ACC Football

The Clemson Tigers are heavy favorites to win a sixth consecutive ACC championship. 

Per a preseason poll from ACC media members, the Tigers received 132 out of a possible 134 votes to win the conference in 2020. Notre Dame came in second and received the remaining two first-place votes.

Clemson's status as the favorite in the ACC is hardly a surprise. The Tigers were ranked No. 1 in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll and Associated Press Top 25. 

Notre Dame football remains an independent, but the program will serve as a member of the ACC this season in order to play a fall schedule. 

The Tigers are the only ACC team ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll. Notre Dame checks in at No. 11, with North Carolina (No. 17) the only other ranked team in the conference. 

Despite losing seven players from last year's team to the NFL Draft, including Isaiah Simmons, A.J. Terrell and Tee Higgins, the Tigers roster remains loaded with talent. They are returning quarterback Trevor Lawrence, running back Travis Etienne and defensive tackle Tyler Davis. 

USA Today's Scott Keepfer noted after Clemson's loss to LSU in the College Football Playoff Championship Game that 80 out of the 120 players on the Tigers' roster were either freshmen or sophomores.

Per 247Sports, Clemson had the nation's third-ranked recruiting class in 2020 with 17 players rated at least 4-star prospects. 

The Tigers have won six ACC championships since 2011, including five straight overall. Florida State was the last team outside of Clemson to win a conference title when it had a run of three straight from 2012-14. 

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney leads the No. 1 team in the country in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll and has no interest in the College Football Playoff adjusting its schedule to accommodate the No. 2 team.

"We're ready to roll," Swinney said while adding he does not think the CFP should wait for delayed starts from the Big Ten and Pac-12, per David M. Hale of ESPN. "That would be something I wouldn't be in favor for. It'd be hard to start in November and then push the season into February."

A CFP without the Big Ten and Pac-12, which postponed their seasons amid the COVID-19 pandemic, would likely have the biggest impact on Ohio State. The Buckeyes are No. 2 in the country and return a number of players, including quarterback Justin Fields, to one of the only teams with enough talent on paper to potentially challenge Swinney's Tigers.

Clemson notably defeated Ohio State in last season's CFP semis, but it easily could have gone the other way. The Buckeyes blew a 16-0 lead, and the Tigers benefited from a controversial call that took a touchdown off the board.

However, Ohio State is not the only potential contender from the Big Ten and Pac-12 who would not have a chance to compete for a championship if the CFP does not accommodate a potential later start to the season.

Penn State (No. 7), Oregon (No. 9), Wisconsin (No. 12), Michigan (No. 16), USC (No. 17), Minnesota (No. 19), Utah (No. 22) and Iowa (No. 24) are all in the Top 25 with talented squads.

While there are no set start dates for the Big Ten or Pac-12, President Donald Trump tweeted on Tuesday he "Had a very productive conversation with Kevin Warren, Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, about immediately starting up Big Ten football. Would be good (great!) for everyone—Players, Fans, Country. On the one yard line!"

Hale noted the Pac-12 announced a new COVID-19 testing partnership Thursday, which Commissioner Larry Scott said could facilitate a start sooner than Jan. 1.

However, Hale also pointed out playoff chairman Bill Hancock said there has not been any conversation about holding playoff games in the spring.

That is surely music to the ears of Swinney.

Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney is taking a 10 percent pay cut for 2020 as part of the school's furlough program as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The university announced the news Monday, noting "President [Jim] Clements and all athletics employees making more than $400,000 annually have voluntarily taken at least a 10 percent reduction in compensation."

Grace Raynor of The Athletic confirmed Swinney is among those taking a cut despite the fact his $8.25 million annual salary only features $245,000 from the school.

Though other school employees will be required to take furlough days, the football staff are "contract workers" and will take the salary reductions instead, per Raynor.

According to Anna Hickey of 247Sports, the Tigers have 10 other coaches on the football staff making over $400,000 per year.

Defensive coordinator Brent Venables makes a reported $2.2 million per year and was the second-highest-paid assistant in college football last season. Offensive coordinator Tony Elliott reportedly makes $1.6 miillion.

They will help lead a team that has high expectations in 2020, ranked No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press poll.

The Clemson furlough policy goes into effect on Sept. 1 and runs through the end of 2020.

Wake Forest wide receiver Sage Surratt announced Wednesday that he is opting out of the 2020 college football season to focus on preparing for the 2021 NFL draft:

While the Big Ten and Pac-12 have both postponed their 2020 fall sports seasons because of the coronavirus pandemic, the ACC, SEC and Big 12 are still planning to play college football in the fall.

Despite the fact that Surratt plays for an ACC team in Wake Forest, he will not play in 2020, citing "uncertainties and risks" tied to COVID-19.

Bleacher Report NFL draft expert Matt Miller referred to Surratt as a "first-round talent" after news of Surratt opting out broke and ranked him as the No. 14 overall prospect on his way-too-early big board for the 2021 draft.

