2010 ACC Championship Game
Encyclopedia
The 2010 ACC Championship Game was a college football
game between the Virginia Tech Hokies
and the Florida State Seminoles
. The game, sponsored by Dr. Pepper, was the final regular-season contest of the 2010 college football season
for the Atlantic Coast Conference
. Virginia Tech defeated Florida State, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference football championship, 44–33.
The Virginia Tech Hokies were selected to represent the Coastal Division by virtue of an undefeated (8–0) record in conference play and a 10–2 record overall. Representing the Atlantic Division was Florida State, which had a 9–3 record (6–2 ACC). The game was a rematch of the inaugural ACC Championship Game
, won 27–22 by Florida State in 2005.
The game was held at Bank of America Stadium
in Charlotte
, North Carolina
on December 4, 2010. Charlotte was chosen after poor attendance at the game's previous locations (Tampa, Florida
and Jacksonville, Florida
) led conference officials to seek a location closer to the conference's geographic center. The 2010 championship was the first to be played in Charlotte, and the game will return to the city in 2011.
The 2010 game began slowly, as Florida State scored only a field goal on its opening possession and Virginia Tech was held scoreless on its first try. On the second play of Florida State's second possession, Virginia Tech defender Jeron Gouveia-Winslow intercepted a pass by Florida state quarterback
E. J. Manuel and returned it for a touchdown
, giving the Hokies a 7–3 lead. They did not relinquish the advantage the rest of the game. The teams traded field goals and touchdowns through the remainder of the first and second quarters and entered halftime with Tech leading 21–17. In the third quarter, Tech scored 14 points to Florida State's seven, establishing the winning margin. In the final quarter, each team scored nine points, and the Hokies won with the most points ever scored by one team in an ACC championship game. In recognition of his winning performance, Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor
was named the game's most valuable player
.
By winning, Virginia Tech earned a spot in the 2011 Orange Bowl
football game, and Florida State was selected for the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl
. Several players that participated in the 2010 ACC Championship Game were picked in the 2011 NFL Draft
.
matches the winners of the Coastal and Atlantic divisions of the Atlantic Coast Conference. In the early 2000s, the league underwent an expansion to add three former Big East members: 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. The 2008 game saw a rematch of the previous year, as Virginia Tech
again defeated Boston College
, 30–12. In 2009, Georgia Tech
defeated Clemson
, 39–34, in a matchup of two newcomers to the championship game.
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. Because of this, 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 Florida State would win the Atlantic Division and Virginia Tech would win the Coastal Division. Florida State received 78 of a possible 98 first-place votes in its division, while Virginia Tech received 62. In a vote to predict the ACC champion, Virginia Tech received 50 votes from 98 possible. Florida State received 26 votes, and all other teams received a combined 20.
Immediately after the preseason poll, however, speculation began as to whether regular-season parity would render the prediction irrelevant. Before the 2010 season, the poll had predicted the ACC winner correctly only once in the championship game era. In the Coastal Division, this speculation was groundless, as Virginia Tech's undefeated season rendered any other winner impossible. In the Atlantic Division, the situation was much different. As late as the second week of November, four of the six division teams were in contention for the division title. These candidates were whittled to three with two weeks remaining in the regular season, then to two in the final week. During that week, NC State
traveled to Maryland
. If NC State had won, it would have been the Atlantic Division winner by virtue of a tie-breaking win against Florida State. Instead, NC State lost 38–31, and Florida State earned a bid to the championship game.
against the Tennessee Volunteers
. Because of that season-ending victory and the Hokies' general good performance during the 2009 season, Virginia Tech was ranked No. 10 in preseason national polling. The Hokies' first game of the season was a nationally televised contest against then-No. 3 Boise State
at FedEx Field near Washington, D.C.
. Because the game was the first of the season to feature two top-10 teams, it received large amounts of media coverage. During the game, Virginia Tech fell behind 17–0 in the first quarter, but rallied to take a 21–20 lead early in the third quarter. The two teams traded the lead, alternating scoring drives until Boise State scored a touchdown with 1:06 remaining. Virginia Tech was unable to reply one final time, and Boise State earned a 33–30 victory.
