Credit: ACC
Previewing the 2024 ACC Football Season
Published: Monday, July 1, 2024
by Kyle Ferreira
What to make of the “Atlantic Coast” Conference.
Amidst drastic changes in college athletics, the ACC is somehow still standing. For
months, teams like Florida State, Clemson, and North Carolina have tried to jump ship
and join a conference like the SEC. But with the universities’ grant of rights and
the conference’s TV contract with ESPN not expiring for a while, it is not that easy.
On the field, this is an interesting conference. From the newer teams to those looking
for revenge, it should be another competitive season. Here are some storylines to
watch out for.
SMU, California, and Stanford Are Here:
Picture that one meme of a polar bear randomly appearing in Arlington, Texas. That
is what you are getting with the three newest teams, all joining a predominantly east
coast located conference. Last fall, SMU, California, and Stanford announced they
would each leave the PAC-12 and the American Conference, respectively, to join the
ACC.
Any college football fan understands though that this makes no sense. We are now going
to live in a world where Stanford plays Syracuse in a conference game. Like it or
not, geography does not matter to a conference like the ACC anymore, and of course,
financial aspects were at play. It will take a lot of adjusting to make this even
remotely comfortable for fans.
Florida State’s Mission to the CFP:
FSU fans were left in shock last December when their team was left out of the College
Football playoffs. Even after winning the ACC Championship, that was not enough. Mike
Norvell’s team was then decimated in the Orange Bowl due to injuries, opt-outs, and
players transferring.
This season, FSU will look to make another run at the playoffs, with new and old talent
filling up the roster. Former Clemson and Oregon State QB DJ Uiagalelei and DE Patrick
Payton will look to command the Seminoles to the CFP. With the season starting in
Ireland against Georgia Tech, and home games against Clemson and rival Florida, it
should be a fun season.
With the playoffs expanding to twelve teams this season, it should be easier for the
Noles to make... right?
Fran Brown and his Recruiting Game:
On December 4th, 2023, Georgia’s defensive back coach and New Jersey native Fran Brown
was announced as Syracuse’s new head coach. Immediately, he went right to work with
recruiting. In the transfer portal, he was able to get Ohio State’s QB Kyle McCord,
Texas A&M’s DE Fadil Diggs, and many others. Yet it was his ability to recruit players
from the Garden State that was incredible.
From Saint Joseph Regional’s Yasin Willis, to Red Bank Catholic’s Emanuel Ross, as well as Don Bosco Prep’s Jayden Brown, Brown’s maximizing of the NJ transfer market was remarkable. Even his incoming 2025 class has great Jersey talent, like West Orange’s Terrell Wilfong, and The Pennington School’s Haleem Muhammad. With a relatively easy schedule, Coach Brown has a chance to have a successful first season with the Orange.
Kyle Ferreira can be reached at kyle.ferreira@student.shu.eduPosted in: sports,