Top 25 Teams and Games — No. 24 Wake Forest

No. 24 Wake Forest

The buzz: Wake Forest's emergence on the scene in the Atlantic Coast Conference has people thinking Jim Grobe is one of the top coaches in America. He's doing it not with guys recruited by Southern Cal and Florida, but with players who strive to overachieve.

Difference-maker: Wake quarterback Riley Skinner was one of those kids that the bigger schools thought was too light to play quarterback., Maybe he is, but he's 18-6 as a starter for the Deacons. He's one of those guys who understands the game and that sometimes throwing darts beats a javelin heave.

The upside: Wake won nine games a year ago and have a solid backfield. The defense, which has a knack for turnovers, returns nine of its top 10 tacklers. So the Deacons have the players to make another run at a division title.

The downside: The offensive line could be a mess this year with little experience back. If the line can't give Skinner time or open holes for tailback Josh Adams, the Deacons could struggle to generate any offense. And the secondary is vulnerable enough for concern.

Schedule factor: It's one of those non-conference schedules that isn't embarrassing, but games against Vanderbilt, Navy, Baylor and Ole Miss are all winnable. Deacs go on the road for FSU and Miami, which used to be scary, and get Clemson and Boston College at home.

Game No. 24 — Clemson at FSU

Where: Doak Campbell Stadium.

When: Nov. 8.

Why it's sexy: The lure of the Bowden Bowl is nowhere near as strong as it was when they first played, but it's still there. There's no telling where these two teams will be at this point in the season, but there is a possibility this game could really matter for one or both.

Pre-season buzz: Everyone is wondering what Year Two will be like under acting head coach Jimbo Fisher. If it's like Year One, they might want to reconsider this whole thing. It would be ironic if Bobby left before Tommy was fired. Clemson is one of those teams that a lot of people like, but be careful you don't get burned.