The ACC's schedule narrative is weak because its top teams have underperformed. Miami finished 7-6 last year, and Clemson's offense ranked outside the top 50 in scoring. The non-conference argument falls apart when you look at actual results. The league went 6-11 against Power 5 non-conference opponents last season. That's a .353 win percentage, which doesn't support a "tougher slate" claim at all. The SEC's bottom might be weaker, but its top consistently produces playoff teams, while the ACC's best have struggled in big games.