1. Florida State

The Seminoles were my No. 1 surprise team a year ago and they went on to end the SEC's reign of seven straight national championships by winning their first title since 1999. They are clearly poised to stay on the top in 2014 and it starts with the return of 13 starters led by the Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Jameis Winston. Despite some early departures to the NFL draft, the Noles have a plethora of talent on both sides of the ball and they added another top-five recruiting class, signing 13 players from the ESPN 300.

The schedule will be more difficult than last year, however. It starts with the opener against Oklahoma State in Arlington, Texas. Thankfully, Clemson, Notre Dame and Florida all have to travel to Doak Campbell Stadium and the Seminoles have a bye prior to their road trip to Louisville. They have also beaten rival Miami (FL) four consecutive times on the road. Add it all up and the Seminoles are clearly the favorites heading into the first year of the college football playoff, and the AP poll should reflect it. They could be a touchdown-or-greater favorite in all 12 of their games.

2. Alabama
3. Oregon
4. Auburn

16. Clemson

The Tigers are coming off back-to-back 11-win seasons, highlighted by their No. 8 finish last year after the Orange Bowl win over Ohio State. They do suffer massive losses at the skill positions (quarterback Tajh Boyd and wide receiver Sammy Watkins), but they are not short on young talent. The defense could carry the offense early, as it returns seven starters, including All-American defensive end Vic Beasley, who headlines one of the best defensive lines in the country. The schedule sees them traveling to Georgia and Florida State in September, but they should be favored in the rest of their games prior to the season finale against in-state rival South Carolina, who has beaten them five straight times.

23. North Carolina

After a 1-5 start, the Tar Heels won six of their last seven games last year, highlighted by their blowout win over Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl. In 2014, they welcome back 15 returning starters including quarterback Marquise Williams, whose mobility makes him a good fit for Larry Fedora's offense. Joining him is top running back T.J. Logan and eight of their top 11 tacklers from the 2013 defense. The schedule sees them traveling to Notre Dame in nonconference play and while they also travel to Clemson, Miami and Duke in ACC play, they avoid Florida State and Louisville. The Tar Heels should be a trendy pick to win the ACC Coastal division.

25. Louisville

Back in January, I wrote that the Cardinals would be a team that could be in store for a sizeable fall in 2014. But that was prior to the hire of Bobby Petrino, which changes the dynamics considerably. Despite the loss of star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, Petrino inherits a team that returns its top running back, wide receiver DeVante Parker and a veteran offensive line. The defense also has eight returning starters from a unit that was No. 1 in the NCAA in yards per game allowed (251). While they make the step up in competition in joining the ACC, they avoid Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech from the Coastal division and they could be favored in as many as nine games this year (with the exception of Clemson, Florida State and possibly Notre Dame).

http://insider.espn.go.com/college-footb...eason-poll

Another year, another analyst, another UNC Top 25 prediction that will fall apart in September.

Let say this "Holds Up"...

Florida State vs. Auburn Sugar Bowl
Alabama vs. Oregon Rose Bowl

Clemson vs. Michigan State Orange Bowl
Notre Dame Russell Athletic Bowl
North Carolina Capitol One Bowl
Louisville Music City/Gator Bowl

Phil Steele has ND at #15:

"15. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

After their best season in two decades, the Fighting Irish fell back to 9-4 and a No. 20 finish in 2013. This year they return just 11 starters (fewest since 2007), but do see the return of quarterback Everett Golson, who led them to the BCS Championship as a redshirt freshman before being suspended last year. His mobility gives the Irish offense an added dimension that they didn't have last year, while sophomore linebacker Jaylon Smith leads a defense that dealt with major injuries among the front seven a year ago. The schedule, as always, is difficult, with 10 bowl teams from last year dotting the path. While the Fighting Irish only play three true road games, they are against Florida State, Arizona State and USC."


