolation. This season, Florida State must find replacements for their two top offensive weapons from last year (running back Dalvin Cook and No. 1 wideout Travis Rudolph). Luckily, the ‘Noles still have sophomore quarterback Deondre Francois, who is highly regarded as one of the best quarterback prospects in the country after a 3,350 yard/20 touchdown campaign last year as a redshirt freshman. Junior wideout Nyqwan Murray has potential to be a star as FSU’s No. 1 receiver, especially after his showing in the Orange Bowl against Michigan (two touchdowns). The chemistry built between Murray and Francois will be pivotal, as Florida State is due to see a significant drop in production on the ground with Cook gone.

On defense, the loss of DeMarcus Walker at left end is tough, but the ‘Noles have a tandem of returning starters to anchor their defensive front in junior Josh Sweat and sophomore Brian Burns, who combined for 16.5 sacks last season. Redshirt seniors Matthew Thomas and Ro’Derrick Hoskins will serve as mainstays at linebacker after they each put together monster seasons in 2016. The FSU secondary is highlighted by All-American free safety Derwin James, who suffered a brutal season-ending knee injury in 2016 and will look to get back after it in 2017. Florida State also gets back junior corner Travarus McFadden, who is arguably the best in the ACC and up there as one of the top shutdown corners in the country after finishing last season tied for the FBS lead in interceptions (eight).

When you have a schedule as difficult as Florida State's is in 2017, thinking 12-0 is a bit of a reach despite the 'Noles returning a strong front seven and a highly touted quarterback in Deondre Francois. An opening weekend matchup against Alabama in Atlanta is about as tough as it gets, but one that is major resume booster for the playoff. Along with the opening weekend duel with the 'Tide, the Seminoles will host Miami and Louisville and have to travel to Clemson and Florida. 11-1 or 10-2 seems like a more reasonable prediction than 12-0, but 11 or 10 wins with this gauntlet of a schedule and a win in the ACC title game sould be enough to get Florida State into the playoff. 



Following a dismal 2015 campaign (3-9), the Rambling Wreck had themselves a nice bounce back season in 2016, finishing 9-4 with a victory in the TaxSlayer Bowl over Kentucky. Tech returns a significant portion of its offensive line from a season ago as well as their two top rushers (Clinton Lynch, J.J. Green). As always, with the running game being so paramount at Georgia Tech with Paul Johnson's option attack, the Yellow Jackets enter camp with a lot of questions at quarterback. Redshirt junior Jordan Matthews enters August as the No. 1 quarterback on the depth chart, but do not be surprised if TaQuon Marshall makes a push and takes over the starting job at some point. When Tech does opt to throw the ball, they've have two solid pass-catchers to turn to in senior Rickey Jeune and junior Brad Stewart.

The strength of Georgia Tech's defense will be the secondary, as the Rambling Wreck returns four starters (all seniors) from 2016 in corner Lance Austin, strong safety Corey Griffin, corner Step Durham, and nickel Lawrence Austin. Junior free safety A.J. Grey is also back after winning the starting job midway through last season. This secondary will need to step up and make up for the lack of a pass rush, as Tech had just 18 sacks throughout the entire 2016 season and lost a significant number of players on their front seven. Senior defensive end KeShun Freeman figures to anchor the front seven along with end Anree Saint-Amour and defensive tackle Antonio Simmons. 

Georgia Tech's offense is a tricky little bugger to figure out, and it's versatility should win the Jackets at least seven or eight games and keep them in the hunt for an ACC Coastal Division title. Unfortunately, holes on the defensive front might be the downfall of this team, especially with dates against Tennessee, Clemson, Georgia, Miami, and Virginia Tech.


