GREENSBORO, N.C. (WNCN) — North Carolina State is once again picked to finish second in the ACC’s Atlantic Division.
The Wolfpack were selected for the second straight year to finish behind Clemson University in the division race in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s preseason poll released Tuesday.
The Tigers received 1,080 total poll points and 111 first place votes and are the favorites to win the league for the seventh time in eight years.
But at least the voting margin between them and N.C. State (959 points, 44 first-place votes) got significantly closer. Last year, Clemson had 224 more poll points and 145 more first-place votes than N.C. State did.
N.C. State and Clemson meet in their ACC opener on Saturday, Oct. 1 in Death Valley for a game that could very well decide the division and conference champion right off the bat.
The Wolfpack return seven starters on offense, including quarterback Devin Leary, and 10 on defense from a team that went 9-3 but had its Holiday Bowl matchup with UCLA canceled at the last minute due to COVID-19 issues within the Bruins’ program.
The University of Miami was the pick to win the Coastal Division for the second time since joining the league by the 164 voting media members.
This is the final year the league will be split into divisions, with the conference shifting its scheduling plan in 2023 with the two teams with the best winning percentages advancing to play in the championship game.
Reigning Atlantic Division champion Wake Forest University was picked to finish third in its division and received four first-place votes.
The University of North Carolina was the pick to finish third in the Coastal Division behind the Hurricanes and reigning league champion the University of Pittsburgh. The Tar Heels received 18 first-place votes.
Duke University was once again chosen to finish last in the Coastal. Their 220 poll points were the second-fewest in the league, with only Atlantic Division last-place pick Syracuse (201) having fewer.
Notably, Boston College, who won just two ACC games a year ago, received one vote to win the conference title.
Below is a complete list of the preseason poll results.
Overall Champion:
- Clemson – 103
- NC State – 38
- Miami – 8
- Wake Forest – 4
- PItt – 3
- Virginia – 3
- Florida State – 2
- North Carolina – 2
- Boston College – 1
Atlantic Division
- Clemson (111) – 1,080
- NC State (44) – 959
- Wake Forest (6) – 783
- Louisville – 591
- Florida State (2) – 509
- Boston College (1) – 469
- Syracuse – 201
First-place votes in parentheses
Coastal Division
- Miami (98) – 1,036
- Pitt (38) – 911
- North Carolina (18) – 823
- Virginia (6) – 667
- Virginia Tech (3) – 592
- Georgia Tech (1) – 343
- Duke – 220
First-place votes in parentheses
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