The big 2014 Florida State football guide: Just accept it

Great 2014 guide, most interesting is tiering of ACC.

Tier 4 & 5 are at levels .....well, they need to step up.  There should be no level below tier 3 here.


The big 2014 Florida State football guide: Just accept it


"At the end of each conference run-through, I take a look at how I perceive the conference's balance of power heading into the season. This is in no way based on schedules, so they are not predictions. They're just how I would rank the teams after writing 4,000 or so words about each of them.

For the most part, I try to lay out four tiers, but I couldn't avoid five this time. There's too much separation at the top (and, sadly, bottom).

Tier 1
1. Florida State

Of course.

Tier 2
2. Clemson

If ACC divisions were redrawn with general "balance of power" implications included -- not something I recommend, by the way, but something the ACC definitely attempted with its over-thought Atlantic and Coastal -- there's no way in hell Clemson and FSU would end up in the same division.

Tier 3
3. Louisville
4. Virginia Tech
5. North Carolina
6. Miami
7. Duke
8. Pittsburgh
9. Georgia Tech

Any of six teams could win the Coastal this year, and none of them would surprise me. My bet is on Virginia Tech, but I'm not putting a ton of money on that.

Tier 4
10. Boston College
11. Syracuse
12. N.C. State
13. Virginia

Tier 4 could really be more like Tier 3a.

Tier 5
14. Wake Forest

Sorry, Deacs."