Heisman winner Lamar Jackson and the Louisville Cardinals get a full arsenal of receivers back from last season including senior Reggie Bonnafon, sophomore Seth Dawkins, and junior Jaylen Smith. Coaches are extremely high on redshirt freshman Desmond Fitzpatrick and Dawkins so it would be the least bit surprising if both take over as Jackson’s go-to targets. At running back, the Cards have senior Jeremy Smith and sophomore Trey Smith currently listed as No.’s 1 and 2 on the depth chart. Smith figures to be the go-to guy on early downs and in the red zone, that is whenever Lamar Jackson decides to not do the work with his own legs. The biggest need for improvement lies on the offensive line, as it was a complete mess last season, allowing 47 sacks (most in the ACC). The Cardinals return just two starters on their line but have added assistant offensive line coach Mike Summers to try and sort this thing out.

On defense, it’ll be interesting to see whether or not defensive end James Hearns will be able to return to full health after missing the Citrus Bowl due to a gunshot wound. Stacy Thomas figures to lead the linebacking core alongside Isaac Stewart and Jonathan Greenard, who both saw limited playing time last season. The strength of the Louisville defense comes in the secondary, with four starters returning in junior corner Jaire Alexander, senior safety Zykiesis Cannon, senior safety Chucky Williams, and senior corner Trumaine Washington.

Getting Clemson at home early in the season is a major benefit to Louisville, as we all saw how strong of a start this team is capable of getting off to last season. In order to avoid a late-season fallout like last year, the Cardinal offensive line needs to hold up its end. If Mike Summers is able to right the ship and give Lamar Jackson more time to work with, Louisville’s offense should thrive like it did during the first half of last year but this time, for the season’s entirety. Getting out of the ACC Atlantic alone is going to be tough, but avoiding Coastal Division teams such as Miami, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and Pittsburgh is huge. 10 wins is a reasonable prediction for Lamar Jackson and company. October 21’s showdown at Florida State will have a massive say as to who comes out of the Atlantic.

Miami was never able to recover fully from a blocked PAT that in all likelihood would have forced overtime in their 20-19 week five loss to Florida State. The loss to the Seminoles began a four-game losing streak against UNC (20-13), at Virginia Tech (37-16) and at Notre Dame (30-27), bringing Miami back to .500 at 4-4, dropping them from the rankings completely, and pretty much ending any hope of the ‘Canes winning the ACC. The Hurricanes won five in a row to end the season against Pitt, Duke, NC State, and Virginia as well as a 31-14 win over West Virginia in the Russell Athletic Bowl.

With Brad Kaaya gone, the starting quarterback job seems to be redshirt-junior Malik Rosier’s to lose, but word out of camp is that true freshman N’Kosi Perry is making a strong case, so it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out. Whether it’s Rosier or Perry taking snaps under center, they’ll be able to lean on feature running back Mark Walton, who rushed for 1,117 yards and 14 touchdowns a season ago. Wideouts Braxton Berrios (senior) and sophomore Ahmmon Richards figure to be the U’s top two pass-catchers with Berrios providing the leadership and versatility, and Richards the pristine route running and explosive speed. 

On defense, the entirety of Miami’s front seven from a season ago returns, highlighted by senior defensive end and likely first-round draft pick next spring, Chad Thomas. Thomas, along with sophomore Joe Jackson, combined for 22.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks last season. Defensive tackles and juniors Kendrick Norton and R.J. McIntosh also appear to be in line for massive seasons after plugging up the trenches with 19.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks combined in 2016. Seniors Anthony Moten and Trent Harris, as well as sophomore Joseph Jackson, should rotate in periodically as well. Miami’s front seven is about as deep as it gets in not only the ACC but the entire country.

Miami’s set of linebackers were absolutely dominant a season ago, and the scariest thing is, they were all true freshmen. Now sophomores, Shaq Quarterman, Michael Pinckney and Zach McCloud should all return to their normal starting roles this season and grow off of an extremely impressive first-year where they ranked fifth in the nation in tackles as a unit. The downfall of Miami’s defense lies in their secondary, as the ‘Canes lost all four starters from a season ago. Citadel transfer Dee Delaney figures to slot in as one of the team’s starting corners, and it will be up to him and Miami’s No. 12 recruiting class to take care of the bulk of the work on passing downs.