The close loss discouraged the Virginia Tech players, who then had only five days to prepare for their next opponent, lightly regarded James Madison University
. At Lane Stadium
, Virginia Tech's home field, James Madison upset the heavily favored Hokies, 21–16. The loss was only the second time in college football history that a team ranked nationally was defeated by a team from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. In the wake of the loss, Virginia Tech fell from No. 13 to out of the polls entirely.
Following the loss, seniors on the football team held a players-only meeting in an effort to rally the team. Players later recalled that meeting as the turning point in the team's season. The next week, Virginia Tech earned its first win of the season, a 49–27 victory over East Carolina
in Lane Stadium. The Hokies followed that by traveling to Boston College
for a 19–0 win, their first shutout since 2006.
The two victories were the start of a winning streak that saw the Hokies complete the regular season without another loss. Following Boston College, they defeated No. 23 NC State in its home stadium, 41–30. They defeated nonconference opponent Central Michigan, then beat conference opponent Wake Forest
and re-entered the polls at No. 25. Their position in the polls climbed with each opponent they defeated. They beat Duke
as the No. 25 team, Georgia Tech
as the No. 23 team, North Carolina
as the No. 20 team and No. 23 Miami
as the No. 16 team. The Miami victory clinched Tech the division championship and a slot in the ACC championship game, but the Hokies still won their final previously scheduled game, the annual Commonwealth Cup
rivalry against Virginia
.
in the 2010 Gator Bowl
. Florida State also began the year under a new head coach. Bobby Bowden
, who retired after 57 years as a head coach, 34 at Florida State and 33 consecutive winning seasons, was replaced by Jimbo Fisher. Immediately before the 2010 season began, Bowden claimed he had been pushed out as head coach, causing a stir before Florida State's first game.
For its opening game, Florida State faced the lightly regarded Samford Bulldogs and defeated them 59–6. In its second game, No. 17 Florida State faced a tougher challenge as it traveled to Norman, Oklahoma
to play the No. 10-ranked Oklahoma Sooners
. The Seminoles were defeated 47–17, in their third-worst loss since 1991. Florida State rebounded from the loss to defeat Brigham Young University
, 34–10, then opened the ACC season by defeating Wake Forest, Virginia, in-state rival Miami and Boston College in succession.
On October 28, Florida State traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina
to play NC State. Despite leading 21–7 at halftime, Florida State allowed NC State to rally and win the game, 28–24. NC State's win gave it a one-game lead and a tiebreaker against the Seminoles in the Atlantic Division . The following week, Florida State again lost, this time to North Carolina, a Coastal Division opponent. The same week, NC State lost to Clemson
, bringing Florida State even with NC State in the divisional standings. NC State still held the tiebreaker, however.
With three weeks remaining in the regular season and two other Atlantic Division teams also with one loss, there were 120 possible scenarios for the four tied teams. On Nov. 13, Florida State defeated Clemson 16–13, eliminating one of the four tied teams from contention for the divisional championship. The following week, Florida State defeated Maryland, 30–16, eliminating another contender. The divisional championship came down to the final week. Because Florida State was playing nonconference rival Florida
, the division was decided by the matchup between NC State and Maryland. Hours after Florida State defeated Florida 31–7, NC State lost to Maryland, giving Florida State the Atlantic Division championship and a bid to the ACC Championship Game.
, and No. 21 in the Coaches' Poll, rose to No. 21 in the BCS, No. 20 in the AP Poll, and No. 20 in the Coaches' Poll. Virginia Tech, which had been ranked 16th in the BCS, 13th in the AP Poll and 14th in the Coaches' Poll before the final week of the regular season, climbed to 15th in the BCS, 11th in the AP Poll and 11th in the Coaches' Poll. Spread bettors
predicted Virginia Tech would win the game. Various betting organizations favored the Hokies by four or 4.5 points. The matchup was a repeat of the inaugural ACC Championship game, and according to observers, the Seminoles' presence appeared to mark a resurgence for Florida State, which performed below expectations in the final years of Bowden's tenure. For Virginia Tech, there were hopes of breaking a trend of losing to Florida State. Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer was 1–8 against Florida State, and the Hokies overall were 11–22–1 against the Seminoles.
