WhatIfSports 2016 ACC preview: Projected standings and game-by-game predictions
Three Storylines
Deshaun Watson's Heisman Pursuit
Watson finished third in Heisman voting last season, with Alabama running back Derrick Henry taking home the hardware. The Clemson quarterback will face some stout competition in 2016, including LSU's Leonard Fournette and Stanford's Christian McCaffrey, who was the Heisman runner-up a season ago.
Clemson's Sustained Success
The Tigers' run to the National Championship game was no overnight success story. Dabo Swinney's program has won 10 or more games for five straight years, and all indicators suggest they'll make it six in a row this season. Prior to 2011's 10-4 campaign, Clemson hadn't won 10 games since 1990.
Mark Richt Comes Home
Georgia fired Richt despite his 145-51 record at the school. Miami was more than happy to scoop up Richt, who played for the Hurricanes from 1979 to 1982, serving as backup quarterback to future Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. Miami has yet to win 10 games in a season since joining the ACC in 2004.
Three Players to Watch
QB Deshaun Watson, Clemson
Watson's 2015 season was a doozy. He became the first player in FBS history to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. While the year ended in disappointment -- a 45-40 loss to Alabama in the National Championship game -- Watson's performance in the loss was superb. He carved up the vaunted 'Bama defense for 405 passing yards and four touchdowns, plus 73 rushing yards.
RB Dalvin Cook, Florida State
The ACC's leading rusher last year returns for his junior season. In 2015, Cook turned 229 carries into 1,691 yards and 19 touchdowns, averaging 7.4 yards per rush. If the Seminoles achieve their College Football Playoff ambitions, it will be Cook who leads them there.
RB Elijah Hood, North Carolina
With the graduation of dual-threat quarterback Marquise Williams (3,072 passing yards, 948 rushing yards in 2015), Hood will likely have an expanded role in the Tar Heels offense. After totaling 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns on 6.7 yards per carry last year, he's more than ready for the challenge.
Three Games to Watch
Florida State vs. Ole Miss: Monday, September 5
The Seminoles' 2016 schedule is bookended with SEC foes. They'll begin the season with Ole Miss in Orlando and end it with a home game against the Florida Gators. If Florida State can defeat Ole Miss, it will be a good measuring stick, both for the school and for the conference.
North Carolina @ Miami: Saturday, October 15
The Tar Heels are the preseason favorite in the Coastal division, and Miami appears to be their biggest challenger. North Carolina won last season's contest 59-21 but will pay a visit to the U in 2016. UNC is one of three ranked opponents -- along with Florida State and Notre Dame -- on Miami's schedule.
Clemson @ Florida State: Saturday, October 29
The most anticipated ACC matchup of 2016 will easily be the Clemson-Florida State showdown. The two national championship contenders are both in the Atlantic division, which is a shame since they'd make a great pairing in the ACC Championship. The winner of this matchup will likely have the inside track for a College Football Playoff berth.
To view a team's game-by-game predictions, select the school below: