ESPN College Football

2011 overall record: 9-4
2011 conference record: 5-3 (t-3rd)
Returning starters: Offense: 6; defense: 8; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners:
QB EJ Manuel, CB Greg Reid, LB Telvin Smith, DE Brandon Jenkins, DE Bjoern Werner, WR Rashad Greene

Key losses:
T Zebrie Sanders, WR Bert Reed, LB Nigel Bradham

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Devonta Freeman* (579 yards)
Passing: EJ Manuel* (2,666 yards)
Receiving: Rashad Greene* (596 yards)
Tackles: Nigel Bradham (86)
Sacks: Brandon Jenkins* (8)
Interceptions: Lamarcus Joyner* (4)

Spring answers

1. Erving steps in: The Seminoles have to replace both starting offensive tackles, but coach Jimbo Fisher believes he has found a future NFL starter in converted defensive tackle Cameron Erving. The 6-foot-5, 304-pound sophomore from Colquitt, Ga., has good feet and long arms. He stepped in at left tackle, and sophomore Bobby Hart and junior Bryan Stork are battling to start at right tackle entering preseason camp.

2. Deep receiving corps: With big-play wideouts such as Rashad Greene, Kenny Shaw and Christian Green coming back, the Seminoles were already loaded on the perimeter. Throw Willie Haulstead and redshirt freshman Kelvin Benjamin into the mix, and it might be the deepest receiving corps in the country. Haulstead missed all of last season with a concussion, and Benjamin was redshirted. Fisher said the pair might be his team’s best wideouts, which is saying a lot.

3. Defensive line is stocked: Defensive end Bjoern Woerner and tackles Timmy Jernigan and Jacobbi McDaniel missed the spring because of injuries, but their replacements showed FSU will be pretty deep in its defensive front. End Cornellius “Tank” Carradine and nose tackle Anthony McCloud had nice springs.

Fall questions

1. The running game: Florida State struggled to run the ball last season, finishing next-to-last in the ACC at 112.2 yards per game. Injuries were a big part of the problem. The Seminoles didn’t find many answers in the spring. Top returning rushers Devonta Freeman and Chris Thompson missed spring practice because of injuries, and promising sophomore James Wilder Jr. miss a big chunk after he was arrested for resisting arrest in February.

2. Punter: The Seminoles are really going to miss departed punter Shawn Powell, who averaged 47.1 yards per punt and helped FSU’s defense by putting opponents in bad field position. Freshman Cason Beatty, a former high school quarterback, enrolled in classes at FSU in January and participated in spring practice. He struggled with consistency, but FSU coaches like his strong leg and hang time.

3. Backup quarterback: Senior EJ Manuel needs to stay healthy for the Seminoles to reach their potential, but there are a couple good backups behind him. Clint Trickett has added weight and threw the ball well in the spring. He’s still battling redshirt freshman Jacob Coker for the No. 2 job. FSU will also hold its breath to see if highly regarded quarterback recruit Jameis Winston of Hueytown, Ala., enrolls in school or signs a professional baseball contract this summer.

Bubba Golf. Count me in as a fan.

• Former Miami and NFL star Warren Sapp has filed for bankruptcy.
• FSU's Greg Reid has big plans for his senior season, Coley Harvey writes in the Orlando Sentinel.
• Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson wants more from Jeff Greene, Ken Sugiura writes in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
• N.C. State's Mike Glennon is addressing the fundamentals, Andrew Carter writes in the Raleigh News & Observer.
• Virginia has no plans to redshirt David Watford, Mark Giannotto writes in the Washington Post.

Mark Schlabach talks to Florida State cornerback Greg Reid about the team's maturation last season and his goals for spring practice.

A lot can and will change for each ACC roster between now and the opening kickoff. There are position battles to be won and lost, unfortunately injuries almost always occur, and you never know how teams will adjust to offseason hires and new philosophies. Based on what we know now, though, here are my top picks for the best of the best in the ACC heading into 2012:

OFFENSE: Clemson. It was a record-setting first season for offensive coordinator Chad Morris. The Tigers finished second in the ACC and No. 24 in the country in scoring offense with 33.57 points per game last year. Yes, the offensive line must be rebuilt, and that will be the key to Clemson's offensive success, but with playmakers like quarterback Tajh Boyd, receiver Sammy Watkins and running back Andre Ellington all returning, you can't go wrong with this pick.

Runner-up: NC State. The Wolfpack returns four starters on the offensive line, quarterback Mike Glennon, and running back Mustafa Greene should be back from an injury.

