With ACC media days in the rearview mirror and training camp less than a week away, the start of Pitt’s season is closing in. And with that anticipation comes predictions.
At the ACC Kickoff last week in Charlotte, media members gathered to hear from Pat Narduzzi and his conference counterparts. They also were asked to vote on the following: preseason All-ACC teams, preseason players of the year, predicted orders of finish within the Coastal and Atlantic divisions and a conference winner.
The first two will be announced Wednesday afternoon. But the latter two were announced Tuesday.
So, let’s dive into how Pitt stacks up on the preseason ballot. Below, we feature the league’s official, cumulative results as voted on by the 164 credentialed media — with the Post-Gazette’s predicted order of finish in subsequent notes sections.
Atlantic
1. Clemson (111 first-place votes)
2. NC State (44)
3. Wake Forest (6)
4. Louisville
5. Florida State
6. Boston College
7. Syracuse
It should come as no surprise Clemson is projected to win the Atlantic. Even when the Tigers’ run of six consecutive playoff appearances ended last season, they still won 10 games. They’re a powerhouse in the sport, and the overwhelming majority of media members in Charlotte believe they’ll reclaim their division.
I am not among that majority. Would I be surprised if Clemson captured the Atlantic? Of course not. But the division should be just as competitive as it was last year when NC State beat Clemson and Wake Forest played in the conference title game.
My pick in the Atlantic is NC State. This might be thrown back in my face if the Wolfpack gets stomped at Clemson. But NC State returns 17 starters, most of any team in the conference, and boasts arguably the best quarterback in the league in Devin Leary (35 touchdowns, five interceptions in 2021).
I have Clemson and Wake Forest slotting in second and third, respectively. Brent Venables’ departure scared me off the Tigers, as did the uncertainty of quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei. Rounding out the division, I have Boston College, Florida State, Louisville, then Syracuse. Keep an eye on the Eagles, who have a healthy Phil Jurkovec paired with star wide receiver Zay Flowers. They could produce some gaudy numbers.
Coastal
1. Miami (98)
2. Pitt (38)
3. North Carolina (18)
4. Virginia (6)
5. Virginia Tech (3)
6. Georgia Tech (1)
7. Duke
There’s always buzz around Miami. But new head coach Mario Cristobal, a Miami native who won two national titles as a Hurricane, brings plenty of juice to the program and on the recruiting trail. Plus, quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is back after lighting up the conference as a redshirt freshman in 2021 (20 touchdowns, three INTs in his last six starts).
But my pick is Pitt in the Coastal.
The Panthers don’t have Kenny Pickett or Jordan Addison. They don’t have an easy schedule, going on the road at Miami, North Carolina and Virginia in divisional play. But they have their entire offensive line back. They have one of the best defensive lines in the country, and they have the confidence of a group that knows what it takes to win the ACC. All of that matters when you’re trying to defend a title.
Perhaps some Pitt fans would prefer the Panthers aren’t ranked this high. When they won the Coastal in 2018 and 2021, they were preseason ranked fifth and fourth in the division, respectively. Narduzzi’s teams seem to thrive with an underdog mentality.
It might come down to the final week of the regular season when Pitt visits Miami in south Florida. But I think the Panthers get it done. I have Miami ranked second behind Pitt, followed by North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Duke.
ACC champion
1. Clemson (103)
2. NC State (38)
3. Miami (8)
4. Wake Forest (4)
T5. Pitt, Virginia (3)
Again, it’s not shocking to see Clemson leading the way here. The Tigers are the betting favorite to win the conference with -155 odds, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Miami is +600, followed by NC State at +800 and Pitt at +1000.
My vote went to NC State. Last season, we saw Pitt — a senior-laden team led by an excellent quarterback — win the conference. History could repeat itself this fall with Leary and the Wolfpack.
