The prominent coaches in the ACC aren't backing down from letting the rest of the college football world know how they view their conference heading into the 2017 season.
The ACC is the best conference in college football, or at least one of them, no question about it.
Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher started the narrative a few months back during the ACC media days in Charlotte — and the debate has only intensified. Obviously the high-profile matchup between Fisher's Seminoles and Alabama on Saturday will be viewed as an early measuring stick — but the result shouldn't change the overall perception.
"We are a top conference no matter what happens," Fisher said on Wednesday's ACC media conference call. "We have already proven it. It hasn't just been a one year thing, it's been the last four or five years. Winning big games will help, but I don't think one year is going to make any difference."
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Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino echoed Fisher's sentiments and has high hopes for the ACC this season.
"I don't think there's any question about it, the ACC is going to be there," said Petrino when asked about the ACC finishing 2017 at the top. "When you look around at the coaches that have been hired and the players that have been recruited, and the competition and the close games. Tip your hat off to Clemson, winning the national championship last year. They won a lot of close games in our conference in the fourth quarter. It's a very competitive conference with a lot of great coaches and talent."
I have a feeling this will be an ongoing, ever-changing debate, but at least the ACC has some ground to stand on. Can the Big-12 or Pac-12 make that argument right now? Probably not.
