ACC Preseason Rankings

Operation basketball is slated for October 24, so let’s explore how the preseason rankings line up with the end of the regular season. This is for teams only, not for player preseason All-ACC teams.

Below is a chart comparing preseason rankings to end of regular season rankings in the conference since the start of the 2003-04 season. A few observations from exploring these rankings.

Carolina atop the rankings

Carolina has been selected as preseason number 1 six times (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2016)
The Tar Heels finished the regular season with league’s top ranking in five of those six years (hint: not 2010)
Three times Carolina has finished the regular season atop the rankings despite being picked lower in the preseason (picked second in 2017, third in 2011, second in 2005)

Most frequent team picked first in the preseason

Duke: eight times
The Blue Devils have been picked first in preseason eight times (2004, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018)
Duke has only finished first at the end of the regular season three times (2004, 2006, 2010)

Accuracy at the bottom?

The team picked to finish last in the preseason also finished last in the regular season seven times (Clemson in 2004, Wake Forest in 2011, Virginia Tech in 2014 & 2015, Boston College in 2016 & 2017, Pittsburgh in 2018)
Yes, the team picked to finish last has a streak of being accurate in five straight seasons

Or accuracy at the top?

The squad picked to finish first in the preseason also finished first in the regular season eight times (Duke in 2004 & 2006 & 2010, Carolina in 2007 & 2008 & 2009 & 2012 & 2016)
And yes, it’s only Duke and Carolina making this projection true

Most inaccurate predictions

Three squads were picked nine spots higher than its actual finish (2010 North Carolina - T1st to 10th, 2008 NC State - 3rd to 12th, 2006 Wake Forest - 3rd to 12th)
Clemson boasts the most inaccurate ranking, picked to finish 13th in 2018 while finishing tied for 3rd at the end of the regular season