For the third time in four years, Virginia Tech was picked to win the ACC in the media poll at the ACC Football Kickoff. Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder was a runaway winner in player-of-the-year polling.
The Hokies received 50 of 98 votes to win the league championship and 62 to win the Coastal Division, with Florida State picked to win the Atlantic Division on 78 ballots.
North Carolina, a trendy longshot to win the league only a few weeks ago, was picked to finish fourth in the Coastal Division as uncertainty about the NCAA investigation apparently put a damper on the Tar Heels' prospects. Duke, in fifth, wasn't far behind.
N.C. State and Wake Forest were picked to finish fourth and fifth respectively in the Atlantic Division.
The full voting:
ACC Champion
1. Virginia Tech 50
2. Florida State 26
3. Miami
4. Georgia Tech
5. (tie) Boston College 2
(tie) North Carolina 2
Atlantic Division
1. Florida State (78) 565
2. Clemson (16) 479
3. Boston College (4) 389
4. N.C. 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 Player of the Year
1. Christian Ponder, Florida State 45
2. Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech 16
3. Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech 11
4. (tie) Russell Wilson, N.C. State 6
(tie) Robert Quinn, North Carolina 6
6. Joshua Nesbitt, Georgia Tech 4
7. Kyle Parker, Clemson 3
8. (tie) Mark Herzlich, Boston College 2
(tie) Jacory Harris, Miami 2
10. (tie) Montel Harris, Boston College 1
(tie) Darren Evans, Virginia Tech 1
(tie) Bruce Carter, North Carolina 1
Luke has worked for The N&O since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist in August 2008. A native of Evanston, Ill., he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at 829-8947 or 
Comments
Rankings
Mon, 07/26/2010 - 16:10 — YAR8packThe bottom-3 in the Atlantic division, on paper, are interchangeable in their rankings. Not so sure about Miami as the #2 choice in the Coastal. The rest is about right. The Coastal's gonna be brutal this year.
Really? Ponder for ACC Player of the Year? Hmm. Kinda thought Ryan Williams would get that nod. Of course I wish Russell were preseason ranked higher, but, without a defense or special teams to back him, I can completely understand the voters' thinking.
VT vs FSU in Charlotte.....
Mon, 07/26/2010 - 13:31 — BigGoalieThat sounds about right. Maybe Clemson?... And for the record, the ACCCG is where it should have been all along. I am assuming that there is more to the UNC rumors than what everyone is hearing? Seems like just the other day UNC was picked to win the Coastal. Now they are picked fourth? I personally will take VT and the backfield of Taylor, Williams and Evans to win it this year but hope State does better than expected.
Wonder if Quinn's vote total
Mon, 07/26/2010 - 13:17 — ProwlingWoofieWonder if Quinn's vote total would change if they took the poll today, after his ridiculous quote ?
Because the laughing he
Mon, 07/26/2010 - 13:20 — Heels20Because the laughing he followed his quote with was a clear indication that he was serious...