ACC Football Preview From Sportsbooks' Point of View

This time of the year, for the benefit of sports fans and sports bettors alike, we compare the Stassen.com consensus of 13 publications to the Vegas betting line for college football futures.

This article will focus on the Atlantic Coast Conference. The preseason rags and oddsmakers agree that Clemson and Virginia Tech are destined to meet in the ACC Championship game. Clemson is favored to win the Atlantic Division in 12-of-13 publications (Sports Illustrated has them tied with Wake Forest) and they all have powerhouse Virginia Tech winning the Coastal Division.

However, Grandmaster sports handicapper Joe Duffy warns that, "Clemson always finds a way to lose games they should win." The sportswriters and oddsmakers don't agree on the likely heir to the throne.

While Clemson is a 10/11 favorite to win the division, Florida State is next according to the sportsbooks at 2/1, then Wake Forest at 7/2 and Maryland at 7/1.

However the compilation actually has the Demon Deacons projected to finish second to the Tigers. The Seminoles are third, followed by the Eagles, Terrapins and Wolf Pack.

This is quite dissimilar to the bookmakers who have Boston College given the least chance at 16/1, a notch below North Carolina State at 15/1.

The linesmaker does not necessarily think that Virginia Tech is the living lock in the Coastal Division that the newsstands do. Though the Hokies are 11/1, Miami is just 5/2, and traditional doormat North Carolina is 3/1.

The magazines actually have the Tar Heels projected ahead of the Hurricanes. While the glossies have Virginia fourth and Georgia Tech fifth, the oddsmakers have them inversed. The Ramblin' Wreck are 13/2 and the Cavaliers 10/1.

Nobody gives Duke much of a chance. Twelve of the 13 fanzines have them destined for last and the linesmakers put their likelihood at 25/1.

OffshoreInsiders.com has all the odds to win each conference not to mention the top college football handicappers.