Expectations are high for the ACC in 2010, but the league is still trying to grab some respect as a “power conference.” Favorites Virginia Tech and Miami, along with the rest of the conference, will have to snatch it from the SEC and Big 12. Photo courtesy of Virginia Tech athletics There has not been, to my knowledge, a college football season in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) era when the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) shouldered higher expectations heading into September.

Excitement abounded all along the east coast this summer – and for good reason.

Past national powers FSU and Miami seem to be ascending back to prominence. Butch Davis and the Tar Heels may finally be ready to “put their foot down” this year. Georgia Tech and Clemson are legitimate dark horses that could impact the BCS formula. Could Virginia Tech be a national title contender?

The ACC has more teams (5) ranked in the USA Today Top 20 than any other conference – edging the perennially powerful SEC (4). But unless the ACC can start winning key non-conference games against quality opponents, it will never be considered a “powerhouse” football conference.

ACC fans are aware of this conundrum, as is apparent by this post on a CBSsports.com college football message board:

“I hate to dog the ACC, but every year we’re supposed to be better and be a top notch conference. Every year we lose games that we were predicted to win and we come up short. The last time we won our BCS (game) was against the Big East, and while I’m not disrespecting the Big East, they have about as much credibility as we do.

“So, until we beat out the SEC or the Big 12 for the BCS National Championship (or the Orange Bowl), the ACC will always be average at best.” ~FSU fan on the 2010 conference outlook.

The ACC’s overall record in BCS bowl games is a dismal 2-10 (.167 winning percentage), going back to 1998. The conference will, however, have 12 great chances at redemption in 2010 – and long before even the first BCS rankings are released.

The 12 monumental ACC non-conference games in September (most of which are on the road or at a neutral site):

Saturday, September 4:

 (18) UNC vs. (16) LSU (7 p.m. – Atlanta)

Sunday, September 5:

 (6) Virginia Tech vs. (5) Boise State (7 p.m. – Washington, D.C.)

Saturday, September 11:

 (17) Georgia Tech at Kansas (11 a.m.)  (20) FSU at (8) Oklahoma (2:30 p.m.)

 (13) Miami at (2) Ohio State (2:40 p.m.)

 Virginia at USC (9:30 p.m.)

Thursday, September 16:

 (18) N.C. State vs. Cincinnati (6:30 p.m.)

Saturday, September 18:

 Maryland at (24) West Virginia (11 a.m.)  Duke vs. (1) Alabama (2:30 p.m.)

 Clemson at (23) Auburn (6 p.m.)

 Wake Forest at Stanford (10:15 p.m.)

Thursday, September 23:

 (13) Miami at (15) Pittsburgh (6 p.m.)

It’s no secret that the SEC enters 2010 as the agreed-upon “top dog”, with six teams in the USA Today Top 25 and four straight BCS National Championships; but a few significant wins in the month of September could shift the balance of power to the ACC.

With such an unbelievably tough nonconference schedule, the conference certainly will have earned it.