Clemson football is overwhelming pick to repeat as ACC champion in preseason media poll
The Tigers received 3,083 points and secured 167 first-place votes. It was Clemson's eighth time in the last 10 years being picked to win the conference in the ACC preseason poll; the Tigers were not picked to win the league in 2017 and 2024. Miami (7), FSU (4), SMU (2), Georgia Tech (2) and Virginia Tech (1) also received first-place votes.
Clemson was not favored to win the ACC last season but won the ACC championship for the eighth time in the last 10 years. The Tigers are a popular pick to repeat as ACC champions because they are returning various experienced and talented players, including quarterback Cade Klubnik, wide receiver Antonio Williams, defensive end T.J. Parker and defensive tackle Peter Woods.
The last time Clemson was picked to win the conference was in 2023 when the Tigers finished 9-4 (their fewest wins since 2010). Clemson's 2025 schedule features home games against LSU, SMU and Florida State and road matchups against Louisville, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The media poll was conducted by a vote from a media panel, including all credentialed media members at ACC kickoff. This is the second season of the ACC doing away with divisions with the inclusion of Stanford, SMU and Cal being in the conference.
The preseason All-ACC team and Player of the Year will be released July 31. Clemson begins preseason practices July 31, too, before opening the 2025 season against LSU on Aug. 30 (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC) at Memorial Stadium.
SUPERLATIVES: Predicting ACC football's best, most surprising and most disappointing teams in 2025 season
Here's the predicted order of finish, as voted on by ACC media:
2025 ACC football preseason poll
1. Clemson
2. Miami
3. SMU
4. Georgia Tech
5. Louisville
6. Duke
7. Florida State
8. North Carolina
9. Pitt
10. NC State
11. Virginia Tech
12. Syracuse
13. Boston College
14. Virginia
15. Cal
16. Wake Forest
17. Stanford
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football predictions 2025: Tigers picked to repeat in ACC
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