2012 ACC Conference Preview

The Clemson Tigers come into the 2012 college football season fresh off of their first ever ACC championship game victory. The Tigers knocked off the Virginia Tech Hokies last December, as head coach Dabo Swinney showed that Clemson is on the map when it comes to big time college football. But entering 2012, it's not Clemson who is atop the list of favorites to win the ACC this season, despite returning the majority of their starters.

The Florida State Seminoles have been predicted for about the last three seasons to really explode and once again become a national championship contender. That forecast has yet to come to pass. But once again, the Seminoles have been set with lofty expectations coming into the season, and lead the way to win the ACC in 2012. Florida State will likely have one of the top defenses in the country, but the consistency factor will be the key ingredient to the Noles hoisting a championship trophy, or falling by the wayside with some bad losses.

The Virginia Tech Hokies are also a team on the radar when it comes to the creme of the crop in the ACC. The Hokies have been the team of the last decade in the ACC, winning multiple championships in the process. And once again, Virginia Tech should be in line for competing for another conference title. But while these three teams out of the ACC are the ones that many are focusing on, there are still nine other teams in the conference who will have something to say about that. Though really only a handful of teams have a legitimate shot at winning.