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Rumors, rumors and more rumors ...

• ACC commish John Swofford said talk of the Big 12 and any ACC schools are just rumors. I believe him.
• TCU's AD has since tried to clarify his comments.
• Virginia Tech AD Jim Weaver doesn't see change happening in the leauge anytime soon.
• Nor does Georgia Tech AD Dan Radakovich.
• What's going to happen with all of this? Don't be afraid to say, "I don't know."
• Gregg Doyel says Florida State will be the death of the ACC.
• One of the top prospects in the state of Maryland chose Georgia Tech over the Terps.
• Several Duke football players had a life-changing experience in Ethiopia.
• Former UNC running back Mike Voight, the second-leading rusher in North Carolina history and a two-time ACC Player of the Year, has died.

Out with the old, in with the new. The ACC has lost a lot of talent from 2011, including arguably the best player in the conference in former Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly. There are still a lot of names for fans to be excited about, though, as we get closer to summer camp. Which players in the conference will emerge as the best? Well, based on past performances and their bubbling potential, here’s the first guess. As part of “College Football Live’s” 100 Days Till Kickoff countdown, here’s a look at the top 10 players in the ACC:

1. Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson: He broke all of the ACC’s single-season pass receiving records, finishing the 2011 season with 82 catches for 1,219 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was one of the most exciting, explosive players in the country as a true freshman. Watkins averaged 25 yards on 33 kickoff returns, including an 89-yard touchdown against Maryland.

2. David Amerson, CB, NC State: He led the FBS with 13 interceptions -- six more than any other player. It was the most in the FBS since 1968 and tied as the second-best total in FBS history. He broke the ACC’s single-season interception record in the upset of No. 7-ranked Clemson. He also broke the school’s 73-year-old single-season interception record of nine.

3. Giovani Bernard, RB, UNC: He was the leading freshman rusher in the nation. His total of 1,253 rushing yards was the third best by a freshman in ACC history. He also had 13 touchdowns on 239 carries, and was third in the ACC with 96.4 rushing yards per game. He had 45 catches for 362 yards and a touchdown.

4. Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech: Thomas set a school record for rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback with 11, and he broke the school's single-season total offense record set by Tyrod Taylor in 2010. His 234 completions, 391 attempts and 3,013 yards passing all rank second in school history for a single season.

5. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson: He completed 298 of 499 pass attempts for 3,828 yards, 33 touchdowns and 12 interceptions over 14 starts. He completed 59.7 percent of his passes and had a 141.2 pass efficiency rating. He also had 218 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. He had 4,046 total yards and was responsible for a school-record 38 touchdowns.

6. Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech: Fuller played at nickel back/whip linebacker and corner. He had an interception in the Sugar Bowl against Michigan, and eight tackles against Clemson in the ACC title game. He finished 2011 with 14.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He also had two interceptions, nine passes defended, five quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble.

7. Joe Vellano, DT, Maryland: Vellano led the FBS in tackles by a defensive lineman with 7.8 per game. He finished third on the team with 94 tackles, had 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. His jaw-dropping 20 tackles against Georgia Tech was unforgettable.

8. Brandon Jenkins, DE, Florida State: He was second in the ACC with eight sacks for a loss of 62 yards, and had 12 tackles for a loss of 79 yards. He finished with 41 tackles, one pass breakup and five quarterback hurries. He was the team defensive MVP of the nation’s No. 4-ranked defense, and he was still disruptive despite facing double teams throughout the entire season.

9. Bruce Taylor, LB, Virginia Tech: He only played in eight games in 2011 before a season-ending injury, but Taylor still had 53 tackles, seven TFLs and five sacks. He led Tech in tackles in 2010 with 91 and in TFLs (15.5) and was second in quarterback sacks (6.0). He also had four pass breakups and eight quarterback hurries.

