Preseason ACC media poll released

10 things to know about Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson. (Video by Leo Willingham)

Georgia Tech has been picked to finish third in the Coastal Division in a poll of media at last week’s ACC Kickoff. The conference revealed the balloting Monday.

The Yellow Jackets received 654 points in the balloting of 148 media members, behind Miami (998) and Virginia Tech (838). The Hurricanes were a runaway favorite with 122 of the 148 first-place votes. Behind Georgia Tech were Duke, Pitt, North Carolina and Virginia. Georgia Tech received eight first-place votes.

In the Atlantic, three-time defending conference champion was named the division favorite on 145 ballots (N.C. State received two and Florida State received one). Clemson was projected the conference champion by 139 voters.

In coach Paul Johnson’s 10 seasons, the ACC preseason media poll projection has been lower than the Jackets’ actual finish seven times, correctly predicted it twice and overestimated it once.

ACC Championship Votes

1. Clemson – 139

2. Miami - 5

3. N.C. State - 2

T4. Florida State - 1, Virginia Tech - 1

Atlantic Division 

(First place votes in parenthesis) 

  1. Clemson (145) – 1,031
  2. Florida State (1) – 789
  3. NC State (2) – 712
  4. Boston College – 545
  5. Louisville – 422
  6. Wake Forest – 413
  7. Syracuse – 232

Coastal Division

(First place votes in parenthesis) 

  1. Miami (122) – 998
  2. Virginia Tech (16) – 838
  3. Georgia Tech (8) – 654
  4. Duke (1) – 607
  5. Pitt – 420
  6. North Carolina (1) – 370
  7. Virginia – 257