2009 ACC Championship Game
Encyclopedia
The 2009 ACC Championship Game was a college football
game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
and the Clemson Tigers
. The game, sponsored by Dr. Pepper, was the final regular-season contest of the 2009 college football season
for the Atlantic Coast Conference
. Georgia Tech defeated Clemson, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference football championship, 39–34. However, Georgia Tech was forced to vacate the game victory and the conference title in 2011 due to sanctions stemming from an NCAA investigation. However, the penalties from this NCAA decision are currently under appeal.
According to a statement by ACC Commissioner John Swofford, there will not be a 2009 ACC Champion in football.
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets were selected to represent the Coastal Division by virtue of a 7–1 record in conference play and a 10–2 record overall. Representing the Atlantic Division was Clemson, which had an 8–4 record (6–2 ACC). The game was a rematch of a contest played September 10 in Atlanta, Georgia. In that first game, Georgia Tech won a close 30–27 matchup.
The game was held at Raymond James Stadium
in Tampa, Florida
on December 5, 2009. Tampa had been chosen to host the game after poor attendance at the game's previous location, Jacksonville, Florida
, led conference officials to seek an alternative. The 2009 championship was the last to be hosted in Tampa, as the game moved to Charlotte, North Carolina
in 2010.
From the start of the game, the 2009 ACC championship had a large amount of offense. Throughout the contest, neither team punted: Every offensive drive ended in a score or a turnover. Clemson scored first, a touchdown
on its opening drive, and held a 7–3 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Georgia Tech scored 13 points to Clemson's six, and the Yellow Jackets entered halftime with a 16–13 lead. They extended that lead in the third quarter, scoring 17 points to Clemson's lone touchdown and extra point. In the fourth quarter, Clemson closed the gap and took a 34–33 lead with 6:11 remaining, but Georgia Tech drove down the field and scored a touchdown with 1:20 remaining, giving the Yellow Jackets a 39–34 lead that was the game's final margin. In recognition of his significant performance despite the loss, Clemson running back C. J. Spiller
was named the game's most valuable player
.
By winning, Georgia Tech earned a spot in the 2010 Orange Bowl
football game, and Clemson was selected for the 2009 Music City Bowl
. Several players that participated in the ACC championship later played in postseason all-star games and were later selected in the 2010 NFL Draft
.
features the winners of the Coastal and Atlantic divisions of the Atlantic Coast Conference
. In the early 2000s, the conference underwent an expansion to add three former Big East members: the University of Miami
and Virginia Tech
in 2004, and Boston College
in 2005. With the addition of a twelfth team, the ACC was allowed to hold a conference championship game under National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) rules.
The inaugural 2005 game featured a Florida State
win over Virginia Tech
, 27–22. In 2006, two different teams made their first appearances in the game, which was held in Jacksonville, Florida
. Wake Forest
defeated Georgia Tech
, 9–6. In 2007, one team new to the championship game and championship-game veteran featured in the contest as Virginia Tech
faced off against Boston College. The game resulted in a 30–16 Virginia Tech victory. In 2008, Virginia Tech and Boston College again played in the championship game. Virginia Tech won the rematch, 30–12.
Before the 2007 game, cities other than Jacksonville (site of the 2007 ACC Championship Game) presented their plans to be the site of the 2008 ACC Championship Game. After poor attendance in the ACC Championship Game at Jacksonville for the second straight year, ACC officials and representatives of the conference's member schools elected not to extend the Gator Bowl Association's contract to manage and host the game for another year. On December 12, less than two weeks after Jacksonville had hosted the 2007 ACC Championship Game, the ACC announced that Tampa, Florida
would host the game in 2008 and 2009 and Charlotte, North Carolina
would host the game in 2010 and 2011.
The cities were chosen based on bids presented to the ACC and its member schools. Each city requested and was granted a two-year contract. Tampa was chosen as the site of the 2008 game because Charlotte was scheduled to hold the annual convention
of the Association for Career and Technical Education
at the same time as the game, and adequate hotel space would not be ready in time for the two events. As a result, Charlotte's two-year span of hosting the game was pushed back to 2010.
, the annual poll by media members who cover ACC football predicted Virginia Tech
to win the Coastal Division and Florida State to win the Atlantic Division. Virginia Tech received 78 of a possible 87 first-place votes in its division, while Florida State received 56 in the other division. In regards to predicting the championship game's outcome, 69 of the 87 voters chose Virginia Tech to win. Georgia Tech and Clemson were predicted to finish second in the Coastal and Atlantic divisions, respectively.
in the 2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl
. Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson, entering his second season as head of the Yellow Jackets, had high hopes that Georgia Tech would be able to improve upon its 2008 performance. Others agreed with Johnson's assumption, as the Yellow Jackets were ranked No. 15 in the preseason Associated Press and USA Today coaches' polls.
In Georgia Tech's first game, the Yellow Jackets defeated lightly regarded Jacksonville State
, 37–17. Five days later, in Tech's first competitive game of the season, the Yellow Jackets narrowly defeated Clemson
, 30–27, on the basis of a fake field goal for a touchdown and a late field goal. One week after the Clemson win, Tech—by then raised to No. 14 in the national polls—suffered its first loss of the season, to No. 20 Miami
.
That loss turned out to be Georgia Tech's last to a conference opponent during the 2009 regular season. Nine days after the Miami loss, Georgia Tech defeated No. 22 North Carolina
, then followed that with a win over Southeastern Conference
foe Mississippi State
. Wins over Florida State
and No. 4 Virginia Tech
followed in subsequent weeks. The latter victory was the Yellow Jackets' first win over a top-five team since 1962 and gave Georgia Tech a lead in the divisional standings. Following the Virginia Tech win, Georgia Tech defeated Virginia
, Vanderbilt
, Wake Forest
(in overtime) and Duke
. The Duke victory raised Georgia Tech to 10 wins, the school's first time at that mark since 1990, and the Yellow Jackets were ranked No. 7, their highest position in the national polls since that year. But following the Duke game, the Yellow Jackets faced Georgia
in the rivalry known as Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate
. During that game, the unranked Georgia Bulldogs upset Tech, 30–24. Though Georgia Tech had clinched its ACC Championship Game slot with the win over Duke, the loss was nevertheless a "huge letdown" for the team.
to Nebraska
. Heading into 2010, Clemson returned many of its 2009 players, but faced questions about whether those players would perform better with another year of experience. Also under question was head coach Dabo Swinney, who was beginning his first full season as head coach of the Tigers after assuming control in the seventh game of 2008. Clemson attempted to answer some of the questions about the team's potential in the first game of the season, a 37–14 win against Middle Tennessee State
.