, organizers hoped moving the game to Charlotte, closer to the geographic center of the conference, would result in improved ticket sales. That hypothesis was borne out as early public sales approached 28,000 tickets before the participating teams were officially announced. After the announcement, each school sold its allotment of 10,000 tickets, and the more than 50,000 publicly available tickets were purchased at a rapid pace. ACC officials and Charlotte boosters each said they were satisfied with the pace and quantity of ticket sales.
completed 62.2 percent of his passes for a total of 2,038 yards, and Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher called him "one of the great Florida State quarterbacks of all time." Despite this endorsement, Ponder's participation in the ACC Championship was in doubt because of injured elbow fascia
sustained in the Seminoles' game against Boston College. The issue remained in doubt until the day of the ACC Championship, when coach Fisher announced that sophomore quarterback E. J. Manuel, who had led the Seminoles against Clemson was given the start.
Protecting both quarterbacks was a strong offensive line anchored by All-American guard Rodney Hudson
, a two-time winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy
, a four-time recipient of all-conference honors and a finalist for the Outland Trophy
. Hudson and the offensive line also protected Florida State's running back
s. Foremost among these was sophomore Chris Thompson, who led the team with 687 rushing yards. Thompson was predicted to start the ACC Championship game because of his performance in the regular season and because fellow running backs Ty Jones and Jermaine Thomas were injured. Taken together, Florida State's offense was 52nd in total offense
, accumulating 391 yards per game.
, who was named ACC Player of the Year on December 1. Taylor threw 20 touchdown passes, had only four interceptions and completed 60.2 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 613 yards, a figure that included several "game-changing" runs. Alongside Taylor, the Hokies boasted three strong running backs: David Wilson
, Ryan Williams
and Darren Evans
. Wilson had 573 rushing yards, 509 return yards, 165 receiving yards and nine touchdowns despite being an underclassman.
The Hokies led the ACC in scoring, averaging 34.8 points per game, and were 38th in the nation in total offense (409 yards per game).
Brandon Jenkins
, who was tied for third in the nation in sacks (12) and 15th in tackles for loss (18.5). On the other half of the defensive line, defensive end Markus White recorded seven sacks during the regular season. In total, Florida State's defense was No. 1 in college football in terms of sacks (43) and 15th in tackles for loss (7.2 per game). Florida State placed a priority on containing Tyrod Taylor and preventing him from scrambling for extra yardage. The Seminoles were 39th nationally in total defense, allowing an average of 341 yards per game.
Jayron Hosley
, a first-team All-ACC selection, led the nation in interceptions with eight, while Davon Morgan and Rashad Carmichael
each had four. Tech's defense ranked 10th in the red zone, seven spots ahead of the Seminoles' defense in that respect. In total defense, the Hokies were 42nd, permitting an average of 349 yards per game. In scoring defense, Tech was third in the ACC, permitting 17.9 points per game.
on December 4, 2010 at 7:52 pm EST
at Bank of America Stadium
in Charlotte
, North Carolina
. At kickoff, the weather was overcast with light rain and a temperature of 36 °F (2.2 °C), "dreary and chilly", according to The Associated Press. The wind was from the east at 4 miles per hour (6.4 km/h). The number of tickets sold was 72,379, slightly less than capacity, and despite the chilly temperatures, early turnstile figures reported more than 60,000 people in attendance. The game was televised in the United States by ESPN
, and Sean McDonough
, Matt Millen
and Heather Cox
were the announcers. The game also appeared on ESPN 3D
, and was broadcast on that channel by Joe Tessitore
, Tim Brown and Ray Bentley
. Approximately 3.047 million people watched the game, earning the broadcast a Nielsen rating
of 1.8. That figure was the second-lowest ever for an ACC Championship Game, but 13% more than the previous year's rating of 1.6, the record low. The game's referee was Brad Allen, the umpire was Jim Hyson and the lineman was Art Hardin.
to determine first possession and decided to kick off to Florida State. Kickoff returner Lonnie Pryor mishandled the football, but quickly recovered the loose ball and carried it to the Florida State 33-yard line, where the Seminoles began their first offensive drive. On the first play of the game, quarterback E. J. Manuel completed a 29-yard pass
to wide receiver
Taiwan Easterling, driving the Seminoles into Virginia Tech's defensive half. A short rush and a subsequent 12-yard pass gave Florida State a first down near the Virginia Tech 20-yard line. Short rushes pushed Florida State's offense inside the Virginia Tech red zone, but the Seminoles were unable to gain another first down. Placekicker
Dustin Hopkins came on the field and kicked a 32-yard field goal, giving Florida State a 3–0 lead with 11:43 remaining in the quarter.
