ACC Atlantic Division

Boston College will have to continue playing great defense to make any noise in the Atlantic Division. The Eagles ranked 94th in total offense last season but the defense ranked fifth in the
country.

The Eagles did not sign any recruits who are expected to give the team an immediate impact on offense. If the Eagles can play defense at a high level, it might be able to beat out Florida State for the division.

Defense and a good running game will be the key to Clemson’s season. Running back C.J. Spiller is no longer sharing the backfield with James Davis and Spiller will have to carry the load. Quarterback Cullen Harper has been OK but not great.

If Harper improves his play this season, it will help the Tigers
immensely. Unlike last season when the Tigers started the season in the top 10 and with a shot at the national championship, Clemson starts this season with no championship expectations.

That will be good for the team because Clemson has always
underachieved when expectations are high. Florida State looks to be the class of the Atlantic Division, but the team still has a couple of things that could trip it up.

One is FSU’s offense. The Seminoles averaged 371.9 yards of offense per game, which ranked 51st in the country. It will be
up to quarterback Christian Ponder and running back Antone Smith to improve the offense. The Seminoles are hurt by its conference schedule away from home, they play at Boston College, North Carolina, Clemson and Wake Forest, all will be tough games.

Maryland finished in the middle of the pack in both offense and defense last season. Players on both sides of the ball will have to step up to improve on a 4-4 conference record from last season. Maryland did catch a break with its conference schedule. Most of
its tough conference games are at home this season.

If the Terrapins can win its home conference games and steal one on the road from either Wake Forest or Florida State, Maryland might become a big player in the division. The Wolfpack finished in the 80s in both total offense and defense last season so N.C. State needs to improve on both sides of the ball.

While the Wolfpack will not improve enough to make any real threat in the division, N.C. State is excited about sophomore quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson received plenty of playing time last season, which should help him. N.C. State is down right now, but it could be worse, at least it isn’t Duke.

Wake Forest finished 16th in the country in total defense last season and led the country in forced turnovers. With the lack of real offensive weapons, it will be imperative that the Demon Deacons play great on defense again this season. That is going to be a little harder with the loss of linebacker Aaron Curry
to the NFL.

Quarterback Riley Skinner will need to improve to help the offense along. The key to this team is someone on defense stepping up to replace Curry.