Clemson lost its first real test, a conference game at 15th-ranked Georgia Tech, but recovered to win the following week against Boston College. The Boston College win was Clemson's last for almost a month, however, as Clemson lost to nonconference opponent Texas Christian
on September 26, then was defeated by ACC divisional foe Maryland.
The two losses, piled upon the loss to Georgia Tech, left Clemson with a 2–3 record. An anonymous report said coach Swinney became involved in a shouting match with a position coach, while players called a private meeting in an effort to turn the team's season around. On October 17, The Tigers rallied from their losing streak by defeating Wake Forest, 38–3, and moved back into the middle of the competition for the Atlantic Division championship. One week after defeating Wake Forest, the Tigers traveled to Miami, Florida, to play the Miami Hurricanes, who were ranked No. 10 in the Bowl Championship Series Poll. The Tigers played the Hurricanes into overtime, then upset Miami with a touchdown, 40–37.
The Miami win tied Clemson for the lead in the division standings with Boston College, whom the Tigers had already defeated and held a head-to-head tiebreaker over. After the Miami game, Clemson defeated nonconference Coastal Carolina
, then reeled off three wins over ACC teams. Clemson beat Florida State on November 7, NC State on November 14, and Virginia on November 21. On the same day Clemson defeated Virginia, Boston College was defeated in an ACC game, giving Clemson the Atlantic Division championship by default. After the Virginia game, Clemson faced longtime in-state rival South Carolina
. In that game, South Carolina defeated Clemson, ending the Tigers' winning streak just before the ACC Championship Game.
predicted Georgia Tech would win the game. Various betting organizations favored the Yellow Jackets by one point.
The game was a rematch of an early regular-season contest, but even though Georgia Tech won that game, there were questions about whether the victory would be repeated. Twice before, the two teams matched in the ACC Championship Game had played earlier that season. Both times, the loser of the first matchup won the second. There also were questions about each team's quality because of their losses in rivalry games against Southeastern Conference
foes.
on December 5, 2009, at Raymond James Stadium
in Tampa
, Florida
. The weather at kickoff was cloudy, with 88 percent humidity, an air temperature of 53 °F (11.7 °C) and a north wind of 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h). Approximately 42,815 people were in the stands, according to turnstile attendance figures, out of 57,227 tickets sold. The game also was seen by approximately 2.541 million viewers on ESPN
, which broadcast the game with Brad Nessler
, Todd Blackledge
, and Erin Andrews
. The 2.5 million viewers brought the lowest-ever TV rating for an ACC Championship Game, even though the broadcast was the first ACC Championship Game to be played in prime time
since 2005. The game's referee was Jeff Flanagan, its umpire was Keith Roden, and its linesman was Mike Owens.
broke free for a 40-yard rush to the Georgia Tech 19-yard line. Two plays later, Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker
completed a 15-yard pass to Jacoby Ford
. On the next play, Spiller ran forward three yards, across the goal line for a touchdown
and the game's first points.
Clemson's post-score kickoff was returned to the Georgia Tech 15-yard line, where the Yellow Jackets began their first offensive possession. On the first two plays of the game, Georgia Tech running back Roddy Jones escaped the Clemson defense for gains of 21 yards and 22 yards, respectively. Those plays advanced the Yellow Jackets to the Clemson 42-yard line, where Georgia Tech began advancing by small gains. In three plays, Georgia Tech gained a first down, but two subsequent plays lost yardage before kicker Scott Blair
came onto the field to attempt—and convert—a 48-yard field goal. The score narrowed Clemson's lead to 7–3 with the quarter exactly half elapsed.
The Tigers began their second drive of the game from their 26-yard line and advanced the ball through short gains. The Tigers needed three plays to gain a first down, then running back Andre Ellington
advanced 18 yards and into Georgia Tech territory. Clemson could not gain another first down, and kicker Richard Jackson missed a 52-yard field goal attempt. After the miss, Georgia Tech's offense resumed the field. From the Tech 35-yard line, the Yellow Jackets advanced to the Clemson 48-yard line before running back Jonathan Dwyer
gained 20 yards to the 28-yard line. Two plays later, as the Yellow Jackets advanced to the 18-yard line, the quarter ended with Clemson leading, 7–3.
Clemson returned Georgia Tech's kickoff to its 43-yard line, but despite the good field position, Clemson was unable to take advantage. On the first play of the drive, Clemson quarterback Parker threw an interception to Georgia Tech defender Dominique Reese, who went out of bounds at the Tech 45-yard line. Georgia Tech's offense returned to the field at that point and began driving down the field. In two plays, Tech passed the 50-yard line. In six more, it penetrated the Clemson 10-yard line. Once there, however, the Yellow Jackets' drive stalled. Three consecutive penalties against Georgia Tech pushed the Yellow Jackets back 20 yards, and Tech was unable to score a touchdown or gain a first down after that setback. Kicker Blair again returned to the field and scored a 49-yard field goal. With 5:35 remaining in the first half, Georgia Tech extended its lead to 13–7.
Clemson's offense returned to the field at its 35-yard line after Georgia Tech's kickoff and a 30-yard return by C. J. Spiller. During the ensuing drive, Spiller was the key player for the Tigers. On five consecutive plays, he received the ball during rushing plays. He gained 3, 13, 6, 2, and 41 yards, respectively, on each of these plays en route to the end zone and a touchdown. Clemson attempted a two-point conversion
, but the try failed and the Tigers simply tied the Yellow Jackets, 13–13.
