The preseason AP poll for the 2024 college football season was released on Monday , and On3’s JD PicKell has some qualms with the placement of Clemson and Miami .
The Tigers come in at No. 14 while the Hurricanes are No. 19, making them the second and third highest ranked ACC teams. However, based upon Miami winning last season’s meeting against Clemson and an improved roster for the Hurricanes, PicKell argued for the teams to switch places.
“Probably the biggest issue I have with this poll and the coaches poll is where they have Miami in relation to Clemson,” he said on The Hard Count with JD PicKell . “I get it. We haven’t played any football games just yet, but you look at what they have in house at Miami and look and what happened last year between Miami and Clemson when they played. Miami beat Clemson. Miami’s roster, I wholeheartedly believe, got a lot better.”
Miami signed the No. 17 transfer class in the country according to On3’s Transfer Portal Team Rankings . That includes former Washington State quarterback Cam Ward as well as former Oregon State running back Damien Martinez , both massive additions for the offense.
Ward threw for 6,968 yards and 48 touchdowns to 16 interceptions over the past two seasons with the Cougars. He is set to take over as starter for a Hurricanes team that struggled through the air a year ago, at one point benching Tyler Van Dyke for Emory Williams .
While PicKell believes Clemson is still at least as good as it was a year ago, the players Miami has added through the portal is ultimately what pushes them ahead in his mind.
“Miami beat Clemson with a lesser caliber of quarterback,” he said. “No shade to Emory Williams. Cam Ward, we just know what he is. He’s an upgrade in the quarterback position. Miami feels that way and that’s why they went out and got him. So you’re telling me that Miami beats Clemson on the field and then Miami is ranked behind Clemson when it comes to the poll? ‘JD, it’s a new season.’ I understand that. But look at what they have on the roster. Miami got better.
“Clemson, not to say they got worse, but they stayed, in my opinion, relatively the same. We’ll see what those young playmakers are on the outside for them. I’m not trying to discount that, and Clemson also wasn’t always healthy the majority of last season. But the point I’m trying to make here is I think you should flip flop Miami and Clemson.”
Clemson and Miami will not face each other during the regular season, but will both enter the year with hopes of reaching the ACC Championship Game. They’ll have other competition from the likes of Florida State, Louisville and NC State, so we’ll have to wait and see how PicKell’s prediction plays out.
The post J.D. PicKell: Miami, Clemson should’ve been flipped in the Preseason AP Poll appeared first on On3 .
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