The 6'3", 215-pound Surratt took a big leap forward last season. After finishing with 41 receptions for 581 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman in 2018, Surratt improved to 66 grabs for 1,001 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2019.

Surratt would have been a top contender to win the Biletnikoff Award in 2020 as the most outstanding wide receiver in college football, but he has instead set his sights on the NFL.

Based on his way-too-early draft board, Miller views Surratt as the fourth-best draft-eligible wide receiver in 2021 behind LSU's Ja'Marr Chase and Alabama's Jaylen Waddle and Devonta Smith.

Chase, Waddle and Smith all play in the SEC, meaning they will have a chance to boost their draft stock during the fall season provided they don't opt out.

Surratt is one of the many Power Five players who have opted out of the 2020 college football season, with many of them not wanting to put their draft stock in jeopardy.

Among the other big names to opt out are Michigan offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield, LSU defensive back Kary Vincent Jr., Oklahoma running back Kennedy Brooks, Maryland quarterback Josh Jackson, Purdue wide receiver Rondale Moore and Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.

Just a few days after calling out Florida State leadership for its handling of COVID-19 protocols, Seminoles receiver Warren Thompson issued an apology, via Curt Weiler of the Tallahassee Democrat:

"With all the fear in the world, the confusion and concerns regarding this matter may cloud judgment on this arising problem in this country. My apologies on comments earlier this week that did not accurately depict my feelings towards this program and its leadership.

"Today I am grateful for the diligent efforts from myself and Coach Norvell to move forward. I am hopeful that this will be a great season of Seminole football. I am also confident in Coach Norvell and the future ahead of us."

Both the original statement and subsequent apology were posted to his Twitter account but the account has since been deleted. 

The original controversy came when fellow receiver D.J. Matthews announced on Twitter that he had tested positive for COVID-19 before deleting the tweet. Warren responded with a note questioning those in charge.

"During this entire week of camp I have been lied to multiple times about the conditions of other players health as well as mine," he wrote, via Wayne McGahee III of the Tallahassee Democrat. "It has been shown to myself and the rest, that our leadership is based off an 'I' mentality with them only worried about their own future rather than their own athletes."

Florida State head coach Mike Norvell said it was "disappointing" that players took the criticism public and denied any dishonesty with players, via David M. Hale of ESPN.

"We're working through the policies and procedures that are in place for us," Norvell said, "but I've been very transparent with every player I've talked to."

Florida State has not released any testing numbers since players returned to campus in June, unlike other major programs around the country.

Thompson also said playing football "is exactly what I want to do."

The redshirt sophomore totaled six catches for 91 yards in six appearances last season. The Seminoles are scheduled to begin their 2020 campaign on Sept. 12 against Georgia Tech.

If the ACC plays football this season, it sounds like running back Travis Etienne will be on the field for the Clemson Tigers.

Etienne told reporters Friday, "At this point, I'm 100 percent opted in."

The Big Ten and Pac-12 announced this week they were postponing fall sports because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the ACC, along with the SEC and Big 12, has said it intends to try to play football. 

Attorney Jason Stechen, who represents a large group of ACC and SEC student-athletes, sent a memo to those conference officials this week stating players could opt out of playing if their list of demands, including uniform health and safety practices and on-demand COVID-19 testing, aren't met.

Per Anna Hickey of 247Sports, as of Aug. 12, 12 ACC football players have opted out of the 2020 season because of safety concerns.

Hickey did note none of the opt-outs are Clemson players.

Etienne is heading into his senior season with the Tigers. The Louisiana native ran for 1,649 yards and 19 touchdowns in 15 games last year.

Clemson is scheduled to open the 2020 regular season Sept. 12 against Wake Forest.

Florida State head football coach Mike Norvell says the program is following all of the proper COVID-19 protocols in the wake of concerns raised by three wide receivers.

Norvell told reporters the Seminoles are "on the same page" and have been transparent with players about following proper protocols.

"The integrity of how we operate, I stand by it every day," he added.

Per Ira Schoffel of Rivals.com, senior wideout D.J. Matthews tweeted Wednesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 but later deleted the tweet. He tweeted Thursday about "all the lies," and teammate Tamorrion Terry quote-tweeted him:    

Warren Thompson wrote a message on Instagram about "the lies from our leaders" about the health of other players, as well as his own, related to coronavirus testing and the "neglect to respond to this issue is very concerning and why I've [drawn] attention to it."

Norvell said he hasn't spoken to Matthews, Terry or Thompson.

Other players have said they feel comfortable with the way Florida State is handling testing protocols. Sophomore Jaiden Lars-Woodbey told reporters the coaching staff and trainers have done a "fantastic" job.

Cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. tweeted Thursday, "I feel safe coming to practice everyday because of the protocols FSU has in place !!!"

Norvell is entering his first season as Florida State's head coach. The program hired him in December after he went 38-15 in four years at the University of Memphis.

Three Florida State wide receivers, including Tamorrion Terry, are speaking out about the school's handling of coronavirus testing and protocols. 

