Around CFB: Let's Get It Started

Eleven games highlight the start of the college football season, including two matchups featuring ACC teams as Florida State and North Carolina both open play on Saturday. Additionally, College Gameday will air on ESPN this Saturday morning which means at 9 AM I’ll have a nice cup of coffee in hand, with my feet up, watching Corso and the boys.

Each week we will take a peek at all the biggest news in college football and preview several marque games on the docket.

Realignment Returns

Ahead of their kickoff with Duquesne on Saturday at 5 PM, FSU president Richard McCullough said the Seminoles will be “very aggressive” in their attempts to remain competitive at the highest level.

In a statement during a speaking engagement last week, McCullough said Florida State was “trying to do anything we can to think about how we remain competitive. Florida State is expected to win. We're going to be very aggressive."

According to Nole GameDay, FSU has been in contact with the Big Ten and the SEC--  with little to no concern about the ACC Grant of Rights, which runs through 2036.

“Sources tell NoleGameday that Florida State is in the process of exploring a move to a new conference. The Seminoles have had discussions with the SEC and Big Ten since last summer.”

The Noles enter this season under third-year head coach Mike Norvell with high expectations, but the national perception still seems to be that FSU still has a long way to go to return to the top of the Atlantic Division. In a recent poll of seven CBSSports.com writers, the Seminoles were selected to finish 4th by four, 5th twice, and 6th once. Not exactly hovering at the top of the league.

Florida State’s home opener will be broadcast on the ACC Network.

Dr Pepper Fansville Jinx

Look, I won’t wish ill will on anyone, but after the season D.J. Uiagalelei had last year, being the face of Fansville might not be the best idea for any college football player. This season, the burden will fall into the hands of reigning Heisman winner Bryce Young at Alabama.

Look for Young throughout the season, but if things go as they did for Uiagalelei, it’s safe to say that the shelves in stores throughout Alabama will be loaded with Dr Pepper in protest.

Last season, Young put up incredible numbers throwing for 4,872 yards and 47 TDs offset by just 7 interceptions. Can the Tide’s own West Coast QB deliver with the pressure of the entire Fansville Community on his back? Time will tell.

ACC Notable

Five ACC Teams in AP Top 25: Five ACC teams are ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. The five teams are the second-most of any conference and match the league’s highest-ever total set previously on four occasions (2017, 2010, 2005, 2004).

No. 4 Clemson leads the way and is joined by No. 13 NC State, No. 16 Miami, No. 17 Pitt and No. 22 Wake Forest. Clemson has been ranked in the preseason AP Top 5 each of the last six seasons - the second-longest active streak in the country.

NC State equaled its highest preseason ranking ever in the AP poll, matching the 1975 Wolfpack, which also began the year at No. 13. Wake Forest claimed its highest ever ranking in the preseason poll at No. 22. Defending ACC champ Pitt holds its highest preseason spot since 2010.

Five ACC Teams in USA Today Coaches Top 25: No. 4 Clemson leads a group of five ACC teams ranked among the top 25 of the preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA coaches poll.

The Tigers are joined by No. 13 NC State, No. 16 Pitt, No. 17 Miami and No. 19 Wake Forest. The ACC’s five ranked teams are second-most among all conferences.

NC State and Wake Forest claimed their highest preseason ranking ever in the coaches poll, and defending ACC champ Pitt holds its highest preseason spot since 2010.

Clemson is favored to claim the 2022 ACC football title for the seventh time in the last eight years, according to a preseason poll of 164 media voters.

The Tigers, who recorded their 11th consecutive double-digit win season with a 10-3 finish in 2021, were also chosen as likely Atlantic Division winners. Miami was picked to finish atop the Coastal Division following a 7-5 campaign last season that included wins in five of the final six games.

Clemson was named the likely 2022 ACC champion on 103 ballots. NC State picked up 38 votes, followed by Miami with eight and Wake Forest with four. Pitt (3), Virginia (3), Florida State (2), North Carolina (2), and Boston College (1) also received votes.

Clemson was selected as the likely ACC champion in the media preseason poll for the fifth consecutive season and the eighth time in the last 10 years.

Miami was projected as the preseason Coastal Division champion for the sixth time and the first time since 2018. The Hurricanes’ lone Coastal Division championship came in 2017.

The Atlantic and Coastal Division winners will meet in the 2022 ACC Football Championship Game on Saturday, December 3, at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.

The Conference of Quarterbacks

Ten of 14 ACC teams return a quarterback with at least nine career starts, led by Louisville’s Malik Cunningham with 38 and Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman with 33. Both NC State’s Devin Leary and Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong have 20 career starts. Kedon Slovis started 26 games at USC before transferring to Pitt for the 2022 season, and Grant Wells started 23 games at Marshall before transferring to Virginia Tech.

• Malik Cunningham, Louisville, 38
• Sam Hartman, Wake Forest, 33 (undisclosed medical issue)
• Kedon Slovis, Pitt*, 26
• Grant Wells, Virginia Tech**, 23
• Brennan Armstrong, Virginia, 20
• Devin Leary, NC State, 20
• Phil Jurkovec, Boston College, 16
• Jeff Sims, Georgia Tech, 16
• D.J. Uiagalelei, Clemson, 15
• Jordan Travis, Florida State, 14
• Garrett Shrader, Syracuse, 14
• Tyler Van Dyke, Miami, 9

*26 starts at USC before transferring to Pitt

**23 starts at Marshall before transferring to VT

ACC Schedule

Saturday, Aug. 27

• Duquesne (0-0) at Florida State (0-0), 5 p.m., ACCN, 84, 84
  • Series: First Meeting
  • ACCN: Drew Carter (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst), Lericia Harris (sideline)

• Florida A&M (0-0) at North Carolina (0-0), 8:15 p.m., ACCN, 84, 84
  • Series: First Meeting
  • ACCN: Matt Barrie (play-by-play), Tim Hasselbeck (analyst), Kelsey Riggs (sideline)