Georgia Tech's offense began the final drive of the first half with 2:55 remaining. The Yellow Jackets started from their 36-yard line and began slowly: Their first play gained no yards, and their second gained eight before a fumble
that was recovered by a fellow Yellow Jacket. A short running play gained three yards, enough for a first down, and the drive continued. Consecutive rushing plays gained few yards at a time, and Georgia Tech used its timeouts to stop the game clock and prevent time from running out in the half. A 10-yard pass interference penalty pushed Georgia Tech inside the Clemson 20-yard line, and kicker Blair again converted a field goal. The successful kick gave Georgia Tech a 16–13 lead heading into halftime.
Clemson fielded the following kickoff, and its offense continued with the success it found in its final drive of the first half. As in that drive, C. J. Spiller was a key performer. Clemson's drive began at its 40-yard line, and it took just five plays for the Tigers to score a touchdown. Four of those plays, including the culminating one, came from Spiller, who covered 40 yards during them. Spiller's touchdown cut Georgia Tech's lead to 23–20. But as quickly as Clemson scored, Georgia Tech moved even more quickly. From its 30-yard line, the Yellow Jackets needed only three plays, the keystone coming on a 70-yard throw from Nesbitt to Thomas for a touchdown. With 5:10 remaining in the quarter, the Yellow Jackets restored the 10-point margin, 30–20.
Beginning from their 26-yard line after a kickoff, Clemson attempted to again cut into Tech's lead. The Tigers, again guided by the running offense of Spiller and Jamie Harper, advanced to the 37-yard line, where Parker's passing attack took over. Parker completed two passes before Georgia Tech defender Jerrard Tarrant ran in front of a long throw downfield. He intercepted Parker's pass and returned it 50 yards to the Clemson 28, where Tech's offense began anew. Despite the good field position, Tech was unable to gain a first down but still was within range of a 40-yard field goal from Blair, who extended the Yellow Jackets' lead to 33–20.
With time running out in the third quarter, Clemson's offense entered the field of play at its 28-yard line. After a five-yard penalty for delay of game
, the Tigers' Andre Ellington gained 41 yards on two plays, pushing into Georgia Tech territory. Those plays all but exhausted the quarter's remaining moments, however, and the third quarter ended with Georgia Tech still leading, 33–20.
With a solid lead and time running down in the game, Georgia Tech began a sequence of running plays intended to keep the game clock running while gaining ground. From their 25-yard line, the Yellow Jackets gained 38 yards on seven plays, advancing into Clemson territory in the process. Facing fourth down at the Clemson 37-yard line, the Yellow Jackets attempted to gain a first down rather than kick a long field goal. When they were stopped short of the first-down line, Clemson's offense returned to the field. Spiller again drove the Tigers down the field, opening the drive with a 54-yard run on its first play. Three plays later, Ellington capitalized the drive with a one-yard run for a tying touchdown. The following extra point gave Clemson a one-point lead, 34–33, with 6:11 remaining in the game.
Clemson's post-touchdown kickoff was returned to the Tech 14-yard line, where the Yellow Jackets began their game-winning drive. The offense began slowly; Georgia Tech gained only nine yards in three plays, setting up a crucial fourth-down conversion. A failed try would give Clemson the ball deep in Georgia Tech territory, with little time remaining in the game for Georgia Tech to reply to any score. Instead, the Yellow Jackets converted the fourth down, keeping their drive alive. On the first play after the fourth-down conversion, Nesbitt completed a 21-yard pass to Dwyer, pushing Tech to near midfield. Eight plays later, Dwyer breached the Clemson defense for a 15-yard gain and the go-ahead score. A false start
penalty on Georgia Tech's two-point conversion try prevented any extra points, but the touchdown's six points were enough to give Georgia Tech a 39–34 lead.
Clemson received Georgia Tech's kickoff with 1:20 remaining in the game. On the Tigers' first play, they committed a 10-yard penalty. Two incomplete passes followed from Parker, who then completed an 18-yard throw to Xavier Dye. This set up a fourth-and-two for the Tigers, who needed to gain a first down to keep their potential game-winning drive going. Instead, Parker was stymied in his attempt to run for the needed yards, and Clemson turned the ball over on downs. Georgia Tech's offense ran out the remaining seconds on the clock and ensured their 39–34 victory.
As quarterback, Georgia Tech's Josh Nesbitt was the top performer. In addition to his rushing performance, Nesbitt completed 9 of 16 pass attempts for 136 yards and one touchdown. On the opposite side of the field, Clemson's Kyle Parker was successful on 10 of his 17 pass attempts for 91 yards, but also had two interceptions, the game's only turnovers. Nesbitt set an ACC Championship Game record for longest pass play with his 70-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas in the third quarter. The two teams also set records for total offense: Georgia Tech's 469 total yards and Clemson's 414 total yards each broke the previous record for total offense, as did each team's rushing total break the previous team rushing record.
On defense, Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers led all defenders with 11 total tackles, including one for loss. Bowers' performance was a personal best for him and was the second-most in ACC Championship Game history. For Georgia Tech, Mario Edwards was the leading tackler with seven, including two assisted tackles. Tech's Jerrard Tarrant, who had five tackles, the second-most on the team, also had one interception and returned it 50 yards. The interception and return, Tarrant's first of the season, was the longest in ACC Championship Game history. Georgia Tech's other interception was fielded by Dominique Reese, for no return.
, a Bowl Championship Series
game. In that game, the Iowa Hawkeyes
defeated the Yellow Jackets, 24-14. Clemson also was selected to participate in a postseason bowl game. The Music City Bowl
, played in Nashville, Tennessee
, selected the Tigers to play against the Kentucky Wildcats
. In that game, the Tigers defeated the Wildcats, 21–13.
