ACC coaches and conference officials recognize the need to produce a national title contender -- enough of them have gone on the record saying so, including commissioner John Swofford.

They're right: one team has to eventually rise above the rest and represent the conference on college football's biggest stage in order for the ACC to get the national respect it so desperately craves.

But in the wake of the recent Big 12 shakeup, the ACC's honest-to-goodness depth shouldn't be taken for granted. Now that the dust has settled in the Big 12, college football fans can see the conference for what it is without Nebraska -- a two-team Big 12 South race between Oklahoma and Texas.

Is that really what fans want to see every year? A Florida State-Miami ACC championship game? How about Georgia Tech and Clemson? Virginia Tech and Florida State? UNC and NC State?

Yes, the ACC needs FSU and Miami to make their comebacks, but what makes the ACC race so entertaining and fun to watch is the fact that none of us have any idea who will wind up in Charlotte this year. Almost every fan base has hope right now and should be anticipating the season.

There has to be a happy medium between what the ACC and Big 12 have, and it's in the Big Ten -- a national title contender in Ohio State and enough other programs good enough to knock the Buckeyes off their perch.

The good news? The ACC is getting closer to finding that balance.

For now, four ranked preseason teams will keep the ACC race interesting.