COASTAL DIVISION
Duke Blue Devils
The Blue Devils went 2-9 last year, which made it their 10th consecutive losing season and the team had the worst offensive production in the nation. Duke was outgained 196.8 yards per game in ACC play last season and returns only 13 starters.
Playing in the ACC is no cakewalk for anyone but Duke plays what may very well be the toughest five game stretch of any team in the nation beginning September 24th when they face Virginia, Navy, Miami, Georgia Tech and Florida State in consecutive weeks. That?s five teams off of bowl appearances last year which were wins for four of those teams.
The first game at East Carolina finds the Blue Devils actually favored by a couple of points. That hasn?t happened since 1999 and Duke hasn?t covered as road chalk since 1994. However, bad football teams can often offer value for the sharp gambler and Duke is no exception. The Blue Devils are 11-4 ATS in HC Ted Roof?s two seasons at Duke and an amazing 9-1 ATS off a loss.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Coach Chan Gailey is healthy and will be back on the sideline this season after suffering a heart attack in the off season and missing part of spring practice. He has really downplayed the incident and what do you expect? What's a heart attack compared to working for Jerry Jones?
The Yellow Jackets are loaded with talent with all of the offensive skill positions returning from last year led by QB Reggie Ball who was the NCAA 2003 Rookie of the Year. He is joined by teammates that include one of the top rushers in the conference in P.J. Daniels, and last year?s ACC Rookie of the Year, wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Despite the talent, Tech finished last year ranked only 85th in scoring offense and 80th in total offense so improvement is expected by the coaching staff. The offensive line is young and that is not a good sign in this league.
The defense should help carry this team to another bowl game with one of the top defensive backfields in the nation. Chris Reis and Dawan Landry could be the best pair of safeties in the ACC, while Kenny Scott and Reuben Houston are both over 6 foot at cornerback. The return of nine starters from a defense that improved leaps and bounds last season will certainly help.
This conference is full of tough schedules but Georgia Tech has one of the most difficult in the entire ACC. Starting the season at Auburn, the Yellow Jackets travel to both Miami and Virginia Tech and will have to face a tough NC State team from the Atlantic Division. In addition, Tech has to go on the road for their final game in the annual match-up against their state rival, Georgia who has beaten them the last four years.
Miami Hurricanes
The Hurricanes entrance into the ACC in last season was hardly spectacular and although they managed nine wins on the season, they were outgained in the majority of their games in 2004. Last year also marked the first time since 1984 a Miami team dropped consecutive games to unranked teams but were able to keep their winning streak against Florida teams alive at 10. There is a disturbing trend developing in Miami since HC Larry Coker took over. In 2001 this team won every game and in 2002 they lost only one. In the 2003 season the losses amounted to two games and in 2004 the Miami Hurricanes lost a total of three games.
Miami has produce 19 first round draft picks in the last four years which is the most for any school in NCAA history. The Canes have had more players leave school early for the NFL Draft the last three years than any team in college football, but the Canes always find a way to reload and this year is no exception. Although there are 15 starters returning from last year?s team, Hurricane fans will see new faces at quarterback, tailback, center, wide receiver, tight end and fullback this season. Kyle Wright will take over behind the center and is being touted by the coaching staff as the guy to take over where Ken Dorsey left off when he left. Still, the sophomore saw little playing time last season because of a sprained ankle and will have to learn as he goes but he will have the benefit of playing behind one of the best offensive lines in the country.
The Cane defense and special teams have been special the last five years in scoring a combined 51 touchdowns and there should be no let up this year. Stopping the run was the biggest problem the defense had a year ago but with the return of seven of the top eight front line players, this area is expected to improve.
The season begins in Tallahasse this year but Miami has absolutely owned Florida State in recent memory by defeated them the last six match-ups. The second game is also on the road at Clemson where they will look to extract some revenge for last year?s loss in the first ever meeting. Five of the next six games are at home with the one road game being at Temple and then the showdown against Virginia Tech which will likely decide the division title.
