The ACC has done a better job in non-conference scheduling than say.......the Big 10/14. Boise st, Fla, Kentucky, A&M, S-Car, Penn st, Bama, Notre Dame and Georgia. A couple of them more than once. However, most of those (Clemson excluded) are against lower to middle of the pack teams. Of course compared to Clempson everyone else is lower or middle of the pack.

1) Indubitably the pole position belongs to Clemson. They've got the best coach, the best players, that's why they're going to walk away with the ACC title. Remote trap games would be Texas A&M and @ Syracuse. Extremely remote trap games @ NC State and @ S-Car

Best case scenario: 13-0 and a national championship.

Worst case scenario: 12-1. This only happens if Trevor Lawrence gets hurt early, the defensive line all contracts ebola and Brett Venables joins a monastary. Any combination of two of these still probably relates back to the best case scenario

My prediction: 13-0. Nearly all the offense comes back, Travis Etienne is one of the top 3 backs in the nation and they're loaded with playmakers. The offensive line is back, Posthole could probably QB this team to a 10-2 record.

2a @2b) Miami and Virginia. You're probably scratching your heads if you're not Hank when I put Virginia this high but they're going to be in the 8-4 range. They've got pretty good talent and a very favorable schedule, @ Notre Dame and @ Miami are their toughest games. However, if they get bit by the injury bug in just a couple of places then you're looking at 5-7 or 6-6. Good team but not a lot of room for errors

I think Manny Diaz is probably a little over rated at Miami but they should be able to negotiate their way to a 9-3 record or at worst 8-4.

4) Sryacuse. A couple of challenging road games but overall a manageable schedule should get 8-4 out of it.

5-14) the best of the rest in no particular order

Boston College: Experts saying 7-5, I'm going to flip that and say 5-7

Florida State: Even a coach as inept as Willie Taggart should win here with their talent potential. 7-5

Louisville: Needs to pay more penance for Petrino 4-8

NC State: An enigma nay a conundrum. I could go from 9-3 to 6-6. I'm going to say 8-4

Wake Forest: What can I say here, very manageable (cushy) schedule and they'll finish above Louisville. I mean, they're Wake Forest and this is CFB.....6-6. Maybe

Duke: If Zion WIlliamson suits up at TE I'd say 5-7. He won't so I'll say 4-8

North Carolina: The primary difference between Mack Brown and Lou Holtz is Mack is a better speaker. Both are better retired. 3-9 and back to the broadcast booth in year 3

Pitt: 4-8. What can I say, they've turned out some great players thru the years but Dorsett has no eligibility left and Marino's ain't coming back.

Virginia Tech: Favorable schedule this year, if Fuentes can't get it done this year his seat will start getting warm. I'm gonna say 8-4

Random Meanderings:

a) At some point in the game, Clemson will trail Boston College only to win by 20+ points
b) Between Virginia tech and the Wolf pack, Hank will swear off college football forever. Or at least ten minutes whichever comes first
c) Notre Dame will sweep the ACC teams it plays. Unless of course they meet Clemson in the Playoffs
d) There will be one surprise firing in December
e) 7-9 ACC teams will make bowl games
f) Jimbo Fisher calls the his AD at halftime of the opening game and say " we need to replace Clemson with the St Jude School of the Blind next year".