DEFENSE: Florida State. This should really be a tie with Virginia Tech. Both return nine starters, both allowed Clemson to score at least 35 points, and both were ranked among the top 10 in the nation last year in scoring defense. The Seminoles, though, were No. 4 in the country in both scoring defense and total defense, and No. 2 against the run. What separates Florida State right now is the depth the staff is building on the defensive line. With the additions expected in the 2012 recruiting class, the Noles should have one of the deepest and most talented defensive lines in the country.

Runner-up: Virginia Tech. If Bud Foster worked that magic with last year's young group, what will he do with a more experienced bunch? The rest of the ACC should be concerned.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Florida State. Yes, the departure of punter Shawn Powell, the nation's top punter in 2011, will be a huge loss, but the Noles still have one of the country's top kickers in Dustin Hopkins, and there are plenty of athletes on the roster to highlight the return game. In 2011, the Noles were No. 1 in the ACC in kickoff returns, No. 4 in punt return average, No. 1 in kickoff coverage, and tied for No. 1 in field goals and PAT kicking. Hopkins led the ACC in scoring, and with the departures of Virginia Tech's Jayron Hosley and NC State's T.J. Graham, FSU's Greg Reid is the league's leading punt returner.

COACHING: Clemson. This isn't just about the head coach, it's about three guys -- the main man and both coordinators. And when you factor in Dabo Swinney's recent hire of Brent Venables, and last year's hire of Chad Morris, the Tigers should now have one of the better staffs in the country. Of course, it's up to Swinney to put it all together, but don't forget that he has already won two Atlantic Division titles and the school's first conference title since 1991.

Runner-up: Virginia Tech. Frank Beamer is the best coach in the ACC and the winningest active coach in the FBS. He's also got one of the best defensive coordinators in the country in Foster. But offensively, the Hokies continue to have some head-scratching games (East Carolina, Clemson I, Clemson II).

Florida State cornerback Xavier Rhodes, a two-year starter, will return for his junior season, according to a release from the school.

“I could have gone and been a second or third round (choice) or possibly first round, but that was a risk,” Rhodes said, according to the release. “Why take that risk when if I come back and have the kind of season I can, improve my stock and be a first-rounder?

“I talked to my family, including my grandmother [Maudrina Johnson] and they told me I should come back and get my school and improve stock,” he said.

Rhodes’ decision comes days after fellow draft-eligible Seminole defenders, defensive end Brandon Jenkins and cornerback Greg Reid, announced they would also be back for the 2012 season.

ORLANDO, Fla. — The fourth quarter begins with the Notre Dame holding a two-possession lead over Florida State, with the Seminoles offense finally putting together a nice drive.

FSU has gained 63 yards on nine plays and has reached the Irish 21, giving the offense as good a chance to get into the end zone as it has had all night.

Notre Dame, meanwhile, could not get anything going after a productive half-opening drive that ended with Michael Floyd's circus touchdown catch.

The Seminoles defense has been as good as advertised and is capable of making a game-changing play, something it might need to do if the offense cannot keep up this newfound burst of consistency. It will be without Xavier Rhodes and Greg Reid, however, who have suffered a leg injury and concussion, respectively. That is a big blow for the Seminoles' secondary, and you wonder if Notre Dame might take some chances downfield despite having the lead the next time it gets the ball.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Bowl season has found its best play of 2011.

Michael Floyd's 5-yard touchdown grab was anything but simple, as Tommy Rees' fade pass was underthrown and nearly picked off by Greg Reid. Floyd managed to pry it loose from Reid before engaging in a juggling act — all the while absorbing a hit from Nigel Bradham just as he secured the ball.

Touchdown, Irish.

Floyd's 100th catch of the season made it 14-0 Notre Dame, which is anything but your conventional two-score lead in a game that has lacked for offensive fire power.

The Seminoles appeared to be on the verge of closing the gap after Lamarcus Joyner's 77-yard kickoff return, but the offense followed with a three-and-out that was punctuated by a — you guessed it — sack of EJ Manuel, this time by Aaron Lynch for a loss of 15.

Dustin Hopkins kicked a 42-yard field goal to get FSU on the board and cut the lead to 14-3.

The Irish offense, meanwhile, went with both quarterbacks on its first drive of the half, putting Andrew Hendrix in at the 23 yard line. He carried it three times for 18 yards before Rees entered at first-and-goal from the 5, setting up the touchdown play.