North Carolina Tarheels
After making it to a bowl game after a 6-6 season in 2004, HC John Bunting was able to fight off the alumni and even received a two year contract extension after covering the line in seven of eight conferences games. Who cares about winning when you are collecting at the window each week?
Seven starters return on offense but they do not include QB Darian Durant who leaves UNC with 51 school records. Durant is replaced by senior Matt Baker who has only attempted 80 passes in his collegiate career. The offensive line is experienced and the are all good athletes if Baker can just get the ball to them. Don?t expect this team to put up 28.8 points a game on offense last season without Durant as the offense will be facing some of the best defenses in the country with only Duke and Utah finishing out of the top 30 in total defense from last season.
Although UNC returns nine starters on defense, this is a team that has allowed 30 of last 39 opponents to score over 30 points and in 20004 they allowed 5.2 yards per carry but curiously only 213 yards per game on the ground last season. This squad is not particularly heavy with talent but with another year under their belt, will probably do better than the 28.4 points a game they allowed last year.
The Heels? brutal schedule includes eight games against teams that were ranked in the Top 25 at the end of last season including road trips to Georgia Tech, NC State, Louisville, Miami and Virginia Tech. At home they get no break either against Virginia, Utah, Wisconsin and Boston College.
Virginia Cavaliers
Hokie HC Al Groh has quietly qualified for a bowl game the last three seasons. This team was actually 5-0 last season before losing steam down the stretch to finish 8-4 overall after a loss in the MPC Computer Bowl. The NFL Draft claimed seven quality starters from last year?s squad to the NFL Draft and the Cavs have only 12 starters returning in 2005.
Marques Hagans is really an excellent quarterback but once again lacks the kind of playmaker receivers that he needs to effectively showcase his talent. He will be assisted by what is probably best overall backfield in the conference and an experienced front line that can provide running lanes as well as pass protection. Last season, the Cavs averaged 5.3 yards a carry and allowed only 16 sacks.
On the defensive side of the ball, three sophomores will be starting on the front line and will be matching up against some of the most physical teams in the country. The secondary is also young but both corners are back and the safeties have the potential to be exceptional players.
It is not easy competing with the big guns in this conference but Virginia has certainly made progress under Groh, but they still have not proven they can compete with the big boys in the ACC. The Cavs were actually ranked as high as No. 6 last season before losing three of their final six to Florida State, Miami and Virginia Tech.
The Cavaliers are 8-1 as home underdogs (18-7 ATS at home overall) the last four years and may very well be in that position twice this season in games against Florida State and Virginia Tech. Picking your spots with this team this year could prove to be pretty profitable
Virginia Tech Hokies
Virginia Tech won the ACC title in its first season in the conference going 10-3 and the Hokies look to be as strong this year. Expectations will be high for coming off of a year in which the school won the championship, had the ACC Player of the Year, and the ACC Coach of the Year. Adding to the hype will be the return of Marcus Vick at quarterback following his suspension last year for off the field antics.
Coach Frank Beamer?s team has plenty of potential stars on his offense but they finished only 65th in the country in total offense and the passing game was inconsistent. Replacing Bryan Randall at quarterback will not be easy and while Vick will have the benefit of all of the receivers returning this year, the jury is still out (no pun intended) on how his passing game will hold up. He does have a very dependable set of running backs to but the offensive line could be an issue.
On defense, the Hokies return six players from a team that allowed only 12 points a game last season. This team has always relied on their defense under Beamer?s system and last season was no exception as the Hokies finished 4th in total defense and 2nd in scoring defense. There are some gaps to fill this season so a repeat of those numbers is unlikely.
In 2004, the Hokies won four games by seven points or less, including a 27-24 win at North Carolina and a 16-10 victory at Miami. Two of their three losses last year came in competitively played games at the hands of teams that went undefeated on the year.
