​The Atlantic Coast Conference last season came just shy of earning its first College Football Playoff title since 2018 when Miami fell just short against Fernando Mendoza and Indiana in the national championship game.Can the conference finish on top in 2026?The Hurricanes, who have one of the top receivers in the country in Malachi Toney and Duke transfer quarterback Darian Mensah, represent the ACC’s best chance to do so — at least, in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, which was released on Tuesday, Aug. 4. The Hurricanes enter the season as the highest-ranked ACC team at No. 7 overall.REQUIRED READING: How far can Miami Hurricanes go in 2026? Why a CFP return isn’t enoughSMU and Clemson were the only other ACC teams that earned a spot in the top 25, with the Mustangs coming in at No. 20 and the Tigers three spots back at No. 23. Nine ACC teams are knocking on the door of the top 25, having received votes in the preseason Coaches Poll. Louisville leads this group as the unofficial No. 26 team in the country with 153 votes, with others including Virginia, Georgia Tech and reigning ACC champion Duke.Bill Belichick enters his second season at North Carolina. Though the Tar Heels should be an improved squad from last season under the Super Bowl-winning coach, North Carolina will enter its second straight season not included in the preseason Coaches Poll. USA TODAY Sports unveiled the preseason US LBM Coaches Top 25 live on YouTube with instant analysis from our team of college football experts Blake Toppmeyer, Matt Hayes, John Brice and Paul Myerberg.That said, here’s a look at how the ACC stacked up with other Power Four Conferences in the first US LBM Coaches Poll of the 2026 season:College Football Preseason US LBM Coaches PollFirst-place votes in parentheses. ACC teams bolded.Ohio State (38)Oregon (6)Georgia (7)Texas (2)Notre Dame (5)Indiana (14)MiamiTexas A&MOklahomaOle MissAlabamaTexas TechLSUUSCBYUMichiganPenn StateTennesseeWashingtonSMUUtahIowaClemsonHoustonMissouriOthers receiving votes:Louisville 153; Florida 147; TCU 63; Illinois 62; Arizona 50; South Carolina 50; Virginia 40; Vanderbilt 37; Auburn 29; Georgia Tech 26; Boise State 24; Oklahoma State 22; UNLV 17; Florida State 13; North Carolina State 13; Nebraska 12; Virginia Tech 12; Memphis 9; Arizona State 8; Duke 6; James Madison 6; New Mexico (9-4) 4; Pitt 4; Navy 3; Western Michigan 3; San Diego State 2; Cal 1; Hawaii 1; Jacksonville State 1; Kansas State 1.This article originally appeared on Greenville News: College football rankings: ACC teams in preseason US LBM Coaches Poll top 25