George Atkinson deserves credit for setting the Irish up so well with a 37-yard kickoff return to open the half, as well as stopping Joyner from going all the way on the ensuing kickoff.

This has been one of the more entertaining games in the ACC today, as Virginia is giving Florida State everything it has, and playing like a contender for the ACC title. Florida State's offense always seems to get a spark when quarterback EJ Manuel plows his way through traffic for a big run, and it happened again on the Noles' scoring drive with a 20-yard gain.

Defensively, Florida State has gotten good pressure on quarterback Michael Rocco, and Brandon Jenkins has sacked him twice. The Hoos will have to do a better job of protecting Rocco in the second half, and can't afford any mental errors from the offensive line against such a tough FSU defense. Rocco has passed the ball well, and Virginia proved in the first half that it can move the ball on Florida State's stingy defense.

If Virginia is going to stay in the Coastal Division race, it has to win this game, but the Cavaliers don't look panicked and aren't playing uptight. They look confident, and have reason to be, but one area they need to continue to be wary of in the second half is Florida State's special teams. Field position, thanks in part to Greg Reid's return ability, and the kicking game are two of the Noles' biggest strengths. FSU proved last weekend against Miami that even if its offense isn't operating at max capacity, it can win games with special teams and defense. Virginia must continue to pass the ball well, but also has to find ways to get its running game going without turning it over in the second half.

Here are your top five performers for Week 11:

Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas: He played an outstanding game in the Hokies' 37-26 victory over Georgia Tech on Thursday night. Thomas threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more. He completed 7 of 13 passes for 209 yards and ran for another 70 yards. He also completed 75 percent of his third-down passes.

Florida State's special teams: Greg Reid scored on an 83-yard punt return, and Dustin Hopkins kicked three field goals to help lift the Noles over rival Miami, 23-19. Hopkins accounted for the only points in the third quarter with a 21-yard field goal, and his 38-yarder to start the fourth quarter put FSU up 23-7.

BC linebacker Luke Kuechly: He finished with 18 tackles in the 14-10 win over NC State, extending his streak of double-digit tackles to 32 consecutive games, the longest such streak in FBS. In the third quarter, Kuechly became the fifth player in ACC history to record 500 or more career tackles. He now has 509, fourth-best on the conference record list.

Clemson kicker Chandler Catanzaro: His game-winning, 43-yard field goal as time expired assured Clemson of a 31-28 win over Wake Forest and its second appearance in the ACC title game in three seasons. It was the first time since 2007 that Clemson had won on a last-second field goal. It was also the first time since 1948 -- when the stat started being tracked -- that Clemson won at home on a last-second field goal.

Virginia's offensive line: The Cavaliers have now gone three consecutive games without giving up a sack and the line paved the way for Kevin Parks and Perry Jones in the 31-21 win over Duke. It was the tenth game in a row that the offensive line has had the same five starters -- guards Austin Pasztor and Luke Bowanko, tackles Oday Aboushi and Morgan Moses and center Anthony Mihot . The last time the same five players started an entire season on the offensive line at UVa was 2004.

There's a reason neither of these teams are ranked.

Some telling stats from this game:

• Miami has had three turnovers.
• Florida State has had three first downs and two rushing yards.
• FSU has had the ball for just 9:37.

Florida State has finally run into some better competition, and once again, the Noles' defense has been its best attribute. Miami quarterback Jacory Harris was injured late in the first half and went to the locker room early, leaving the game in the hands of capable backup Stephen Morris. If there is an official update from Miami on Harris' status, I'll post it. Special teams has also played a role in this game, as Greg Reid returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown, and Dustin Hopkins missed a field goal. If FSU is going to hang onto this lead, the defense has continue to continue to pressure Miami into mistakes.

"Everybody hurts, sometimes, everybody cries, and everybody hurts sometimes ... you are not alone ..." - REM

• Injured Virginia Tech defensive end James Gayle thinks he's going to play on Saturday against BC. Injured cornerback Jayron Hosley isn't so sure.
• FSU cornerback Greg Reid spoke for the first time about his puzzling arrest.
• Miami offensive lineman Brandon Washington isn't happy his job is open for competition.
• Maryland's special teams? Not so special. C.J. Brown is no longer a secret for the Terps.
• Georgia Tech might just be a little bit tired from no bye week yet.
• Even if Clemson stays undefeated, the Tigers are a long shot for the national title.
• Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe doesn't want to redshirt everyone.
• Duke's defense gave up at least three too many big plays against FSU.
• Former UNC coach Butch Davis doesn't want to give up his personal cell phone records.
• Can Virginia break its trend of letdowns after big wins?