Duke Blue Devils
The Blue Devils went 2-9 last year, which made it their 10th consecutive losing season and the team had the worst offensive production in the nation. Duke was outgained 196.8 yards per game in ACC play last season and returns only 13 starters.
Playing in the ACC is no cakewalk for anyone but Duke plays what may very well be the toughest five game stretch of any team in the nation beginning September 24th when they face Virginia, Navy, Miami, Georgia Tech and Florida State in consecutive weeks. That?s five teams off of bowl appearances last year which were wins for four of those teams.
The first game at East Carolina finds the Blue Devils actually favored by a couple of points. That hasn?t happened since 1999 and Duke hasn?t covered as road chalk since 1994. However, bad football teams can often offer value for the sharp gambler and Duke is no exception. The Blue Devils are 11-4 ATS in HC Ted Roof?s two seasons at Duke and an amazing 9-1 ATS off a loss.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Coach Chan Gailey is healthy and will be back on the sideline this season after suffering a heart attack in the off season and missing part of spring practice. He has really downplayed the incident and what do you expect? What's a heart attack compared to working for Jerry Jones?
The Yellow Jackets are loaded with talent with all of the offensive skill positions returning from last year led by QB Reggie Ball who was the NCAA 2003 Rookie of the Year. He is joined by teammates that include one of the top rushers in the conference in P.J. Daniels, and last year?s ACC Rookie of the Year, wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Despite the talent, Tech finished last year ranked only 85th in scoring offense and 80th in total offense so improvement is expected by the coaching staff. The offensive line is young and that is not a good sign in this league.
The defense should help carry this team to another bowl game with one of the top defensive backfields in the nation. Chris Reis and Dawan Landry could be the best pair of safeties in the ACC, while Kenny Scott and Reuben Houston are both over 6 foot at cornerback. The return of nine starters from a defense that improved leaps and bounds last season will certainly help.
This conference is full of tough schedules but Georgia Tech has one of the most difficult in the entire ACC. Starting the season at Auburn, the Yellow Jackets travel to both Miami and Virginia Tech and will have to face a tough NC State team from the Atlantic Division. In addition, Tech has to go on the road for their final game in the annual match-up against their state rival, Georgia who has beaten them the last four years.
Miami Hurricanes
The Hurricanes entrance into the ACC in last season was hardly spectacular and although they managed nine wins on the season, they were outgained in the majority of their games in 2004. Last year also marked the first time since 1984 a Miami team dropped consecutive games to unranked teams but were able to keep their winning streak against Florida teams alive at 10. There is a disturbing trend developing in Miami since HC Larry Coker took over. In 2001 this team won every game and in 2002 they lost only one. In the 2003 season the losses amounted to two games and in 2004 the Miami Hurricanes lost a total of three games.
Miami has produce 19 first round draft picks in the last four years which is the most for any school in NCAA history. The Canes have had more players leave school early for the NFL Draft the last three years than any team in college football, but the Canes always find a way to reload and this year is no exception. Although there are 15 starters returning from last year?s team, Hurricane fans will see new faces at quarterback, tailback, center, wide receiver, tight end and fullback this season. Kyle Wright will take over behind the center and is being touted by the coaching staff as the guy to take over where Ken Dorsey left off when he left. Still, the sophomore saw little playing time last season because of a sprained ankle and will have to learn as he goes but he will have the benefit of playing behind one of the best offensive lines in the country.
The Cane defense and special teams have been special the last five years in scoring a combined 51 touchdowns and there should be no let up this year. Stopping the run was the biggest problem the defense had a year ago but with the return of seven of the top eight front line players, this area is expected to improve.
The season begins in Tallahasse this year but Miami has absolutely owned Florida State in recent memory by defeated them the last six match-ups. The second game is also on the road at Clemson where they will look to extract some revenge for last year?s loss in the first ever meeting. Five of the next six games are at home with the one road game being at Temple and then the showdown against Virginia Tech which will likely decide the division title.
