NC State has at least one believer among the voters in the 2019 Coaches Poll: the Wolfpack has 12 points in the initial ballot, which is good for 43rd overall. (Dave Doeren is a voter this year, it’s worth mentioning.) Only two ACC teams made the top 25, with defending national champion Clemson checking in at No. 1.
The four teams that reached the playoffs last season make up the top four in the poll, which is as reasonable as any other guess until further notice. Clemson, Alabama, and Georgia certainly aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.