Three Takeaways From The ACC Football Preseason Media Poll

Jul 23, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Georgia Tech Head Coach Brent Key answers questions from the media during ACC Media days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The preseason media poll for the ACC was just released and Georgia Tech is being predicted to be among the top teams in the conference. The Yellow Jackets were picked to finish fourth in the conference this season and received two first place votes. Clemson was the pick to win the ACC, garnering 167 first place votes, while Miami was picked to finish second and got seven first place votes.

Here are the full results of the preseason poll with first place votes in parentheses:

1. Clemson (167)

2. Miami (7)

3. SMU (2)

4. Georgia Tech (2)

5. Louisville

6. Duke

7. Florida State (4)

8. North Carolina

9. Pitt

10. NC State

11. Virginia Tech (1)

12 Syracuse

13. Boston College

14. Virginia

15. California

16. Wake Forest

17. Stanford

With the release of the poll, what are the biggest takeaways?

1. Clemson is going to be the prohibitive favorite in the conference entering the season

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) with quarterbacks in a passing drill during the football practice at the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. Wednesday, March 5, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It is probably not a surprise to anyone, but Clemson is going to be the heavy favorite in the ACC entering the season. The Tigers garnered 167 first place votes and they are going to be the team that everyone is gunning for this season. With NFL talent such as Cade Klubnik, Peter Woods, TJ Parker, and a loaded receiver room, it would be a major disappointment if Clemson did not at least make it to Charlotte to play in the ACC Championship and then the College Football Playoff.

2. Georgia Tech is getting major respect heading into the season

The Yellow Jackets have loved being an underdog in the Brent Key era, but they may not get to use that much this season. Georgia Tech was picked to finish fourth in the conference this season, behind only Clemson, Miami, and SMU. The external expectations are high for Georgia Tech, but after the first day of traning camp, Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key talked a little bit about the external expectations this team has for itself:

"Well, that's why they're internal expectations because they stay internal. Seriously, It's internal or external. Yall's job is external, our job's internal. I mean, they're high. They're very high. And that's all I'll say is that, no matter what the external expectations are, they should never be higher than what your internal expectations are of yourself."

Key also mentioned the confidence of this team during his press conference yesterday:

"That's great to hear because, you know, confidence is something that it's hard to come by a lot of times. You know, so many individuals are insecure, not confident themselves. And, you know, a lot of that is part of the external factors that are out there in the world. You know, to have a group of guys that does have confidence but not arrogance. You know, I try to portray that as well with the team, because I want them to be confident, right? Look, you know, we got good football players, right? We got good football players that work their butts off. So, you know, they should have confidence, right? If you don't have confidence, I mean, there's, there's, you got zero chance. And all these things we talk about, I mean, they're not, they're not giving us any reason to celebrate. They just give you an opportunity, a chance to be able to put it all together and celebrate it into the year, so I think it's a really good thing."

How will Georgia Tech play with a target on its back this year?

3. Most Voters Believe in a Florida State bounce back of some sort

It is hard to overstate how bad of a season that Florida State had last season, going from ACC champion and undefeated regular season to 2-10 and being non-competitive in most games they played. After changes to the coaching staff and another large transfer portal class, Florida State is hoping to bounce back and at minimum be a bowl team, if not more. Voters are buying that Florida State will be better than last season (how can they not be?) and the Seminoles even got four first place votes.