Virginia Tech's first possession began at its 20-yard line after a touchback
. The Hokies advanced the ball into Florida State with a series of rushing plays, then lost yardage and punted
from their 47-yard line. Florida State recovered the kick at its 15-yard line and began its second possession. On the second play of the drive, Seminoles quarterback attempted a pass, but the ball was intercepted by Virginia Tech defender Jeron Gouveia-Winslow, who ran it 24 yards into the end zone
for Virginia Tech's first touchdown
. The score gave Tech a 7–3 lead with 8:54 remaining in the quarter.
Florida State received the post-score kickoff, then went three-and-out. Virginia Tech recovered the kick at its 35-yard line, and began a drive that needed only three plays to score a touchdown. The key effort was a 51-yard sprint by running back Darren Evans
, which advanced the ball to the Florida State 9-yard line. The score and extra point pushed Tech's lead to 14–3 with 4:37 remaining. Florida State responded with a quick touchdown drive of its own. From its 32 yard line, the Seminoles needed only six plays, three of them passes from E. J. Manuel, to reach the end zone. The score with 1:52 remaining trimmed Tech's lead to 14–10 at the 1:52 mark. As the quarter came to an end, Virginia Tech received the post-score kickoff and advanced the ball to its 22-yard line before the final seconds ticked off the clock and the first quarter ended with Tech leading 14–10.
Following the touchdown, Virginia Tech kicked the ball off to Florida State, and after a short return, the Seminoles' offense took the field at their 22-yard line. Florida State then embarked upon a 10-play, 78-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown with 5:40 remaining in the quarter. During the drive, Florida State converted two third downs and Manuel completed passes of 12 yards, 14 yards and 25 yards.
Tech's Jayron Hosley returned Florida State's subsequent kickoff to the Tech 35-yard line, where the Hokies' offense returned to the field. Tech advanced the ball with short rushes, gaining two first downs via quarterback sneaks from Taylor. The Hokies advanced as far as the Florida State 44-yard line, but Florida State sacked Taylor twice, denying the Hokies another first down. Tech ran down the clock, then punted with 42 seconds remaining in the first half. Rather than attempt to score in the final seconds, Florida State kneeled on the ball and let the first half end with Tech leading, 21–17.
After the kickoff, Florida State went three-and-out and punted back to Virginia Tech. The Hokies began their second possession of the quarter at their 39-yard line and started the drive with five consecutive running plays, advancing 28 yards in the process. Tech then switched to its passing offense, throwing four consecutive passes. Three were complete, and the final one, a 21-yard toss from Taylor to Wilson, ended with the running back carrying the ball into the end zone. The score capped a nine-play, 61-yard drive that grew the Hokies' advantage to 18 points, 35–17.
Florida State's offense returned to the field with 4:35 remaining and needing to score rapidly in order to make up the 18-point deficit, the game's largest. The Seminoles began their drive with their passing offense, trying three passes in four plays. Quarterback Manuel completed two of those three pass attempts, gaining 37 yards and advancing deep into Virginia Tech territory. A pass interference penalty against Virginia Tech advanced the Seminoles to the Tech 11-yard line, and three rushing plays later, running back Ty Jones crossed the goal line for a touchdown. The score came with 1:40 remaining in the quarter and brought the score to 35–24.
Florida State kicked off following the score, and Tech's offense began work from its 18-yard line. Though quarterback Taylor was sacked on the first play of the drive, the Hokies recovered the lost yardage and gained a first down with the final play of the quarter. With one quarter remaining in the game, Tech held a 35–24 lead.
The conversion brought the score to 41–26 with 11:29 remaining in the game. Florida State received the post-touchdown kickoff, then benefited from a 10-yard holding penalty against Virginia Tech. Three subsequent plays failed to gain another first down, however, and on fourth down, a pass by Manuel was intercepted by Virginia Tech's Davon Morgan and returned to the Florida State 34-yard line. With 9:29 remaining, Virginia Tech's offense entered the game. The Hokies went three-and-out, but capitalized on the good starting field position by kicking a 43-yard field goal that increased their lead to 44–26.
