Last week, the Seahawk previewed the college football season as whole. This week, we focus on the local ACC conference and its favorites.

Boston College

The Boston College Eagles are coming off one of the worst seasons in program history, in which they went 2-10 with only one win in ACC play. The Eagles fired their head coach Frank Spaziani after the rough season and hired Steve Addazio, former head coach at Temple University. The Eagles return talented senior quarterback Chase Rettig, who passed for over 3,000 yards last season, and his favorite target, senior Alex Amidon, but will they be enough to get BC back to its first bowl game since 2010? Although Addazio’s arrival has brought new energy to the program, major concerns with the offensive line and a difficult schedule of games including USC, Florida State and Clemson, could mean another long season for the Eagles.

Clemson

The Clemson Tigers are coming off their first back-to-back seasons with at least 10 wins since 1989-90. They finished off last season with a huge 25-24 win over #8 LSU in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. All-ACC quarterback Tajh Boyd and 2011 AP All-American receiver Sammy Watkins return to lead what was one of the most explosive offenses in the nation last season. The Tigers lost All-ACC running back Andre Ellington to the NFL, but senior Roderick McDowell is a talented back with plenty of game experience that is capable of taking on the starting role. Defensively, the Tigers are looking to continue improving in their second year under defensive coordinator Brent Venerables, with a plethora of experience and talent in their front seven. The Tiger’s schedule is highlighted by three big games against nationally ranked opponents. They start the season at home against Georgia, play host to Atlantic division rival Florida State on Oct. 19, and end the season on the road at South Carolina. If the Tigers can handle their difficult schedule, don’t be surprised to find them in the ACC Championship game, and maybe even the BCS title game as well…

Duke

Last season the Blue Devils took a major step forward and became bowl eligible for the first time since 1994. They are returning plenty of players from last year’s squad that lost a close game to Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl, but they did lose second team All-ACC receiver Conner Vernon and veteran quarterback Sean Renfree, who passed for over 3,000 yards last season. Junior Anthony Boone will take over the starting quarterback role after passing for 531 yards and five touchdowns last season. They will be looking to improve their rushing attack which ranked 98th in the country last year, as they return their top four leading rushers from last season, which will give them plenty of depth as a unit. The Blue Devils’ biggest concern this season will be improving their defense, which ranked 105th in the nation last season. With a manageable schedule that doesn’t include Clemson or Florida State, Duke has a good chance to win at least six games and get back to another bowl.

Florida State

Last season the Florida State Seminoles won their first ACC championship since 2005. They also defeated Northern Illinois in the Orange Bowl to claim their first BCS bowl game win since 1999, when they defeated Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl to win the National Title. The Seminoles had 11 players from last season’s squad taken in the NFL draft, but they are confident in the talent they have to reload at key positions. The most notable new starter is redshirt freshman quarterback Jameis Winston, the top high school quarterback prospect in the country two seasons ago. At 6 feet 4 inches tall and 227 pounds, Winston has already drawn comparisons to Cam Newton before he has taken a college snap. As always, expectations are high in Tallahassee. The question is: can Winston carry the Seminoles back to another ACC Championship?

Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech comes in to the 2013 season riding the wave of momentum that carried them to a berth in the ACC Championship game last season and a Sun Bowl win over USC. The Yellow Jackets are replacing their former starting quarterback Tevin Washington with sophomore Vad Lee, who showed lots of promise with four passing and nine rushing touchdowns last season. On the other side of the ball, the Yellow Jackets ranked only 65th in the nation in scoring defense last season. If they can show improvement on defense, expect to see Georgia Tech competing for the Coastal Division title.

Maryland

The 2013 season will be the Maryland Terrapins’ last in the ACC, as they get ready to depart to the Big Ten next season. The biggest storyline for Maryland last year was their quarterback play, or lack thereof. They lost four quarterbacks to season-ending injuries and had to turn to freshman linebacker Shawn Petty to run the offense. This season, the Terrapins will have senior quarterback C.J. Brown back and healthy to run the offense with several talented weapons surrounding him like sophomore receiver Stefon Diggs and sophomore running back Brandon Ross. Last season, Maryland ranked 21st nationally in total defense. If the Terrapins can maintain their defensive consistency and take advantage of their offensive weapons, they are capable of winning at least six games and playing in a bowl in their final season in the ACC.

Miami

Many people believe that this can be the year that “The U” finally makes a run at the Coastal Division and its first appearance in the ACC Championship. The Hurricanes tied for first in the Coastal Division last season, but with potential NCAA sanctions looming over the program they decided to impose a postseason ban for the second straight year. But this year, the air is clear, and the Hurricanes will be led by senior quarterback Stephen Morris and sophomore sensation running back Duke Johnson, last season’s ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year. The biggest challenge Miami will face this season is improving their defense, which ranked 116th in total yards last season. The Hurricanes’ offense will be explosive, but the defense will have to step up for Miami to be successful with a schedule that features games with Florida at home, at North Carolina and at Florida State.

