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Media voters picked Clemson to win the title and Miami - not the Hokies - to win the Coastal Division.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Clemson was the overwhelming choice to win the ACC football title in a preseason media poll Monday.
The Tigers, who return 12 starters from an 11-2 team, were picked to win the ACC title game by 95 of 120 voters. Defending champ Florida State was second with 15 votes; Virginia Tech was sixth with one vote. Voting was done by the media members who attended the ACC's preseason football media gathering at a Greensboro resort.
"We have a good team. We've got a lot of guys coming back that have proven to me that they can play winning football," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "Hopefully we're going to be much better defensively."
Clemson was picked to win the crown for the first time since the 2008 poll.
Tigers quarterback Tajh Boyd was named the preseason ACC player of the year, reaping 105 votes. Hokies quarterback Logan Thomas tied for third with three votes.
For the first time in seven years, Virginia Tech was not picked in the poll to win the Coastal Division.
Miami was the Coastal choice for the first time since 2006. The Hurricanes, who return 14 starters from a 7-5 team, received 65 first-place votes and 736 points.
"We've improved our talent, but we have a long way to go to be what we want to be," Miami coach Al Golden said.
The Hokies reaped 27 first-place Coastal votes and 654 points. North Carolina was picked third in the division with 22 first-place votes and 649 points. Georgia Tech, which got six first-place votes and 522 points, was fourth. Pittsburgh was fifth, followed by Virginia and Duke.
Clemson was the heavy favorite to win the Atlantic Division, reaping 102 first-place votes and 815 points. FSU was second with 18 first-place votes and 731 points.