Florida State's offense began work from its 36-yard line, but ran four plays without gaining a first down and turned the ball over on downs. Virginia Tech, whose offense began at the Florida State 45-yard line, proceeded to run down the clock. In eight plays, Tech advanced 21 yards and drained 3:22, then turned the ball over on downs at the Seminole 26-yard line. Florida State's offense entered the game one final time and conducted a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 20-yard pass from Manuel to running back Chris Thompson for a touchdown. The score and subsequent extra point made the score 44–33, but only seven seconds remained in the game. The Seminoles attempted an onside kick in an attempt to have another opportunity for offense, but the Hokies recovered the kick and proceeded to run out the final seconds, earning a 44–33 victory.
. He completed 18 of his 28 pass attempts for 263 yards and three touchdowns. The three touchdowns gave him 23 for the season, setting a Virginia Tech single-season mark. The three touchdowns also tied the record for the most in an ACC Championship Game. Taylor also carried the ball 11 times for 24 yards and one touchdown. Taylor's MVP award was his second, and he became the first player to win the honor multiple times. On the opposite side of the ball, Florida State quarterback E. J. Manuel had a better completion percentage, completing 23 of his 31 passes for 288 yards and one touchdown. He also ran the ball 11 times for nine yards.
Virginia Tech wide receiver Danny Coale's 143 receiving yards were a career high and set a championship-game record. Many of those receiving yards came on third down and were a reason why Tech converted 13 of its 17 third-down opportunities, setting another championship-game record. Florida State's leading receiver was wide receiver Taiwan Easterling, who had six catches for 79 yards. Close behind was wide receiver Willie Haulstead, who had three receptions for 73 yards. All of Haulstead's receptions came in the first half, setting a record for receiving yards in an ACC Championship Game half.
On the ground, Virginia Tech running back Darren Evans led all rushers with 69 yards on six carries. In total, Virginia Tech had 179 rushing yards; three players had more rushing yards than the leading rusher on Florida State, running back Ty Jones, who had 24 yards. Jones also had three rushing touchdowns, becoming the first Florida State player to rush for three touchdowns since Oct. 4, 2008. He also was the second player ever to rush for three touchdowns in an ACC Championship Game.
Among defensive players, Florida State safety Nick Moody had 12 tackles, the most in the game. Virginia Tech's leading defensive player was safety Eddie Whitley, who had nine tackles and two pass breakups. Tech's Davon Morgan and Jeron Gouveia-Winslow were responsible for the only turnovers in the game; each had one interception. Gouveia-Winslow’s 24-yard interception return for a touchdown was the second such score in an ACC Championship Game. On the opposite side of the ball, Nigel Bradham's defensive two-point conversion was only the fifth in all of college football during the 2010 season. Florida State received no penalties during the game, and Virginia Tech received only four. The four penalties were the fewest in an ACC Championship Game.
As a reward for winning the ACC Championship, the Hokies received a position in the 2011 Orange Bowl
, a Bowl Championship Series
game. Virginia Tech's opponent in that game was the Stanford Cardinal
, from the Pacific-12 Conference. In that game, a blowout in favor of the Cardinal, Stanford defeated Virginia Tech 40–12. Florida State, meanwhile, was selected to participate in the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl
against South Carolina
. In that game, held New Year's Eve, the Seminoles defeated South Carolina, 26–17.
Several players from each team participated in all-star games following their teams' respective bowl games. Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor and center Beau Warren played in the East-West Shrine Game
, Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder and offensive lineman Rodney Hudson played in the 2011 Senior Bowl. In that game, Ponder, who had been held out of the ACC Championship Game and underwent elbow surgery, guided the South team to victory by throwing two touchdown passes. The two games were a final chance to impress National Football League scouts before the 2011 NFL Draft
, which began April 28.
Florida State had three players selected in the draft, including Ponder, who was taken with the 12th overall selection, making him the first participant from the 2010 ACC Championship Game to be picked. Florida State's two other selections were offensive lineman Rodney Hudson
(55th overall) and defensive end Markus White
(224th). Virginia Tech likewise had three players selected: Ryan Williams (38th), Rashad Carmichael (127th), and Tyrod Taylor (180th).
