Clemson is a near-unanimous selection to win its fifth consecutive ACC championship, according to the ACC Kickoff media poll. The Tigers were chosen as the conference champion on 170 out of 173 ballots. Virginia, picked to win the Coastal Division, picked up two votes to win the conference title. Syracuse received one vote.

The Tigers are also considered the class of the Atlantic Division, receiving 171 out of 173 votes. Syracuse received the other two votes. Clemson is seeking to add to its 18 ACC football titles, the most in league history. Last season, Clemson dominated the ACC Championship game against Pittsburgh on its way to a third national championship.

The Coastal Division has proven very difficult to predict. Six different Coastal teams have represented the division in the ACC Championship over the last six seasons and all seven teams received a first-place vote. This year’s selection, Virginia, has not earned a berth to the ACC Championship game since its inception in 2005. Virginia Tech, picked third this season after scuffling to a 6-7 record in 2018, has the most Coastal Divisional titles with six.

Florida State had not been picked to finish lower than second in the Atlantic Division until this year’s poll. Despite its successes (15 ACC titles since 1992), some media members think the rebuild is not complete after last year’s nosedive and were picked third in the poll.

If this year’s poll is accurate, Clemson will play in its seventh ACC Championship game, breaking a tie with Virginia Tech.