Clemson Picked to Win ACC Ahead of Notre Dame in 2020 Preseason Poll

The Clemson Tigers are heavy favorites to win a sixth consecutive ACC championship. 

Per a preseason poll from ACC media members, the Tigers received 132 out of a possible 134 votes to win the conference in 2020. Notre Dame came in second and received the remaining two first-place votes.

Clemson's status as the favorite in the ACC is hardly a surprise. The Tigers were ranked No. 1 in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll and Associated Press Top 25. 

Notre Dame football remains an independent, but the program will serve as a member of the ACC this season in order to play a fall schedule. 

The Tigers are the only ACC team ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll. Notre Dame checks in at No. 11, with North Carolina (No. 17) the only other ranked team in the conference. 

Despite losing seven players from last year's team to the NFL Draft, including Isaiah Simmons, A.J. Terrell and Tee Higgins, the Tigers roster remains loaded with talent. They are returning quarterback Trevor Lawrence, running back Travis Etienne and defensive tackle Tyler Davis. 

USA Today's Scott Keepfer noted after Clemson's loss to LSU in the College Football Playoff Championship Game that 80 out of the 120 players on the Tigers' roster were either freshmen or sophomores.

Per 247Sports, Clemson had the nation's third-ranked recruiting class in 2020 with 17 players rated at least 4-star prospects. 

The Tigers have won six ACC championships since 2011, including five straight overall. Florida State was the last team outside of Clemson to win a conference title when it had a run of three straight from 2012-14.