Seminoles lead 2017 ACC Football preseason poll

Sara D. Davis, TheACC.com

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Florida State Seminoles were selected the preseason favorite to claim the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) football championship as announced by the conference on Monday.

The Seminoles, who posted a 10-3 overall record last season and defeated Michigan in the Capital One Orange Bowl, were also picked to capture the Atlantic Division, while the Miami Hurricanes were picked as the Coastal Division winner.

All selections were made according to a poll compiled by votes from 167 media members in conjunction with last week’s 2017 ACC Football Kickoff held in Charlotte.

Reigning Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Lamar Jackson of Louisville was chosen to repeat as ACC Player of the Year.

The pick was a safe one considering Jackson’s record-setting 2016 season during 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.

As the youngest player to win the Heisman Trophy, Jackson also was named the 2016 National College Football Player of the Year by the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp, the Sporting News and CBS Sports.

Florida State was named the likely 2017 ACC champions on 118 ballots, followed by defending national champion and two-time defending ACC champion Clemson with 35 votes.

Louisville received seven votes, followed by Virginia Tech and Miami with three each, and Duke with one.

In Atlantic Division preseason voting, the Seminoles led the way with 121 first-place votes followed by the Tigers with 37 first-place votes, and the Cardinals with nine first-place votes.

N.C. State (658 total points) was tabbed for a fourth-place finish, followed by Wake Forest (415), Syracuse (362) and Boston College (283).

The Hurricanes, beginning their second season under head coach Mark Richt, were selected the likely Coastal Division winner by 103 voters.

The defending division-champion Hokies followed with 40 first-place votes, and Georgia Tech placed third with nine first-place votes.

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.

Jackson led preseason ACC Player of the Year balloting with 113 votes, while Florida State’s Deondre Francois was listed on 23 ballots, and Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins on 11.

Boston College defensive end Harold Landry received eight votes, followed by N.C. State all-purpose standout Jaylen Samuels with seven, and Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey with two.

Miami linebacker Shaquille Quarterman, Miami wide receiver Ahmmon Richards, and Duke quarterback Daniel Jones each received one vote.

2017 ACC Football Preseason Poll

ACC Championship

  1. Florida State – 118
  2. Clemson – 35
  3. Louisville – 7
  4. T. Virginia Tech – 3
  5. T. Miami – 3
  6. Duke – 1

Atlantic Division  

(First place votes in parenthesis)                  

  1. Florida State (121) – 1,108
  2. Clemson (37) – 1,007
  3. Louisville (9) – 843
  4. NC State – 658
  5. Wake Forest – 415
  6. Syracuse  – 362
  7. Boston College – 283

Coastal Division

(First place votes in parenthesis)                  

  1. Miami (103) – 1,065
  2. Virginia Tech (40) – 932
  3. Georgia Tech (9) – 708
  4. Pitt (7) – 673
  5. North Carolina (4) – 606
  6. Duke (4) – 473
  7. Virginia – 219

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
  8. T. Ahmmon Richards, WR, Miami – 1
  9. T. Daniel Jones, QB, Duke – 1