Several players from each team participated in postseason all-star games in preparation for the 2010 NFL Draft
. Georgia Tech lineman Cord Howard played in the East-West Shrine Game
, while Florida State had several players in the annual Senior Bowl
. Florida State defensive backs Myron Rolle and Patrick Robinson and linebacker Dekoda Watson each played in the latter game. Three Florida State players were selected by NFL teams in the subsequent draft: Robinson was selected with the 32nd overall pick, Rolle with the 207th, and Watson with the 217th. For Georgia Tech, defensive end Derrick Morgan was taken 16th, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas 22nd, safety Morgan Burnett 71st, and running back Jonathan Dwyer 188th.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
2009 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2009 Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2009–2010 Football Season. The team was coached by second year head coach Paul Johnson...
and the Clemson Tigers
2009 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2009 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2009 college football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney, who was in his first full season as head coach. The Tigers played their home games in Memorial Stadium...
. The game, sponsored by Dr. Pepper, was the final regular-season contest of the 2009 college football season
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
for the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
. Georgia Tech defeated Clemson, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference football championship, 39–34. However, Georgia Tech was forced to vacate the game victory and the conference title in 2011 due to sanctions stemming from an NCAA investigation. However, the penalties from this NCAA decision are currently under appeal.
According to a statement by ACC Commissioner John Swofford, there will not be a 2009 ACC Champion in football.
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets were selected to represent the Coastal Division by virtue of a 7–1 record in conference play and a 10–2 record overall. Representing the Atlantic Division was Clemson, which had an 8–4 record (6–2 ACC). The game was a rematch of a contest played September 10 in Atlanta, Georgia. In that first game, Georgia Tech won a close 30–27 matchup.
The game was held at Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
on December 5, 2009. Tampa had been chosen to host the game after poor attendance at the game's previous location, Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, led conference officials to seek an alternative. The 2009 championship was the last to be hosted in Tampa, as the game moved to Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
in 2010.
From the start of the game, the 2009 ACC championship had a large amount of offense. Throughout the contest, neither team punted: Every offensive drive ended in a score or a turnover. Clemson scored first, a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
on its opening drive, and held a 7–3 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Georgia Tech scored 13 points to Clemson's six, and the Yellow Jackets entered halftime with a 16–13 lead. They extended that lead in the third quarter, scoring 17 points to Clemson's lone touchdown and extra point. In the fourth quarter, Clemson closed the gap and took a 34–33 lead with 6:11 remaining, but Georgia Tech drove down the field and scored a touchdown with 1:20 remaining, giving the Yellow Jackets a 39–34 lead that was the game's final margin. In recognition of his significant performance despite the loss, Clemson running back C. J. Spiller
C. J. Spiller
Clifford "C.J." Spiller Jr. is an American Football running back for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was an All-American at Clemson University and was drafted 9th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft...
was named the game's most valuable player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
.
By winning, Georgia Tech earned a spot in the 2010 Orange Bowl
2010 Orange Bowl
The 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl game featured the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Iowa Hawkeyes on Tuesday, January 5, 2010, at Land Shark Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida...
football game, and Clemson was selected for the 2009 Music City Bowl
2009 Music City Bowl
The 2009 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl was the twelfth edition of the college football bowl game, and will be played at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee. The game was played on Sunday, December 27, 2009 and was telecast on ESPN...
. Several players that participated in the ACC championship later played in postseason all-star games and were later selected in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
.
Selection process
The ACC Championship GameACC Championship Game
The Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game is an American college football game held on the first Saturday in December by the Atlantic Coast Conference each year to determine its football champion. The game pits the champion of the Coastal Division against the champion of the Atlantic Division in a game...
features the winners of the Coastal and Atlantic divisions of the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
. In the early 2000s, the conference underwent an expansion to add three former Big East members: the University of Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
and Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
in 2004, and Boston College
Boston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
in 2005. With the addition of a twelfth team, the ACC was allowed to hold a conference championship game under National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) rules.
The inaugural 2005 game featured a Florida State
2005 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2005 Florida State Seminoles football team won the 2005 ACC Championship Game over the Virginia Tech Hokies by a score of 27-22. With the victory, they were a selection to go to the 2006 Orange Bowl as the ACC representative in the BCS.-Schedule:...
win over Virginia Tech
2005 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2005 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season...
, 27–22. In 2006, two different teams made their first appearances in the game, which was held in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. Wake Forest
2006 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team
The 2006 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Jim Grobe, in his fifth season at the school, and played its home games at Groves Stadium...
defeated Georgia Tech
2006 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2006 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2006-2007. The team's coach is former Dallas Cowboys, Samford Bulldogs, and Troy Trojans coach Chan Gailey...
, 9–6. In 2007, one team new to the championship game and championship-game veteran featured in the contest as Virginia Tech
2007 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2007 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
faced off against Boston College. The game resulted in a 30–16 Virginia Tech victory. In 2008, Virginia Tech and Boston College again played in the championship game. Virginia Tech won the rematch, 30–12.
Site selection
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
would host the game in 2008 and 2009 and Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
would host the game in 2010 and 2011.
The cities were chosen based on bids presented to the ACC and its member schools. Each city requested and was granted a two-year contract. Tampa was chosen as the site of the 2008 game because Charlotte was scheduled to hold the annual convention
Convention (meeting)
A convention, in the sense of a meeting, is a gathering of individuals who meet at an arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest. The most common conventions are based upon industry, profession, and fandom...
of the Association for Career and Technical Education
Association for Career and Technical Education
The Association for Career and Technical Education is the professional association of CTE educators . It is a nonprofit membership association based in the United States. Its members are primarily educators and administrators of career and technical education , which is sometimes known as...
at the same time as the game, and adequate hotel space would not be ready in time for the two events. As a result, Charlotte's two-year span of hosting the game was pushed back to 2010.
Team selection
Before the beginning of the 2009 college football season2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
, the annual poll by media members who cover ACC football predicted Virginia Tech
2009 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2009 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Frank Beamer...
to win the Coastal Division and Florida State to win the Atlantic Division. Virginia Tech received 78 of a possible 87 first-place votes in its division, while Florida State received 56 in the other division. In regards to predicting the championship game's outcome, 69 of the 87 voters chose Virginia Tech to win. Georgia Tech and Clemson were predicted to finish second in the Coastal and Atlantic divisions, respectively.
