IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Jul 29, 2026 12:00 PM
SMU earned six first-place votes after going 14-2 in ACC play, but voters still handed Miami an overwhelming edge in the 2026 preseason poll.
SMU football apparently doesn’t need much time to make itself comfortable in the ACC.
After winning 14 of its first 16 conference games, the Mustangs were picked to finish second in the 2026 ACC preseason media poll, trailing only a Miami team receiving an almost absurd amount of preseason love.
The Hurricanes collected 165 of the 188 available first-place votes and finished with 3,159 points.
SMU landed six first-place votes and 2,794 points, comfortably ahead of Louisville and Clemson.
That’s a significant show of respect for a program that joined the conference only two seasons ago.
SMU’s 14-2 ACC record since 2024 is the best conference mark by any league member over that stretch.
The Mustangs didn’t spend their arrival period quietly learning the neighborhood.
They barged through the front door, started winning immediately and forced the established powers to take them seriously.
Still, the poll makes one thing clear: Miami owns the preseason spotlight.
The gap between the Hurricanes and everyone else is enormous. Miami received 158 more first-place votes than Clemson, 159 more than SMU and 161 more than Louisville.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the ACC race will be a runaway, but it does give the Hurricanes all the pressure that comes with being treated like the conference’s inevitable champion.
Behind the top two, Louisville finished third with 2,569 points, while Clemson landed fourth at 2,520.
Georgia Tech completed the top five, followed by Virginia, NC State and Virginia Tech in an especially crowded middle tier.
Florida State was picked 11th despite receiving three first-place votes, one of the poll’s strangest results.
Stanford also received a first-place vote while finishing last.
Preseason polls don’t win championships, of course. They mostly create expectations, talking points and bulletin-board material.
SMU has something better than hype: proof.
The Mustangs have already shown they can win in the ACC. Now they’ll get a full season to prove second place was either generous—or not nearly high enough.
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