ACC Football: 5 incredibly early bold predictions for the 2023 season

ACC football fans only have to wait a few months before their favorite teams are back in action.

Although it may get overlooked by some of the other leagues, we could be in for a thrilling year when it comes to ACC football.

This has everything to do with Clemson still being a preeminent power in the conference, as well as the likes of Florida State, North Carolina and potentially Miami being on the rise. Not every team will have the year it was hoping for, but we have seen the ACC put forth some incredibly solid teams at the top-end of its league. As for the cellar dwellers, well, let’s just not talk about them…

Here are five way-too-early bold predictions that are absolutely coming true in the ACC this year.

ACC football: 5 way-too-early bold predictions for the 2023 college season

5. Miami fans are going to wonder if Mario Cristobal was an answered prayer

Miami Hurricanes fans aren’t going to like this, but it’s not going to be about U, or The U, this season. I thought Mario Cristobal’s first season back in Coral Gables was rather concerning. However, I am willing to understand how hard of a job it might be to turn this thing around. Unfortunately, this is probably going to be a situation where it will not pop until year three.

This is all about Cristobal being able to recruit at a level we became accustomed to at Oregon. He may have had Phil Knight money on his side in Eugene, but Miami has never been a place that has blown away recruits with its resources. While that could be changing, it is all about having the best players in South Florida staying home to play their college football, just like Cristobal did years ago.

I expect that Miami will go bowling this year, but the Canes will only be a middle-of-the-pack team in the ACC this season. That’s not the end of the world, but I would get how some fans would be losing patience. Some jobs are harder than others. Oregon has been largely self-sustaining since the Mike Bellotti years, while The U hasn’t been The U since Greg Olsen was there. Be patient, y’all.

There is no reason to run Cristobal out of town yet, but year three will be make-or-break for him.