For years Florida State coach Bobby Bowden has feebly defended the strength of the ACC in the summer only to undermine himself in the fall, blasting league rivals by 30 or 40 points each week. Bowden is at it again this summer, talking up the ACC.

And this time, he has proof.

"The league is beginning to assert itself," Bowden said. "NC State, Maryland and Virginia are on the rise. Look what they did in bowls. Did Tennessee find out in the bowl? Did Notre Dame find out?"

	Around The ACC
	Clemson Tigers
	Duke Blue Devils
	Florida State Seminoles
	Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
	Maryland Terrapins
	North Carolina Tar Heels
	NC State Wolfpack
	Virginia Cavaliers
	Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Tennessee was crunched 30-3 by Maryland in the Peach Bowl. Notre Dame was smacked 28-6 by NC State in the Gator Bowl. Virginia also was impressive, demolishing West Virginia 48-22 in the Continental Tire Bowl.

The ACC media still expects Florida State to win the league this season, but the vote was the closest since the Seminoles joined in 1992. The Wolfpack, Terps and Cavaliers combined to receive more first-place votes (49) than Florida State (35), a preseason first.

"The league has definitely reinvented itself," said Maryland safety Madieu Williams. "Each Saturday, any given team is capable of winning."

The rest of the league is capable of losing. Clemson suffered huge losses on defense. Georgia Tech lost 10 players in May to academics, including star tailback Tony Hollings. Wake Forest has to replace 12 starters. Duke and North Carolina return most of their regulars, but the Blue Devils and Tar Heels combined to go 5-19 last season, 1-15 in the ACC.

What it means is this: The top of the ACC has never been stronger, but overall the ACC could struggle to fill its six bowl affiliations.

As for Duke, the Blue Devils have a record 25-game ACC losing streak but a whopping 22 starters back. The media still picked Duke to finish last, well behind eighth-place Georgia Tech.

"Hopefully (the media) isn't placing bets on that, because they're going to lose," said Duke tailback Alex Wade. "There's no way we'll finish last in the ACC."

A mystery at the top of the league, and a mystery at the bottom? Madieu Williams was right -- the ACC has reinvented itself.

Game of the Year

	Philip Rivers should be on the Heisman Trophy short list this fall.

Even though this ought to be the best ACC football season in years, maybe ever, we're picking a non-conference game -- and not Florida State-Miami. No, we're going with NC State's Sept. 13 trip to Ohio State, when the Wolfpack will face the defending national champion in a game that could help determine the national title race. Ohio State can't look past the Wolfpack or its repeat chances are in trouble. Don't be smug, Buckeye fans. NC State can win this game if Ohio State doesn't bring its best. And if NC State does win this game, don't be surprised if it doesn't lose again until 2004.

Offensive Player of the Year
Too many choices, but we're going with NC State senior QB Philip Rivers, who will finish as the career holder of almost every conceivable ACC passing record and therefore surely, surely at some point will be named the league's MVP. Surrounded by awesome talent at tailback and receiver, and in his fourth season in the offense, Rivers is poised to make a run at the Heisman Trophy -- which may not be the toughest award he chases considering if he is to win the conference player of the year honor, he has to beat out the last two honorees, Maryland TB Bruce Perry and Virginia QB Matt Schaub, who also return.

Defensive Player of the Year
Maryland DT Randy Starks won't have the gaudy stats of sack-getting defensive ends and tackle-registering linebackers, but he still will be the single-most disruptive defensive force in the ACC this season. Starks is a 6-foot-4, 312-pound junior who probably will be gone to the NFL after this season, so enjoy him now, ACC fans, because he is in the mold of past league greats like Ryan Sims of North Carolina, Corey Simon of Florida State and the Perry brothers (Fridge and Michael Dean) of Clemson.

Gregg Doyel covers the ACC for the Charlotte Observer.