Clemson's lofty expectations, Cal's quarterback controversy and more

Clemson QB Cullen Harper enjoyed a breakout junior campaign in 2007, throwing 27 TD passes and just six interceptions. AP Stewart Mandel's Mailbag Submit a question or an opinion to Stewart. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND

Forget Danny Sheridan, Nostradamus or the Weather Channel. No set of prognosticators have been more consistently accurate over the years than the sportswriters that cover ACC football.

For the past 16 years, these prophetic scribes have predicted that somebody other than Clemson would win the conference championship -- and for 16 straight years, the Tigers have proved them right. The last time these writers did anoint the Tigers was in 1991. Wouldn't you know it? Clemson came through that year just as they said.

Therefore, it would appear that Tommy Bowden's 2008 squad is a near-mortal lock to end its championship drought this autumn. Why? Because on Monday, at the ACC's annual Football Kickoff, 51 of 65 media voters tabbed Clemson as their preseason favorite. However, a person who attended the event in Greensboro, Ga., told me, "Nobody I've talked to here actually believes [the Tigers] are going to win it."

Even Clemson fans are a bit torn about their team's lofty expectations.

As a Clemson grad, I generally know what to expect from my alma mater football-wise -- crazy good as an underdog, horrible when favored. Taking this into account, should I believe the hype regarding Clemson being favored to win the ACC? Can't you start calling them an underdog for me?
-- Ben, Atlanta

Stewart, why is it that Clemson gets labeled as "the team that blows it every year" by all preseason publications, yet Ohio State, which hasn't even been competitive in the national championship game, gets hailed as the preseason No. 1?
-- Will, Marietta, Ga.

Do I really need to explain why the Tigers are known as "the team that blows it every year?" A quick refresher course on recent events:

2004: Coming off a surprising 9-4 season capped by a Peach Bowl upset of 10-2 Tennessee, the Charlie Whitehurst-led Tigers begin the season ranked 15th in the country -- and proceed to go 6-5.

2006: After throttling Georgia Tech in prime time, Clemson improves to 7-1, rises to No. 10 in the polls and finally controls its own ACC destiny -- before losing four of its last five and winding up in the Music City Bowl.

2007: In a winner-takes-all clash with Boston College for the Atlantic Division title, the Tigers -- whose season-long mantra is "Finish the Job" -- don't finish the job, allowing Matt Ryan to complete a game-winning 43-yard touchdown pass.

Apparently Ben is far more familiar with these events than Will, which is why his trepidation is understandable. (As for Will, I would simply point out that a) I have not seen a single preseason publication that has Ohio State No. 1; and b) By my count, the Buckeyes have won seven conference championships since 1991.) In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that the previously prognostic ACC media have officially jinxed the Tigers

Without question, there's a whole lot to like about this Clemson team. Eighteen returning starters. A proven quarterback (Cullen Harper), two gifted tailbacks (James Davis and C.J. Spiller), an elite receiver (Aaron Kelly), a veteran defensive line and secondary and an incoming recruiting class some tabbed the best in the country. If there's a better-looking ACC team on paper, I haven't seen it.

And yet ... I can't help but notice some tell-tale signs of another impending choke-job.

Bad sign No. 1: The team's biggest question mark is its offensive line, arguably the most important cog of a championship team.

Bad sign No. 2: First, starting linebacker Cortney Vincent was dismissed in the spring, then his expected replacement, Antonio Clay, left school. That's never a good omen.

And bad sign No. 3: Bowden is still the Tigers' coach. That may seem harsh, but when a guy's been the coach for nine years and you can still count his number of big wins on one hand, it doesn't give much cause for faith.

Clemson does have one notable thing going for it: According to league rules, someone has to win the ACC, and I've yet to identify a better candidate (though Wake Forest certainly deserves consideration). It seems like Virginia Tech lost practically its entire starting lineup. North Carolina should be much improved (the ACC media picked the Tar Heels second in their division) but are at least a year away from championship contention. Ditto for Florida State and Miami.

So, like my fellow media members that convened in Georgia, I'm going to go ahead and join the chorus in picking the Tigers to finally pull one out this year. And just like them, I'll believe it when I see it.