FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES
Last season: 10-3 (7-1)
Last bowl: Lost 16-14 to Miami in 2003 Orange.
Coach: Bobby Bowden, 269-67-4 in 29 years; 342-99-4 overall in 38 years.
Returning starters: 9 offense, 4 defense.
Lettermen: Returning 53, lost 18.
Offensive star: Senior QB Chris Rix completed 57 percent of his passes for 3,107 yards and 23 TDs as a junior
Defensive star: Senior FS B.J. Ward made 78 tackles last season and has blocked 7 field goals in his career.
Stadium: Doak Campbell, grass, 82,300.
Schedule:
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S6: at Miami O23: at Wake Forest
S18: UAB O30: at Maryland
S25: Clemson N6: Duke
O2: North Carolina N11: at N.C. State
O9: at Syracuse N20: vs. Florida
O16: Virginia
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MARYLAND TERRAPINS
Last season: 10-3 (6-2)
Last bowl: Won 41-7 vs. West Virginia in 2003 Gator.
Coach: Ralph Friedgen, 31-8 in 4th year.
Returning starters: 5 offense, 4 defense.
Lettermen: Returning 39, lost 25.
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Offensive star: Senior guard C.J. Brooks allowed just 1 sack as a junior and has made 38 starts in his career.
Defensive star: Senior CB Domonique Foxworth had 3 interceptions and 6 pass breakups last year.
Stadium: Byrd, grass, 48,055.
Schedule:
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S4: Northern Illinois O23 at Clemson
S11: Temple O30: Florida State
S18: at West Virginia N6: at Virginia
S25: at Duke N18: at Virginia Tech
O9: Georgia Tech N27: Wake Forest
O16: N.C. State
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CLEMSON TIGERS
Last season: 9-4 (5-3)
Last bowl: Won 27-14 vs. Tennessee in 2003 Peach.
Coach: Tommy Bowden, 38-24 in 6th year; 56-28 overall in 8 years.
Returning starters: 7 offense, 7 defense.
Lettermen: Returning 57, lost 20.
Offensive star: Junior QB Charlie Whitehurst threw for 3,561 yards last year, becoming just the second sophomore in ACC history to eclipse the 5,000-yard mark.
Defensive star: Senior LB Leroy Hill (27 tackles for loss, 8 sacks) is ACC’s top returning tackler.
Stadium: Clemson Memorial, grass, 81,473.
Schedule:
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S4: Wake Forest O23: Maryland
S11: Georgia Tech O30: North Carolina St
S18: at Texas A&M N6: at Miami
S25: at Florida State N13: at Duke
O7: at Virginia N20: South Carolina
O16: Utah State
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N.C. STATE WOLFPACK
Last season: 8-5 (4-4)
Last bowl: Won 56-26 vs. Kansas in 2003 Tangerine.
Coach: Chuck Amato, 34-17 in 5th year.
Returning starters: 8 offense, 9 defense.
Lettermen: Returning 41, lost 18.
Offensive star: Junior back T.A. McLendon scored 11 TDs, 9 rushing, in just 6 games due to injury.
Defensive star: Senior DB Andre Maddox had team-best 145 tackles and was 1st-team All-ACC last year.
Stadium: Carter-Finley, grass, 53,800.
Schedule:
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S4: Richmond O23: Miami
S18: Ohio State O30: at Clemson
S25: at Virginia Tech N6: Georgia Tech
O2: Wake Forest N11: Florida State
O9: at North Carolina N27: East Carolina-*
O16: at Maryland
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*-at Charlotte
VIRGINIA CAVALIERS
Last season: 8-5 (4-4)
Last bowl: Won 23-16 vs. Pittsburgh in 2003 Continental Tire.
Coach: Al Groh, 22-17, 4th year; 48-57 overall in 9 years.
Returning starters: 8 offense, 8 defense.
Lettermen: Returning 39, lost 16.
Offensive star: Junior TE Heath Miller led the nation in receptions by a tight end (70 for 835 yards, 6 TDs).
Defensive star: Sophomore LB Ahmad Brooks led the team and all ACC freshmen with 117 tackles to go with 3 1/2 sacks and 6 pass breakups.
Stadium: Scott, grass, 61,500.
Schedule:
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S4: at Temple O23: at Duke
S11: North Carolina N6: Maryland
S18: Akron N13: Miami
S25: Sycamore N20: at Georgia Tech
O7: Clemson N27: at Virginia Tech
O16: at Florida State
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GEORGIA TECH BULLDOGS
Last season: 7-6 (4-4)
Last bowl: Won 52-10 vs. Tulsa in 2003 Humanitarian.
Coach: Chan Gailey, 14-12 in 3rd year; 24-11 in Division I-AA.
Returning starters: 7 offense, 7 defense.
Lettermen: Returning 43, lost 18.