Mitch Trubisky was phenomenal last season for North Carolina, guiding the Heels to an 8-4 regular season before falling to Stanford (25-23) in the Sun Bowl. Now, North Carolina must find a way to fill the void under center with Trubisky going No. 2 overall to the Chicago Bears.

If senior quarterback transfer Brandon Harris plays like he did at LSU, the Tar Heels could be in for a long season. The departures of Mack Hollins and Quinshad Davis mean that the Heels are going to need to find new deep threats. Senior Austin Proehl figures to pick up the slack as the new No. 1 receiver for North Carolina but he is only as good as Harris allows him to be. At running back, UNC has a trio of players that should contribute greatly in sophomore Jordan Brown, senior Auburn transfer Stanton Truitt, and true freshman Michael Carter. North Carolina has only one returning starter on its offensive line but added two key graduate transfers in Cam Dillard from Florida and Khaliel Rodgers from USC, so we'll see how things play out up front. 

Team sack leader Malik Carney will anchor the defensive front while M.J. Stewart carries the secondary as one of the conference's top cornerbacks. UNC returns six other starters on defense but will need a tandem of underclassmen to man the middle linebacker spot, both safety positions, and the No. 2 cornerback spot. 

It gets tough for North Carolina right out of the gate, as the Heels will face California and Louisville in back-to-back weeks to open up the season. The Tar Heels do not have to play Clemson or Florida State in 2017, but will have to go on the road to Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, and Pittsburgh while playing host to Notre Dame and Miami. 

A team that a lot of people slept on last season was NC State. The Wolfpack were a missed field goal away at the end of regulation from taking down Clemson in Death Valley and only lost to Florida State by four (24-20). A 41-17 win over Vanderbilt in the Independence Bowl sent the Wolfpack into the offseason on a high note. 

NC State is expecting big things out of Ryan Finley in his second season as the starting Wolfpack quarterback after completing just over 60% of his passes in 2016. Tight end/slot receiver Jaylen Samuels should be Finley's go-to target while speedster Nyheim Hines works out of the backfield as both a running back and a wideout. NC State also returns four of their five starting offensive linemen from last season. 

Defensive end Bradley Chubb returns for his senior season after amassing 21.5 sacks in 2016, and will likely be a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Chubb, alongside Kentavious Street, Justin Jones, B.J. Hill, and Airius Moore give NC State one of the best and most experienced front sevens in the land, and one that could catch a sleeping Florida State or Clemson off guard like they almost did twice last season. 


Don't be surprised if NC State contends with the big-three (FSU, Clemson, Louisville) for the ACC Atlantic in 2017. This team is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball and showed last season that they can compete with anybody in the country.

A lot of people forget just how deadly Pitt was to top-25 teams a season ago after the Panthers handed eventual national champ Clemson their lone loss of the season (43-42) as well as a win at home against eventual BIG-10 champ Penn State (42-39). Pitt’s defense has a significant number of things to improve upon from last season, but maybe none more important than the number of points they allow (61 to Syracuse, 51 to Miami, 45 to Oklahoma State, 39 to Virginia Tech, 37 to North Carolina). Despite the defensive lapses, Pitt was still able to go 8-4 before falling to Northwestern in the Pinstripe Bowl (31-24). The edition of USC quarterback transfer Max Browne is definitely something for Pitt fans to be excited about.

The departure of long-time running back and feel good story James Connor is tough, but Qadree Ollison figures to slide back into the feature back role after sitting behind Connor last season. In 2015 as a red-shirt freshman, Ollison put up 1,121 yards and 11 touchdowns while taking over for Connor during his chemotherapy. Jester Weah and Quadree Henderson figure to be Pitt’s top-two featured receivers.

On defense, Pitt returns two starting members of its secondary from last season in junior strong safety Jordan Whitehead and senior corner Avonte Maddox. Quintin Wirginis returns for his senior season as the team’s defensive signal caller and middle linebacker.

Pitt’s non-conference schedule is up there as one of the toughest in the country having to travel to Penn State and host Oklahoma State. However, the Panthers catch a big break with their ACC schedule as they don’t have to play any of the three Atlantic Division big dogs (Louisville, Clemson, Florida State). Pitt definitely is not a CFP contender but a Coastal Division crown and competing for a New Year’s Six bowl berth in the ACC Championship Game are certainly goals this team can meet.

