UNC lands in top three of ACC Preseason Poll

The media predicts the Tar Heels to be one of the best ACC teams in 2023.

With a Heisman-hopeful at quarterback and promising new faces on both sides of the ball, UNC has high expectations going into the 2023 season. 

In the 2023 ACC Preseason Poll released Tuesday, media voters predicted the Tar Heels to finish third in the conference behind Florida State (second) and Clemson (first). 

⭐️ 2023 ACC Football Preseason Poll ⭐️

📰 https://t.co/soUsyxXFXx pic.twitter.com/pdeSDw8S50

— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) August 1, 2023

With 176 total voters, UNC received five first-place votes. 

In 2022, UNC finished first in the Coastal Division, falling short as ACC champions after losing to Clemson in the title game. 

The Tar Heels went 6-2 in the ACC last season, losing the final two regular season games to Georgia Tech and N.C. State. Georgia Tech was their only loss within the Coastal Division. 

This year, the ACC is moving away from divisions and will start a new 3-3-5 structure where each team will play three primary opponents each year and play 10 other league teams twice during the four-year cycle ending in 2026. 

The top two teams by conference win percentage will play for the ACC title on the first Saturday in December. 

The Tar Heels' primary opponents are Duke, N.C. State and Virginia. 

This season, UNC will travel to Clemson for an ACC championship rematch on Nov. 18. The Tigers are predicted to repeat as this season's ACC champion. 

With a division-less conference and a chance to knock off the defending ACC champions in the regular season, where will the Tar Heels finish in the ACC standings?