Offensive star: Junior back T.J. Daniels rushed for 1,447 yards and 10 TDs in ’03.
Defensive star: Junior DE Eric Henderson had 11 sacks and 13 tackles for loss.
Stadium: Bobby Dodd, grass, 55,000.
Schedule:
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S4: Samford O28: Virginia Tech
S11: at Clemson N6: at N.C. State
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S18: at North Carolina N13: Connecticut
O2: Miami N20: Virginia
O9: at Maryland N27: at Georgia
O16: at Duke
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WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS
Last season: 5-7 (3-5)
Last bowl: Won 38-17 vs. Oregon in 2002 Seattle Bowl.
Coach: Jim Grobe, 18-18 in 4th year; 51-51 overall in 9 years.
Returning starters: 6 offense, 8 defense.
Lettermen: Returning 43, lost 21.
Offensive star: Junior RB Chris Barclay ran for 1,192 yards and an ACC-best 12 rushing TDs.
Defensive star: Senior CB Eric King recorded 3 INTs and 15 pass breakups as a junior.
Stadium: Groves, grass, 31,500.
Schedule:
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S4: at Clemson O23: Florida State
S11: at East Carolina O30: vs. Duke
S18: N.C. A&T N13: North Carolina
S25: Boston College N20: at Miami
O2: at N.C. State N27: at Maryland
O9: Virginia Tech
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DUKE BLUE DEVILS
Last season: 4-8 (2-6)
Last bowl: Lost 34-20 to Wisconsin in 1994 Hall of Fame.
Coach: Ted Roof, 2-3 in 2nd year.
Returning starters: 5 offense, 8 defense.
Lettermen: Returning 40, lost 21.
Offensive star: Senior WR/RS Senterrio Landrum had 971 all-purpose yards and averaged 28.4 yards on kickoff returns.
Defensive star: Senior DE Phillip Alexander had 18 1/2 tackles for loss and 6 1/2 sacks.
Stadium: Wallace Wade, grass, 33,941.
Schedule:
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S4: at Navy O23: Virginia
S11: at Connecticut O30: at Wake Forest
S18: at Virginia Tech N6: at Florida St.
S25: Maryland N13: Clemson
O2: The Citadel N20: North Carolina
O16: at Georgia Tech
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NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS
Last season: 2-10 (1-7)
Last bowl: Won 16-10 over Auburn in 2001 Peach.
Coach: John Bunting, 13-24 in 4th year; 38-14-2 in Division III.
Returning starters: 8 offense, 7 defense
Lettermen: Returning 51, lost 23.
Offensive star: Senior QB Darian Durant ranks 1st in school history in passing yards and TD passes.
Defensive star: Sophomore LB Larry Edwards made 8 starts and collected 88 tackles.
Stadium: Kenan Memorial, grass, 60,000.
Schedule:
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S4: William & Mary O16: at Utah
S11: at Virginia O30: Miami
S18: Georgia Tech N6: Virginia Tech
S25: Louisville N13: at Wake Forest
O2: at Florida State N20: at Duke
O9: N.C. State
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MIAMI HURRICANES
Last season: 11-2 (6-1 in Big East)
Last bowl: Won 16-14 vs. Florida St. in 2003 Orange.
Coach: Larry Coker, 35-3 in 4th year.
Returning starters: 6 offense, 4 defense.
Lettermen: Returning 46, lost 23.
Offensive star: Highly touted junior RB Frank Gore rushed for 468 yards and 4 TDs in 5 starts in 2003 before ACL tear.
Defensive star: Senior CB Antrel Rolle was 1st all-Big East and recorded 51 tackles.
Stadium: Orange Bowl, grass, 72,319.
Schedule:
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S6: Florida State O30: at North Carolina
S18: Louisiana Tech N6: Clemson
S23: at Houston N13: at Virginia
O2: at Georgia Tech N20: Wake Forest
O14: Louisville D4: Virginia Tech
O23: at N.C. State
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VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES
Last season: 8-5 (4-3 in Big East)
Last bowl: Lost 52-49 to California in 2003 Insight.
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Coach: Frank Beamer, 125-74-2 in 18th year; 42-23-2 in Division I-AA.
Returning starters: 5 offense, 5 defense.
Lettermen: Returning 41, lost 16.
Offensive star: Junior T Jimmy Martin had 24 knockdowns last year has started 25 games as a Hokie.
Defensive star: Junior FS Jimmy Williams is team’s leading returning tackler with 114 stops last season.
Stadium: Lane, grass, 65,115.
Schedule:
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A28: Southern Cal-* O28: at Georgia Tech
S11: Western Michigan N6: at North Carolina
S18: Duke N18: Maryland
S25: N.C. State N27: Virginia
O9: West Virginia D4: at Miami
O16: at Wake Forest *–at Landover, Md.
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