Writer and Analyst ACC Forecasts

[Ibeeballin]

ND projected the 10th offense while replacing 10 starters including Ian Book? If you say so.

 

[augustabuzz]

ND projected the 10th offense while replacing 10 starters including Ian Book? If you say so.

That's why I think UNC will be our 3rd toughest opponent.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

I think we need two things to happen if we're going to beat those predictions:

1- Our OL has be a improved and more consistent than last year. Sims and Company are not going to be effective with opponent shirts in our backfield.
2- The middle of our defensive line as to be a lot better. We cannot expect our LBs and DBs to cover pass plays if they also have man the LOS.

I am more optimistic about the former. Less so about the latter.

I don't know. Four wins seems about right to me, at least that was my preseason prediction. I think we can beat Duke, Northern Illinois, and Kennesaw State and lose the rest of them. More than happy to be proven wrong. Proof is in the pudding.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

I don't know. Four wins seems about right to me, at least that was my preseason prediction. I think we can beat Duke, Northern Illinois, and Kennesaw State and lose the rest of them. More than happy to be proven wrong. Proof is in the pudding.

Someone said we wouldn’t win but 1 game last year and we made a gentleman’s bet. Happy to take that bet with you this year that we win more than 3. Easy free make believe money.

We return almost all our starters and brought in a ton more talent and experience too.

 

[Buzztheirazz]

ND projected the 10th offense while replacing 10 starters including Ian Book? If you say so.

Ian Book won them a couple games single handedly last year. There aren’t many people that can make some of the plays he did. They will drop off this year but Brian Kelly is an awesome coach and will definitely have something for us that we can’t handle. We played them close the first half last year so...maybe we can hang around longer. I’m seriously considering going to South Bend for the game. Not stoked that it’s Nov 20th. Going to be cold for sure.

 

[slugboy]

Connelly just analyzed Clemson. They’re favored, but not strongly, in their opener against UGA.

We’re a near certain win, but a better opponent than Wake, FSU, BC, Syracuse, and South Carolina. Our schedule is rough, and we’re in the wrong division

 

[orientalnc]

I am not sure if losing to Clemson by three TDs is much better than losing by four. Either way your coach is saying Clemson may be the best team ever to play college football when reporters ask for postgame comments.

 

[slugboy]

Oh, the cliff that FSU is falling off looks like the one they had before hiring Bowden. Their current coach hasn’t turned things around yet; maybe they’re a head coach transition or two away

 

[00Burdell]

Oh, the cliff that FSU is falling off looks like the one they had before hiring Bowden. Their current coach hasn’t turned things around yet; maybe they’re a head coach transition or two away

I think F$U is going to be better than people think. I think most of the dissention within the program is gone and the coach has won over the players now on the roster. Time will tell but I don't think they are a dumpster fire anymore.

 

[WreckinGT]

I think F$U is going to be better than people think. I think most of the dissention within the program is gone and the coach has won over the players now on the roster. Time will tell but I don't think they are a dumpster fire anymore.

They will be a significantly improved football team, especially at the QB position. They have a tough schedule as well though. Even with great improvements, its hard seeing them go any higher than probably 8 wins. They will be a tough game for anyone though.

 

[Ibeeballin]

They will be a significantly improved football team, especially at the QB position. They have a tough schedule as well though. Even with great improvements, its hard seeing them go any higher than probably 8 wins. They will be a tough game for anyone though.

Improved at QB? From the guy who shattered his knee and hasn’t played in 2yrs?

Imagine what the responses would be if Tech was in this situation.

 

[orientalnc]

Improved at QB? From the guy who shattered his knee and hasn’t played in 2yrs?

Imagine what the responses would be if Tech was in this situation.

I think the hopes are high for Milton based on his Spring game performance, but all your question marks are still there. Spring game defenses are not the same as the Clemson DL and the AAC is not the ACC.

Jordan Travis started most of last season, but, while he may be improved, he would not be the headline player for next season.
Chubba Purdy was a 4* in HS, but played sparingly last year and was very inconsistent. Maybe he is the future, but it doesn't look like it will be 2021.
Tate Rodemaker is the 4th guy and he is mostly a project right now.

My niece is a huge FSU fan and season ticket holder. She thinks the Noles will be better, but maybe not by a lot. QB is big question mark for her. Her sister was at UCF when Milton hurt his leg. It was awful and saving his leg was the priority.

 

[Jacketman99]

I am curious why people think FSU will be much improved. Any specific reasons?

 

[WreckinGT]

Improved at QB? From the guy who shattered his knee and hasn’t played in 2yrs?

Imagine what the responses would be if Tech was in this situation.

Even when they settled on Travis last year they improved. They will either start Travis with plenty of experience. Milton, who looked great in the spring game and has plenty of experience and talent, but obvious questions coming out of injury, or Purdy a highly rated recruit who has had time to learn and recover from his own injuries. All of them will have a full offseason with Norvell who has a decent track record with QBs. That seems like a much better situation than they were facing at the start of last season but maybe im wrong.

 

[Tech Lawyer]

In Athlon's Unit rankings for the ACC , we are ranked 11th or worse in six out of seven position groups. We somehow got ranked 6th in RBs for the conference despite having a first team ALL ACC selection. Needless to say, Athlon's analysts see us as a bottom feeder. UGA meanwhile has a "national" unit ranking of 2 in RBs and 3 for OL. Are you kidding? Even the UGA media hypes don't believe this. The guy with the Late Kick Podcast does rate us as the ACC surprise team. For me it will boil down to Jeff Sims and the Defensive front six. I am confident with both.

 

[Ibeeballin]

Even when they settled on Travis last year they improved. They will either start Travis with plenty of experience. Milton, who looked great in the spring game and has plenty of experience and talent, but obvious questions coming out of injury, or Purdy a highly rated recruit who has had time to learn and recover from his own injuries. All of them will have a full offseason with Norvell who has a decent track record with QBs. That seems like a much better situation than they were facing at the start of last season but maybe im wrong.

The bar is low for improvement

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Connelly just analyzed Clemson. They’re favored, but not strongly, in their opener against UGA.

We’re a near certain win, but a better opponent than Wake, FSU, BC, Syracuse, and South Carolina. Our schedule is rough, and we’re in the wrong division

Schedules like this and UGA's schedule to a lesser extent, are what national championships are based on. Easy games with just one or two headline grabbers.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

I am curious why people think FSU will be much improved. Any specific reasons?

No one ever questions the talent...it is what they do with it that seems to get messed up. The experts seem to think that the old bugaboo holding the criminoles back was the offensive line and it is supposed to be better this year. I will believe it when I see it. I am not sold on the quarterbacks though they have all the tools and the recruiting stars to match.

 

[Jacketman99]

It just seems funny to me how some of our fans are so high on FSU's improvement but are pretty negative about GT. I just want to know what about FSU says they should see significant improvement.

 

[Root4GT]

It just seems funny to me how some of our fans are so high on FSU's improvement but are pretty negative about GT. I just want to know what about FSU says they should see significant improvement.

They should improve mostly due to continuity.

Last year with a coaching change and Covid restrictions they were a hot mess to start the season. They played way below their talent level. That should cause a vast improvement just to play to their talent level.

They aren’t near Clemson any more in talent but they are still above ACC average.

They are a long way from winning the ACC still but won’t be nearly as bad as they have been for a few years.