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 Virginia Tech Hokies
2010 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2010 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Hokies were led by 24th-year head coach Frank Beamer and played their home games at Lane Stadium...
and the Florida State Seminoles
2010 Boston College Eagles football team
The 2010 Boston College Eagles football team represented Boston College in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Eagles were led by second year head coach Frank Spaziani and played their home games at Alumni Stadium. They were members of the Atlantic Coast Conference in the Atlantic...
. The game, sponsored by Dr. Pepper, was the final regular-season contest of the 2010 college football season
2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on Thursday, September 2, 2010. The season progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Monday, January 10, 2011.-Rule changes for...
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...
. Virginia Tech defeated Florida State, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference football championship, 44–33.
The Virginia Tech Hokies were selected to represent the Coastal Division by virtue of an undefeated (8–0) record in conference play and a 10–2 record overall. Representing the Atlantic Division was Florida State, which had a 9–3 record (6–2 ACC). The game was a rematch of the inaugural ACC Championship Game
2005 ACC Championship Game
The 2005 Dr. Pepper Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game was the inaugural contest of the game. It was a regular-season ending American college football contest at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Florida State Seminoles. The...
, won 27–22 by Florida State in 2005.
The game was held at Bank of America Stadium
Bank of America Stadium
Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East...
in Charlotte
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...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
on December 4, 2010. Charlotte was chosen after poor attendance at the game's previous locations (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....
and 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 a location closer to the conference's geographic center. The 2010 championship was the first to be played in Charlotte, and the game will return to the city in 2011.
The 2010 game began slowly, as Florida State scored only a field goal on its opening possession and Virginia Tech was held scoreless on its first try. On the second play of Florida State's second possession, Virginia Tech defender Jeron Gouveia-Winslow intercepted a pass by Florida state quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
E. J. Manuel and returned it 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:...
, giving the Hokies a 7–3 lead. They did not relinquish the advantage the rest of the game. The teams traded field goals and touchdowns through the remainder of the first and second quarters and entered halftime with Tech leading 21–17. In the third quarter, Tech scored 14 points to Florida State's seven, establishing the winning margin. In the final quarter, each team scored nine points, and the Hokies won with the most points ever scored by one team in an ACC championship game. In recognition of his winning performance, Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor is an American football quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was the starting quarterback for the Virginia Tech Hokies football team from the start of the 2008 college football season until the 2011 Orange Bowl, the final game of the 2010 college...
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, Virginia Tech earned a spot in the 2011 Orange Bowl
2011 Orange Bowl
The 2011 Discover Orange Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Stanford Cardinal on Monday, January 3, 2011, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Stanford defeated Virginia Tech 40–12...
football game, and Florida State was selected for the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl
2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl
The 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl is the forty-third edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. It was played Friday, December 31, 2010 at 7:30 EST, and featured the #23 Florida State Seminoles versus the #19 South Carolina Gamecocks.-South...
. Several players that participated in the 2010 ACC Championship Game were picked in the 2011 NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
.
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...
matches the winners of the Coastal and Atlantic divisions of the Atlantic Coast Conference. In the early 2000s, the league underwent an expansion to add three former Big East members: 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. The 2008 game saw a rematch of the previous year, as Virginia Tech
2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represents Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach is Frank Beamer. Prior to the season, the Hokies were expected to be in a rebuilding mode, recovering after the...
again defeated Boston College
2008 Boston College Eagles football team
The 2008 Boston College Eagles football team represented Boston College during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Boston College's fourth season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The Eagles were led by...
, 30–12. In 2009, Georgia Tech
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...
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...
, 39–34, in a matchup of two newcomers to the championship game.
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. Because of this, Charlotte's two-year span of hosting the game was pushed back to 2010.
Team selection
Before the beginning of the 2010 college football season2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on Thursday, September 2, 2010. The season progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Monday, January 10, 2011.-Rule changes for...
, the annual poll by media members who cover ACC football predicted Florida State would win the Atlantic Division and Virginia Tech would win the Coastal Division. Florida State received 78 of a possible 98 first-place votes in its division, while Virginia Tech received 62. In a vote to predict the ACC champion, Virginia Tech received 50 votes from 98 possible. Florida State received 26 votes, and all other teams received a combined 20.
