Carrying the ACC banner

Dabo Swinney didn't attempt to spin or sugar-coat earlier today when he was asked about the SEC's dominance.

Given the specter of five consecutive BCS titles and a strong likelihood that we'll see a sixth, assuming Oklahoma State doesn't slide into the top spot, it's hard to argue a whole lot with the superiority ... particularly if you're from the ACC, which hasn't so much as sniffed a BCS title game in 11 long years.

Swinney noted that the SEC is top-heavy, but he also said it's all about championships when you're establishing a conference hierarchy. He said the ACC has to produce a BCS champion, and he expressed confidence that the day is coming. At this point Clemson would be considered the top dog in that daunting hunt; the Tigers are the ACC's highest-ranked team (at No. 14 in the AP poll), and they have completely dusted their closest pursuer (No. 17 Virginia Tech) on two occasions this season.

Expectations will be high for Clemson next season, and it's going to be really interesting to see who's picked to win the Atlantic Division (assuming you actually care what the media thinks ... and you really shouldn't). Florida State returns a bunch of talent, and the annual clash with the Tigers is in Tallahassee. But I'm guessing prognosticators will forecast the Tigers to win the division because they're the sexier team with Tajh Boyd, Sammy Watkins and the hot offensive coordinator.

Take a look at the ACC's representation in the final polls over the last 10 years, and it's easy to see that the conference's fundamental problem is a lack of elite teams. Six times in the last decade, the ACC has not placed a team in the final Top 10. And just once has the ACC placed two teams in the final Top 10.

Here's a look at the ACC's Top 10 representation"

2010: 0
2009: VT 10th
2008: 0
2007: VT 9th; BC tied for 10th
2006: 0
2005: VT 7th
2004: VT 10th
2003: 0
2002: 0
2001: 0

Clemson has a shot at giving the ACC a Top 10 finish this season, but climbing four spots could be difficult unless the Tigers just pillage West Virginia tomorrow night.

"They're still out front right now because they've won however many national championships now in a row," Swinney said. "Somebody has got to knock them off. That's just the nature of competition. That's our job to do that. It's other conferences' jobs to do that. If we're tired of hearing about it, let's do something about it. That's what we're trying to do."

LW