Georgia Tech
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets entered the 2009 season after a 2008 campaign that saw them finish 9–4, including a season-ending 38–3 loss to the LSU Tigers2008 LSU Tigers football team
The 2008 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team's head coach was Les Miles who entered his fourth year at the helm of LSU Football. They played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
in the 2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl
2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl
The 2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl was the 41st annual edition of the Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly known as the Peach Bowl and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. It pitted the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets against the Louisiana State Tigers in a postseason American college football game in Atlanta, Georgia...
. Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson, entering his second season as head of the Yellow Jackets, had high hopes that Georgia Tech would be able to improve upon its 2008 performance. Others agreed with Johnson's assumption, as the Yellow Jackets were ranked No. 15 in the preseason Associated Press and USA Today coaches' polls.
In Georgia Tech's first game, the Yellow Jackets defeated lightly regarded Jacksonville State
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville State University is a regional public coeducational university located in Jacksonville, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1883, Jacksonville State offers programs of study in four academic units leading to Bachelor's, Master's, and Education Specialist degrees, in addition to continuing and...
, 37–17. Five days later, in Tech's first competitive game of the season, the Yellow Jackets narrowly defeated Clemson
2009 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2009 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2009 college football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney, who was in his first full season as head coach. The Tigers played their home games in Memorial Stadium...
, 30–27, on the basis of a fake field goal for a touchdown and a late field goal. One week after the Clemson win, Tech—by then raised to No. 14 in the national polls—suffered its first loss of the season, to No. 20 Miami
2009 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2009 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the University of Miami during the 2009 Division I college football season. The Hurricanes were coached by Randy Shannon and played their home games at Land Shark Stadium...
.
That loss turned out to be Georgia Tech's last to a conference opponent during the 2009 regular season. Nine days after the Miami loss, Georgia Tech defeated No. 22 North Carolina
2009 North Carolina Tar Heels football team
The 2009 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina during its 57th season in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heels played in the Coastal Division of the conference. The Tar Heels finished the season 8–5, 4–4 in ACC play and lost in the Meineke Car...
, then followed that with a win over Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
foe Mississippi State
2009 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team
The 2009 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University during the 2009 college football season. Mississippi State has been a member of the Southeastern Conference since the league's inception in 1932, and has participated in that conference's Western Division...
. Wins over Florida State
2009 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2009 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the 2009 college football season. The Seminoles were led by 34th year head coach Bobby Bowden...
and No. 4 Virginia Tech
2009 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2009 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Frank Beamer...
followed in subsequent weeks. The latter victory was the Yellow Jackets' first win over a top-five team since 1962 and gave Georgia Tech a lead in the divisional standings. Following the Virginia Tech win, Georgia Tech defeated Virginia
2009 Virginia Cavaliers football team
The 2009 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia in the 2009 season as a member of the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cavaliers were led by ninth-year head coach Al Groh...
, Vanderbilt
2009 Vanderbilt Commodores football team
The 2009 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 2009–10 college football season. The team's head coach was Bobby Johnson, who served his eighth season as the Commodores' head coach...
, Wake Forest
2009 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team
The 2009 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Jim Grobe during his ninth season at the school and played its home games at BB&T Field. Wake Forest competed in the Atlantic Coast...
(in overtime) and Duke
2009 Duke Blue Devils football team
The 2009 Duke Blue Devils football team represented Duke University in its 57th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference in its Coastal Division. The Blue Devils were led by second-year head coach David Cutcliffe...
. The Duke victory raised Georgia Tech to 10 wins, the school's first time at that mark since 1990, and the Yellow Jackets were ranked No. 7, their highest position in the national polls since that year. But following the Duke game, the Yellow Jackets faced Georgia
2009 Georgia Bulldogs football team
The 2009 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia in 2009. The Bulldogs competed in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference . This was the Georgia Bulldogs' ninth season head coach Mark Richt. The Bulldogs finished the season 8–5, 4–4 in SEC play and won the...
in the rivalry known as Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate
Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate
Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate is the nickname given to an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team of the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Georgia Bulldogs football team of the University of Georgia. The two Georgia universities are...
. During that game, the unranked Georgia Bulldogs upset Tech, 30–24. Though Georgia Tech had clinched its ACC Championship Game slot with the win over Duke, the loss was nevertheless a "huge letdown" for the team.
Clemson
The Clemson Tigers began the 2009 season after finishing 7–6 in 2008, including a season-ending loss in the 2009 Gator Bowl2009 Gator Bowl
The 2009 Gator Bowl was played on January 1, 2009 as part of the 2008 College Football season. It featured the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who finished tied for first in the Big 12 Conference's North Division with Missouri, and the Clemson Tigers, who finished fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference's...
to Nebraska
2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Bo Pelini and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska....
. Heading into 2010, Clemson returned many of its 2009 players, but faced questions about whether those players would perform better with another year of experience. Also under question was head coach Dabo Swinney, who was beginning his first full season as head coach of the Tigers after assuming control in the seventh game of 2008. Clemson attempted to answer some of the questions about the team's potential in the first game of the season, a 37–14 win against Middle Tennessee State
2009 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team
The 2009 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented Middle Tennessee State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football for the 2009 season. Middle Tennessee competed as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The team...
.
Clemson lost its first real test, a conference game at 15th-ranked Georgia Tech, but recovered to win the following week against Boston College. The Boston College win was Clemson's last for almost a month, however, as Clemson lost to nonconference opponent Texas Christian
2009 TCU Horned Frogs football team
The 2009 TCU Horned Frogs football team represented Texas Christian University in the 2009 college football season. The team was coached by Gary Patterson. The Frogs played their home games at Amon G. Carter Stadium, which is located on campus in Fort Worth. The Horned Frogs finished the season...
on September 26, then was defeated by ACC divisional foe Maryland.
The two losses, piled upon the loss to Georgia Tech, left Clemson with a 2–3 record. An anonymous report said coach Swinney became involved in a shouting match with a position coach, while players called a private meeting in an effort to turn the team's season around. On October 17, The Tigers rallied from their losing streak by defeating Wake Forest, 38–3, and moved back into the middle of the competition for the Atlantic Division championship. One week after defeating Wake Forest, the Tigers traveled to Miami, Florida, to play the Miami Hurricanes, who were ranked No. 10 in the Bowl Championship Series Poll. The Tigers played the Hurricanes into overtime, then upset Miami with a touchdown, 40–37.
