Its probably true to some degree that the ACC has improved, but I also think that FSU and UM have clearly regressed in the last 3-4 years. FSU's slide into mediocrity has been slower than Miami's, but as it stands right now they are both at about the level of South Carolina.
Thing is, South Carolina is on the way up. FSU and UM are going the wrong way.
see i'm more in line wht this...i am one to think that the ACC has brought FSU and Miami down, rather than the opposite.
there are really on 4 schools in the ACC right now where Footbal is TRULY important:
FSU, Miami, Va Tech and Clemson. And only one of those schools is one of the original conf. members.
the rest of the league...UNC, Duke, UVA, MD, NCSU...has always been more of a bball league and despite moderate success in football by each in the last 20 years, they've had no success in maintaining it...which is why FSU dominated that league for so long. Enter Miami, BC, Va Tech and you basically forced fed a football menatility in to a conf. that didn't really want/need it from a fan support standpoint.
Wake and GT are great stories for the ACC, but after this year, one has to ask, what is the identity of the ACC from a football standpoint?
I think it's changing somewhat...programs like NCSU and MD have made comittements to improve their football programs. UNC has just take a large step forward. And as those things are happening, one has to wonder, can Miami, with their facilities the way they are and coaching situation, rebound to be the elite team we all remember, and can/will FSU be able to get over the Bowden hump? cause they aren't going to force him out....you don't fire a guy that has his staue in front of the stadium.
to me, i think FSU and Miami will still be competitive, but i don't see either one coming back to the elite status they're used to. I think Va Tech is in the best position to take control of the conf, with teams like UNC, NCSU, MD, GT, Clemson being the meat of the conf.
one last point...for so long all the programs have used the Miami and FSU game as a barometer of where they are as a program....with those two obviously down, who do you now measure yourself against in the ACC? Wake? GT? Clemson? VT?
in the SEC...you get 5-6 chances a year to measure your program....between TN, ARK, UF, Auburn, LSU, etc....you get a new baramoter each week.
who in the ACC is the standard bearer now??????