Clemson Favored in 2023 ACC Football Preseason Poll
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Clemson is favored to win the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference football title for the eighth time in the last nine years, according to a preseason poll of 176 media voters.
The Tigers went 11-3 last year, posting their 12th consecutive double-digit win season while winning the 2022 ACC Football Championship Game.
The 2023 ACC Preseason Poll was conducted via a vote of a media panel, including those who were credentialed for last week’s ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Clemson was predicted as the 2023 ACC champion on 103 ballots. Coming off a 10-3 season and a win in the Cheez-It Bowl, Florida State racked up 67 first-place votes. North Carolina (5) and NC State (1) also earned first-place votes.
Clemson paced all teams with 2,370 points, while Florida State held the second slot with 2,304 points. North Carolina was third with 1,981 points, and NC State nabbed fourth with 1,662 points.
The next three teams were tightly bunched, with Miami in fifth with 1,553 points and Duke and Pitt tied for sixth with 1,511 points apiece.
Louisville (1,344) was eighth in the preseason prognostications, while Wake Forest (1,181) took ninth. The 10 through 14 spots were held by Syracuse (826), Virginia Tech (678), Georgia Tech (633), Boston College (561) and Virginia (365).
The 2023 ACC schedule features a new scheduling model, which eliminates divisions. The 2023 ACC Football Championship Game will be played Dec. 2 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will feature the top two teams based on winning percentage.
2023 ACC Preseason Poll
1. Clemson (103), 2370
2. Florida State (67), 2304
3. North Carolina (5), 1981
4. NC State (1), 1662
5. Miami, 1553
T6. Duke, 1511
T6. Pitt, 1511
8. Louisville, 1344
9. Wake Forest, 1181
10. Syracuse, 826
11. Virginia Tech, 678
12. Georgia Tech, 633
13. Boston College, 561
14. Virginia, 365
First-place votes in parentheses
176 media voters
Swanny’s Preseason Ballot
| Offense | Defense |
|
QUARTERBACK #10 Drake Maye - QB - North Carolina RUNNING BACK #1 Will Shipley - RB - Clemson #3 Trey Benson - RB - Florida State WIDE RECEIVER #0 Antonio Williams - WR - Clemson #14 Johnny Wilson - WR - Florida State #0 Ali Jennings - WR - Virginia Tech TIGHT END #9 Jake Briningstool - TE - Clemson ALL-PURPOSE BACK #25 Jawhar Jordan - RB/RS - Louisville OFFENSIVE TACKLE #62 Graham Barton - OL - Duke #52 Robert Scott Jr. - OL - Florida State OFFENSIVE GUARD #64 Walker Parks - OL - Clemson #73 Christian Mahogany - OL - Boston College CENTER #55 Matt Lee - OL - Miami (FL) |
DEFENSIVE END #5 Jared Verse - DL - Florida State #6 Donovan Ezeiruaku - DE - Boston College DEFENSIVE TACKLE #13 Tyler Davis - DT - Clemson #90 DeWayne Carter - DT - Duke LINEBACKER #54 Jeremiah Trotter Jr. - LB - Clemson #0 Barrett Carter - LB - Clemson #4 Kalen DeLoach - LB - Florida State CORNERBACK #3 Aydan White - CB - NC State #12 M.J. Devonshire - DB - Pittsburgh SAFETY #5 Kam Kinchens - S - Miami (FL) #1 LaMiles Brooks - S - Georgia Tech PLACEKICKER #99 Matthew Dennis - PK - Wake Forest PUNTER #91 Ben Kiernan - P - North Carolina SPECIALIST #1 Will Shipley - RB - Clemson |
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
#10 Drake Maye - QB - North Carolina
ACC PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1 Clemson
2 Florida State
3 North Carolina
4 NC State
5 Wake Forest
6 Miami (FL)
7 Duke
8 Pittsburgh
9 Louisville
10 Georgia Tech
11 Boston College
12 Virginia Tech
13 Syracuse
14 Virginia