Wake Forest was picked to finish third in the ACC’s Atlantic Division by the league’s media, a year after winning the division and reaching the ACC championship game.

Clemson garnered 111 of 164 votes to be the Atlantic Division champ, a title the Tigers held five straight seasons until Wake’s division conquest last year (there were no divisions in 2020).

Clemson is also the pick to win the ACC, picking up 103 votes. Miami is the favorite to win the Coastal Division, racking up 98 of 164 votes and finishing ahead of Pittsburgh (38 votes to win).

Wake Forest returns seven starters to an offense that averaged 41 points per game last season, and also gets the healthy returns of two former starters (Donavon Greene and Je’Vionte’ Nash) who missed all of last season with injuries.

The Deacons’ defense is looking for a recalibration with new (and former) defensive coordinator Brad Lambert, who brought in new safeties coach (and alum) James Adams and new linebackers coach Glenn Spencer. Wake’s defense was inconsistent last season and faltered in crucial late-season games against UNC and Pittsburgh.

The preseason All-ACC team will be announced Wednesday afternoon.

Here is the voting breakdown:

ACC Preseason Poll

(164 total votes)

Overall Champion

Clemson - 103

NC State - 38

Miami - 8

Wake Forest - 4

Pitt – 3

Virginia - 3

Florida State - 2

North Carolina - 2

Boston College - 1

Atlantic Division

(First-place votes in parenthesis)

Clemson (111) - 1,080

NC State (44) - 959

Wake Forest (6) - 783

Louisville - 591

Florida State (2) - 509

Boston College (1) - 469

Syracuse - 201

Coastal Division

(First-place votes in parenthesis)

Miami (98) – 1,036

Pitt (38) - 911

North Carolina (18) - 823

Virginia (6) - 667

Virginia Tech (3) - 592

Georgia Tech (1) - 343

Duke - 220