ACC football power rankings, Week 1: Florida State starts on top
Syracuse Orange 0-0
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Syracuse had a pretty disappointing 2016 campaign, as the team finished out the year with a 4-8 record. However, with head coach Dino Babers now having a year under his belt, things could change for the Orange heading into 2017.
Unfortunately for the Orange, they always get caught in a dominant Atlantic division with teams like Florida State and Clemson to consistently worry about, so Syracuse won’t be making any appearances towards the top of the division with those two powerhouses to worry about all year. They’re still getting accustomed to things under Babers, but they need a lot more than just coaching to get things done this year.
Duke Blue Devils 0-0
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The Duke Blue Devils are one of the rare occurrences in the ACC where they have a quarterback returning to the team under in Daniel Jones, and that may help them gain some ground to bounce back from a horrible year in 2016.
Last season, the Blue Devils went just 4-8, and they could have the chance to return to the success they had in the previous years before the rough patch in 2016. However, injuries derailed their season last year, and they’ll need to prove they have some depth to work with throughout 2017 if they have any hope of succeeding.