10. Rashad Greene, WR, Florida State: Despite missing four games with injuries, Greene led FSU in receiving with 38 catches, 596 receiving yards, and seven touchdown catches as a true freshman. He averaged 15.7 yards a catch and 14.7 yards on three runs from scrimmage.

One question facing the Tar Heels is where they will find their motivation this summer and fall without a postseason to look forward to.

Well, right here, of course.

They’ll find it in the fans who encourage them, those who doubt them, and they’ll find it in the coaching staff that urges them to make every snap count. NCAA sanctions have prohibited North Carolina from postseason competition, but the folks in Indianapolis can’t take away UNC’s desire to win. If first-year coach Larry Fedora and his assistants can get the players to learn, execute and buy into their system quickly, North Carolina can be a serious spoiler in the ACC race this year. (Can you imagine the frustration of being knocked out of the title game by a team that can’t even play for it?)

Bryn Renner is an underrated quarterback who threw for over 3,000 yards and had 26 touchdowns and played with a bone spur in his ankle last season. He’s got an outstanding offensive line to work with and one of the country’s top rushers in Giovani Bernard. Fedora has inherited enough talent to win quickly.

Aside from learning the new Xs and Os, though, this is yet another group of players at UNC that must overcome adversity and change. If they’re not playing for a trip to Charlotte or a bowl game, what ARE they playing for? Plenty.

1. The future. Fedora will lay the foundation this season for what he wants to build in Chapel Hill. This season will reveal to Fedora which players never quit. It will show him what his players can handle and what adjustments need to be made for next season. Any success this year will only help in recruiting, and the program has shown more than capable of luring in NFL talent. Speaking of NFL talent …

2. The NFL. Every Saturday is an audition for Sunday (and we all know the NFL and its agents are familiar with Chapel Hill). If any of these guys want to get to the next level (and do it the right way), they’ve got to use every opportunity they have to showcase their abilities.

3. Pride. Hey, there’s always the NC State game, right? You think these guys are gonna roll over for anybody just because their season ends in November? Behind all of the hoopla in college football is an inherent love for the sport, the reason these guys began to play in the first place. If the Tar Heels have forgotten that aspect of the game, they shouldn’t be in it.

The Tar Heels can’t be a factor in the postseason, but they can still be a factor in this year’s ACC race.

Welcome back to the ACC’s ultimate road trip. In case you’re just joining us, this series is your ticket to each of the best games in the ACC every week. These are the games that -- if you had the money and the time -- you would want to be at this fall. The season is still a long ways off, but here in the blogosphere, we’re already into Week 2:

Schedule:

Saturday, September 8

• Maine at Boston College
• Ball State at Clemson
• Duke at Stanford
• Savannah State at Florida State
• Presbyterian at Georgia Tech
• Maryland at Temple
• Miami at Kansas State
• North Carolina at Wake Forest
• NC State at Connecticut
• Penn State at Virginia
• Austin Peay at Virginia Tech

My choice: North Carolina at Wake Forest

Why: The nonconference lineup is a dud? I’m not into Pacific time? We've already seen Maryland lose to Temple? Ok, ok, there’s good reason to have interest in this game. Really. This is the first conference game for both schools, and it’s the first meaningful game for the Tar Heels under first-year coach Larry Fedora (yes, games can still mean something, even without a postseason). It will be interesting to see the changes that have been made to UNC’s playbook on both offense and defense. The passing games for both teams should flourish, as Tanner Price will be in his third season as starter, and UNC’s Bryn Renner will be featured in Fedora’s new scheme. Wake Forest lost this game last year, but it didn’t play with any urgency. This is a good early test for both teams, and it will provide some early clues about whether or not the Deacs can be a contender again and if the Tar Heels have adapted to Fedora.

