Every summer since 2007 I have created an intricate set of college football predictions for each upcoming season.  This year is no exception, as I will be using my blog over the next few hours to publish my 17th annual college football preview guide which will contain 18 entries in all. The records below reflect each team’s predicted regular season overall record followed by their conference record.  These records include conference title games for the two division champions but exclude bowl games which will be previewed later on in a separate column on this blog.  The teams marked in bold font are the ones predicted to gain bowl eligibility.  Without further ado, here are my predictions for the ACC in 2023, which may be faced with an “expand or die” proposition as we enter the 2024 season and beyond.

1	Clemson (12-1, 7-1)- Conference Champion

Positional Strength: Running Back

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Notre Dame (November 4)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at NC State (October 28)- perfect trap game for the Tigers, as they play at Miami the week before and host Notre Dame the week after.

Bottom Line: Everyone is predicting the Noles to be the top dogs in the ACC this year, but until they can find a way to beat Clemson, then this is still the Tigers’ conference.  Clemson is extremely fortunate in 2023 to play its toughest opposition at home (Florida State, Notre Dame, North Carolina), and I believe with their improved quarterback play and experienced defense, they will make it back to the CFP for the first time in three seasons.

2	North Carolina (10-3, 7-1)- conference runner-up

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Defensive Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: at NC State (November 25)- big revenge spot for the Heels

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. South Carolina (September 2)

Bottom Line: Drake Maye will have this offense humming in 2023, but when you have a defense as bad as the Heels, it is tough to outscore everyone you play.  Still, the Heels avoid Florida State in league play and should have enough coming back (17 returning starters)  to make a return trip to the ACC title Game.  Ironically, I am calling for the Heels to begin their season with a loss in Panthers stadium to a team from South Carolina (the Gamecocks) and end their season with a loss in the same stadium from another team from the Palmetto State (Clemson).

3	Florida State (8-4, 6-2)

Positional Strength: Wide Receiver

Positional Weakness: Linebacker

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Miami-FL (November 11)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Pittsburgh (November 4)- One of only two teams in the league that has a winning record against the Noles.  This is also a perfect trap game, as FSU will be looking ahead to their game the following weekend vs. Miami.  

Bottom Line: I feel like we have seen this story before.  The Noles are once again getting a ton of preseason hype which has led to a lot of disappointment in Tallahassee over the past decade or so.  This year, the Noles are too talented to completely fall off the map, but their schedule is also too tough (vs. LSU, at Clemson, at Florida, vs. Pitt, vs. Miami-FL) for them to be a national title contender.

4	Pittsburgh (7-5, 5-3)

Positional Strength: Defensive Backfield

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Florida State (November 4)- Pitt is one of only two teams in the league that has a winning record against the Noles.  This is also a perfect trap game situation, as FSU will be looking ahead to their game the following weekend vs. Miami.   

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Wake Forest (October 21)- Clawson always finds a way to beat one or two teams he shouldn’t every season, and I think this homecoming triumph will be the Deacs’ signature win of 2023.

Bottom Line: Pat Narduzzi has firmly established a winning culture at Pittsburgh, and if they can keep their often-injured, transfer QB Phil Jurokec healthy, the Panthers could make another surprise run at a league title, like we saw in 2021.

5	Louisville (7-5, 5-3)

Positional Strength: Defensive Line

Positional Weakness: Linebacker

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Duke (October 28)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at NC State (September 29)

Bottom Line: I believe my seven win prediction for Louisville is fairly optimistic, so if you want a rock solid under bet for season win totals, then take the Cards at under 8 (or 8.5 as I have seen in some books).  The Cards do have a fairly easy conference slate, as they avoid both FSU and Clemson, but they are still breaking in a new coach, new quarterback, and 11 other new starters  on a squad that has to play Kentucky and Notre Dame in non-conference play.

6	Miami-FL (7-5, 4-4)

Positional Strength: Offensive Line

Positional Weakness: Linebacker

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: at NC State (November 4)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Boston College (November 24)

Bottom Line: It was another disappointing season in Coral Gables  in 2022, as new coach Mario Cristobal did not bring about the immediate success fans were hoping for.  The Canes should take a step forward and return to bowl eligibility in 2023, but their schedule is too tough (vs. Texas A & M, vs. Clemson, at Florida State, at UNC, at NC State) to ask much more from them.

7	NC State (7-5, 4-4)

Positional Strength: Defensive Backfield

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Clemson (October 28)- perfect trap game for the Tigers, as they play at Miami the week before and host Notre Dame the week after.

