Florida State Seminoles the pick to win 2011 Atlantic Coast Conference Title with Danny O’Brien(East Forsyth HS) fifth in Player of Year voting

from Steve Phillips and crew at www.theacc.com:

PINEHURST, N.C. — Florida State, seeking its first league title since 2005, is the consensus choice to win the Atlantic Division and to defeat Virginia Tech in the Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game according to a poll of media members attending this week’s ACC Football Kickoff at the Pinehurst Resort.

The 2005 ACC Football Kickoff was also the last time the Seminoles were projected by the media to win the ACC title.

Boston College running back Montel Harris, who enters his final season within striking distance of the conference’s 33-year-old record for career rushing yardage, is the preseason Player of the Year.

The Seminoles of coach Jimbo Fisher, who won the Atlantic last year, received 65 of 71 first-place votes in that portion of the balloting. Fifty of the 65 also said Florida State will prevail in the title game, set for Dec. 3 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.

The Hokies, who have won three of the first six championship contests, got 66 votes in the Coastal election.

Eighteen electors picked Tech to repeat as ACC champion.

Harris, who enters this fall with 3,600 career rushing yards, the most of any ACC player after his junior season, as chosen by 26 media representatives, with FSU quarterack EJ Manuel second with 14 votes. Harris’ teammate Luke Kuechly, a 2010 unanimous All-America linebacker selection, was third with 12 votes.

This fall, Harris will be chasing the Atlantic Coast Conference career rushing record of 4,602 yards, set in 1978 by NC State All-America Ted Brown.

ACC Championship Votes

2011 ACC Football Preseason Media Polls
ACC Championship Votes
1. Florida State 50
2. Virginia Tech 18
3. Clemson 2
4. Boston College 1

Atlantic Division
1. Florida State (65) 420
2. Clemson (4) 286
3. NC State 270
4. Boston College (2) 224
5. Maryland 211
6. Wake Forest 80

Coastal Division
1. Virginia Tech (66) 421
2. Miami (4) 328
3. North Carolina 287
4. Georgia Tech (1) 226
5. Virginia 132
6. Duke 96

ACC Player of the Year
1. Montel Harris, Boston College 26
2. EJ Manuel, Florida State 14
3. Luke Kuechly, Boston College 12
4. David Wilson, Virginia Tech 8
5. Danny O’Brien, Maryland 4
6. Andre Ellington, Clemson 3
7. Lamar Miller, Miami 2
T8. Sean Spence, Miami 1
T8. Brandon Jenkins, Florida State 1

ACC Championship Game Predictions
1. Florida State over Virginia Tech 45
2. Virginia Tech over Florida State 15
3. Florida State over Miami 4
T4. Clemson over Virginia Tech 2
T4. Virginia Tech over Clemson 2
T6. Florida State over Georgia Tech 1
T6. Virginia Tech over Boston College 1
T6. Boston College over Virginia Tech 1