SportsCollege Sports

Actions

Hurricanes picked to finish second in ACC Coastal, Seminoles fourth in Atlantic

Clemson overwhelming favorite to win conference for 7th consecutive season
Miami Hurricanes defensive linemen Nesta Jade Silvera and Trevon Hill sack Florida State Seminoles QB Alex Hornibrook in 2019
Posted at 12:42 PM, Jul 26, 2021
and last updated 2021-07-26 12:44:18-04

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The Miami Hurricanes have been picked to finish second in the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division, while rival Florida State is forecast to finish fourth in the Atlantic Division.

Clemson was the overwhelming favorite to claim a seventh consecutive ACC championship, according to a preseason poll of 147 media members released Monday.

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Clemson 1,028 (146)
North Carolina State804 (1)
Boston College638
Florida State510
Wake Forest472
Louisville462
Syracuse202

First-place votes in parenthesis

COASTAL DIVISION

North Carolina979 (109)
Miami881 (28)
Virginia Tech582 (3)
Pittsburgh576 (1)
Virginia540 (2)
Georgia Tech340 (4)
Duke218

First-place votes in parenthesis

ACC CHAMPION

Clemson125
North Carolina16
Miami3
Virginia1
Georgia Tech1
North Carolina State 1

North Carolina was picked to finish atop the Coastal Division, while the Tigers are the projected winners of the Atlantic Division.

Florida State was picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Division behind Clemson, North Carolina State and Boston College. The Wolfpack received a single vote to represent the division in the ACC Championship game in Charlotte, North Carolina.

While the Tigers remain the team to beat in the Atlantic Division, the Coastal Division seems less certain, with all teams but Duke receiving at least one first-place vote to win the side.

North Carolina led all Coastal Division teams with 109 first-place votes and 16 votes to win the ACC.

North Carolina Tar Heels celebrate vs. Miami Hurricanes in 2020
North Carolina linebackers Tomon Fox (12) and Jeremiah Gemmel (44) celebrate a stop against Miami during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Miami received 28 first-place votes in the Coastal Division projections, including three votes to win the conference.

The Hurricanes have claimed one division title (2017) in school history but have never won the ACC since joining the conference in 2004. The Seminoles, meanwhile, have won 12 ACC titles since 1992, although their last trophy came in 2014.

Florida State will try to snap a four-game losing streak to Miami on Nov. 13 in Tallahassee.

Clemson has won the ACC every season since 2015.