2014 ACC Power Rankings: Atlantic Division
By Dan Kelley
Oct 26, 2013; Tallahassee, FL, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren speaks to players during the second half of the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
No. 5 NC State Wolfpack
Boston College isn’t the only ACC team counting on a former Florida quarterback to lead a resurgence in 2014. The NC State Wolfpack will look to Jacoby Brissett to drag them out of the Atlantic division basement, after the Wolfpack went 0-8 in the ACC last year.
But the Wolfpack were not as bad as they sometimes appeared last year. Although they went winless in conference play, they typically played their opponents tough, including a 26-14 loss to Clemson. They wore down towards the end of last season, as hope faded and injuries piled up, but for the most part their defense was decent.
If the defense can build on last season’s effort and Brissett can make the Wolfpack offense work, then NC State could climb the ACC Power Rankings quickly. For now though, they still have a lot to prove, and they only occupy the No. 5 spot in this edition of the ACC Power Rankings because of the projected decline of the two teams below them.