The ACC Media Days kicked off on Monday, and in a surprising twist, the Virginia Cavaliers were picked to win the ACC Coastal. While there was no surprise that defending national champion Clemson was picked to top the Atlantic, and 170 of 173 media members picked the Tigers to win the ACC Championship, the idea of Virginia entering the season as the media favorite to win the Coastal was unexpected.
The reigning national champion @ClemsonFB is the preseason favorite to claim its fifth consecutive #ACCFootball title.@UVAFootball is favored in the Coastal Division.
📰 https://t.co/Z0cFFqvyDB pic.twitter.com/EE6eAMiqOx
— The ACC (@theACC) July 22, 2019
Virginia’s social media team was quick to pounce on the news. The Cavaliers don’t have much of a football history, and this is the first time that the Wahoos have been picked to win one of the ACC’s divisions.
The media at #ACCKickoff has voted UVA as the narrow favorite to win the Coastal Division. It is the first time since the ACC went to 2 divisions in 2005 that UVA has been the media's preseason pick to win the division. #GoHoos #NewStandard
🔗 https://t.co/SsAs0kec6d pic.twitter.com/q1MZD85igl
— Virginia Football (@UVAFootball) July 22, 2019
It’s been 30 years since Virginia has recorded double-digit wins in a season, but Bronco Mendenhall has the Cavaliers on the upswing. After a 2-10 debut in 2016, the Cavaliers have gone bowling in each of the last two seasons, and Virginia finished last year 8-5 with a 28-0 Belk Bowl victory over South Carolina.
Virginia received the plurality of first-place votes on Monday, yet UVA only barely edged Miami to be the preseason favorite in the Coastal. While many are high on the Cavaliers to finish first, it appears that almost every media member thinks the Hurricanes will finish as one of the three best teams in the division, thus the close finish.
Virginia?!?!?!?!?!
— StateOfTheU.com (@TheStateOfTheU) July 22, 2019
One of the biggest Miami blogs was stunned by the news, as most believed the Hurricanes would be the media’s pick to win the Coastal Division. Bill Connelly’s S&P+ numbers rate Miami well ahead of the Virginia Cavaliers, and most preseason magazines went with the Hurricanes too.
See you August 31 at Heinz Field.#H2P https://t.co/hvwOnuDrqv
— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) July 22, 2019
Interestingly enough, defending Coastal Division champions Pitt were picked to finish fourth. The lack of respect for the Panthers sent ripples throughout Pittsburgh talk radio, and that will add fuel to their first game of the season. Pittsburgh hosts Virginia in Heinz Field on August 31.
H/T ACC
