Published Jul 26, 2022
BC Picked to Finish Second-to-Last in 2022 ACC Atlantic
Andy Backstrom  •  EagleAction
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This is the last season the ACC will have divisions, and the media isn't too optimistic about where Boston College will finish in its half of the conference.

In this year's ACC Preseason Poll, the Eagles were picked to finish sixth in the Atlantic Division. BC received 469 points among the 164 voters—268 more points than last place Syracuse but 40 fewer than fifth place Florida State.

Even so, BC snagged one ACC title vote. Clemson was the overwhelming favorite to take home the conference, though. The Tigers have won the ACC six of the last seven years. North Carolina State was second with 38 overall champion votes. Miami came in third with eight such votes.

The Hurricanes, who are expected to return to national prominence with Mario Cristobal at the helm, are favored to claim the Coastal Division. They received 98 first-place votes. This is the sixth time—but first since 2018—that Miami has been projected as the Coastal Division champion. The 'Canes lone Coastal title came in 2017. Meanwhile, reigning conference champion Pittsburgh reeled in 38 first-place votes.

Over in the Atlantic, Clemson gobbled up 111 first-place votes, and N.C. State was second with 44 first-place votes. Wake Forest, last year's Atlantic Division winner, grabbed just six first-place votes.

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COMPLETE 2022 PRESEASON POLL

Overall Champion

Clemson - 103

N.C. State - 38

Miami - 8

Wake Forest - 4

Pitt – 3

Virginia - 3

Florida State - 2

North Carolina - 2

BC - 1

Atlantic Division

(first-place votes in parentheses)

Clemson (111) - 1,080

N.C. State (44) - 959

Wake Forest (6) - 783

Louisville - 591

Florida State (2) - 509

BC (1) - 469

Syracuse - 201

Coastal Division

(first-place votes in parentheses)

Miami (98) – 1,036

Pitt (38) - 911

North Carolina (18) - 823

Virginia (6) - 667

Virginia Tech (3) - 592

Georgia Tech (1) - 343

Duke - 220

OUTLOOK

The Eagles entered last season third in the ACC Preseason Poll yet wound up ending the year at the bottom of the Atlantic Division with a 2-6 league mark. It was the first time since 2010 that BC was slotted as the Atlantic's third-best team in the conference's preseason poll.

BC was marred by injuries in 2021, most notably losing starting quarterback Phil Jurkovec for six games because of a season-threatening fracture to his throwing hand.

After marching out to their first 4-0 start since 2007, the Eagles dropped their first four ACC games, averaging a meager 10 points per contest in those defeats. Jurkovec returned to revive BC's bowl hopes, however, his 50% grip strength and a bevy of hits took their toll in the final two games of the regular season.

Jeff Hafley is approaching his third season as BC's head coach. He's 12-11 since taking over. Although Hafley's Eagles fell short of expectations in 2021, they exceeded them in 2020. That season, which was division-less in the ACC because of COVID-19, saw BC finish sixth in the conference, despite being picked to clock out at 13th.

BC is still searching for its first plus-.500 ACC season in 13 years.