Tough year for Syracuse in 2016. Sitting at 4-4 at the half-way point of the season following back-to-back wins over Virginia Tech and BC, the Orange fell in each of their final four contests including a 76-61 defense-less contest at Pittsburgh to finish the season 4-8 and miss out on a bowl game. 

The dawn of a new season means that good things are to come for Syracuse, right? Well, considering that Syracuse's non-conference schedule features Middle Tennessee, who many are picking to win Conference USA, as well as perennial SEC power LSU, to go along with their Atlantic Division slate against Clemson, Florida State, and Louisville, the simple answer to that question would be a hard no. Syracuse must also travel to Miami and host Pittsburgh, the two favorites to win the Coastal Division. 

The 'Cuse does return one of the conference's top quarterbacks in Eric Dungey as well as eight other offensive starters. However, this offense struggled greatly down the stretch of last season, getting outscored by a combined 161-42 against Clemson, Florida State, and Louisville. The Orange should make some improvements in 2017, but with this schedule, it's unlikely that Syracuse gets back to a bowl game this season. 



Another program that continues to rebuild is Bronco Mendenhall's Virginia Cavaliers. Mendenhall's bunch got off to a horrendous start last season that included a season-opening loss to Richmond of the FCS, @ Oregon (44-26) and @ UConn (13-10). The Cavs got back to 2-3 with wins over Central Michigan and Duke, but lost each of their final seven games to finish 2-10. Virginia's non-conference schedule is even harder than last season's was, having to travel to face Boise State while hosting Indiana and UConn. The only two ACC games that I can see Virginia possibly winning are Duke and Boston College, as there is a significant gap in talent at UVA compared to Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia Tech, UNC, Louisville, Miami, and Pittsburgh. Sure, the Cavs gave Lamar Jackson and Louisville a game last season, but that was right before the wheels fell off the Cardinal wagon. 

The Cavaliers return just one starter on their offensive line and have even further questions at running back with both of their top ball-carriers from 2016 now gone. Daniel Hamm figures to be the team's starting tailback entering the season but he'll have some large shoes to fill after how good Taquan Mizzell was. At quarterback, Virginia will likely turn to Kurt Benkert, who was benched last season but is now the only quarterback on the roster with any starting experience. 

Linebacker Micah Kiser and safety Quin Blanding were the anchors of the Cavalier defense in 2016, and both return for this season after opting to not go pro. Virginia is getting a significant number of its secondary members back from injury, but we'll see how effective they turn out to be. Andrew Brown figures to anchor the defensive line at right end, but he'll need some help if Virginia is going to establish any sort of pass-rush. 

This is a team that is still a year or two away from competing for an ACC Coastal title. Virginia has a handful of players who will make a significant impact, but collectively, they are outmatched in the talent department compared to the rest of their ACC foes. Two or three wins seems like a rational prediction with this brutal schedule. 

Losing quarterback Jerod Evans to the NFL Draft hurts, so redshirt freshman Josh Jackson, who pushed Evans for the starting job last August before inevitably opting to redshirt, is going to have some big shoes to fill. The departures of wideouts Bucky Hodges and Isaiah Ford also mean that Virginia Tech is going to need a big season out of senior Cam Phillips (76 receptions, 983 yards, five touchdowns in 2016) as well as redshirt junior C.J. Caroll (18 receptions, 258 yards). At running back, the Hokies return junior Travon McMillan, who saw a dip in production in 2016 (671 yards, seven touchdowns compared to 1042 yards, seven touchdowns on 65 more carries in 2015). With McMillan entering 2017 as the No. 1 back on the Virginia Tech depth chart, he should receive the bulk of the carries and execute a stat line similar to what he put up as a true freshman in 2015.