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. Miami-FL (November 4)

Bottom Line: It always seems like whichever big ACC school in the Triangle (NC State and UNC) is getting the less hype is the one who has the breakout season.  Using that logic, this could be NC State’s year to exceed expectations.  Nevertheless, the loss of Devin Leary at quarterback hurts a lot, and their schedule will also limit their upward mobility, as this team has to play Notre Dame, Clemson, Miami, and UNC while also traveling to Blacksburg and Winston-Salem, which have both been houses of horror for the Wolfpack in recent years.

8	Duke (6-6, 3-5)

Positional Strength: Offensive Line

Positional Weakness: Linebacker

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. NC State (October 14)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Virginia (November 18)

Bottom Line: The Blue Devils were one of the biggest surprise teams in the country last year, as this squad was a heartbreaking loss to UNC away from playing in the conference championship game in Mike Elko’s first season at the helm.  Quarterback Riley Leonard leads this experienced squad into a promising 2023 campaign, but the Blue Devils won’t be sneaking up on anyone like they were able to do last season.  The Devils’ schedule also gets significantly tougher as they play trade games against Kansas, Boston College, and Virginia Tech for matchups versus Notre Dame, Clemson, and Florida State.  As a result, the Dookies could be an improved football team that finishes with a worse record than they did in 2022.

8	Boston College (6-6, 3-5)

Positional Strength: Linebacker

Positional Weakness: Defensive Backfield

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Miami-FL (November 24)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Army (October 7)

Bottom Line: The Eagles are on my list of surprise teams in 2023, as I believe Jeff Hafley finally gets things figured out in Chestnut Hill and finds a way to get this program back to bowl eligibility this season.  This Eagles’ team is a lot deeper than in years past, and I believe new QB Emmett Morehead is an upgrade over Jurkovec who could not stay healthy after his breakout freshman season. 

10	Virginia Tech (5-7, 3-5)

Positional Strength: Defensive Backfield

Positional Weakness: Quarterback

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Wake Forest (October 14)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Boston College (November 11)

Bottom Line: The Beamer Ball era of football  prominence in Blacksburg seems like it was a lifetime ago, as Virginia Tech has had losing seasons in four of the past five years.  And even though I expect the Hokies to be much improved in Brent Pry’s second year at the helm, I think they will ultimately fall short of bowl eligibility due to issues at quarterback, offensive line, and a tricky non-conference slate that has them playing two road games and two matchups against Big Ten opposition. 

11	Wake Forest (6-6, 3-5)

Positional Strength: Wide Receiver

Positional Weakness: Defensive Backfield

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Pittsburgh (October 21)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Syracuse (November 25)

Bottom Line: My beloved alma mater had a horrible offseason, as they lost their star quarterback to the transfer portal, their best receiver to the NFL draft, and then had several projected starters for this year pick up severe injuries in preseason camp.  With that being said, Clawson has found a way to get this program to seven straight bowl games, and I think the opening portion of the schedule is just soft enough (vs. Elon, Vandy, ODU, and GT)  to allow the Deacs to attain bowl eligibility again in 2023. 

12	Virginia (3-9, 2-6)

Positional Strength: Defensive Line

Positional Weakness: Offensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Duke (November 18)- the Cavs have owned the Devils in Charlottesville over the past decade

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. William & Mary (October 7)- there is always one or two FCS over FBS upsets each season, and this seems like a good spot for one, as the Tribe were really good last season.

Bottom Line: In direct contrast to the Demon Deacons above, Virginia has a brutal start to the season, as they will likely be underdogs in four of their first five games and could easily start the season 1-7. As a result, the overall product may be improved this year in Charlottesville, but I don’t believe it will be reflected in the win/loss record.

13	Georgia Tech (4-8, 2-6)

Positional Strength: Defensive Backfield

Positional Weakness: Defensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Boston College (October 21)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Virginia (November 4)

Bottom Line: Brent Key, who I frequently confuse with Brent Pry from Virginia Tech, did a remarkable job in an interim capacity last season.  Still, I am calling for the Jackets to extend their streak of losing seasons to five in 2023, as they only bring back 11 total starters, have to break-in a new starting quarterback, running back, and receiving corps, and have a brutal opening season schedule in which they will likely be an underdog in four of their first six games.

14	Syracuse (5-7, 2-6)

Positional Strength: Defensive Backfield

Positional Weakness: Defensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Boston College (October 21)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Virginia (November 4)

Bottom Line: No one ended the 2022 season in a worse way than Syracuse as they lost six of their last seven games after a 6-0 start to the season.  I think the Cuse will continue their struggles in 2023 thanks to a brutal conference slate that begins with Clemson, UNC, and Florida State, and I believe we will finally see an end to Dino Babers’ eight year tenure at this university.