More in this series:

• Week 1

Now that spring practices are over, it’s time to re-evaluate the ACC pecking order for 2012. There wasn’t much change at the top from the pre-spring power rankings, but Georgia Tech did get a slight bump, along with two teams on Tobacco Road. Here’s a look at the latest ACC power rankings:

1. Florida State: The Noles’ defensive line should be one of the deepest and best in the conference, if not the country, and they’ve got an outstanding quarterback in EJ Manuel. If the young offensive line can mature quickly and the running game improves from 2011, there’s no reason the Seminoles shouldn’t be contending for the ACC title.

2. Clemson: The Tigers could open the season without star receiver Sammy Watkins, who is awaiting his punishment after he was arrested on misdemeanor drug charges, but as long as he’s in the lineup and the offensive line is playing well, Clemson has enough talent to defend its 2011 ACC title.

3. Virginia Tech: It’s hard to forget how the Hokies fared against Clemson in two meetings last season, but they enter this season with the better defense. The question is how quickly the revamped offensive line can come together, and who will emerge as the next star running back.

4. NC State: This team is quietly preparing a championship-caliber roster. Quarterback Mike Glennon is still under the radar, and he’s got an experienced offensive line to work with. This is a team that could surprise some people.

5. Georgia Tech: The Jackets had a promising spring, but the defensive line has to replace two of three starters, and last season’s atrocious special teams still have a lot to prove. One thing is for sure: These guys will be able to run the ball on just about anyone.

6. Wake Forest: Much like the rest of its division, Wake Forest’s success will hinge in part on how quickly the new starters on the offensive line come together. The Demon Deacons have an experienced and much-improved quarterback in Tanner Price, and last year they made a statement that they’re not to be overlooked in the ACC race.

7. North Carolina: The two biggest questions for the Tar Heels are how quickly they can adapt to and execute a new system under first-year coach Larry Fedora, and where they will find their motivation now that the NCAA has banned them from the postseason. This spring revealed a positive outlook for the new offense, which should give quarterback Bryn Renner a chance to shine.

8. Virginia: The ACC’s 2011 Coach of the Year has quickly raised expectations, but they should be tempered because seven starters have to be replaced on defense. Michael Rocco is the undisputed starting quarterback -- unless Alabama transfer Phillip Sims has something to say about it.

9. Miami: With Stephen Morris out this spring with a back injury, quarterback transfer Ryan Williams had a chance to impress the coaches. The position is one of many questions still looming for the Canes, a young team still waiting for closure from an NCAA investigation.

10. Maryland: The Terps had a good spring and were able to move forward with players who wanted to be there. It was a positive vibe, but coach Randy Edsall is still tangled in the shadow of last year’s two-win season. He’ll have to improve upon it without the services of former quarterback Danny O’Brien.

11. Boston College: Several offseason staff changes were embraced this spring, and quarterback Chase Rettig made strides under yet another offensive coordinator, Doug Martin. The Eagles have to find a way to win without two of their most valuable players in running back Montel Harris, who was dismissed from the team, and linebacker Luke Kuechly, who left early for the NFL.

12. Duke: The Blue Devils had a good spring and are still buying into the philosophies of coach David Cutcliffe. They’ve been on the verge of making the postseason before, but fans are looking for them to finally break through in Year 5 under Cutcliffe. Quarterback Sean Renfree can get them there if they minimize the turnovers and play better defense.

The ACC has announced game times and TV networks for all home games for the league in its first three weeks of the season, as well as for all of its 2012 Thursday night games on ESPN and all of national television games confirmed to date.

The 2012 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game, which will be played Dec. 1 in Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., will be nationally televised by either ABC, with an 8 p.m. kickoff, or ESPN at 7:45 p.m.

This year's Chick-fil-A Kickoff will feature both NC State and Clemson. NC State faces Tennessee on Friday, Aug.31, in a 7:30 p.m. game which will be nationally televised by ESPNU. Clemson will play Auburn on Saturday, Sept. 1, in a 7 p.m. contest that will be nationally televised by ESPN.

The ACC's full schedule for the first three weeks is as follows:

Here's a look at those who made names for themselves, those who fine-tuned some strengths and those who burst onto the scene this spring in the ACC.