The Miami win tied Clemson for the lead in the division standings with Boston College, whom the Tigers had already defeated and held a head-to-head tiebreaker over. After the Miami game, Clemson defeated nonconference Coastal Carolina
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football
Coastal Carolina University announced in the late '90's that they would be fielding a football squad in the coming years. The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football program played its inaugural season in 2003 on campus at Brooks Stadium. The team is coached by David Bennett, who has held the...
, then reeled off three wins over ACC teams. Clemson beat Florida State on November 7, NC State on November 14, and Virginia on November 21. On the same day Clemson defeated Virginia, Boston College was defeated in an ACC game, giving Clemson the Atlantic Division championship by default. After the Virginia game, Clemson faced longtime in-state rival South Carolina
2009 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
The 2009 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the college football season of 2009–2010. The team's head football coach was Steve Spurrier, who was in his fifth season at USC. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams-Brice Stadium in...
. In that game, South Carolina defeated Clemson, ending the Tigers' winning streak just before the ACC Championship Game.
Pregame buildup
Following the last week of regularly scheduled conference games, both teams fell in the national college football polls because of their rivalry losses. Georgia Tech, which had been No. 7 in the Bowl Championship Series Poll, No. 7 in the Associated Press Poll, and No. 7 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, dropped to No. 10 in the BCS Poll, No. 12 in the AP Poll, and No. 12 in the coaches' poll. Clemson, which had been No. 18 in the BCS, No. 15 in the AP, and No. 16 according to the coaches, dropped out of the BCS and coaches' polls and was No. 25 according to the AP. Spread bettorsSpread betting
Spread betting is any of various types of wagering on the outcome of an event, where the pay-off is based on the accuracy of the wager, rather than a simple "win or lose" outcome, such as fixed-odds betting or parimutuel betting. A spread is a range of outcomes and the bet is whether the outcome...
predicted Georgia Tech would win the game. Various betting organizations favored the Yellow Jackets by one point.
The game was a rematch of an early regular-season contest, but even though Georgia Tech won that game, there were questions about whether the victory would be repeated. Twice before, the two teams matched in the ACC Championship Game had played earlier that season. Both times, the loser of the first matchup won the second. There also were questions about each team's quality because of their losses in rivalry games against Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
foes.
Game summary
The 2009 ACC Championship Game kicked off at 8:06 p.m. ESTEastern Standard Time
Eastern Standard Time may refer to:*North American Eastern Time Zone, UTC-5*Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10*An album by Hip Hop group Kooley High...
on December 5, 2009, at Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
in Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The weather at kickoff was cloudy, with 88 percent humidity, an air temperature of 53 °F (11.7 °C) and a north wind of 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h). Approximately 42,815 people were in the stands, according to turnstile attendance figures, out of 57,227 tickets sold. The game also was seen by approximately 2.541 million viewers on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, which broadcast the game with Brad Nessler
Brad Nessler
Bradley "Brad" Nessler is an American sportscaster, who currently calls college basketball and college football games for ESPN with occasional appearances on ESPN on ABC. He will also call Thursday Night Football on NFL Network beginning in 2011, and appears annually as a commentator in EA Sports'...
, Todd Blackledge
Todd Blackledge
Todd Alan Blackledge was an American football quarterback in both the NCAA and National Football League. In college, he led the Penn State Nittany Lions to a national championship; and, as a pro, he played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers...
, and Erin Andrews
Erin Andrews
Erin Jill Andrews is an American sportscaster, journalist, and television personality. As of 2011 she is a co-host of the ESPN entertainment show College GameDay and a contributor for Good Morning America on the ABC network...
. The 2.5 million viewers brought the lowest-ever TV rating for an ACC Championship Game, even though the broadcast was the first ACC Championship Game to be played in prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
since 2005. The game's referee was Jeff Flanagan, its umpire was Keith Roden, and its linesman was Mike Owens.
First quarter
The Clemson Tigers began the game with first possession. After Georgia Tech's kickoff and a short return, the Tigers' offense began work at their 33-yard line. Three short plays advanced the ball to the Clemson 41-yard line and gained the Tigers a first down. On the next play, Clemson running back C. J. SpillerC. J. Spiller
Clifford "C.J." Spiller Jr. is an American Football running back for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was an All-American at Clemson University and was drafted 9th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft...
broke free for a 40-yard rush to the Georgia Tech 19-yard line. Two plays later, Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker
Kyle Parker (American football)
Kyle James Parker is an outfielder in the Colorado Rockies organization.After spending the 2009 season as the starting quarterback for the Clemson Tigers, Parker was drafted by the Colorado Rockies as the 26th overall pick in the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft...
completed a 15-yard pass to Jacoby Ford
Jacoby Ford
Jacoby Ford is an American football wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He is also an accomplished track and field athlete. He played college football as a wide receiver and return specialist for the Clemson Tigers at Clemson University...
. On the next play, Spiller ran forward three yards, across the goal line for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
and the game's first points.
Clemson's post-score kickoff was returned to the Georgia Tech 15-yard line, where the Yellow Jackets began their first offensive possession. On the first two plays of the game, Georgia Tech running back Roddy Jones escaped the Clemson defense for gains of 21 yards and 22 yards, respectively. Those plays advanced the Yellow Jackets to the Clemson 42-yard line, where Georgia Tech began advancing by small gains. In three plays, Georgia Tech gained a first down, but two subsequent plays lost yardage before kicker Scott Blair
Scott Blair
Scott Blair was an American football placekicker for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets where he was a four year starter. He played high school football for the Calhoun Yellow Jackets in Calhoun, Georgia.- References :...
came onto the field to attempt—and convert—a 48-yard field goal. The score narrowed Clemson's lead to 7–3 with the quarter exactly half elapsed.
