Clemson is an overwhelming preseason favorite to claim its seventh consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference football title, according to a preseason poll of 147 media voters. North Carolina is the pick to take the Coastal Division for the second time and the first time since 2016.
The Tar Heels’ lone Coastal Division championship came in 2015. Each of the Coastal’s seven teams won the division from 2013 through 2019. Due to the 2020 pandemic, the ACC played with a non-divisional format last season. UNC tied for the Coastal title in 2012 but was on probation and could not participate in the postseason.
The Tigers, who posted a 10-2 record last season while earning a postseason playoff berth for the sixth consecutive year, were also chosen as likely Atlantic Division winners. North Carolina was picked to finish atop the Coastal Division following an eight-win 2020 season that culminated with the program’s first-ever berth in the Orange Bowl.
Clemson was named the likely 2021 ACC champion on 125 ballots. North Carolina picked up 16 votes, followed by Miami with three and Georgia Tech, NC State and Virginia with one each.
In the Atlantic Division preseason voting, Clemson led the way with 146 first-place votes and 1,028 total points. NC State, which was tabbed as the likely second-place finisher, picked up the remaining first-place vote while accumulating 804 points.
Boston College (638 points) was picked for a third-place Atlantic Division finish, followed by Florida State (510), Wake Forest (472), Louisville (462) and Syracuse (202).
In the Coastal Division forecast, North Carolina received 109 first-place votes and amassed 979 total points. Miami (28 first-place votes) was next with 881 points, followed by Virginia Tech (three-first place votes, 582 points) and Pitt (one first-place vote, 576 points).
Virginia (two first-place votes, 540 points), Georgia Tech (four first-place votes, 340 points) and Duke (218 points) closed out the voting.
Clemson was selected as the likely ACC champion in the media preseason poll for the fourth consecutive season and the seventh time in the last nine years.
UNC returns 21 of 22 starters from its Orange Bowl loss to Texas A&M, including Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Sam Howell who has started all 25 games of his career as a Tar Heel and completed 496 of 770 pass attempts (64.4 percent) for 7.227 yards, 68 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. In addition, Howell has run for six touchdowns and has caught two TD passes.
The Tar Heels must replace running backs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams for 2,385 yards last season, including setting a record for two backs in a game by amassing 544 yards in a win at Miami last December. Carolina also loses its only two-time 1,000-yard receiver in Dyami Brown as well as Dazz Newsome to the NFL.
The Atlantic and Coastal Division winners will meet in the 2021 ACC Football Championship Game on Saturday, December 4, at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.
ACC Preseason Poll
(147 total votes)
Overall Champion
Clemson - 125
North Carolina - 16
Miami - 3
Virginia - 1
Georgia Tech - 1
NC State - 1
Atlantic Division
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
Clemson – 1,028 (146)
NC State - 804 (1)
Boston College - 638
Florida State - 510
Wake Forest - 472
Louisville - 462
Syracuse - 202
