Clemson has been picked No. 1 in the ACC preseason football poll for the eighth time in nine years.
Virginia Tech and Virginia, on the other hand, may try to use the poll as motivation this season.
The Hokies check in at No. 11 and the Cavaliers No. 14 — last — in the poll, which is voted on by a media panel, including those from last week’s ACC Football Kickoff.
The ACC has eliminated divisions starting this season, so each team will play an eight-game conference schedule. The top two teams will be determined by winning percentage in conference play and will meet in the league’s championship game on Dec. 2 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Each team will play three opponents annually in a 3-3-5 scheduling model, which will allow all teams to play the other 10 schools twice in a four-year period.
The Tigers, who won the ACC title game and finished 11-3 last season, earned 103 first-place votes and 2,370 points. Florida State was second with 67 first-place votes and 2,304 points and North Carolina (5, 1,981) was third.
North Carolina State and Miami rounded out the top five.
Virginia Tech will open the season Sept. 2 by hosting Old Dominion at 8 p.m. Virginia will open against Tennessee at noon the same day in Nashville.
ACC preseason poll
1. Clemson (103), 2,370
2. Florida State (67), 2,304
3. North Carolina (5), 1,981
4. NC State (1), 1,662
5. Miami, 1,553
T6. Duke, 1,511
T6. Pitt, 1,511
8. Louisville, 1,344
9. Wake Forest, 1,181
10. Syracuse, 826
11. Virginia Tech, 678
12. Georgia Tech, 633
13. Boston College, 561
14. Virginia, 365
