Any preseason poll tends to look back on what was rather than what might actually be. After the first three weeks of play the inevitable shuffle begins among the Top 25 college teams. As few top 10 ten teams open their season up against others of their ilk you can usually count on some degree of stability among their ranks.
If this year’s preseason Coaches’ Poll from USA Today is any indication, those voting viewed the ACC in a much more positive light than in years past. After you get a good look at the teams and how they are perceived opening the season your thoughts may change as well. At least for a few weeks unless one or more toss the baby out with the bath water sooner.
Football Rankings | Daring ACC+1 Preseason Poll
Poll
The top 5 teams, many of whom we expect to see in that position annually all are beginning to look like the Hulk’s fist in comparison to his enemies. At the same time you can see the progression of ACC teams that have turned in stellar efforts consistently over the past few years. Consistency is the key word here. The conference needs to deliver similar results year over year and get more teams in front of national audiences in order to keep it off life support.
Listen Now To ACC Nation Radio 24/7
USA TODAY/AFCA Coaches Poll
| RANK | TEAM |
| #1 | ALABAMA |
| #2 | OHIO STATE |
| #3 | GEORGIA |
| #4 | CLEMSON |
| #5 | NOTRE DAME |
| #13 | NC STATE |
| #16 | PITT |
| #17 | MIAMI |
| #19 | WAKE FOREST |
| RV | |
| #33 | NORTH CAROLINA |
| #54 | LOUISVILLE |
| #55 | FLORIDA STATE |
There isn’t much doubt that the conference teams that are ranked among the Top 25 belong there. Each have the goods now it’s just a matter of whether they can seal the deal.
It’s important to note that enough coaches felt that a vote for the Tar Heels was worth casting. It was just enough to put the team on the edge of the Top 25 but they’ll have plenty of work cut out for them to break into the rankings. You’ll want to listen to our ACC+1 Football Preview of North Carolina with Andrew Jones to get a feel for what Mack Brown has up his sleeve this season.
Often when you see a team with one vote in the Receiving Votes category of any poll you tend to brush it aside or immediately go to, ‘that coach has some brass voting for himself’. First, coaches can’t vote for their own teams so any vote(s) are worth looking at a little closer. Louisville and Florida State have been slowly working their way back into teams worth watching and not taking for granted. We’ll leave it at that until they make it through the opening three weeks of play. Maybe we’ll have something more to talk about at that time.
Be sure to listen or watch our interviews by subscribing to the ACC Nation podcast, streaming radio or on YouTube.