WR DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson: Hopkins had seven catches for 120 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers' spring game, including five for 100 in the first quarter. Coach Dabo Swinney called him the team's spring MVP, and he and Sammy Watkins could form the top receiver tandem in the nation.

RB Rolandan Finch, Boston College: Finch will have to carry a bigger load with Montel Harris off the team, and he stepped up in the spring game when the three men ahead of him were all banged-up, rushing for 196 yards on 27 carries. He will likely battle with Andre Williams for the top spot this fall, though both figure to see plenty of time.

LT Cameron Erving, FSU: The converted defensive tackle impressed this spring, as the sophomore is one of two new tackles the Seminoles are breaking in on the offensive line, a unit that may just be the deciding factor on whether FSU can return to the national elite this season. Coach Jimbo Fisher has called the 6-foot-5, 304-pound sophomore a future NFL starter.

QB Ryan Williams, Miami: Coach Al Golden said this week that Stephen Morris has been medically cleared, and he will likely enter a full-on quarterback competition with Williams, the Memphis transfer who saw most of the action this spring and played well, despite a sub-par spring game.

TE Jake McGee, Virginia: The converted quarterback caught two passes for 81 yards and figures to be a reliable target this fall after a subpar performance for the Cavaliers' tight ends last season.

CB Demetrious Nicholson, Virginia: Coach Mike London named him the team's most distinguished freshman this spring, but he will have to grow up fast. After playing almost every snap last fall, he is the veteran of the Cavaliers' secondary in 2012.

DT Luther Maddy, Virginia Tech: Maddy was named the Hokies' defensive MVP of this spring. The rising sophomore has said he has adjusted to the speed of the game after a freshman year that featured seven starts, and he figures to be a key on a line that will anchor Virginia Tech's defense this season.

Earlier this morning we looked at who in the Atlantic Division has the most to prove. The Coastal Division is up next:

1. Duke coach David Cutcliffe. It’s time for Cutcliffe to prove his program is still heading in the right direction, and the most obvious way for him to do that is to lead the Blue Devils to a bowl game. Cutcliffe will be entering his fifth season in Durham, and while he’s been painfully close to a breakthrough winning season -- losing eight games over the past two years by seven or fewer points -- he will ultimately be judged by the win column.

2. North Carolina. The Tar Heels have to prove they can run Larry Fedora’s new offense. They have to prove they can run defensive coordinator Vic Koenning’s new 4-2-5 scheme. But most of all, they have to prove that once again, they can overcome change and the NCAA. There is no bowl game to play for this year. They’ll have to prove they can find their own motivation.

3. Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Al Groh. It will be the third season in Groh’s 3-4 scheme, and Georgia Tech fans are looking for more improvement from the group. That could be tough to come by, considering the Jackets have to replace two starters up front.

4. Miami quarterback Stephen Morris. We learned this spring that Memphis transfer Ryan Williams can and will challenge Morris. With Morris sidelined this spring with a back injury, Williams had his chance to shine -- much like Morris has had his opportunities at the expense of former starter Jacory Harris. It’s up to Morris to reassert himself as the leader of the offense.

5. Virginia Tech’s offensive line. Yes, all of the hype is around who will be the next great running back after the early departure of David Wilson, but they’ll all be going nowhere fast if the guys up front don’t get it together. The good news for the Hokies is that this group had a good spring. The key now is to build upon that in summer camp.

6. Virginia’s secondary. This group has to replace three starters from a year ago and more than 90 combined career starts. The Hoos will depend on young players this year, and Demetrious Nicholson, who has 13 starts, is now the veteran of the group.

This just in: Florida State will be in attendance at today's ACC spring meetings in Amelia Island, Fla. The Noles are still a part of the ACC. Jimbo Fisher has been spotted at the posh Ritz-Carlton resort, and he didn't appear to be running toward the Big 12 -- at least not yet.

