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Louisville football: ACC power rankings week 1

By Presley Meyer

CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 01: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers holds the ACC Championship trophy after their 42-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 01: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers holds the ACC Championship trophy after their 42-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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TALLAHASSEE, FL – NOVEMBER 16: Quarterback Jordan Travis #13 of the Florida State Seminoles on a quarterback sneak play during the game against the Alabama State Hornets at Doak Campbell Stadium on Bobby Bowden Field on November 16, 2019 in Tallahassee, Florida. The Seminoles defeated The Hornets 49 to 12. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL – NOVEMBER 16: Quarterback Jordan Travis #13 of the Florida State Seminoles on a quarterback sneak play during the game against the Alabama State Hornets at Doak Campbell Stadium on Bobby Bowden Field on November 16, 2019 in Tallahassee, Florida. The Seminoles defeated The Hornets 49 to 12. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

8. Florida State

What a time to be alive. Florida State has gone from the team that you’d be crazy to pick against to a team that you’ll have to see succeed to believe it.

No truer is that the case than in 2020. The Seminoles bring in an entirely new coaching staff led by head coach Mike Norvell, who was wildly successful in Memphis.

Norvell brings a unique up-tempo offense and a return to a more traditional defensive style under coordinator Adam Fuller.

The ‘Noles, as always, will be extremely talented all over the field, however, that obviously has not translated to success of recent.

Look for James Blackman or Jordan Travis to try to take the reigns at quarterback this year, and they should have a bevy of options from which to choose out wide- Led by all-conference performer Tamorrion Terry.

The defensive line should be a handful this year, and the Seminoles are loaded with secondary talent.

The main thing to look out for with FSU this year is how the coaching staff meshes with talented players who have dealt with a toxic culture in Tallahassee. So far, Norvell and company are off to a rocky start, having dealt with multiple issues regarding player relations and overall communication with the staff.

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If FSU gets the ball rolling, it will be a scary squad. However, if things turn south, the train of negativity that has been Florida State football could pick up too much steam to stop before the staff can even get started.

7.  Pitt

No team has more mixed reviews entering 2020 than Pittsburgh- Which, apparently, is why they are smack in the middle of our pre-season power rankings.

Eight starters return from a unit that ranked first nationally in sacks (3.92 per game), ninth in tackles for a loss (7.9), 11th in pass efficiency rating (112.93), 12th in rushing yards allowed (108.5) and 15th in total yards allowed (312.9) last season.

Overall, Pitt, like most Coastal teams, was a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde. They showed flashes last season but will have to see a significant improvement on offense to get over that eight-ish win hump this year.

Pat Narduzzi is a well-respect coach who will have his team right in this mix this season, but the Panthers will have to find more ways to get into the end zone in 2020.

6. Miami

Want a team that could surge up the power rankings quickly in 2020? It has to be Miami.

The Hurricanes parted ways with their offensive coordinator, and will be guided by a new quarterback this season, but what if that only stands to benefit them?

That could be the case for a team that was often far more stagnant than they should have been in 2019.

This addition by subtraction lands new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee in Coral Gables and he has the keys to an offense that will feature a dynamic transfer. Quarterback D’Eriq King was a problem in his time at Houston, and his abilities as a duel-threat quarterback will be on full display behind a solid Hurricanes offensive line.

Miami will thrive in the pass rush in 2020, even in the absence of future first-rounder Gregory Rousseau.

Ultimately, the Hurricanes may have the second most talented squad in the ACC, but we are going to have to see the product on the field reflect that talent before we believe they are true title contenders.

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