Virginia Tech, Florida State favorites in ACC

The Atlantic Coast Conference's reputation has taken plenty of hits since it expanded to 12 teams. The league certainly has plenty of chances this year to shut those critics up.

A conference best known for its basketball can prove it belongs among college football's big boys with a few victories in a lineup of early intersectional games that could go a long way toward reshaping its battered perception.

They'll have several chances to prove that, all in the first month of the season: North Carolina opens with LSU, and two nights later, Virginia Tech plays Boise State. Miami visits Ohio State. Virginia travels to Southern California. Clemson is at Auburn. Florida State takes on Oklahoma.

A capsule look at teams in predicted order of finish:

Coastal Division

VIRGINIA TECH - Key players: QB Tyrod Taylor, RB Ryan Williams, WRs Danny Coale and Jarrett Boykin, DT John Graves. Returning starters: 8 offense, 5 defense.

Notes: Virginia Tech and Texas the only teams with at least 10 wins in each of last six seasons.

NORTH CAROLINA - Key players: QB T.J. Yates, DL Marvin Austin, LBs Quan Sturdivant and Bruce Carter, S Deunta Williams. Returning starters: 10 offense, 9 defense.

Notes: Tar Heels have an ACC-best 21 returning starters, including both specialists.

MIAMI - Key players: QB Jacory Harris, WR Leonard Hankerson, DE Allen Bailey, CB Brandon Harris. Returning starters: 6 offense, 8 defense.

Notes: Hurricanes hope to regain RB Graig Cooper, coming off a major knee injury from Champs Sports Bowl loss to Wisconsin.

GEORGIA TECH - Key players: QB Josh Nesbitt, RBs Anthony Allen and Roddy Jones, LB Brad Jefferson. Returning starters: 6 offense, 8 defense.

Notes: Defending ACC champs are looking for replacements for their leading rusher (Jonathan Dwyer) and receiver (Demaryius Thomas). ... Nesbitt is 692 yards shy of Woody Dantzler's league record for yards rushing by a quarterback.

DUKE - Key players: WRs Donovan Varner and Conner Vernon, CB Chris Rwabukamba. Returning starters: 9 offense, 6 defense.

Notes: Three returning Blue Devils had at least 50 receptions last year, giving new QB Sean Renfree several options as he gets comfortable replacing four-year starter Thad Lewis.

VIRGINIA - Key players: QB Marc Verica, WR Kris Burd, DB Ras-I Dowling. Returning starters: 6 offense, 6 defense.

Notes: New coach Mike London served two stints as an assistant coach in Charlottesville.

Atlantic Division

FLORIDA STATE - Key players: QB Christian Ponder, OG Rodney Hudson, LB Nigel Bradham. Returning starters: 10 offense, 6 defense.

Notes: New coach Jimbo Fisher looking to lead Seminoles to NCAA-best 29th straight bowl appearance. ... Ponder averaged nearly 322 total yards in his nine starts last season.

BOSTON COLLEGE - Key players: RB Montel Harris, LBs Mark Herzlich and Luke Kuechly. Returning starters: 8 offense, 7 defense.

Notes: Harris is on pace to break Derrick Knight's school career rushing record this season. He's 1,368 yards shy of the mark of 3,725 and has averaged nearly 1,200 in his first two seasons at BC. ... Herzlich, the ACC's defensive player of the year in 2008, returns after missing last season to fight a rare form of cancer.

CLEMSON - Key players: QB Kyle Parker, RBs Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper, DT Jarvis Jenkins. Returning starters: 7 offense, 6 defense.

Notes: Ellington and Harper have one of college football's toughest jobs: replacing do-everything threat C.J. Spiller, the 2009 ACC offensive player of the year. ... It helps that the Tigers return four offensive line starters.

N.C. STATE - Key players: QB Russell Wilson, WRs Jarvis Williams and Owen Spencer, LB Nate Irving. Returning starters: 7 offense, 5 defense.

Notes: Wolfpack have two of the league's top receivers, with Spencer averaging a FBS-best 25.5 yards per catch and Williams leading the ACC with 11 touchdown receptions. ... The Rockies also drafted Wilson, who spent the summer playing minor-league ball.

WAKE FOREST - Key players: RB Josh Adams, WR Marshall Williams, CB Kenny Okoro. Returning starters: 6 offense, 7 defense.

Notes: Demon Deacons hope they've found a replacement for four-year starter Riley Skinner in Skylar Jones, who is considered more of a running threat. ... Five of Wake Forest's seven losses were by a combined 13 points, while two wins came by a touchdown or less.

MARYLAND - Key players: WR Torrey Smith, RB Da'Rel Scott, LB Alex Wujciak. Returning starters: 7 offense, 5 defense.

Notes: Scott looking to regain his form after finishing with just 425 yards rushing during an injury-plagued junior season. ... Terps' one ACC victory in 2009 was their fewest since they were 1-7 in the league in 1998.