CHARLOTTE (The ACC/SMU) – SMU Football was picked seventh in the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Preseason Poll in a release by the conference on Wednesday.
The 2024 ACC Preseason Poll was conducted via a vote of a media panel, including those who were credentialed for last week's ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Defending champion Florida State was picked first in the poll with 2708 points, highlighted by 81 first-place votes. Clemson came in at second with 2657 points and 55 first-place votes and Miami third with 2344 points and 17 first-place votes.
SMU (seventh, 1798) was the highest of the three newcomers that included itself, Cal (10th, 1095) and Stanford (17th, 477).
The Mustangs finished 2023 with an 11-3 record and captured its 12th conference championship in program history, first since 1984. SMU also appeared in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl, its fifth straight year being bowl eligible, the longest stretch in program history.
SMU was dominant all season long in 2023 on both sides of the ball, ranking in the top 25 in the FBS in numerous categories including: third down defense (fourth), defensive touchdowns (first), fewest penalties per game (18th), first down offense (sixth), passing offense (22nd), passing yards allowed (13th), passing yards per completion (12th), red zone defense (25th), red zone offense (eighth), sacks allowed (13th), scoring defense (11th), scoring offense (eighth), tackles for loss allowed (ninth), team passing efficiency defense (ninth), team sacks (third), team tackles for loss (16th), total defense (12th) and total offense (16th).
The Mustangs will take on Nevada in the season opener in Reno on Aug. 24, giving them a week 0 contest.
SMU begins its inaugural ACC eight-game schedule with a home contest on Family Weekend against Florida State on Sept. 28. The Mustangs hit the road for three straight with games at Louisville (Oct. 5), Stanford (Oct. 19) and Duke (Oct. 26) to wrap up the month of October.
November opens with home games against Pitt (Nov. 2, Homecoming) and Boston College (Nov. 16). The Mustangs head back on the road for its final away game at Virginia (Nov. 23) before the regular-season finale against Cal on Nov. 30.
Full list of the preseason poll can be found below:
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
| 1. |
Florida State (81) |
2708 |
| 2. |
Clemson (55) |
2657 |
| 3. |
Miami (17) |
2344 |
| 4. |
NC State (8) |
2318 |
| 5. |
Louisville |
1984 |
| 6. |
Virginia Tech (5) |
1968 |
| 7. |
SMU |
1798 |
| 8. |
North Carolina |
1712 |
| 9. |
Georgia Tech (1) |
1539 |
| 10. |
Cal (2) |
1095 |
| 11. |
Duke |
1056 |
| 12. |
Syracuse |
1035 |
| 13. |
Pitt |
1016 |
| 14. |
Boston College (1) |
890 |
| 15. |
Wake Forest |
784 |
| 16. |
Virginia |
629 |
| 17. |
Stanford |
477 |
First-place votes in parentheses
170 media voters
