PINEHURST, N.C. — On Tuesday, the media that cover the Atlantic Coast Conference overwhelming picked Clemson to win its first ACC Championship in four years.

Of course that doesn’t mean too much to head coach Dabo Swinney. It comes with the territory. After all, it is where he wants his program to be. The Tigers have earned that respect after all, winning 42 games in the last four years, which includes wins over LSU, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma.

“I think about every year that I have been the head coach we have finished higher. Maybe all but once, we finished higher than what our preseason ranking was from a national standpoint. Hopefully, we can meet the expectations that the other people have,” Swinney said from The Pinehurst Resort as part of the 2015 ACC Football Kickoff.

“Again, there are a bunch of teams that have a chance to win the league. I really believe that. I believe we are definitely one of those teams that have a shot, whether or not we should be first or whatever, that is for people to debate.”

There was very little debating in the media poll. The Tigers received 101 first place votes to win the Atlantic Division, 55 more than second place Florida State. Clemson also garnered 84 first place votes to win the ACC Championship game, which was 43 more than the Seminoles.

“Hopefully, when it is all said and done, those who voted for us we will make them look smart,” Swinney said. “Let’s see if we can put that performance on Saturdays together.”

The Tigers are more than capable of doing it. Though they do have to replace eight starters from last year’s top-ranked defense, they return the most dynamic player in the ACC in quarterback Deshaun Watson. He of course was named the preseason favorite to win player of the year honors by the media.

So can Watson get the Tigers over the hump and prove the media right? Will the Tigers represent the ACC in the College Football Playoffs this year?

Swinney thinks so.

“I always think we are going to win. I have always felt that way,” Swinney said. “We have recruited well. I like our roster. We can line up and compete and we have proven that many times.

“As far as getting to the next level, the college football playoff, there are only four of those teams so we want to be in the mix. If we can continue to stay in that mix, then our time is going to come.”

As of late, being picked to win the ACC and having the preseason player of the year at the same time has not been a good omen for Clemson.

In 2008, the Tigers were picked to win the league and quarterback Cullen Harper was chosen as the player of the year. However, neither came to fruition. Clemson went 7-6 that year, and then head coach Tommy Bowden resigned halfway through the season.

In 2013, the Tigers were the preferred choice to win the ACC, and quarterback Tajh Boyd was the preseason pick to be player of the year. But again, they failed to live up to expectations. Despite going 7-1 in league play, and Boyd throwing for 3,800 yards and 36 touchdowns, a 51-14 loss in Death Valley to FSU and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston cost the Tigers a shot at the ACC title.

Is the third time the charm?

“I think we have a good team. We had sixteen guys off of last year’s team that are in the NFL right now, and the winningest senior class in the history of our school and the biggest senior class just left Clemson,” Swinney said. “We have a lot of guys to replace and a lot of work to do. But, I love the guys that we have. I think we have a chance to be an outstanding team.

“There are always experienced things, injuries and things like that slide that scale one way or the other, but all I can tell you is I think we recruited well. I like our roster. I love our coaching staff. We are going to lineup and go play, and we will see what happens.”