Miami entered the ACC preseason media poll as the clear standard, and the gap between the Hurricanes and everyone else is massive.
The league’s media members handed Miami 165 first-place votes, which works out to 88 percent of the total. That kind of support leaves no doubt about how the Hurricanes are being viewed heading into the season, and it only sharpens the spotlight on Mario Cristobal and his team as they chase a first ACC football title.
ACC media preseason poll
1 Miami (165 1st place votes)
2 SMU (6)
3 Louisville (4)
4 Clemson (7)
5 Georgia Tech (2)
6 Virginia
7 NC State
8 Virginia Tech
9 Pitt
10 Duke
11 Florida State (3)
12 Cal
13 Wake Forest
14 Syracuse
15 UNC
16 Boston College
17 Stanford (1)
Cristobal knows what comes with that kind of billing. Miami wants to be in this position - among the sport’s elite, drawing attention, recruiting at a higher level, and sitting at the center of the conversation. But he also made it clear at ACC kickoff that the Hurricanes can’t let the hype pull them off course.
"You don't say much [and] now that we are getting better and progressing, it's probably time to say less," Cristobal said during the ACC kickoff. "Not time to predict, prognostications, and all that stuff.We would just like to keep our mouths shut and go outside and work, get better, represent our program to the best of our abilities."
That message matters because the preseason favorite label can turn fast. Clemson was the runaway pick last year with 167 of 183 first-place votes, only to stumble out of the gate and finish 7-6 after dropping three of its first four games, including the first two in conference play.
Miami’s position at the top makes sense. SMU at No. 2 and Louisville at No. 3 also fit the general shape of how the conference is being viewed. Clemson landing fourth, despite having seven first-place votes, is a little more unusual, but not shocking given the program’s track record.
The stranger part comes lower down the ballot. Florida State, picked 11th, still received three first-place votes, a sign that at least a few voters remain sold on Mike Norvell and Ashton Daniels. Stanford, meanwhile, was slotted last but still picked up a first-place vote of its own.
That kind of spread is exactly what makes these polls a little messy. Miami, though, is the one team that doesn’t leave much room for debate. The Hurricanes are the favorite, and on September 4 they’ll have a chance to start backing that up.
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