A panel of ACC media picked Virginia Tech football to finish 11th in the conference this season, matching the Hokies' lowest spot in the annual preseason prediction.
Defending champion Clemson was the runaway winner in the poll, which included ballots from over 180 credentialed media members in Charlotte last week for the ACC Kickoff. The Tigers earned first-place votes on 167 of 183 ballots.
Miami, which got seven first-place votes, was picked to finish second, followed by SMU, Georgia Tech and Louisville.
Virginia Tech was one of six teams that earned a first-place vote, getting one, though the Hokies' point total put them 11th.
That equaled their 2023 preseason spot, when they were coming off a 3-8 record in 2022. Tech ended up going 5-3 in the ACC that season, which put it in a fourth-place tie in the conference standings.
The Hokies were picked sixth last year and ended up in a tie for eighth place after going 4-4 in league play.
| Year | Preseason Pick | Champion (Preseason Pick) |
|---|---|---|
| 2005-2022: Data is for Coastal Division Champion | ||
| 2005 | VT | VT (1st) |
| 2006 | Miami | Georgia Tech (3rd) |
| 2007 | VT | VT (1st) |
| 2008 | VT | VT (1st) |
| 2009 | VT | Georgia Tech (2nd) |
| 2010 | VT | VT (1st) |
| 2011 | VT | VT (1st) |
| 2012 | VT | Georgia Tech (2nd) |
| 2013 | Miami | Duke (7th) |
| 2014 | Miami | Georgia Tech (5th) |
| 2015 | Georgia Tech | North Carolina (5th) |
| 2016 | North Carolina | VT (4th) |
| 2017 | Miami | Miami (1st) |
| 2018 | Miami | Pittsburgh (5th) |
| 2019 | Virginia | Virginia (1st) |
| 2020 (no divisions) | Clemson (overall) | Clemson (1st) |
| 2021 | North Carolina | Pitt (4th) |
| 2022 | Miami | North Carolina (3rd) |
| 2023 Onward: No Divisions; Data is for ACC Regular-Season Champion | ||
| 2023 | Clemson | Florida State (2nd) |
| 2024 | Florida State | SMU (7th) |
| 2025 | Clemson | Virginia (14th) |
| 2026 | Miami | TBD |
For all preseason media predictions dating back to 2005, click here.