GAMES TO WATCH
Best regional games
Aug. 30
Clemson vs. Alabama; Appalachian State at LSU. Georgia Dome opener matches ACC favorite Clemson with traditional power.
Appalachian State visits Baton Rouge to try to duplicate 2007 Michigan shocker.
Sept. 6
Miami at Florida; West Virginia at East Carolina. Heisman winner Tim Tebow tests Hurricanes in in-state rivalry. Heisman contender Pat White brings Fiesta Bowl champ to Greenville.
Sept. 13
Georgia at South Carolina. Rascally Georgia nemesis Steve Spurrier would like nothing better than derailing Bulldogs' national title hopes.
Sept. 20
East Carolina at N.C. State; Wake Forest at Florida State.
Pirates visit Raleigh, where they won in 2006 in Chuck Amato's final game. Wake Forest crushed Florida State 30-0 in 2006 when the teams last met in Tallahassee.
Sept. 27
North Carolina at Miami; Virginia Tech at Nebraska. North Carolina coach Butch Davis returns to former home for a key divisional game. Hokies will be first-year coach Bo Pelini's first BCS conference foe as he attempts to fix Bill Callahan's mistakes at Nebraska.
Oct. 4
Boston College at N.C. State; Florida State at Miami. Coach Tom O'Brien gets his first visit from his former team. Florida State-Miami has lost luster but still has gobs of tradition.
Oct. 11
Notre Dame at North Carolina. If the Irish struggle like last season, this could be a marquee victory that would build momentum for North Carolina's program.
Oct. 18
Virginia Tech at Boston College. Rematch of last year's ACC championship game would be more interesting if Matt Ryan still was quarterbacking the Eagles.
Oct. 25
Wake Forest at Miami. Who woulda thought? Miami will be playing in Dolphin Stadium, and the Deacons likely will be favored over the 'Canes.
Nov. 1
Duke at Wake Forest. Duke coach David Cutcliffe has his first meeting with a Wake Forest team that could be a model for the Blue Devils' rebuilding plan.
Nov. 8
Clemson at Florida State; N.C. State at Duke. Atlantic Division title could be decided in the Bowden Bowl. Wolfpack meets Duke for the first time since 2003.
Nov. 15
South Carolina at Florida; Wake Forest at N.C. State.
Spurrier steps into hostile territory in the Swamp. The Deacons have won three in a row over N.C. State.
Nov. 22
N.C. State at North Carolina. Second-year coaches Tom O'Brien and Butch Davis always will be measured against each other.
O'Brien holds a 1-0 edge head to head in N.C.
Nov. 29
Florida at Florida State; South Carolina at Clemson. This could be Bobby Bowden's last regular-season game. Tommy Bowden can improve to 8-2 against the Gamecocks.
Dec. 6
ACC championship game. Conference officials hope move to Tampa revives interest after three years of attendance declines in Jacksonville, Fla.
Five Thursday games
Aug. 28
N.C. State at South Carolina. Tom O'Brien's second season opens against a Steve Spurrier-coached team that lost five in a row to end 2007.
Sept. 11
North Carolina at Rutgers. Tar Heels visit New York area on Sept. 11 anniversary against a Rutgers team whose resurgence began with a tight win to open the 2006 season in Chapel Hill.
Oct. 9
Clemson at Wake Forest. Can Clemson's speed reign in this meeting of Atlantic Division favorites? Or will Jim Grobe outcoach Tommy Bowden again?
Oct. 16
Florida State at N.C. State. ESPN's Thursday night crew returns to Raleigh. So does Florida State assistant Chuck Amato.
Nov. 13
Virginia Tech at Miami. Hokies have lived up to their billing as a post-expansion, Coastal Division power. Hurricanes have been an ACC flop.
COMINGS AND GOINGS
Welcome …
1. David Cutcliffe. First-year coach was a solid hire for Duke. He was successful as a head coach at Mississippi and touts his ties to the Mannings in recruiting.
2. Tampa. New ACC championship host site tries to improve an event that couldn't gain traction in Jacksonville, Fla.
3. Mike Glennon. Standout freshman could be N.C. State's quarterback of the future but seems unlikely to start this season.
4. Congressional Bowl. New bowl scheduled Dec. 20 in Washington, D.C., will get the No. 9 selection from the ACC if the conference gets nine teams bowl eligible.
5. Ellis Johnson. New South Carolina defensive coordinator once worked under Tommy West at Clemson and was head coach at The Citadel.
We'll miss …
1. Chris Johnson. Speedy East Carolina running back, the No. 24 overall pick by the Tennessee Titans, was fun to watch against ACC teams as well as Conference USA's suspect defenses and coverage teams.
2. Orange Bowl. Miami has a more luxurious setting at Dolphin Stadium but won't ever duplicate the intimidating atmosphere it once had in big games at the Orange Bowl.
3. Kentwan Balmer. Chatty North Carolina defensive tackle parlayed improved effort under Butch Davis into a No. 29 overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers.
4. Hokie WRs. Eddie Royal, Josh Morgan and Justin Harper all were
2007 seniors who were selected in the draft and elevated Virginia Tech's passing game.
5. Chris Long. With sheer willpower, NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long's son elevated Virginia into a Coastal Division contender from his defensive end spot.
Good riddance …
1. “Matty Ice”: Former quarterback Matt Ryan was a great leader who made Boston College a division champ. Problem was, broadcasters incessantly shouted his annoying nickname as if they were his best friend. (Alas, we have another year of “Psycho T” during basketball season).
2. Roof's regime. Can't say “good riddance” to former Duke coach Ted Roof; he's too nice a guy. But his 3-33 record in ACC games was dreadful.
3. Wake Forest press box. The new digs in Deacon Towers should be a huge upgrade over the cramped space that had become too small for this high-tech era.
The right moves?
1. Eric Norwood. South Carolina moved him from defensive end to weak-side linebacker after he made a school-record 19.5 tackles for loss last season.
2. Robbie Leonard. Penciled in as a starter at strong side linebacker at N.C. State at 205 pounds after playing strong safety last season.
3. Johnny White. North Carolina's rushing leader from 2008 is at cornerback after Greg Little emerged late at tailback late in the 2007 season.
Shoes to fill …
1. Devon Moore. Junior running back becomes starter at Appalachian State after departure of all-time leading rusher Kevin Richardson (4,804 career yards, 66 TDs).
2. Trey Bailey. Wake Forest center is a fourth-year junior replacing first-team All-American and Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner Steve Justice.
3. Everett Withers. New North Carolina defensive coordinator takes over after Chuck Pagano led a significant turnaround last season.
4. Jonathan Dwyer. Georgia Tech running back steps in for first-team All-ACC selection Tashard Choice with a great opportunity in first-year coach Paul Johnson's run-oriented offense.
5. Jay Wooten. Redshirt freshman has most high-profile role on North Carolina's revamped special teams after the loss of career field goal leader Connor Barth.
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