Miami football has a lot to prove after being picked 6th in ACC preseason poll
The Miami football team has a lot to prove in 2020 after they were picked sixth in the ACC preseason poll by conference media members.
The Miami football team should play with a chip on its shoulder during the 2020 season after they were picked to finish sixth by ACC media members. In an unusual season, the ACC has eliminated the Atlantic and Coastal Divisions for 2020 and Notre Dame will compete as a full member this year.
Miami received 1,280 points from the 134 ACC media members to finish solidly in sixth place in the vote. With 132 first-place votes, Clemson was a near-unanimous choice to win the conference regular-season championship. The top two regular-season finishers in the ACC will play in the December 12 or 19 Championship Game.
Miami is scheduled to play four of the five teams predicted to finish ahead of them and nine of the other top 11 overall. Miami will not play Notre Dame who was selected to finish second unless both programs reach the ACC Championship game. Miami and Notre Dame last played in 2017 with the Hurricanes winning 41-8.
Miami lost 38-3 in the ACC Championship game to Clemson that season in their only appearance. That was the last time the Hurricanes and Tigers played. Clemson will host Miami on October 10. The Hurricanes season opener is Thursday against UAB at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami opens ACC play September 19 at Louisville.
Nationally top-ranked @ClemsonFB is predicted to finish first in the ACC 🐅
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) September 4, 2020
Complete Poll and Preseason Team: https://t.co/MFubpBHEpV pic.twitter.com/F8htPwlco4
The Cardinals are picked two spots ahead of Miami in fourth place. Media members picked North Carolina third and Virginia Tech fifth. Florida State was picked seventh over 1,000 points behind Miami. If divisions had remained intact this season Miami would have been picked third in the Coastal behind the Tar Heels and Hokies.
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In addition to Notre Dame, Miami does not play the programs picked to finished 12th through 14th in the ACC this season, Duke, Boston College and Syracuse are picked 12th through 14th. Georgia Tech who Miami hosts November 21 was picked to finish 15th and last in the ACC in 2020.