It's too bad one of the ACC's three undefeated teams has to lose this weekend.

• The charges against FSU cornerback Greg Reid have been dropped.
• Maryland coach Randy Edsall said the equal punishments he gave to his two receivers was fair.
• Virginia tailback Kevin Parks is expected to play against Idaho on Saturday, despite a nagging ankle injury.
• Here's a look at the commonwealth connection for ACC quarterbacks this year.
• One thing you don't want to do as a player: deviate from the scheme and "start making stuff up."
• Wake Forest was off to a 2-1 start last year, too. This year, they say, is different.
• The return of BC running back Montel Harris could inject some life into the Eagles' offense.
• Here's an odd perspective for you: ECU will be like a "home game" to a few Tar Heels.
• Virginia Tech defensive end James Gayle has a little history with Clemson QB Tajh Boyd.
• Georgia Tech B-backs/quarterbacks coach Brian Bohannon gave his take on the upcoming game against NC State.

Don't forget about the 1 p.m. chat today.

• The ACC needs to decide if it should expand to 16 teams, but that decision doesn't sound like it's coming soon.
• Is Clemson the No. 2 team in the ACC?
• The status and health of Virginia quarterback Michael Rocco is in question for the Idaho game.
• Miami running back Lamar Miller is expected to play this weekend, despite wearing a non-contact jersey this week.
• Injuries are one explanation for NC State's winless start against FBS opponents.
• UNC's best defense will once again be to keep its own offense on the field.
• It's not unreasonable to think Georgia Tech could start out 7-0.
• There are plenty of changes to Maryland's latest depth chart.
• Despite BC's first win of the season, the Eagles still have plenty of questions as better competition approaches.
• Greg Reid's attorney is "puzzled" by the two misdemeanor charges facing his client. I'm guessing he's not the only one.
• Juwan Thompson has given Duke's running game a boost.
• With the nonconference season behind them, the real tests begin for the Hokies.

Yes, we are going to talk about more than the Virginia Tech-Clemson game this week.

• FSU cornerback Greg Reid was arrested early this morning on two misdemeanor charges.
• Who was responsible for ACC expansion? David Teel dug it up for you.
• Virginia Tech is looking very thin at receiver for one of its biggest games of the season.
• You win some, you lose some, as Maryland gets two key receivers back but loses injured starting safety Matt Robinson.
• Two steps forward, two steps back for the ACC in Week 4.
• Andrew Jones gave the ACC an 'F' for its performance. Ouch.
• Maryland's loss to Temple? The ACC's worst loss to a non-AQ team since 2004.
• Miami didn't grade out all that well, either.
• As long as opponents are going to continue to play thin pass coverage against Georgia Tech, the Jackets are going to continue to strike big plays.
• Virginia's defense has allowed a few too many of those big plays this season.
• There are signs that Boston College might be able to build upon its Week 4 win.
• Duke knew exactly what was coming against Tulane.
• Clemson is no longer a secret.
• Is Clemson freshman Sammy Watkins the best player in the ACC?
• Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe has not ruled out the possibility of playing his Australian punter yet.

CLEMSON, S.C. - A few quick lineup changes for you:

For Florida State, freshman Nick O'Leary will start in place of senior Beau Reliford at tight end, noseguard Anthony McCloud got the start of Jacobbi McDaniel, and Mike Harris will start at corner instead of Greg Reid. I am told receivers Kenny Shaw and Bert Reed are still game-time decisions. I expect an announcement here in the press box shortly before kickoff. Both are out on the field right now, dressed and running practice routes.

Truth? It would be stunning to me if Shaw -- after the viscious double helmet-to-helmet hit he took last week from Oklahoma -- played in this game and starting quarterback EJ Manuel didn't, but hey, I'm not a doctor and FSU has already confirmed that backup quarterback Clint Trickett will start. Manuel didn't even warm up. His receivers at least look like they're ready.

For Clemson, Brandon Thomas will start at left guard instead of Mason Cloy, and running back Andre Ellington (hamstring) is cleared and back in the starting lineup.

As early as three hours before the game, traffic into Death Valley was slower than a crawl, and the tailgating scene was in full force long before then. There have been a few sightings of Florida State fans, but this is Clemson's home and the Garnet and Gold is hard to find. Most of the fans are still outside the stadium at this point, but the Hill is starting to fill up.

This is one of the toughest venues in the ACC. We'll find out soon enough if Trickett is ready for it.