Here's who will win 2022 ACC football championship — and Atlantic and Coastal divisions

Scott Keepfer, David Thompson, Todd Shanesy, Alexis Cubit and Carter Karels, Greenville News

August 30, 2022 at 8:00 PM·4 min read

Week 1 of the college football season is coming with a slate of ACC games scheduled for Saturday.

That will begin a three-month march toward the conference championship, with 14 league teams competing for Atlantic and Coastal division titles and a championship-game berth on Dec. 3 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

Here is how experts from the USA TODAY Sports Network see that race going, with predictions on the order of finish in each division, the ACC Championship, the CFP and the national championship.

Sammy Batten, Fayetteville Observer

Atlantic Division order of finish: 1. Clemson, 2. NC State, 3. Florida State, 4. Wake Forest, 5. Louisville, 6. Boston College, 7. Syracuse

Coastal Division order of finish: 1. Miami, 2. Pitt, 3. North Carolina 4. Virginia Tech, 5. Virginia, 6. Georgia Tech, 7. Duke

ACC champion: Even though it won 10 games, 2021 was an off year for Clemson, due in large part to issues on offense. But a small improvement there combined with a defense stocked full of future NFL players should put the Tigers back to their accustomed spot atop the ACC.

Playoff qualifiers: Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Southern Cal

National champion: The word out of Tuscaloosa is that Nick Saban may have his best team ever at Alabama. Now that's saying a mouthful, but the Crimson Tide has the talent and may be playing with a small chip on its shoulder after losing out to rival Georgia in last year's title game.

Carter Karels, Tallahassee Democrat

Atlantic Division order of finish: 1. Clemson, 2. NC State, 3. Louisville, 4. Florida State, 5. Wake Forest, 6. Boston College, 7. Syracuse

Coastal Division order of finish: 1. Miami, 2. Pitt, 3. Virginia, 4. North Carolina, 5. Virginia Tech, 6. Duke, 7. Georgia Tech

ACC champion: Clemson will be back on top again, even if DJ Uiagalelei is not the answer at quarterback. With one of the nation's best defenses, the Tigers will likely suffocate any offense they face in the ACC.

Playoff qualifiers: Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Utah.

National champion: Ohio State will feature the nation's best offense with quarterback CJ Stroud and his electric wide receivers. What will truly push the Buckeyes over the top, though, is their offseason hire of former Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.

Alexis Cubit, Louisville Courier Journal

Atlantic Division order of finish: 1. Clemson, 2. NC State, 3. Louisville, 4. Wake Forest, 5. Boston College, 6. Florida State, 7. Syracuse

Coastal Division order of finish: 1. Pitt, 2. Miami, 3. North Carolina, 4. Virginia, 5. Virginia Tech, 6. Georgia Tech, 7. Duke

ACC champion: Tradition favors Clemson to get back on track, but I think Pitt has enough returning defensively and a talented new quarterback in Kedon Slovis to repeat as conference champions.

Playoff qualifiers: Alabama, Notre Dame, Georgia, Ohio State

National champion: Alabama. Nick Saban's dynasty continues, and the Crimson Tide continue their streak of playoff appearances before winning a fourth CFP championship.

David Thompson, Fayetteville Observer

Atlantic Division order of finish: 1. Clemson, 2. NC State, 3. Wake Forest, 4. Louisville, 5. Boston College, 6. Florida State, 7. Syracuse

Coastal Division order of finish: 1. Miami, 2. Pitt, 3. North Carolina, 4. Virginia Tech, 5. Virginia, 6. Duke, 7. Georgia Tech

ACC champion: Coming off a disappointing campaign a year ago, the Tigers return to form and win the Atlantic Division and return to the ACC title game. There, they’ll defeat Miami to win the ACC championship for the seventh time in the last eight years.

Playoff qualifiers: Alabama, Utah, Georgia, Ohio State

National champion: Alabama. Coach Nick Saban wins his eighth national title and continues the Alabama dynasty that began 15 years ago when he arrived in Tuscaloosa.

Scott Keepfer, Greenville News

Atlantic Division order of finish: 1. Clemson, 2. NC State, 3. Wake Forest, 4. Florida State, 5. Louisville, 6. Boston College, 7. Syracuse

Coastal Division order of finish: 1. Miami, 2. Pitt, 3. North Carolina, 4. Virginia Tech, 5. Virginia, 6. Georgia Tech, 7. Duke

ACC champion: Clemson. Led by a stingy defense, the Tigers return to the top of the heap in a much-improved ACC, claiming the league title for the seventh time in eight years.

Playoff qualifiers: Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson

National champion: Alabama. Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young is back, as is the nation’s top defensive player in Will Anderson Jr. Enough said. The Crimson Tide rides that duo and a favorable schedule to Nick Saban’s record eighth national title.

Todd Shanesy, Greenville News

Atlantic Division order of finish: 1. Clemson, 2. NC State, 3. Louisville, 4. Wake Forest, 5. Florida State, 6. Boston College, 7. Syracuse

Coastal Division order of finish: 1. Miami, 2. Virginia, 3. North Carolina, 4. Virginia Tech, 5. Pitt, 6. Georgia Tech, 7. Duke

ACC champion: Clemson will have the most dominant defense in the country and the offense will be greatly improved for a team that won 10 games last season.

Playoff qualifiers: Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia

National champion: Alabama. It's difficult to imagine Alabama losing any games this season. The Tide will roll through the playoffs and quarterback Bryce Young will win the Heisman Trophy again.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football, Dabo Swinney picked to win ACC championship in 2022

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