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RALEIGH, N.C. -- Clemsons Deshaun Watson still thinks about carrying an unbeaten record into the final game of the season before losing to Alabama with a national championship on the line.The Tigers and their star quarterback are the preseason favorite to win the Atlantic Coast Conference and be positioned to return to the College Football Playoff, but theres another team -- Florida State -- that enters the season with a playoff shot within reach.In fact, its not impossible that both teams could find themselves in playoff position coming out of a league where the balance of power is tipped heavily toward the Atlantic Division that includes both the Tigers and Seminoles.We know how to get there, Watson said of last years title-game loss. Weve experienced it and weve got to start over this year and try to get back there.Clemson (14-1) and Florida State (10-3) have combined to win the last five ACC championships. Theyve combined to go 57-3 against the rest of the league, while the last time either lost to a division opponent came nearly four years ago.Weve been able to recruit well and have very good players and weve been able to coach them well, Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher said of the gap between the Atlantic powers and the rest of the league. Not that other guys havent, but weve been able to be fortunate in certain games. I mean, weve created a culture that right now were both playing pretty well.THE FAVORITESAtlantic DivisionClemson. The Tigers were the preseason pick by media members over the Seminoles. While Louisville is poised to make a leap in Year 3 under Bobby Petrino, it would be a shock if the Tigers and Seminoles dont finish atop the division.Coastal DivisionNorth Carolina. The Tar Heels are coming off an 11-win season and are trying to become the first repeat Coastal champion since 2011 in a typically wide-open division.TOP PLAYERSWatson, Clemson. Last season, he was ACC player of the year, third in Heisman Trophy voting and the Manning Award winner as the nations top quarterback. All as a sophomore.Dalvin Cook, Florida State. The Seminoles have their own Heisman candidate with a junior running back who ran for an ACC-best 1,691 yards and 19 touchdowns last year.Elijah Hood, North Carolina. The junior is a physical presence for the Coastal champions after running for 1,463 yards and 17 scores.NEW FACESMark Richt, Miami. He spent the past 15 seasons at Georgia but is now at his alma mater, trying to provide a jolt to a one-time power that has yet to win the Coastal title.Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech. The former Memphis coach is replacing longtime Hokies coach Frank Beamer, taking over a program that had gone from annual 10-win seasons to consecutive 7-6 finishes.Bronco Mendenhall, Virginia. The Cavaliers have one winning season in eight years. Now its up to the former BYU coach to turn things around.Dino Babers, Syracuse. The former Bowling Green coach takes over a Syracuse program that has seven wins in the past two seasons.Eli Drinkwitz, North Carolina State. Drinkwitz is the Wolfpacks new offensive coordinator after leading one of the nations top offenses at Boise State. He inherits a team looking for a new quarterback.James Conner, Pittsburgh. This is a welcome-back season for the running back and 2014 ACC player of the year who went down with an opening-game knee injury, then battled lymphoma.ON THE HOT SEATBoston Colleges Steve Addazio is coming off an 0-8 ACC season.PICKSAtlantic: Florida State. In what could be a coin flip between two talented teams, the Seminoles home-field advantage for the Oct. 29 meeting with the Tigers could be the difference.Coastal: North Carolina. The Tar Heels are breaking in a new quarterback but have several key pieces back from an offense that averaged 40.7 points and 486.9 yards per game. That could again provide cover for a questionable defense, though its matchup with Miami and quarterback Brad Kaaya comes on the road Oct. 15.League champion: Florida State.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap and the APs college football site at http://collegefootball.ap.orgJared Goff Jersey . PAUL, Minn. Cooper Kupp Youth Jersey . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/kurt-warner-jersey/ . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Taylor Rapp Jersey .J. -- Josh Cribbs was in the Pro Bowl in February and out of a job six months later. David Long Rams Jersey . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April.Some things to watch in the Big Ten on Saturday:GAME OF THE WEEKNo. 2 Ohio State at Penn State. The Buckeyes go to Happy Valley having won a program-record 20 consecutive true road games, the longest streak in the nation and the most since the Miami Hurricanes won 20 in a row between 1984-88. Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett is coming off a splendid second half and overtime at Wisconsin last week and can strengthen his Heisman Trophy candidacy in front of another prime-time TV audience. Penn State is a three-touchdown underdog, but the Nittany Lions have won 10 of their last 11 at home, and therell be a festive atmosphere as the unbeaten 1986 national championship team is honored.BEST MATCHUPNo. 10 Wisconsin at Iowa. It might be possible to win the West Division with two conference losses. Three? Not likely. Wisconsin, which has lost to heavyweights Michigan and Ohio State in consecutive games, has no more room for error as it heads to Iowa City. The teams have split 10 meetings since they started playing for the Heartland Trophy in 2004, but the Badgers have won three straight at Kinnick Stadium. Wisconsin QB Alex Hornibrook is getting better by the week. Iowa, winner of two straight since losing at home to Northwestern, is a conference-best 23 for 24 in the red zone.INSIDE THE NUMBERSSeven of the last nine Indiana-Northwestern meetings have been decided by seven points or less. Those seven games were decided by a total of 26 points, and two went to overtime. ... Ohio State is third in the Bowl Subdivvision in scoring defense, allowing 12.dddddddddddd8 points per game. ... Minnesota has allowed only 34 points in the first half and has not allowed a first-half touchdown in any of its three Big Ten games. ... No. 3 Michigan goes into its home game against Illinois having committed only four turnovers, best in the Big Ten and second nationally. ... Illinois is 3-30-2 against Michigan when the Wolverines are ranked. ... No. 8 Nebraska is among 10 FBS teams that are 9-1 or better over their last 10 games, with Alabama the only team thats 10-0.LONG SHOTMaryland is a 2 +-point underdog at home against a Michigan State team that has lost four straight. The Spartans remain unsettled at quarterback, and their defense last week gave up 54 points to Northwestern, the most in coach Mark Dantonios 10 seasons. Maryland is smarting from a second straight loss following a 4-0 start, and the Terps have QB issues of their own.PLAYER TO WATCHPenn State RB Saquon Barkley ran for 194 yards in a loss to Ohio State last year and gives the Nittany Lions the best chance to keep it close. The elusive Barkley, averaging 97 yards per game, ran for 202 against Maryland in his last game. Hell be going against a rushing defense thats allowing just 3.18 yards per carry and didnt give up a touchdown on the ground until last week.---Online:AP college football website: http://collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '