ACC Football Kickoff 2011: Where Will Boston College Finish In The 2011 ACC Football Preseason Poll?

As part of the 2011 ACC Football Kickoff, the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA) will release the 2011 ACC Football Preseason Poll tomorrow afternoon. It obviously won't be a shock when the media (once again) tabs Florida State and Virginia Tech as the favorites to win this year's ACC Atlantic and Coastal Divisions. I mean, hey, the media actually got it right last year! Might as well stick with what works, right?

However, I think it will be interesting to learn just what the media thinks of Boston College's chances in 2011.

Last season, the Eagles were picked to finish third in the ACC's Atlantic Division behind Florida State and Clemson. BC finished the year 4-4 in conference and fourth in the division, ahead of only 4-4 Clemson and 1-7 Wake Forest. This was also the first year that the Eagles didn't meet or beat the media's preseason expectations as a member of the conference.

Here is a snapshot of the last six years of ACC preseason polls with the Eagles' year-end results in parenthesis:

-- 2010 - Third (4-4, fourth)
-- 2009 - Last (5-3, second)
-- 2008 - Fourth (5-3, first)
-- 2007 - Second (6-2, first)
-- 2006 - Third (5-3, second)
-- 2005 - Second (5-3, second)

The fact that the Eagles finally fell short of the media's preseason expectations last season, coupled with the fact that BC has one of the most difficult schedules in the conference, make me think that the media will only tab the Eagles as the fifth best team in the Atlantic, behind Florida State, Clemson, N.C. State and Maryland.

Here's my best guess as to how the 2011 ACC Football Preseason Poll will look tomorrow afternoon. In the Atlantic, I think the vote goes:

1) Florida State
2) Clemson
3) N.C. State
4) Maryland
5) Boston College
6) Wake Forest

... while the Coastal Division looks like this:

1) Virginia Tech
2) Miami
3) North Carolina
4) Georgia Tech
5) Virginia
6) Duke

I think 2-4 in the Atlantic Division are up for grabs and could see the media tabbing any of Clemson, N.C. State or Maryland as the Atlantic's #2. The Coastal seems much more cut and dry to me, other than potentially flip flopping Miami and North Carolina at the 2-spot.

Predictions on where BC will finish in the 2011 ACC Football Preseason Poll? Will the media tab Florida State or Virginia Tech as this year's preseason title favorite? Is there anything keeping Wake Forest and Duke from the ACC divisional basements? Your thoughts?