Canes Picked to Win ACC Coastal Division Crown
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The University of Miami is the preseason favorite to claim the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division championship, according to a poll of 167 media members held in conjunction with last week’s 2017 ACC Football Kickoff.
Miami, beginning its second season under head coach Mark Richt, was selected the likely Coastal Division winner by 103 voters and amassed 1,065 total points. Defending division champion Virginia Tech followed with 40 first-place votes and 932 points. Georgia Tech placed third with nine first-place votes and 708 points.
Pitt (seven first-place votes) totaled 673 points, followed by North Carolina (four first-place votes) at 606, Duke (four first-place votes) at 473 and Virginia at 219.
Miami had two players selected as candidates for ACC Player of the Year; sophomores Shaquille Quarterman and Ahmmon Richards both earned a vote from the media as the conference’s top player.
The Atlantic and Coastal Division winners will meet in the 2017 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game on Saturday, Dec. 2., at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. If this year’s media predictions prove correct, it will be a first-ever title game matchup of teams from the Sunshine State and a rematch of an early regular-season showdown. The Hurricanes and preseason Atlantic Division favorite Florida State meet in Tallahassee, on Sept. 16.
In the Atlantic Division preseason voting, the Seminoles led the way with 121 first-place votes and 1,108 total points. Clemson followed with 37 first-place votes and 1,007 points, while Louisville received nine first-place votes and checked in with 843 total points.
NC State (658 total points) was tabbed for a fourth-place Atlantic Division finish, followed by Wake Forest (415), Syracuse (362) and Boston College (283).
Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson of Louisville was chosen to repeat as ACC Player of the Year after a record-setting 2016 campaign in which he averaged 393.4 yards per game of total offense and accounted for 51 touchdowns, both ACC single-season records. His 1,571 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns were also ACC records for a quarterback.
Coastal Division
(First place votes in parenthesis)
- Miami (103) – 1,065
- Virginia Tech (40) – 932
- Georgia Tech (9) – 708
- Pitt (7) – 673
- North Carolina (4) – 606
- Duke (4) -473
- Virginia -219
Atlantic Division
(First place votes in parenthesis)
- Florida State (121) – 1,108
- Clemson (37) – 1,007
- Louisville (9) – 843
- NC State – 658
- Wake Forest – 415
- Syracuse – 362
- Boston College – 283
ACC Championship Votes
1. Florida State – 117
2. Clemson – 35
3. Louisville – 7
4-t. Virginia Tech – 3
4-t. Miami – 3
Duke – 1
ACC Player of the Year
1. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville – 113
2. Deondre Francois, QB, Florida State – 23
3. Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson – 11
4. Harold Landry, DE, Boston College – 8
5. Jaylen Samuels, AP, NC State – 7
6. Eric Dungey, QB, Syracuse – 2
7-t. Shaquille Quarterman, LB, Miami – 1
7-t. Ahmmon Richards, WR, Miami – 1
7-t. Daniel Jones, QB, Duke -1