Per ESPN's David M. Hale, D.J. Matthews deleted a tweet from Wednesday night saying he tested positive for COVID-19. 

Matthews posted a vague tweet about "all the lies" on Thursday morning, which Terry quote-tweeted with the facepalm emoji:   

Warren Thompson published an open letter on Twitter, noting there have been "lies from our leaders" that have put his "overall well-being in jeopardy" and accused the school of not responding to his concerns:

Per Wayne McGahee of the Tallahassee Democrat, a Florida State spokesperson declined to comment on the situation. 

In addition to the Florida State receivers, Terry's mother, Cindy Rewis, also tweeted a message and tagged Florida State's football account and head coach Mike Norvell:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis met with Norvell, as well as Florida State president John Thrasher, athletic director David Coburn and players Keyshawn Helton and Josh Kaindoh on Tuesday to discuss playing football this fall in the wake of the Big Ten and Pac-12 postponing their fall sports schedules. 

"This is like a family," DeSantis told reporters. "The people that you play with, the coaches, the trainers, the administrators, they're looking out for these kids. They want everybody to be safe, not just with respect to coronavirus, but all kinds of health issues that come up in an athletic season. So this is the safest place to be."

Florida State has confirmed to McGahee that at least one Seminoles football player tested positive for COVID-19 during initial testing of players and staff in May as part of preparations for voluntary workouts in June. The school declined to offer any specific details, citing HIPAA regulations. 

The ACC, Big 12 and SEC are the remaining Power Five conferences still planning to play football in the fall, though they have pivoted to conference-only schedules.

Florida State's first scheduled game is on Sept. 12 against Georgia Tech. 

President Donald Trump spoke with Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence about the 2020 college football season, which sits on the brink after numerous conferences announced that they will be canceling or postponing their campaigns amid the COVID-19 pandemic in recent days.

Per Matt Connolly of The State, Trump told reporters Wednesday that he spoke with Lawrence the day before. He also said that he talked with LSU head coach Ed Orgeron.

"I spoke to some of the great football players, college players, Trevor and a lot of great players called," Trump said.

"Coach called, Coach O. A lot of fantastic people I got to speak to. Athletes, leaders, they want to play football. Let them play. Let them play."

A Clemson spokesperson told Connolly the following regarding the call's logistics with Lawrence: "According to Trevor, White House staff initiated conversation and provided him a number to call the President."

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney told reporters Wednesday that Lawrence had not revealed any details of the call to him.

Trump has been vocal about his desire to see college football played this year, including quote-tweeting Lawrence, who has been active in trying to keep the campaign alive.

Lawrence and others have championed the #WeWantToPlay movement, whose objective is to play the 2020 college football season under "universal mandated health and safety procedures and protocols" and "ultimately create a college football players association" to help open a line of communication between players and officials, among other demands.

Among the Power Five conferences, the Big Ten and Pac-12 have already decided to postpone their fall sports seasons. The Mountain West Conference, the Mid-American Conference and a pair of independents (UMass and UConn) have also postponed their seasons.

The Big 12 will attempt to move ahead with fall sports, while the SEC and ACC have not adjusted their plans to do the same, per ESPN's Andrea Adelson.

League play is scheduled to begin Sept. 26 for the Big 12 and SEC. Most ACC teams will start their slate Sept. 12.

It remains to be seen how the College Football Playoff will work this season, with two Power Five conferences—the Big Ten and Pac-12—postponing their fall seasons Tuesday.

But Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney doesn't believe a 2020 title would be any less meaningful without those conferences in play, per Sam Khan Jr. of ESPN:

"Whoever wins it, wins it. That's the champ. It's the same way in every sport. ... Somebody is gonna win a championship, so maybe it's a shortened season, maybe it's not as many teams or whatever. But you best believe whoever wins it is gonna have to earn it. Nobody's gonna give nothing to nobody, so you can only control what you control. We just hope we can have the opportunity to play."

Swinney also said:

"The four best teams can go play. We've been one of those four for five years in a row. So, in my opinion, it doesn't change anything for us. We're just trying to be the best Clemson we can be. Whoever you play every week, you try to win that game, you try to keep moving forward. We don't have any control over that stuff. And I certainly don't judge them in any way. Everybody's gotta make decisions that they feel is best. If they feel like that's what best for them, then so be it."

Along with five straight berths in the College Football Playoff, Clemson has won two national championships and played in the title game four times, including last year's 42-25 loss against Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow and LSU.

Led by star quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the Tigers will be among the favorites to win a title whenever a playoff is held. And Swinney has emerged as one of college football's best coaches, going 130-31 since taking over as the Tigers head coach in 2009.

The ACC, at this juncture, is moving ahead with plans to play in the fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic, joining the SEC and Big 12. The Mountain West and Mid-American conferences also postponed their fall schedules, though the conferences that have postponed the fall schedule have kept open the possibility of playing football in the spring.