He has ND's strength of schedule as #4 in the country for 2014.


http://www.philsteele.com/Blogs/2014/MAR14/DBMar15.html

(04-10-2014 06:52 AM)TerryD Wrote:  Phil Steele has ND at #15:

"15. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

After their best season in two decades, the Fighting Irish fell back to 9-4 and a No. 20 finish in 2013. This year they return just 11 starters (fewest since 2007), but do see the return of quarterback Everett Golson, who led them to the BCS Championship as a redshirt freshman before being suspended last year. His mobility gives the Irish offense an added dimension that they didn't have last year, while sophomore linebacker Jaylon Smith leads a defense that dealt with major injuries among the front seven a year ago. The schedule, as always, is difficult, with 10 bowl teams from last year dotting the path. While the Fighting Irish only play three true road games, they are against Florida State, Arizona State and USC."


He has ND's strength of schedule as #4 in the country for 2014.


http://www.philsteele.com/Blogs/2014/MAR14/DBMar15.html

Notre Dame?.............I thought that this was an ACC board.

(04-10-2014 07:10 AM)XLance Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 06:52 AM)TerryD Wrote:  Phil Steele has ND at #15:

"15. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

After their best season in two decades, the Fighting Irish fell back to 9-4 and a No. 20 finish in 2013. This year they return just 11 starters (fewest since 2007), but do see the return of quarterback Everett Golson, who led them to the BCS Championship as a redshirt freshman before being suspended last year. His mobility gives the Irish offense an added dimension that they didn't have last year, while sophomore linebacker Jaylon Smith leads a defense that dealt with major injuries among the front seven a year ago. The schedule, as always, is difficult, with 10 bowl teams from last year dotting the path. While the Fighting Irish only play three true road games, they are against Florida State, Arizona State and USC."


He has ND's strength of schedule as #4 in the country for 2014.


http://www.philsteele.com/Blogs/2014/MAR14/DBMar15.html

Notre Dame?.............I thought that this was an ACC board.

You thought right, but it ain't your Daddy's ACC.

It is a now a conference with a number of YANKEE schools and ND as a part timer............

Blame Maize. He mentioned ND first in his post. :)

(04-10-2014 07:35 AM)TerryD Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 07:10 AM)XLance Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 06:52 AM)TerryD Wrote:  Phil Steele has ND at #15:

"15. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

After their best season in two decades, the Fighting Irish fell back to 9-4 and a No. 20 finish in 2013. This year they return just 11 starters (fewest since 2007), but do see the return of quarterback Everett Golson, who led them to the BCS Championship as a redshirt freshman before being suspended last year. His mobility gives the Irish offense an added dimension that they didn't have last year, while sophomore linebacker Jaylon Smith leads a defense that dealt with major injuries among the front seven a year ago. The schedule, as always, is difficult, with 10 bowl teams from last year dotting the path. While the Fighting Irish only play three true road games, they are against Florida State, Arizona State and USC."


He has ND's strength of schedule as #4 in the country for 2014.


http://www.philsteele.com/Blogs/2014/MAR14/DBMar15.html

Notre Dame?.............I thought that this was an ACC board.

You thought right, but it ain't your Daddy's ACC.

It is a now a conference with a number of YANKEE schools and ND as a part timer............

Blame Maize. He mentioned ND first in his post. :)

I will take it...but Terry post is valid because of the Bowl Tie-Ins...by the way I didn't post ND in the OP because they are not in the league for Football.

(04-09-2014 10:43 PM)georgia_tech_swagger Wrote:  Another year, another analyst, another UNC Top 25 prediction that will fall apart in September.

They should be, but they tend to lose games that they should not lose. Really, a year away from being really good, but should do pretty well this season.

Notre Dame sure does need to be included because WINS against them will help the ACC. And we will have 5 shots a year at it!!!

We(ACC) should win a few of those every year.
FlossY out...

Louisville is an unknown quantity wright now. Most figure Louisville will be good, but Coach Strong is at Texas, Bridgewater is gone, and our new coach is Bobby Petrino. I do not think you can really access Louisville until after the Miami and Virginia games. I suspect Bobby Petrino will field stronger teams than Coach Strong ever did at Louisville.

(04-10-2014 09:51 AM)HRFlossY Wrote:  Notre Dame sure does need to be included because WINS against them will help the ACC. And we will have 5 shots a year at it!!!

