ACC Football Kickoff Media Tabs Virginia Tech as 2010 Favorite
Florida State, Hokies, Picked To Win Atlantic, Coastal Division;
Seminoles' Christian Ponder Voted ACC Preseason Player of the Year
ACC Press Release
July 26, 2010
GREENSBORO, N.C. (ACSMA) - Virginia Tech was the choice of the media assembled for the 2010 Atlantic Coast Conference Football Kickoff to win the ACC's Coastal Division and defeat Florida State for the 2010 ACC Football Championship in voting which was announced Monday at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro.
A record number of ballots were cast at the Kickoff with 98 media members voting.
Virginia Tech was chosen on 50 ballots to win its fourth ACC football title in just its seventh year in the league. Florida State finished second with 26 votes, followed by Miami (10), Georgia Tech (8), Boston College (2) and North Carolina (2). The Hokies were tabbed to win the ACC's Coastal Division with 532 points and 62 first-place votes outdistancing Miami (444 points, 20 first-place votes), Georgia Tech (408), North Carolina (379), Duke (169) and Virginia (126). Florida State compiled 565 points and 78 first-place votes to claim the Atlantic Division title over Clemson (479), Boston College (389), NC State (283), Wake Forest (203) and Maryland (139).
Virginia Tech was previously chosen as the preseason ACC gridiron favorite in 2007 and 2009. The Hokies captured the 2007 ACC title, but finished second in the Coastal Division to ACC champion Georgia Tech last year.
Florida State senior quarterback Christian Ponder (Colleyville, Tex.), who led the ACC in total offense in 2009 (321.8) after nine games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, was a runaway selection as the ACC's Preseason Player of the Year. Ponder garnered 45 votes to finish ahead of Virginia Tech tailback Ryan Williams (16) and quarterback Tyrod Taylor (11), NC State senior quarterback Russell Wilson (6) and North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn (6). In all, 12 ACC players received votes for ACC Preseason Player of the Year.
| Atlantic Division |
| 1. | Florida State (78) | 565 |
| 2. | Clemson (16) | 479 |
| 3. | Boston College (4) | 389 |
| 4. | NC State | 283 |
| 5. | Wake Forest | 203 |
| 6. | Maryland | 139 |
| Coastal Division |
| 1. | Virginia Tech (62) | 532 |
| 2. | Miami (20) | 444 |
| 3. | Georgia Tech (11) | 408 |
| 4. | North Carolina (5) | 379 |
| 5. | Duke | 169 |
| 6. | Virginia | 126 |
| ACC Championship Votes |
| 1. | Virginia Tech | 50 |
| 2. | Florida State | 26 |
| 3. | Miami | 10 |
| 4. | Georgia Tech | 8 |
| T5. | Boston College | 2 |
| T5. | North Carolina | 2 |
| ACC Player of the Year |
| 1. | Christian Ponder, Florida State | 45 |
| 2. | Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech | 16 |
| 3. | Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech | 11 |
| T4. | Russell Wilson, NC State | 6 |
| T4. | Robert Quinn, North Carolina | 6 |
| 6. | Joshua Nesbitt, Georgia Tech | 4 |
| 7. | Kyle Parker, Clemson | 3 |
| T8. | Mark Herzlich, Boston College | 2 |
| T8. | Jacory Harris, Miami | 2 |
| T10. | Montel Harris, Boston College | 1 |
| T10. | Darren Evans, Virginia Tech | 1 |
| T10. | Bruce Carter, North Carolina | 1 |
| ACC Championship Game Predictions |
| 1. | Virginia Tech over FSU | 35 |
| 2. | Virginia Tech over Clemson | 13 |
| 3. | Florida State over Virginia Tech | 11 |
| 4. | Florida State over Miami | 10 |
| 5. | Miami over Florida State | 9 |
| 6. | Georgia Tech over Florida State | 7 |
| 7. | Florida State over North Carolina | 3 |
| T8. | Virginia Tech over Boston College | 2 |
| T8. | Florida State over Georgia Tech | 2 |
| T10. | Miami over Clemson | 1 |
| T10. | Georgia Tech over Clemson | 1 |
| T10. | Boston College over Georgia Tech | 1 |
| T10. | Boston College over Virginia Tech | 1 |
| T10. | North Carolina over Florida State | 1 |
| T10. | North Carolina over Clemson | 1 |
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