Inside the ACC: Miami or the Field for the ACC Championship?
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Three weeks in, and the Atlantic Coast Conference has hit a turning point. No. 7 Florida State has returned to being a powerhouse for the ACC, No. 4 Miami looks like the most complete team in the country, and Clemson is suffering from a decade of success after being upset by No. 18 Georgia Tech.
Dabo Swinney went on a rant to show why this is one of the craziest years that the ACC has had and why it is wide open for the first time in nearly a decade.
The question is, is it really open, or will one of the Florida teams take control and dominate the rest of the league?
Miami is the Clear Favorite in the ACC and Maybe the National Championship Favorites
Carson Beck, Mario Cristobal, and Rueben Bain Jr. are just the tip of the iceberg of arguably the best team not just in the ACC but in the country. The Hurricanes have two ranked wins already this season (No. 6 Notre Dame and No. 18 USF) and are showing that this isn't the same old Hurricanes at the start of Cristobal's tenure. The Canes are a brand-new team on the defensive side of the ball, and the conference, at this point, is for the Hurricanes to lose.
The Rise of the Seminoles
2-10 feels like a lifetime ago for FSU fans. Now they have intentions of returning to the top of the ACC. The team has a different vibe around them. Coach Mike Norvell's hotseat conversations have been iced, and Thomas Castellanos looks like a Heisman Trophy candidate. The defense is worlds better than last season, and with a home date with the Hurricanes coming up, they could become ACC favorites quickly.
More than just an Engineering School
Bobby Dodd hasn't seen a team like this in some time, and while their quarterback might be on life support every time he runs the ball, there is little doubt that he can't get the job done. Haynes King will become a folk legend at the end of the season if the Yellow Jackets continue their winning ways. They have always been a great rushing team, but the defense is starting to fly around, too. Brent Key might be the best coach in the ACC, and a league title would only add more prestige to this engineering school.
Two Quarterbacks with Programs on Their Back
No one expected a thing from the California Golden Bears this season until Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele started to throw the ball. He is the future of college football, not just Cal. That is how good he is, and the future the ACC should be scared of what he can be if he stays all three years with the Bears.
Another quarterback who has the ACC on notice is CJ Bailey. He is so good that he might be the Miami Hurricanes quarterback next season if NC State can't find a way to keep him. He has been able to keep the Woldpack undefeated so far, but has matchups against the Hurricanes, Yellow Jackets, Seminoles, and the Fighting Irish this season. They might be the biggest dark horse in the conference this season if they can make it out alive with that schedule.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related. He also contributes to Boston College On SI.
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