Thanks, Jimbo, for keeping the expansion talk alive.

Not that today's meetings needed any help. Representatives from Pitt and Syracuse are also in attendance, and Pitt has sued the Big East to leave early and join in 2013.

It's a Monday in May, but there will plenty on the coaches' agenda to talk about at this year's spring meetings. Here are three hot-button issues to keep an eye on:

1. The BCS and current bowl structure. This should be one of the more time-consuming topics on the agenda, as the league aims to find out where the ACC and its coaches stand on the future structure of college football. BCS executive director Bill Hancock will be there.

2. The NCAA. Julie Roe Lach, the NCAA's vice president of enforcement, and Kevin Lennon, the NCAA's vice president of academic and membership affairs, will be there to meet with all groups about enforcement in general and some of the legislation dealing with APR requirements for the postseason. Will the vote on North Carolina come up?

3. Expansion. As mentioned above, Pitt and Syracuse coaches will be there to start their orientation with the league so they are prepared to join when the time comes. Fisher's recent comments about the Big 12 have already made things interesting.

Odds n' ends. As usual, the coaches will also talk about officiating, with a specific focus on any rule changes, and they'll watch film on flagrant hits, etc. The coaches will also meet with ESPN and Raycom executives.

My colleague Andrea Adelson will be there to get the news, so check back for any updates.

Who doesn't love lists or rankings?

And, to take that one step further, who doesn't love lists that include 124 people?

Steve Greenberg and Matt Hayes over at The Sporting News took the unenviable task of rankings every single FBS coach, Nos. 1-124. It should come as no surprise that Alabama's Nick Saban topped all coaches after winning two of the past three national titles.

Frank Beamer tops the ACC contingent, and is the only coach from the conference cracking the top-10, as Virginia Tech's leader is ranked ninth.

The average ranking of the 12 ACC coaches was 45.6, fourth-best among conferences.

Here's how they stacked up:

9. Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
19. Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech
27. Dabo Swinney, Clemson
31. Jim Grobe, Wake Forest
34. Al Golden, Miami
38. Jimbo Fisher, FSU
45. Mike London, Virginia
49. Tom O'Brien, NC State
53. Larry Fedora, UNC
65. Randy Edsall, Maryland
67. David Cutcliffe, Duke
110. Frank Spaziani, BC

The Sports Business Journal compiled a list of spring game attendance this year for every school in the big-six conferences.

Florida State had the largest spring game attendance of any ACC school, with 40,631. Just a guess here, but I'm thinking the large turnout was because everyone wanted to see the illustrious coaching debuts of Mark Schlabach and Ivan Maisel. Take a bow, colleagues.

The Seminoles' spring game attendance was ninth in the nation. Here's how the rest of the ACC fared. (Figures were not available for Duke.)

• FSU (40,631)
• Clemson (28,000)
• NC State (24,797)
• Georgia Tech (18,125)
• UNC (17,000)
• Miami (10,000)
• Virginia (8,500)
• Wake Forest (5,500)
• Virginia Tech (4,000 ... game ended up being called because of weather)
• Maryland (1,000)
• BC (200)

Another Game 7 for the Rangers? Gotta love playoff hockey.

• Mel Kiper talks about his first 2013 Big Board with Chris Sprow.
• Colleague Ted Miller looks at the recent debate in NYC on whether college football should be banned.
• The Raleigh News & Observer's Luke DeCock says that UNC coach Larry Fedora is at rest only briefly.
• The Palm Beach Post's Dave George says the Dolphins will try to get the most out of former Miami running back Lamar Miller's speed.
• The Baltimore Sun's Matt Bracken catches up with former Maryland walk-on Austin Walker.

North Carolina men's basketball coach Roy Williams said through a spokesperson that he is not concerned that basketball players made up 3 percent of the students enrolled in suspect classes within a department the school investigated for academic fraud, our Robbi Pickeral reports.