The Tigers began their second drive of the game from their 26-yard line and advanced the ball through short gains. The Tigers needed three plays to gain a first down, then running back Andre Ellington
Andre Ellington
Andre Ellington is an American football running back. He is currently in his junior year playing for the Clemson Tigers.-High school career:...
advanced 18 yards and into Georgia Tech territory. Clemson could not gain another first down, and kicker Richard Jackson missed a 52-yard field goal attempt. After the miss, Georgia Tech's offense resumed the field. From the Tech 35-yard line, the Yellow Jackets advanced to the Clemson 48-yard line before running back Jonathan Dwyer
Jonathan Dwyer
Jonathan Avery Dwyer is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech....
gained 20 yards to the 28-yard line. Two plays later, as the Yellow Jackets advanced to the 18-yard line, the quarter ended with Clemson leading, 7–3.
Second quarter
The second quarter began with Georgia Tech facing first down, in possession of the ball at the Clemson 18-yard line. On the first play of the quarter, Dwyer gained 10 yards and a first down with a running play to the Clemson eight-yard line. Three plays later, Dwyer completed the Yellow Jackets' scoring drive with a run into the end zone. The touchdown and extra point gave Georgia Tech its first lead of the game, 10–7, with 13:30 remaining.Clemson returned Georgia Tech's kickoff to its 43-yard line, but despite the good field position, Clemson was unable to take advantage. On the first play of the drive, Clemson quarterback Parker threw an interception to Georgia Tech defender Dominique Reese, who went out of bounds at the Tech 45-yard line. Georgia Tech's offense returned to the field at that point and began driving down the field. In two plays, Tech passed the 50-yard line. In six more, it penetrated the Clemson 10-yard line. Once there, however, the Yellow Jackets' drive stalled. Three consecutive penalties against Georgia Tech pushed the Yellow Jackets back 20 yards, and Tech was unable to score a touchdown or gain a first down after that setback. Kicker Blair again returned to the field and scored a 49-yard field goal. With 5:35 remaining in the first half, Georgia Tech extended its lead to 13–7.
Clemson's offense returned to the field at its 35-yard line after Georgia Tech's kickoff and a 30-yard return by C. J. Spiller. During the ensuing drive, Spiller was the key player for the Tigers. On five consecutive plays, he received the ball during rushing plays. He gained 3, 13, 6, 2, and 41 yards, respectively, on each of these plays en route to the end zone and a touchdown. Clemson attempted a two-point conversion
Two-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
, but the try failed and the Tigers simply tied the Yellow Jackets, 13–13.
Georgia Tech's offense began the final drive of the first half with 2:55 remaining. The Yellow Jackets started from their 36-yard line and began slowly: Their first play gained no yards, and their second gained eight before a fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
that was recovered by a fellow Yellow Jacket. A short running play gained three yards, enough for a first down, and the drive continued. Consecutive rushing plays gained few yards at a time, and Georgia Tech used its timeouts to stop the game clock and prevent time from running out in the half. A 10-yard pass interference penalty pushed Georgia Tech inside the Clemson 20-yard line, and kicker Blair again converted a field goal. The successful kick gave Georgia Tech a 16–13 lead heading into halftime.
Third quarter
Because Clemson received the ball to begin the game, Georgia Tech received the ball to begin the second half. Chris Tanner returned the kickoff to the Tech 29-yard line, and the Yellow Jackets began the first offensive drive of the half. Jones opened the drive with a 16-yard run, then the Yellow Jackets converted a fourth down to continue down the field. Six plays after the fourth-down conversion, Tech quarterback Nesbitt ran into the end zone for a touchdown. The following extra point gave Tech a 23–13 lead with 9:12 remaining.Clemson fielded the following kickoff, and its offense continued with the success it found in its final drive of the first half. As in that drive, C. J. Spiller was a key performer. Clemson's drive began at its 40-yard line, and it took just five plays for the Tigers to score a touchdown. Four of those plays, including the culminating one, came from Spiller, who covered 40 yards during them. Spiller's touchdown cut Georgia Tech's lead to 23–20. But as quickly as Clemson scored, Georgia Tech moved even more quickly. From its 30-yard line, the Yellow Jackets needed only three plays, the keystone coming on a 70-yard throw from Nesbitt to Thomas for a touchdown. With 5:10 remaining in the quarter, the Yellow Jackets restored the 10-point margin, 30–20.
Beginning from their 26-yard line after a kickoff, Clemson attempted to again cut into Tech's lead. The Tigers, again guided by the running offense of Spiller and Jamie Harper, advanced to the 37-yard line, where Parker's passing attack took over. Parker completed two passes before Georgia Tech defender Jerrard Tarrant ran in front of a long throw downfield. He intercepted Parker's pass and returned it 50 yards to the Clemson 28, where Tech's offense began anew. Despite the good field position, Tech was unable to gain a first down but still was within range of a 40-yard field goal from Blair, who extended the Yellow Jackets' lead to 33–20.
With time running out in the third quarter, Clemson's offense entered the field of play at its 28-yard line. After a five-yard penalty for delay of game
Delay of game
Delay of game is an action in a sports game in which a player or team deliberately stalls the game, usually with the intention of using the delay to its advantage. In some sports, the delay of game is considered an infraction if it is longer than that permitted according to the game's rules, in...
, the Tigers' Andre Ellington gained 41 yards on two plays, pushing into Georgia Tech territory. Those plays all but exhausted the quarter's remaining moments, however, and the third quarter ended with Georgia Tech still leading, 33–20.
Fourth quarter
The fourth quarter began with Clemson in possession of the ball and facing second and nine from the Georgia Tech 35-yard line. The Tigers' first two plays of the quarter failed to gain a first down, setting up a critical fourth-down conversion opportunity for them. Rather than attempt a field goal, the Tigers attempted to gain a first down and were successful as Parker completed a seven-yard throw. Though Georgia Tech sacked Parker on a subsequent play, the yardage loss was offset by a pass interference penalty against the Yellow Jackets. One play after the penalty, Spiller ran nine yards for a touchdown. It and the subsequent extra point cut Georgia Tech's lead to 33–27 with 12 minutes remaining in the game.With a solid lead and time running down in the game, Georgia Tech began a sequence of running plays intended to keep the game clock running while gaining ground. From their 25-yard line, the Yellow Jackets gained 38 yards on seven plays, advancing into Clemson territory in the process. Facing fourth down at the Clemson 37-yard line, the Yellow Jackets attempted to gain a first down rather than kick a long field goal. When they were stopped short of the first-down line, Clemson's offense returned to the field. Spiller again drove the Tigers down the field, opening the drive with a 54-yard run on its first play. Three plays later, Ellington capitalized the drive with a one-yard run for a tying touchdown. The following extra point gave Clemson a one-point lead, 34–33, with 6:11 remaining in the game.
