ESPN analysts make their picks on Clemson or FSU as ACC champion

Dabo Swinney has walked away with quite a few ACC trophies lately and Florida State looks to be the main obstacle for another in 2023.

by TigerNet Staff - Mon Aug 21 09:03:34 GMT-04:00 2023

Three ESPN college football writers published their ACC predictions Monday, and there's some disagreement at the top.

Clemson and Florida State are starting the season in the Top 10, and opinions vary on who will come out of Charlotte with the trophy.

Longtime ESPN writer Mark Schlabach sees Clemson finishing the regular season atop the league, but the Seminoles then capturing the ACC in the Queen City rematch.

"With quarterback Jordan Travis returning, along with another boatload of key transfers, Florida State believes it finally has enough firepower to topple Clemson," Schlabach said. "But the Seminoles have to play at Death Valley on Sept. 23. The Tigers should be better on offense with Riley calling plays and quarterback Cade Klubnik getting a full offseason of work in the offense. The Tigers are again going to be tough to block, especially if Woods is as good as advertised. Clemson will win the regular-season meeting, but Florida State will win the rematch -- and end an eight-game losing streak to the Tigers -- in the ACC championship game. The SEC still won't call with an invitation to join."

Schlabach has Peter Woods as the ACC freshman of the year and Garrett Riley as a coordinator who will be a head coach from the league (doesn't specify when though).

He also calls for reigning ACC player of the year Drake Maye to win the Heisman from a 9-3 Tar Heels season.

ESPN peers and ACC aficionados Andrea Adelson and David Hale also see a Clemson-FSU ACC final, but Clemson sweeping the season series.

"I was this close to picking Florida State but I went with Clemson. Until Florida State proves it can do it, picking against Clemson is difficult," Adelson said. "There's clearly two top teams in the ACC entering the season, and while it's a coin toss as to which is better, I'm leaning just barely toward the Tigers because they've done it before," Hale added.

Woods is also seen as an impact freshman by Adelson.

"If the name sounds familiar, it should. We have spent the entire offseason touting Woods, who enrolled early and earned raves from coach Dabo Swinney in the spring. During the spring game broadcast, Swinney described Woods, 'like a Halley's comet. Every now and then, you get a guy that physically and mentally and maturity and all the intangibles, he's just ready.' Clemson has always produced exceptional linemen. Woods appears to be next in line," she said.

Of note in ACC predictions, Hale has Pitt as the third-place ACC team and UNC down in fifth. All three ESPN writers have Tony Elliott's Virginia team finishing last in the league.