Advertisement

Where will UNC finish? Here are my 2023 ACC football predictions | Baxley

rodd baxley, fayetteville observer
·3 min read
2

CHARLOTTE — North Carolina football played for the ACC Championship last season, but Clemson is the reigning champion and Florida State is getting a lot of buzz to take the crown in 2023.

With the Tigers and Seminoles likely being predicted as the favorites among the conference’s 14 teams, where does that leave the Tar Heels, Duke and NC State? Following ACC Kickoff, the league’s three-day media event in Charlotte, we have a better idea of what each squad will look like this fall.

The Atlantic and Coastal divisions have been eliminated, so the top two teams in the conference standings will meet at Bank of America Stadium on Dec. 2 in Charlotte to play for a league title.

The official preseason ACC media poll will be released Tuesday, but here are my predictions for order of finish in the ACC and who I picked to win player of the year.

ACC preseason predictions

1. Clemson

I’ll roll with the Tigers until another program proves it can take the throne. Florida State makes the trip to Death Valley on Sept. 23 and the Seminoles haven’t won at Clemsond since 2013. Second-year quarterback Cade Klubnik rescued the Tigers and helped them win the ACC crown last season. With Klubnik back and another stacked defense leading the way, Clemson is built to win its eighth league title in nine seasons.

HYPE AROUND MAYE: Heisman hopeful Drake Maye on never-ending quest to improve for UNC football

WOLFPACK'S NEW OFFENSE: What NC State football’s Brennan Armstrong, Robert Anae bring to the Wolfpack

2. Florida State

Starting quarterback Jordan Travis and defensive end Jared Verse return as two of the top players in the ACC for a squad that is receiving plenty of hype in the preseason. The Seminoles closed the 2022 season with six straight victories to finish with 10 wins. Can they win their first ACC title since 2014? We’ll see.

3. North Carolina

Drake Maye’s play gives the Tar Heels a chance against anyone, but UNC faltered down the stretch with four straight losses to close the 2022 season. Despite some new faces at skill positions, Maye should remain elite. But can UNC’s defense rebound from a disappointing season?

4. NC State

The Wolfpack always seems to be at their best when flying under the radar. Following a season filled with injuries at quarterback, Virginia transfer Brennan Armstrong arrives with hopes of reviving the offense. NC State’s secondary is loaded with talent and the defense as a whole should remain among the ACC’s best.

5. Miami

Often overhyped because of their brand, the Hurricanes enter their second season under Mario Cristobal with a rebuilt roster. Many of Miami’s expected top contributors arrived via the transfer portal, but quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is among the returners. The Canes have a tough schedule, including back-to-back road games at NC State and Florida State in November.

ACC player of the year prediction

Drake Maye, UNC

Maye and Southern California’s Caleb Williams, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, were the only FBS quarterbacks who threw for more than 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns last season with fewer than 10 interceptions. Those numbers helped UNC’s second-year quarterback become the Tar Heels’ first ACC Player of the Year since Lawrence Taylor in 1980. Maye will have to adjust to some new weapons and members of the coaching staff, but UNC has a gettable conference schedule and he’s as talented as any player in the nation.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: ACC football predictions for 2023 season