The consensus across college football is clear: the Clemson Tigers are the undisputed kings of the ACC.
In a final preseason expert panel at CBS Sports, all nine analysts picked Dabo Swinney's team to finish with the conference's best regular-season record. But when it came to the ACC Championship Game, one analyst broke from the pack to predict a stunning upset.
The Consensus: 'Clemson is Back'
The majority of the CBS panel believes the Tigers are poised for a return to national dominance. Analyst Chris Hummer predicted a perfect 12-0 regular season for Clemson.
"Party like it's 2016 again," Hummer wrote. "That's how strongly I feel about the Tigers. They have the most depth, the best quarterback and the top defensive line in the ACC. Clemson is very much back as a national-title threat."
Shehan Jeyarajah echoed that sentiment, declaring simply, "Clemson is back." He predicted that even with a season-opening loss to LSU, the Tigers would "romp undefeated through the rest of the schedule and ultimately reach at least the semis of the College Football Playoff."
The Lone Dissenter
While the panel was unanimous on Clemson's regular-season prowess, veteran reporter Brandon Marcello is predicting a fall in Charlotte. He is the lone panelist who believes the Tigers will lose the ACC Championship Game.
His pick to dethrone the Tigers? The Miami Hurricanes.
"Clemson finishes atop the conference standings, but loses to Miami in the ACC Championship Game," Marcello predicted. "Mario Cristobal quiets the naysayers and wins the title with the conference's most talented roster."
How Many Bids for the ACC?
The rest of the panel sees a clear gap between the Tigers and the rest of the league. Tom Fornelli predicted that Clemson and Miami will both make the 12-team playoff, but they'll be the "only two ACC teams to win more than eight games."
Even bolder, Richard Johnson went as far as to say the ACC could get a third team in, with Louisville potentially sneaking into the field alongside the Tigers and Hurricanes.
The message from the experts is clear: expect Clemson to be dominant. The only question is whether they can finish the job and fend off a talented Miami team with championship aspirations of its own.