Should UNC's football program be worried? Tar Heels football players represented 36 percent of the enrollment in the 54 courses within the Department of African and Afro-American Studies between summer 2007 and summer 2011.

From Dan Kane of the Raleigh News & Observer, which first reported the story on Tuesday:

University officials say they found no evidence that the suspect classes were part of a plan between [Julius] Nyang’oro [the department’s chairman, who was listed as the professor of 45 of the suspect classes] and the athletic department to create classes that student-athletes could pass so they could maintain their eligibility. They said student-athletes were treated no differently in the classes than students who were not athletes.

But the high percentages of student-athletes in the classes suggest to some that academic advisers, tutors and others in the athletic department may have guided them to the classes.

"These kids are putting in enormous amounts of time, and in at least some of the sports that are very physically demanding, they are missing a number of classes because of conflicts, and then if they are a marginal student to begin with, you’ve got to send them to Professor Nyang’oro’s class," said former state Supreme Court Justice Robert Orr. "I think the academic counselors realized that and the tutors recognized it, and frankly the folks up the food chain for the most part recognized it. But nobody wants to rock the boat, because it’s big money."

A key, Pickeral notes, could be that both athletes and non-athletes appear to have been affected, something the NCAA would likely consider. The fact that there is no evidence of athletes receiving preferential treatment has to make football coach Larry Fedora and company sleep better at night, though this is still more uneasy news for a school nearly two months removed from NCAA sanctions that came following a football saga that must have seemed like it would never end.

The ACC came up one vote short last month of fining North Carolina $100,00 for the football program's NCAA violations, colleague Ivan Maisel reports.

The league's Infractions and Penalties Committee issued a public reprimand of the school April 20.

The vote of 7-4 in favor of the fine (North Carolina did not vote) fell one vote shy of the two-thirds majority needed to approve the penalty, according to two sources within the league. However, the failed vote indicates that a significant majority of North Carolina's fellow members took a dimmer view of the school's behavior than the issuing of a reprimand would indicate.

The Tar Heels were hit March 13 with three years' probation, a one-year postseason ban and a reduction of 15 scholarships over the next three years for findings of impermissible benefits and playing ineligible players, in addition to other violations.

The reprimand handed out by the ACC was the first additional penalty the conference had given in a probation case since 1990, when it forced Maryland to repay television revenue for men's basketball games after the NCAA banned the Terrapins from television.

We've gone over mock drafts, position rankings, draft boards and all the other stuff out there that's fun to predict this far away from the next NFL draft. Today, Mel Kiper does all of that. And, he is very high on Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas.

Kiper ranks Thomas as the No. 4 overall prospect on his 25-man Big Board. NC State's David Amerson (No. 8) and Florida State's Xavier Rhodes (No. 20) are the other ACC players on the board.

Virginia's Oday Aboushi just missed the cut.

Kiper also ranks the top-5 players at each position, this time breaking it down by senior and junior classes. The ACC contingent:

SENIORS
Mike Glennon (NC State), No. 4 QB
Andre Ellington (Clemson), No. 4 RB
Marcus Davis (Virginia Tech), No. 3 WR
Aboushi, No. 2 OT
Jonathan Cooper (UNC), No. 1 OG
Omoregie Uzzi (Georgia Tech), No. 5 OG
Brandon Jenkins (FSU), No. 4 DE
Kevin Reddick (UNC), No. 2 ILB
Ray-Ray Armstrong (Miami), No. 5 S
Dustin Hopkins (FSU), No. 5 K

JUNIORS
Thomas, No. 1 QB
James Hurst (UNC), No. 4 OT
Andrew Miller (Virginia Tech), No. 5 C
Christian Jones (FSU), No. 4 OLB
Amerson, No. 1 CB
Rhodes, No. 2 CB
Chandler Catanzaro (Clemson), No. 5 K
Dalton Botts (Miami), No. 2 P