Clemson's post-touchdown kickoff was returned to the Tech 14-yard line, where the Yellow Jackets began their game-winning drive. The offense began slowly; Georgia Tech gained only nine yards in three plays, setting up a crucial fourth-down conversion. A failed try would give Clemson the ball deep in Georgia Tech territory, with little time remaining in the game for Georgia Tech to reply to any score. Instead, the Yellow Jackets converted the fourth down, keeping their drive alive. On the first play after the fourth-down conversion, Nesbitt completed a 21-yard pass to Dwyer, pushing Tech to near midfield. Eight plays later, Dwyer breached the Clemson defense for a 15-yard gain and the go-ahead score. A false start
False start
In sports, a false start is a movement by a participant before being signaled or otherwise permitted by the rules to start...
penalty on Georgia Tech's two-point conversion try prevented any extra points, but the touchdown's six points were enough to give Georgia Tech a 39–34 lead.
Clemson received Georgia Tech's kickoff with 1:20 remaining in the game. On the Tigers' first play, they committed a 10-yard penalty. Two incomplete passes followed from Parker, who then completed an 18-yard throw to Xavier Dye. This set up a fourth-and-two for the Tigers, who needed to gain a first down to keep their potential game-winning drive going. Instead, Parker was stymied in his attempt to run for the needed yards, and Clemson turned the ball over on downs. Georgia Tech's offense ran out the remaining seconds on the clock and ensured their 39–34 victory.
Statistical summary
In recognition of his performance despite a losing effort, Clemson running back C. J. Spiller was named the game's most valuable player. Spiller several ACC Championship game records: most yards, most yards per carry, most touchdowns, and longest run from scrimmage. Spiller finished the game with 233 rushing yards, more than Georgia Tech's two leading rushers combined. The Yellow Jackets' Jonathan Dwyer had 110 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Josh Nesbitt rushed for 103 yards and one touchdown.As quarterback, Georgia Tech's Josh Nesbitt was the top performer. In addition to his rushing performance, Nesbitt completed 9 of 16 pass attempts for 136 yards and one touchdown. On the opposite side of the field, Clemson's Kyle Parker was successful on 10 of his 17 pass attempts for 91 yards, but also had two interceptions, the game's only turnovers. Nesbitt set an ACC Championship Game record for longest pass play with his 70-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas in the third quarter. The two teams also set records for total offense: Georgia Tech's 469 total yards and Clemson's 414 total yards each broke the previous record for total offense, as did each team's rushing total break the previous team rushing record.
On defense, Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers led all defenders with 11 total tackles, including one for loss. Bowers' performance was a personal best for him and was the second-most in ACC Championship Game history. For Georgia Tech, Mario Edwards was the leading tackler with seven, including two assisted tackles. Tech's Jerrard Tarrant, who had five tackles, the second-most on the team, also had one interception and returned it 50 yards. The interception and return, Tarrant's first of the season, was the longest in ACC Championship Game history. Georgia Tech's other interception was fielded by Dominique Reese, for no return.
Postgame effects
Georgia Tech's win brought it to a record of 11–2, while Clemson's loss dropped it to 8–5. The win ensured Georgia Tech's first outright conference championship since 1990, and as a reward for winning the conference, Georgia Tech received a spot in the 2010 Orange Bowl2010 Orange Bowl
The 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl game featured the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Iowa Hawkeyes on Tuesday, January 5, 2010, at Land Shark Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida...
, a Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
game. In that game, the Iowa Hawkeyes
2009 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa and the Iowa Hawkeyes athletic program during the 2009 college football season. The team played its home games at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. 2009 marked Kirk Ferentz's 11th year as head coach of Iowa...
defeated the Yellow Jackets, 24-14. Clemson also was selected to participate in a postseason bowl game. The Music City Bowl
2009 Music City Bowl
The 2009 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl was the twelfth edition of the college football bowl game, and will be played at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee. The game was played on Sunday, December 27, 2009 and was telecast on ESPN...
, played in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, selected the Tigers to play against the Kentucky Wildcats
2009 Kentucky Wildcats football team
The 2009 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Rich Brooks, in his seventh and ultimately final season at Kentucky, and played its home games at Commonwealth Stadium. The Wildcats competed...
. In that game, the Tigers defeated the Wildcats, 21–13.
Several players from each team participated in postseason all-star games in preparation for the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. Georgia Tech lineman Cord Howard played in the East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
, while Florida State had several players in the annual Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
. Florida State defensive backs Myron Rolle and Patrick Robinson and linebacker Dekoda Watson each played in the latter game. Three Florida State players were selected by NFL teams in the subsequent draft: Robinson was selected with the 32nd overall pick, Rolle with the 207th, and Watson with the 217th. For Georgia Tech, defensive end Derrick Morgan was taken 16th, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas 22nd, safety Morgan Burnett 71st, and running back Jonathan Dwyer 188th.
Vacated
On July 14, 2011, Georgia Tech was forced to vacate the win due to an NCAA investigation. The NCAA accused Tech of fielding an ineligible player during the game, and, although they were unable to obtain evidence that an ineligible player had been played, the NCAA concluded that the investigation had been hampered by Georgia Tech's administration. This was taken as evidence of wrongdoing, and penalties for playing an ineligible player were imposed. The decision by the NCAA is currently under appeal.See also
- ACC Championship GameACC Championship GameThe Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game is an American college football game held on the first Saturday in December by the Atlantic Coast Conference each year to determine its football champion. The game pits the champion of the Coastal Division against the champion of the Atlantic Division in a game...