North Carolina

Last season, the Tar Heels tied for first place in the Coastal Division with Miami and Georgia Tech, and would have played in the ACC Championship game had it not been for NCAA sanctions banning them from postseason play. The Tar Heels lost arguably their best player in running back Giovani Bernard, who left for the NFL after his sophomore season. Luckily for North Carolina, they return veteran quarterback Bryn Renner, who has passed for over 3,000 yards the past two seasons. The keys to the Tar Heels’ success will be finding a solid running game without Giovani Bernard and finding defensive playmakers to replace defensive tackle Sylvester Williams and linebacker Kevin Reddick. With a very manageable ACC schedule that is missing Florida State and Clemson, North Carolina has the pieces to compete for the Coastal Division title.

NC State

The Dave Doeren era has officially begun at NC State. The Wolfpack entered last season with high expectations, but after a record of 7-6, Tom O’Brien was fired and Doeren took over. There will be a lot of transition for the Wolfpack in Raleigh this year, as they have to replace nearly their entire secondary and offensive line, and find a starter at quarterback after seeing Mike Glennon off to the NFL. Luckily for the Wolfpack, they return their two leading rushers from last year, Shadrach Thornton and Tony Creecy, as well as talented receivers Quintin Payton and Bryan Underwood. While Florida State and Clemson are the clear favorites in the Atlantic Division, keep an eye out for NC State to pull another upset like they did last year against #3 Florida State in Raleigh.

Pittsburgh

The 2013 season will be Pitt’s first in the ACC, after being a member of the Big East for 20 years. The defense returns seven starters to a unit that ranked 17th in the country in total yards. The Panthers will replace departed quarterback Tino Sunseri with senior Tom Savage, after transferring from Rutgers to Arizona, and now to Pitt. The Panthers will also have to replace their two leading rushers last season. Pittsburgh’s first year in the ACC won’t be easy, as they will have to play in the Coastal Division, which is very balanced, top-to-bottom. If the Panthers can survive a challenging schedule and reach a bowl with games against Florida State, Notre Dame and Miami, it will be a successful first year for them in the ACC.

Syracuse

The Syracuse Orange are the other newcomers in the ACC this season, as they’re coming off an 8-5 season with a win over West Virginia in the Pinstripe Bowl. Their head coach Doug Marrone was hired as head coach of the Buffalo Bills and defensive coordinator Scott Shafer will take over. The Orange sent their quarterback Ryan Nassib to the NFL and will replace him with Oklahoma transfer Drew Allen. They will return 1,000-yard rusher Jerome Smith but will have to replace Alec Lemon, the school’s all-time leader in receptions. Defensively the Orange should be strong, as they ranked 6th in the country last season in tackles for loss. By playing in the top-heavy Atlantic division, coupled with a tough nonconference schedule playing games against Penn State and at Northwestern, the Orange should consider it a great first year in the ACC if they can make it to a bowl.

Virginia

The Cavaliers are coming off a disappointing 4-8 season in 2012 as they head into Mike London’s fourth season as head coach. With quarterback Michael Rocco transferring and quarterback Phillip Sims being dismissed from the team, the Cavalier’s biggest question this season will be at quarterback. Redshirt sophomore David Watford appears to be the favorite to win the starting job. Virginia should be solid defensively, as they are returning seven starters to a unit that ranked 28th nationally in total yards. The Cavaliers will need to find playmakers to surround their quarterback with if they hope to return to a bowl game. Their toughest games will be games against BYU, Oregon, and Clemson, all at home.

Virginia Tech

The Virginia Tech Hokies had their worst season since 1997 last year, going 7-6 and finishing fourth in the Coastal Division. Also, last season snapped an 8-year streak of winning at least 10 games. Quarterback Logan Thomas returns for his senior season and is looking to improve his accuracy after completing just 51.3 percent of his passes last year and throwing 16 interceptions. The Hokie’s defense will be as stout as ever, returning nine starters to a unit that is as consistent as any in the country, led by coordinator Bud Foster. With a favorable schedule that only features one team in the AP Preseason Top 25 in #1 Alabama, the Hokies should be competing for the Coastal Division title.

Wake Forest

The Demon Deacons had their share of difficulties last season, finishing with a 5-7 record and placing 4th in the Atlantic Division. They will be returning 17 starters this season, most notably senior quarterback Tanner Price and senior wide receiver Michael Campanaro, who leads active ACC players with 163 career receptions. The Demon Deacons’ defense will be loaded with experienced players, and should be one of the best defenses that Jim Grobe has had in his 12 years as head coach. Under Coach Grobe, Wake Forest has previously been able to find a way to make it to a bowl under challenging circumstances, and the Deacons will have a good shot at doing so again this year.