Who are the ACC’s top three teams, in order, as it stands now entering the 2023 season?

ESPN analyst Sam Acho was asked that question this week during a segment on the network’s College Football Live show.

“It’s Clemson, then Florida State, then Miami,” said Acho, a former University of Texas and longtime NFL linebacker.

As for why Acho sees the Tigers as the top dog in the conference ahead of the upcoming campaign, he pointed to Clemson’s QB1 who is entering his first full season as the program’s starter.

“Clemson, number one, returning Cade Klubnik as the starter,” Acho said. “This dude was one of the most decorated high school, Texas quarterbacks in history. Won numerous state titles. Very, very rarely lost. But it’s about his leadership attributes. That’s what you hear from the guys in his locker room.”

Acho views FSU as the second-best team in the ACC behind Clemson and says that after the Tigers and Seminoles, there’s a large gap between them and Miami, which heads into its second season under head coach Mario Cristobal.

“(FSU QB) Jordan Travis, he’s ascending. His play got so much better as the year went on last year,” Acho said. “And then Miami, the reason I have them last is that under Cristobal, it took them a while last year, I don’t really think they even found their rhythm, and so that’s why they’re last in that group. So I think Clemson and Florida State are the first two. Miami’s still way far behind.”

Clemson will host Florida State on Sept. 23 at Death Valley before traveling to Miami a month later on Oct. 21.

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