Boston College (7-6, 4-4 in 2013)
Next game: vs. Massachusetts (at Foxborough, Mass.), 3 p.m. Saturday
Huddle up: Eight freshmen are on Boston College's offensive depth chart (four are expected to play) and eight on defense (up to six could play). … The Eagles visited Gillette Stadium to watch the New England Patriots' preseason win over the Carolina Panthers. … Florida transfer Tyler Murphy will start at QB. He was 2-4 as a starter for the Gators last year and can immediately play because he graduated.
Tweetable fact: Boston College won four of its five final regular-season games in 2013.
Clemson (11-2, 7-1)
Next game: at Georgia, 5:30 p.m. Saturday, ESPN
Huddle up: RB Zac Brooks will miss the season after tearing a ligament in his foot last week. D.J. Howard, who has 581 career rushing yards, likely will start at RB. Freshman Adam Choice (Thomas County Central) could see playing time. … OT Shaq Anthony, who made five starts and played in 17 games the past two years, has said he will transfer. … Clemson is in the preseason top 10 for the third time in six years.
Tweetable fact: Clemson has lost four games in the past two years – two to Florida State and two to South Carolina.
Duke (10-4, 6-2)
Next game: vs. Elon, 6 p.m. Saturday
Huddle up: Anthony Boone, who completed 64 percent of his attempts last year, returns after leading Duke to the ACC Championship game. Duke was 10-2 and 7-0 in the ACC with Boone at QB. … WR Jamison Crowder needs three catches to pass Jerricho Cotchery (200 career catches) and move into top 10 of the ACC's career reception leaders. Crowder has 198 receptions, with 108 coming last year, when he set the single-season record.
Tweetable fact: DB DeVon Edwards (Alcovy) scored twice on interception returns and twice on kickoff returns last year.
Florida State (14-0, 8-0)
Next game: vs. Oklahoma State (at Arlington, Texas), 8 p.m. Saturday, ABC
Huddle up: Jameis Winston has thrown a TD pass in 14 consecutive games, two shy of Chris Weinke's school record of 16 straight. … The Seminoles are playing in their first neutral-site season opener since 2002, when they defeated Iowa State in Kansas City, Mo. … The offensive line of Josue Matias (29), Tre' Jackson (Wayne County) (28), Cameron Erving (Colquitt County) (28), Bobby Hart (23) and Austin Barron (five) have combined for 113 starts. All five are seniors.
Tweetable fact: A victory will extend FSU's win streak to 17, matching the school record set in 1999-2000.
Louisville (12-1, 7-1 in American Athletic Conference)
Next game: vs. Miami, 8 p.m. Monday, ESPN
Huddle up: Will Gardner (Coffee County) will start at QB. He played in six games last year, going 8 of 12 for 112 yards and two TDs. … Coach Bobby Petrino said all of the WRs must contribute in the wake of the injury to DeVante Parker who is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with a broken foot. … Former UGA defensive coordinator Todd Grantham will coach from the press box and his brother Tony (inside LBs/special teams) will be on the field.
Tweetable fact: The Cardinals will wear black uniforms with chrome black helmets against Miami.
Miami (9-4, 5-3)
Next game: at Louisville, 8 p.m. Monday, ESPN
Huddle up: Freshman Brad Kaaya will start at QB, replacing Stephen Morris (NFL) and Ryan Williams (injured). He beat out senior Jake Heaps, who transferred from Kansas. … The Hurricanes are still upset from their 36-9 loss to Louisville in the Russell Athletic Bowl last December. "Honestly, I just remember them trying to run the score up — just disrespecting us pretty much," CB Corn Elder told the Miami Herald. … RB Duke Johnson has returned from an ankle injury that ended his season in a loss to FSU on Nov. 1.
Tweetable fact: Duke Johnson is averaging 6.5 yards a carry in his career.
