When the ACC expanded to get Miami, it expected a football juggernaut.
Thirteen years later, Miami has delivered. Better late than never. A sluggish performance in a 24-19 win at North Carolina aside, the Canes are 7-0 and ranked No. 9 in the country.
With Florida State and Louisville in the tank, the ACC needs another name-brand program in the national title race. Clemson (7-1) is right there, again, and Virginia Tech (7-1) is lurking. But the Hokies, only in the ACC after some political bargaining by the Virginia governor in 2003 when the league went after Miami, haven’t been a problem for the ACC.