Has FSU Re-conquered the ACC?

Upon joining the ACC in 1992, Florida State instantly became the class of the conference. While the Seminoles did struggle to defeat Clemson and Georgia Tech in their inaugural ACC season, it wasn’t long before Florida State could be penciled in annually as the conference’s champion.

Florida State was able to win the ACC in each of its first nine seasons as a member of the league and lost just two ACC games over that span. Maryland finally dethroned the Seminoles in 2001, but FSU responded by winning the ACC in three of the next four seasons which included an improbable 27-22 upset of fifth-ranked Virginia Tech in the conference’s first championship game in 2005.

After 12 conference crowns in its first 14 years as a member of the ACC, Florida State hit a dry spell from 2006-11. Over that six-year span, the Seminoles not only failed to win the ACC, but Florida State earned just one division title during that stretch.

FSU finally recaptured the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2012 with a less than spectacular 21-15 win over a 6-6 Georgia Tech team in Charlotte. The Seminoles were able to carry that momentum over into 2013 where they finished a perfect 14-0, winning a second straight conference title before rallying from 18 points down to top Auburn and win the final BCS National Championship.

Florida State will certainly have national championship aspirations heading into 2014, but the Seminoles may be on the verge of running away from their ACC competition as they did all throughout the 1990’s. Including conference title games, Florida State has won 17 of its last 18 contests against the ACC.

Despite being perpetually maligned for its struggles in the non-conference and in BCS bowls, the ACC was as highly regarded in 2013 as it had been in a very long time. Top 10 match-ups pitting the Seminoles against Clemson and rival Miami headlined the college football slate for the weeks of October 19th and November 2nd. When all was said and done however, Boston College was the only ACC foe to stay within 27 points of Florida State last season.

While the marque contests along with BCS bowl victories from Florida State and Clemson gave the ACC some much-needed notoriety, there doesn’t look to be reason to believe that the conference will be in for a spectacular campaign in 2014. Though the Seminoles certainly have the talent to repeat as national champions, complacency may be a bigger ACC opponent than any that FSU lines up against this upcoming season.

Of the 13 other teams that make up the ACC, only three schools return its leading passer from last season and FSU will not face two of those teams in 2014. Aside from FSU quarterback Jameis Winston, Syracuse’s Terrel Hunt is the lone leading passer returning in the Atlantic division.

Though the Seminoles watched seven players get selected in the 2014 NFL Draft, the losses that Florida State will endure could actually be far less significant than its ACC foes. In each of the past five years, the winner of the Florida State-Clemson contest has gone on to represent the Atlantic division in the ACC Championship.

This year’s contest could have similar implications, but Clemson loses its top two receivers to the first two days of the NFL Draft as well as quarterback Tajh Boyd, the ACC’s all-time leader in touchdown passes. Florida State will also have the luxury of playing Clemson at home — a place where they’ve won three straight against the Tigers.

The ACC foe that gave the Seminoles their biggest fight a season ago, Boston College, loses an All-American at tailback in Andre Williams. The Eagles also lose receiver Alex Amidon, who along with Williams, combined for greater than 51 percent of BC’s offense last season. Wake Forest loses its leading passer, rusher and receiver as well as an all-conference nose tackle in Nikita Whitlock.

A date that many have circled as a potential stumbling block for Florida State is October 30th as FSU visits ACC newcomer Louisville on a Thursday night. While Thursday night contests have not always been kind to the Seminoles, the Cardinals will have to replace quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who was taken 32nd overall in last month’s draft.

Coastal division opponent and rival Miami does return a number of dynamic playmakers including running back Duke Johnson, receiver Stacy Coley and cornerback Tracy Howard. The Hurricanes however, will be replacing a three-year starter at quarterback in Stephen Morris. The November 15th meeting between the teams this year will be in Miami — a place the Hurricanes have not beat the Seminoles in a decade.

The 2014 ACC slate is certainly shaping up to be one that could be dominated by Florida State, but there is potential for FSU to reign supreme well beyond this upcoming season. Jameis Winston has stated his intentions to stay beyond his redshirt sophomore season while on defense, it’s entirely possible that the Seminoles could start no seniors.

Head coach Jimbo Fisher looks to be in place long-term with a contract extension following the 2013 regular season. Fisher continues to recruit well while his history of developing quarterbacks may be unmatched.

Although the Seminoles have rarely had a problem in signing top-tier high school talent, the new batch of recruits will now know of a time when FSU was a national power rather than just hearing of it. Florida State has already re-established itself as a power on the national level, but the Seminoles may also be on the verge of becoming a perennial shoo-in to win the ACC once again.