Atlantic Division
1.Clemson Tigers – 11-1 overall (7-1 ACC)
Aside from a Thursday night road loss at the hands of the Yellow Jackets, you can expect the Tigers to play flawlessly on their way to their second consecutive College Football Playoff.
2.Louisville Cardinals – 10-2 (7-1)
With dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson leading the charge, expect the Cardinals to be the surprise team of the ACC this season.
3.Florida State Seminoles – 10-2 (6-2)
With losses only to the aforementioned Tigers and Cardinals, the Seminoles should still fall a little short of general expectations
this season.
4.North Carolina State Wolfpack – 6-6 (3-5)
Aside from senior running back Matt Dayes, N.C. State boasts too much inexperience on offense to compete for the Atlantic Division title.
5.Wake Forest Demon Deacons – 6-6 (3-5)
Expect a slight improvement from the Demon Deacons this year with head coach Dave Clawson gradually rebuilding the program.
6.Boston College Eagles – 5-7 (1-7)
The Eagles will win five games only because of a favorable schedule, as there is not much talent in Chestnut Hill this season.
7.Syracuse Orange – 3-9 (0-8)
Dino Babers will struggle in his first season as head coach of the Orange, as Syracuse has a long road to travel before becoming relevant in ACC football.
Coastal Division
1.Miami Hurricanes – 9-3 (6-2)
Potential first-round draft pick Brad Kaaya will solidify himself as one of the nation’s best quarterbacks, and the Hurricanes will win the Coastal title thanks to a victory over the Tar Heels.
2.North Carolina Tar Heels – 9-3 (6-2)
The Tar Heels still boast plenty of talent from last year’s team, which appeared in the conference championship game, but a head-to-head tiebreaker with Miami will prevent them from returning to the ACC title game.
3.Pittsburgh Panthers – 8-4 (5-3)
Star running back James Conner is back after overcoming both a major knee and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Together with fellow running back Qadree Ollison, Conner will help the Panthers put together a solid season.
4.Virginia Tech Hokies – 7-5 (5-3)
First-year head coach Justin Fuente does not currently have the talent to compete for a conference championship, but the Hokies will still make a little noise this year.
5.Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets – 8-4 (5-3)
Although they will far short of winning the Coastal, the Yellow Jackets will garner some impressive victories this season.
6.Duke Blue Devils – 4-8 (2-6)
Starting quarterback Thomas Sirk recently tore his Achilles and will miss the entire 2016 season. Therefore, do not expect much from the Blue Devils this fall.
7.Virginia Cavaliers – 3-9 (0-8)
New head coach Bronco Mendenhall has plenty of work to do before the Wahoos can become competitive once again.
Championship Game
Clemson Tigers defeat Miami Hurricanes
The Tigers will repeat as ACC champions when they defeat the ‘Canes in Charlotte this December.
Coach of the Year
Bobby Petrino, HC – Louisville Cardinals
Louisville will be in the running for a College Football Playoff berth at the end of the regular season, and Petrino’s coaching acumen will be a major reason why.
Player of the Year & Offensive Player of the Year
Deshaun Watson, QB – Clemson Tigers
Watson likely has his sights set on winning the Heisman Trophy, and he should win the ACC Player of the Year award with ease.
Defensive Player of the Year
Carlos Watkins, DT – Clemson Tigers
Watkins will establish himself as one of the best pass rushers in the nation this season.
A freak athlete, Watkins will lead Clemson’s ultra-talented defensive
line this fall.
