ACC Football Kickoff: Florida State, Miami picked to meet in title game

Defending  national champion Florida State is  the consensus choice to repeat as Atlantic Division champion and defeat Miami in the 10th annual Dr Pepper Atlantic Coast Conference Football Championship Game, according to a poll of media members in attendance at the 2014 ACC Football Kickoff at Grandover Resort.

Reigning Heisman Trophy winner and Walter Camp National Player of the Year Jameis Winston, who led the Seminoles to an unbeaten season and their third national title as a redshirt freshman in 2013, was chosen to repeat as ACC Player of the Year.

Florida State was picked as the likely overall ACC winner on 104 of 112 ballots cast. The Seminoles were picked to finish atop the Atlantic Division by 109 voters and amassed 780 total points. Clemson received the remaining three-first-place votes and placed second with 660. ACC newcomer Louisville placed third at 564, followed by Syracuse (368), NC State (326), Boston College (301) and Wake Forest (136).

Miami’s 26 first-place votes placed third among coastal division teams, but the Hurricanes’ 614 total points led overall. Defending division champion Duke received 33 first-place votes and finished with 597 points, followed by Virginia Tech with 571 points and 23 first-place votes. North Carolina was just behind in fourth place with 570 points and 27 first-place votes, followed by Georgia Tech (322 with one first place vote), Pitt (319 with two first-place votes) and Virginia (142).

Winston is one of 15 returning starters for Florida State, which seeks its third straight ACC title. The Seminoles own 14 ACC football championships in 23 seasons as a conference member, tying Clemson for most league titles all-time.

This marks the third time in four years that the Seminoles have led the ACC media preseason voting. Florida State was also voted first in 2011 and 2012, and in each of its first 14 seasons after joining the ACC (1992 through 2005).

Winston led the preseason ACC Player of the Year balloting with 99 votes, followed by Clemson defensive end Vic Beasley with six. Duke wide receiver Jamison Crowder, Miami running back Duke Johnson and Virginia Tech quarterback Brenden Motley received one vote apiece.

Last season saw Winston, of Bessemer, Alabama, become the youngest player to win the Heisman Trophy (19 years, 342 days) and just the second freshman to receive the honor. A dazzling playmaker, he led the Seminoles to a 14-0 record  and engineered the game-winning drive in a 34-31 win over Auburn in the 2013 VIZIO BCS National Championship Game.

Named the offensive MVP of the national title game, Winston also received the Davey O’Brien Award and the Manning Award as the nation’s best quarterback after setting national freshman records for passing yards (4,057) and touchdown passed (40) in 2013. His pass efficiency rating of 184.8 set an ACC record and led the nation.

 

ACC Championship Votes

1. Florida State – 104
2. Clemson – 2
3. Virginia Tech – 2

(4 voters made no selection)

 

Atlantic Division

(First place votes in parenthesis)                       

1. Florida State (109) – 780
2. Clemson (3) – 660
3. Louisville – 564
4. Syracuse – 368
5. NC State – 326
6. Boston College  – 301
7. Wake Forest – 136

 

Coastal Division

(First place votes in parenthesis)                       

1. Miami (26) – 614
2. Duke (33) – 597
3. Virginia Tech (23) – 571
4. North Carolina (27) – 570
5. Georgia Tech (1) – 322
6. Pitt (2) -319
7. Virginia -142

 

ACC Player of the Year

1. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State – 99
2. Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson – 6
3. Duke Johnson, RB, Miami – 1
4. Jamison Crowder, WR, Duke – 1
5. Brenden Motley, QB, Virginia Tech -1