North Carolina (7-6, 4-4)
Next game: vs. Liberty, 6 p.m. Saturday
Huddle up: Coach Larry Fedora likely will wait until Saturday to select Marquise Williams or Mitch Trubisky as the starting QB. Williams started the final six games last year. "… It just gives me pleasure," to not reveal his starting QB, Fedora said this week. … Whoever starts will look for WR Quinshad Davis, who scored 10 TDs on his 48 catches in 2013.
Tweetable fact: At No. 23, UNC is in the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since 2010.
North Carolina State (3-9, 0-8)
Next game: vs. Georgia Southern, 12:30 p.m. Saturday, WUPA
Huddle up: The Wolfpack aims to break an eight-game losing streak and was 0-8 in the ACC last year for the first time since 1959. … DE Art Norman (Chamblee) is No. 7 in school history with 17 career sacks, 8.5 from tying the school mark held by Mario Williams. … Florida transfer Jacoby Brissett will start for N.C. State and hasn't played since Nov. 17, 2012. He left Florida after his sophomore year and sat out last season.
Tweetable fact: N.C. State allowed 35 sacks in 2013, second most in the ACC.
Pittsburgh (7-6, 3-5)
Next game: vs. Delaware, noon Saturday
Huddle up: Pitt returns eight offensive starters, but will have a new starting QB in Chad Voytik, who played in three games behind Tom Savage last year. "I don't think (Voytik) feels like he's arrived or anything like that," coach Paul Chryst told the media. "That's what I like about it. He keeps working."… Pitt has 81 underclassmen – 53 freshmen and 28 sophomores – on its roster, the most in the FBS.
Tweetable fact: James Conner set a school bowl record with 229 yards rushing in a win over Bowling Green.
Syracuse (7-6, 4-4)
Next game: vs. Villanova, 7:30 p.m. Friday
Huddle up: Terrel Hunt, who has started 10 career games, will start at QB. … Syracuse is the most experienced team in the ACC and is 17th nationally, according to Phil Steele, but will play eight teams that went to bowls last year. … LB Cameron Lynch (Brookwood) will be one of the captains in the opener. … Syracuse was the only FBS team not to allow a 100-yard rusher last season.
Tweetable fact: Syracuse has 18 players who caught at least one pass in 2013, most in the FBS.
Virginia (2-10, 0-8)
Next game: vs. UCLA, noon Saturday, ESPN
Huddle up: QB Greyson Lambert (Wayne County) will make his first career start after playing in seven games as a freshman in 2013. He beat out David Watford, who started all 12 games last year. … No. 7 UCLA is favored by 21 points against Virginia, which lost its final nine games. … Virginia's four defensive backs have 112 career starts, most in the FBS. S Anthony Harris led the country with eight interceptions.
Tweetable fact: Virginia and UCLA both ended their seasons against Virginia Tech: A loss for Virginia and a Sun Bowl win for UCLA.
Virginia Tech (8-5, 5-3)
Next game: vs. William & Mary, 4 p.m. Saturday
Huddle up: Michael Brewer will start at QB after graduating from Texas Tech and transferring this summer. He played in nine games in 2012 and three last year. He beat out Mark Leal. … Coach Frank Beamer has 266 wins entering his 34th season and William & Mary coach Jimmye Laycock has 222 wins heading into his 35th season.
Tweetable fact: Virginia Tech has played in bowls in 21 consecutive years, one of six programs to accomplish that.
Wake Forest (4-8, 2-6)
Next game: at Louisiana-Monroe, 7 p.m. today, ESPNU
Huddle up: New coach Dave Clawson replaced Jim Grobe after leading Bowling Green to the 2013 MAC championship and taking the Falcons to bowls the past two years. He's also coached at Fordham and Richmond. … LB Brandon Chubb (Hillgrove) was second on the team with 89 tackles as a sophomore. … There are 74 freshmen or sophomores on the roster (70 percent), just behind Pittsburgh (78.6 percent) and Penn State (72.4 percent) for the youngest FBS rosters.
Tweetable fact: Dual-purpose freshman QB John Wolford beat out Tyler Cameron and Kevin Sousa for the starting job.