We(ACC) should win a few of those every year.
FlossY out...

Not this year. Remember the Irish already crawfished out of 5 games this year.

(04-10-2014 05:27 AM)Maize Wrote:  Let say this "Holds Up"...

Florida State vs. Auburn Sugar Bowl
Alabama vs. Oregon Rose Bowl

Clemson vs. Michigan State Orange Bowl
Notre Dame Russell Athletic Bowl
North Carolina Capitol One Bowl
Louisville Music City/Gator Bowl

I'm pretty sure that SU is going to make a bowl, and I'm pretty sure that if we make a bowl, we will be headed to the Bronx.

I'm also pretty sure that the Pinstripe Bowl will end up being the Syracuse (and occasional Pitt, BC, and ND) v. B1G bowl (UMD and RU).

...But SU v. RU will sell crazy tickets in the city, so the payout should be pretty good, given it will be hyped by both the B1G and the ACC, and SU gets good ratings as is.

(04-10-2014 04:47 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 09:51 AM)HRFlossY Wrote:  Notre Dame sure does need to be included because WINS against them will help the ACC. And we will have 5 shots a year at it!!!

We(ACC) should win a few of those every year.
FlossY out...

Not this year. Remember the Irish already crawfished out of 5 games this year.

...and play six ACC schools next year.....

(04-10-2014 09:50 PM)TerryD Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 04:47 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 09:51 AM)HRFlossY Wrote:  Notre Dame sure does need to be included because WINS against them will help the ACC. And we will have 5 shots a year at it!!!

We(ACC) should win a few of those every year.
FlossY out...

Not this year. Remember the Irish already crawfished out of 5 games this year.

...and play six ACC schools next year.....

Maybe.

Last year this time they were playing five this year.

(04-10-2014 10:23 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 09:50 PM)TerryD Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 04:47 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 09:51 AM)HRFlossY Wrote:  Notre Dame sure does need to be included because WINS against them will help the ACC. And we will have 5 shots a year at it!!!

We(ACC) should win a few of those every year.
FlossY out...

Not this year. Remember the Irish already crawfished out of 5 games this year.

...and play six ACC schools next year.....

Maybe.

Last year this time they were playing five this year.

Give it up already. The ND schedules for the next three years have already been announced.

(04-11-2014 06:50 AM)TerryD Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 10:23 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 09:50 PM)TerryD Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 04:47 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 09:51 AM)HRFlossY Wrote:  Notre Dame sure does need to be included because WINS against them will help the ACC. And we will have 5 shots a year at it!!!

We(ACC) should win a few of those every year.
FlossY out...

Not this year. Remember the Irish already crawfished out of 5 games this year.

...and play six ACC schools next year.....

Maybe.

Last year this time they were playing five this year.

Give it up already. The ND schedules for the next three years have already been announced.

So Terry, which ACC teams does Notre Dame play in 2014, 2015 and 2016? I know you play Louisville in 2014.

(04-11-2014 07:20 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  

(04-11-2014 06:50 AM)TerryD Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 10:23 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 09:50 PM)TerryD Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 04:47 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  Not this year. Remember the Irish already crawfished out of 5 games this year.

...and play six ACC schools next year.....

Maybe.

Last year this time they were playing five this year.

Give it up already. The ND schedules for the next three years have already been announced.

So Terry, which ACC teams does Notre Dame play in 2014, 2015 and 2016? I know you play Louisville in 2014.

Notre Dame Schedules


2014 Football Schedule

A30 RICE NBC
S06 MICHIGAN 7:30pm NBC
S13 vs. Purdue (LucasOil) 7:30pm NBC
S27 @ Syracuse (Meadowlands)
O04 STANFORD
O11 NORTH CAROLINA
O18 @ Florida State
N01 @ Navy (Landover, MD)
N08 @ Arizona State
N15 NORTHWESTERN
N22 LOUISVILLE
N29 @ Southern Cal