North Carolina Tarheels
After making it to a bowl game after a 6-6 season in 2004, HC John Bunting was able to fight off the alumni and even received a two year contract extension after covering the line in seven of eight conferences games. Who cares about winning when you are collecting at the window each week?
Seven starters return on offense but they do not include QB Darian Durant who leaves UNC with 51 school records. Durant is replaced by senior Matt Baker who has only attempted 80 passes in his collegiate career. The offensive line is experienced and the are all good athletes if Baker can just get the ball to them. Don?t expect this team to put up 28.8 points a game on offense last season without Durant as the offense will be facing some of the best defenses in the country with only Duke and Utah finishing out of the top 30 in total defense from last season.
Although UNC returns nine starters on defense, this is a team that has allowed 30 of last 39 opponents to score over 30 points and in 20004 they allowed 5.2 yards per carry but curiously only 213 yards per game on the ground last season. This squad is not particularly heavy with talent but with another year under their belt, will probably do better than the 28.4 points a game they allowed last year.
The Heels? brutal schedule includes eight games against teams that were ranked in the Top 25 at the end of last season including road trips to Georgia Tech, NC State, Louisville, Miami and Virginia Tech. At home they get no break either against Virginia, Utah, Wisconsin and Boston College.
Virginia Cavaliers
Hokie HC Al Groh has quietly qualified for a bowl game the last three seasons. This team was actually 5-0 last season before losing steam down the stretch to finish 8-4 overall after a loss in the MPC Computer Bowl. The NFL Draft claimed seven quality starters from last year?s squad to the NFL Draft and the Cavs have only 12 starters returning in 2005.
Marques Hagans is really an excellent quarterback but once again lacks the kind of playmaker receivers that he needs to effectively showcase his talent. He will be assisted by what is probably best overall backfield in the conference and an experienced front line that can provide running lanes as well as pass protection. Last season, the Cavs averaged 5.3 yards a carry and allowed only 16 sacks.
On the defensive side of the ball, three sophomores will be starting on the front line and will be matching up against some of the most physical teams in the country. The secondary is also young but both corners are back and the safeties have the potential to be exceptional players.
It is not easy competing with the big guns in this conference but Virginia has certainly made progress under Groh, but they still have not proven they can compete with the big boys in the ACC. The Cavs were actually ranked as high as No. 6 last season before losing three of their final six to Florida State, Miami and Virginia Tech.
The Cavaliers are 8-1 as home underdogs (18-7 ATS at home overall) the last four years and may very well be in that position twice this season in games against Florida State and Virginia Tech. Picking your spots with this team this year could prove to be pretty profitable
Virginia Tech Hokies
Virginia Tech won the ACC title in its first season in the conference going 10-3 and the Hokies look to be as strong this year. Expectations will be high for coming off of a year in which the school won the championship, had the ACC Player of the Year, and the ACC Coach of the Year. Adding to the hype will be the return of Marcus Vick at quarterback following his suspension last year for off the field antics.
Coach Frank Beamer?s team has plenty of potential stars on his offense but they finished only 65th in the country in total offense and the passing game was inconsistent. Replacing Bryan Randall at quarterback will not be easy and while Vick will have the benefit of all of the receivers returning this year, the jury is still out (no pun intended) on how his passing game will hold up. He does have a very dependable set of running backs to but the offensive line could be an issue.
On defense, the Hokies return six players from a team that allowed only 12 points a game last season. This team has always relied on their defense under Beamer?s system and last season was no exception as the Hokies finished 4th in total defense and 2nd in scoring defense. There are some gaps to fill this season so a repeat of those numbers is unlikely.
In 2004, the Hokies won four games by seven points or less, including a 27-24 win at North Carolina and a 16-10 victory at Miami. Two of their three losses last year came in competitively played games at the hands of teams that went undefeated on the year.
