After last year's prediction of 9-3 and going to the ACC Championship game being pretty close, I am going to try again. Being the Clemson homer and quite the optimist when it comes to Tiger Football I am again predicting 9-3. Am I sure that will be good enough to get to the ACC Championship game, maybe. So, I'll make a prediction and say YES!!
I hope this can finally be the year we run the table at home. There are the 4 duds of N. Texas, PC, Mary and NC St, but also coming to the Valley are Miami, GT and SC. Both the ACC teams will probably be ranked and SC is pretty good, but it is about time Death Valley becomes the type of venue it was in the 80's. Plus, it appears the talent level is moving back to the 80's level.
So, the prediction is again 9-3. I think this team surprises people, because the Tigers lost a lot of skill position players, but return almost all of their OL and DL. Not to mention, another year in Coach Steele's aggressive defensive system should help the Tigers play faster on defense. I think this Defense (if it can stay healthy) has a chance to be top 2 or 3 in the league and maybe top 20 nationally.
On offense, Spiller will be missed and almost as much, so will Jacoby Ford and Michael Palmer, since between those three they probably caught 90% of all passes last year.
Of course this prediction is predicated on Kyle Parker staying healthy. We'll see, but I would be shocked if the November game in Tallahassee doesn't decide who goes to Charlotte. I do think we could lose that and still go, but FSU's schedule is pretty easy. Like always, as painful as it is, Tiger fans need to root for Miami in the Canes-Seminoles annual battle to see which set of punks and criminals can win.
I think the Atlantic is:
1. Clemson
2. FSU
3. Wake
4. NC St
5. Mary
6. BC
And the Coastal:
1. VT
2. Miami
3. GT
4. NC
5. Duke
6. UVA