On defense, the Hokies lost three of their core members from last season in Woody Baron, Ken Ekanem, and Nigel Williams. Virginia Tech does have a solid front seven with Vinny Mihota, Tim Settle, and Ricky Walker all returning, but the losses of Baron, Ekanem, and Williams leave three massive gaps both in personnel and leadership. Injuries kept cornerbacks Mook Reynolds and Greg Stroman out of spring ball, so those are both situations to monitor. Bud Foster is still running the show as the d-coordinator so, despite the injuries in the secondary and departures up front, there is a lot to be excited about with this defense with three stout pass rushers returning.

If Josh Jackson develops into the quarterback that Justin Fuentes and company expect him to be and the Hokie defense can stay healthy, this is a team that could make a run at a second straight Coastal Division crown. However, expecting anything more than that seems a bit impractical given how strong the Atlantic Division is as well as Virginia Tech’s tough schedule (West Virginia, Clemson, North Carolina, @Miami, @Georgia Tech, Pitt).

Give Wake Forest credit. They failed to blow anybody out last season, but failed to get blown out themselves through the season's entirety. The Deacons began the 2016 season 4-0 with wins coming over Tulane (7-3), Duke (24-14), Delaware (38-21), and Indiana (33-28), but lost six of their final eight to finish 6-6. Wake defeated No. 23 Temple (34-26) in the Military Bowl to end the season on a high note. 

This season, the Deacons return three of their five starting offensive linemen, while quarterback Kendall Hinton attempts to return from a knee injury that ended his 2016 campaign. Arkeem Byrd could be a difference maker with his speed as he enters camp as Wake Forest's No. 1 tailback on the depth chart. Receiver is not Wake's strongest area, but they do return two experienced guys in slot man Tabari Hines (70 career catches over two seasons) and Cortez Lewis. 

Defensive end Duke Ejiofor finished 2016 ranked fourth in sacks (10.5) and he returns this season to anchor the Wake pass rush. However, Ejiofor will have to mentor an extremely young group of pass rushers that features two freshman linebackers and a freshman nose tackle. Second-Team All-ACC safety Jessie Bates will headline an extremely young secondary. 

This team has the ability to get back to a bowl, but expecting anything beyond that seems a little bit impractical. The Deacons are extremely young on defense outside of two big playmakers (Ejiofor, Bates). Six wins is a reasonable goal. 

Preliminary Predictions

Atlantic

1. Florida State (10-2, 7-1)
2. Clemson (10-2, 6-2)
3. Louisville (9-3, 5-3)
4. NC State (7-5, 4-4)
5. Boston College (7-5, 3-5)
6. Wake Forest (6-6, 3-5)
7. Syracuse (4-8, 2-6)

Coastal

1. Miami (10-2, 6-2)
2. Pittsburgh (9-3, 6-2)
3. Virginia Tech (8-4, 4-4)
4. Georgia Tech (7-5, 4-4)
5. North Carolina (6-6, 3-5)
6. Duke (4-8, 2-6)
7. Virginia (3-9, 1-7)

Biggest Conference Games

1. Florida State vs. Clemson (11/11)

2. Louisville vs. Clemson (9/16)

3. Florida State vs. Louisville (10/21)

4. Miami vs. Florida State (9/16)

5. Georgia Tech vs. Miami (11/24)

6. Virginia Tech vs. Clemson (9/30)

7. Miami vs. Virginia Tech (11/4)

8. Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech (11/11)

9. Pittsburgh vs. Miami (11/24)

10. Georgia Tech vs. Pittsburgh (9/23)

Biggest Non-Conference Games

1. Florida State vs. Alabama (Atlanta, GA, 9/2)

2. Clemson vs. Auburn (9/9)

3. Florida State @ Florida (11/25)

4. Clemson vs. South Carolina (11/25)

5. Pittsburgh @ Penn State (9/9)

6. Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia (Landover, MD, 9/3)

7. Georgia Tech vs. Tennessee (Atlanta, GA, 9/4)

8. Pittsburgh vs. Oklahoma State (9/16)

9. Georgia Tech vs. Georgia (11/25)

10. Miami vs. Notre Dame (11/11)