The Miami Hurricanes are once again tipped to vie for a prominent spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference, as indicated by their third-place finish in the 2024 ACC Preseason Poll. Gathered from 170 media ballots, the poll shows that 17 members anticipated Miami to clinch the top position in a now-expanded 17-team league, with the addition of SMU, California, and Stanford this season.
High Hopes and Strong Contestants
Florida State, the reigning ACC champion, is the frontrunner to defend its title, collecting 81 of the 170 first-place votes. Clemson follows close behind with 55 first-place votes, slotting into the second position. Miami comes in third, followed by NC State, which garnered eight first-place votes for a fourth-place prediction. Other teams such as Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Cal, and Boston College also received individual first-place votes, although their overall rankings varied.
Under Coach Mario Cristobal, the Miami Hurricanes are no strangers to high preseason expectations. In Cristobal’s inaugural season in 2022, Miami was the preseason favorite to win the Coastal Division and advance to the ACC Championship Game. However, they concluded that season with a 5-7 record, going 3-5 in the conference and ending up fifth in the Coastal Division. The narrative slightly improved in 2023, when the Hurricanes, projected to finish fifth in the league, wrapped up the season with a 7-6 standing but maintained a 3-5 record in ACC play, tying for ninth place.
Looking Ahead: Will the Projections Pan Out?
As the Hurricanes gear up for their third year under Cristobal, the big question remains: Will they finally fulfill their preseason promise? The season kicks off on August 31 against the Florida Gators, setting the stage for what fans hope will be a breakout year.
The preseason poll breakdown is as follows:
- Florida State (81 first-place votes), 2,708 points
- Clemson (55 first-place votes), 2,657 points
- Miami (17 first-place votes), 2,344 points
- NC State (eight first-place votes), 2,318 points
- Louisville, 1,984 points
- Virginia Tech (five first-place votes), 1,968 points
- SMU, 1,798 points
- North Carolina, 1,712 points
- Georgia Tech (one first-place vote), 1,539 points
- California (two first-place votes), 1,095 points
- Duke, 1,056 points
- Syracuse, 1,035 points
- Pittsburgh, 1,016 points
- Boston College (one first-place vote), 890 points
- Wake Forest, 784 points
- Virginia, 629 points
- Stanford, 477 points
