The Miami football team is expected to have a few players named preseason All-ACC when it's released later this week. The ACC released its media poll on Monday. Miami was picked to finish third behind Clemson and Florida State. Miami received 17 first-place votes and 2,344 points in the voting.
Quarterback Cam Ward is the early favorite to earn preseason ACC Player of the Year. Defensive lineman Rueben Bain, kicker Andy Borregales linebacker Francisco Mauigoa, offensive linemen Francis Mauigoa and Jalen Rivers, running back Damien Martinez and wide receiver Xavier Restrepo are All-ACC contenders.
Borregales and Restrepo were named 2023 first-team All-ACC. Francisco Mauigoa and Rivers were 2023 All-ACC Second-Team. Bain and Miami WR Jacolby George earned third-team All-ACC in 2023. Offensive linemen Anez Cooper and Mauigoa and punter Dylan Joyce are the Miami returnees who earned 2023 ACC honorable mention.
Martinez earned first-team All-Pac 12 during his seasons at Oregon State. That included being named the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2022. Martinez had 2,167 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns with 15 receptions for 187 yards during his two seasons at Oregon State.
Ward was honorable-mention All-Pac 12 during each of his two seasons with Washington State. Ward completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 6,963 yards, 48 TDs, 16 interceptions and 13 rushing TDs. Ward is first nationally among the 2024 returnees with an average of 311.3 passing yards per game in 2023.
Borreagales and Restrepo seem like locks on the preseason first-team All-ACC as returnees in 2024. Borregales tied for second in the ACC with 110 points in 2023. Restrepo was first among all ACC returnees in receptions and receiving yards in 2023. George is not likely to earn first-team preseason All-ACC.
Francisco Mauigoa led the ACC with 18 tackles for loss in 2023 and topped Miami with 82 tackles. Francis Mauigoa and Rivers both have a chance to earn first-team preseason All-ACC. Throughout the offseason, many college football analysts have praised Miami for the upgrade to its roster. The preseason All-ACC team should validate that.