2015 Football Schedule

S05 TEXAS
S12 @ Virginia
S19 GEORGIA TECH
S26 UMASS
O03 @ Clemson
O10 NAVY
O17 SOUTHERN CAL
O31 @ Temple (LFSF)
N07 @ Pittsburgh
N14 WAKE FOREST
N21 BOSTON COLLEGE (Fenway Pk.)
N28 @ Stanford


2016 Football Schedule

S03 @ Texas
S10 NEVADA
S17 MICHIGAN STATE
S24 DUKE
O01 @ Syracuse (Meadowlands)
O08 @ North Carolina State
O15 STANFORD
O29 MIAMI
N05 @ Navy
N12 ARMY (Alamodome)
N19 VIRGINIA TECH
N26 @ Southern Cal


2017 Football Schedule

(not official)

TEMPLE
NAVY
SOUTHERN CAL
@ Michigan State
@ Stanford
2 ACC at home
3 ACC away


2018 Football Schedule

(not official)

STANFORD
@ Navy
@ Southern Cal
3 ACC at home
2 ACC away


2019 Football Schedule

(not official)

NAVY
SOUTHERN CAL
@ Texas
@ Stanford
2 ACC at home
3 ACC away


2020 Football Schedule

(not official)

TEXAS
STANFORD
@ Purdue
@ Navy
@ Southern Cal
3 ACC at home
2 ACC away


2021 Football Schedule

(not official)

PURDUE
NAVY
SOUTHERN CAL
@ Stanford
2 ACC at home
3 ACC away


2022 Football Schedule

(not official)

STANFORD
@ Navy
@ Southern Cal
3 ACC at home
2 ACC away

(04-11-2014 06:50 AM)TerryD Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 10:23 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 09:50 PM)TerryD Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 04:47 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 09:51 AM)HRFlossY Wrote:  Notre Dame sure does need to be included because WINS against them will help the ACC. And we will have 5 shots a year at it!!!

We(ACC) should win a few of those every year.
FlossY out...

Not this year. Remember the Irish already crawfished out of 5 games this year.

...and play six ACC schools next year.....

Maybe.

Last year this time they were playing five this year.

Give it up already. The ND schedules for the next three years have already been announced.

I know...
Our Tiger Fan doesn't realize moving leagues isn't seamless.

(04-10-2014 08:14 PM)nzmorange Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 05:27 AM)Maize Wrote:  Let say this "Holds Up"...

Florida State vs. Auburn Sugar Bowl
Alabama vs. Oregon Rose Bowl

Clemson vs. Michigan State Orange Bowl
Notre Dame Russell Athletic Bowl
North Carolina Capitol One Bowl
Louisville Music City/Gator Bowl

I'm pretty sure that SU is going to make a bowl, and I'm pretty sure that if we make a bowl, we will be headed to the Bronx.

I'm also pretty sure that the Pinstripe Bowl will end up being the Syracuse (and occasional Pitt, BC, and ND) v. B1G bowl (UMD and RU).

...But SU v. RU will sell crazy tickets in the city, so the payout should be pretty good, given it will be hyped by both the B1G and the ACC, and SU gets good ratings as is.

hopefully Syracuse has a good enough year in the near future where making pinstripe is a dissapointment

(04-11-2014 08:04 PM)Chris02M Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 08:14 PM)nzmorange Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 05:27 AM)Maize Wrote:  Let say this "Holds Up"...

Florida State vs. Auburn Sugar Bowl
Alabama vs. Oregon Rose Bowl

Clemson vs. Michigan State Orange Bowl
Notre Dame Russell Athletic Bowl
North Carolina Capitol One Bowl
Louisville Music City/Gator Bowl

I'm pretty sure that SU is going to make a bowl, and I'm pretty sure that if we make a bowl, we will be headed to the Bronx.

I'm also pretty sure that the Pinstripe Bowl will end up being the Syracuse (and occasional Pitt, BC, and ND) v. B1G bowl (UMD and RU).

...But SU v. RU will sell crazy tickets in the city, so the payout should be pretty good, given it will be hyped by both the B1G and the ACC, and SU gets good ratings as is.

hopefully Syracuse has a good enough year in the near future where making pinstripe is a dissapointment

agreed