Immediately after the preseason poll, however, speculation began as to whether regular-season parity would render the prediction irrelevant. Before the 2010 season, the poll had predicted the ACC winner correctly only once in the championship game era. In the Coastal Division, this speculation was groundless, as Virginia Tech's undefeated season rendered any other winner impossible. In the Atlantic Division, the situation was much different. As late as the second week of November, four of the six division teams were in contention for the division title. These candidates were whittled to three with two weeks remaining in the regular season, then to two in the final week. During that week, NC State
2010 NC State Wolfpack football team
The 2010 NC State Wolfpack Football Team represented North Carolina State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wolfpack, led by head coach Tom O'Brien, played their home games at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina and were members of the Atlantic division...
traveled to Maryland
2010 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2010 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Terrapins' 58th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and its sixth within the framework of the ACC Atlantic Division...
. If NC State had won, it would have been the Atlantic Division winner by virtue of a tie-breaking win against Florida State. Instead, NC State lost 38–31, and Florida State earned a bid to the championship game.
Virginia Tech
The Virginia Tech Hokies entered the 2010 season after a 2009 campaign that saw the team finish 10–3, including a season-ending win in the 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl
The 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Tennessee Volunteers on December 31, 2009, in the Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia. Virginia Tech defeated Tennessee 40–12. The game was part of the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
against the Tennessee Volunteers
2009 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2009 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2009 college football season. The team was coached by Lane Kiffin. The 2009 season would be his 1st and only at Tennessee – leaving to take the head coaching job at the University of Southern Cal on January...
. Because of that season-ending victory and the Hokies' general good performance during the 2009 season, Virginia Tech was ranked No. 10 in preseason national polling. The Hokies' first game of the season was a nationally televised contest against then-No. 3 Boise State
2010 Boise State Broncos football team
The 2010 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Broncos were led by fifth-year head coach Chris Petersen and played their home games at Bronco Stadium. They entered the 2010 season with winning streaks of 14 games...
at FedEx Field near Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. Because the game was the first of the season to feature two top-10 teams, it received large amounts of media coverage. During the game, Virginia Tech fell behind 17–0 in the first quarter, but rallied to take a 21–20 lead early in the third quarter. The two teams traded the lead, alternating scoring drives until Boise State scored a touchdown with 1:06 remaining. Virginia Tech was unable to reply one final time, and Boise State earned a 33–30 victory.
The close loss discouraged the Virginia Tech players, who then had only five days to prepare for their next opponent, lightly regarded James Madison University
James Madison Dukes football
The James Madison Dukes football team, founded in 1972, plays at Bridgeforth Stadium. Originally called JMU Stadium, it was renamed for William E. Bridgeforth in 1990. The JMU football team was rarely the centerpiece of JMU sports until the hiring of Mickey Matthews in 1999...
. At Lane Stadium
Lane Stadium
Lane Stadium/Worsham Field is a stadium located in Blacksburg, Virginia. It is the home field of the Virginia Tech Hokies. It was rated the number one home field advantage in all of college football in 2005 by Rivals.com...
, Virginia Tech's home field, James Madison upset the heavily favored Hokies, 21–16. The loss was only the second time in college football history that a team ranked nationally was defeated by a team from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. In the wake of the loss, Virginia Tech fell from No. 13 to out of the polls entirely.
Following the loss, seniors on the football team held a players-only meeting in an effort to rally the team. Players later recalled that meeting as the turning point in the team's season. The next week, Virginia Tech earned its first win of the season, a 49–27 victory over East Carolina
2010 East Carolina Pirates football team
The 2010 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Pirates played their home games in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium and were led by head coach Ruffin McNeill, a former Pirate football player and former Texas Tech defensive...
in Lane Stadium. The Hokies followed that by traveling to Boston College
2010 Boston College Eagles football team
The 2010 Boston College Eagles football team represented Boston College in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Eagles were led by second year head coach Frank Spaziani and played their home games at Alumni Stadium. They were members of the Atlantic Coast Conference in the Atlantic...
for a 19–0 win, their first shutout since 2006.
The two victories were the start of a winning streak that saw the Hokies complete the regular season without another loss. Following Boston College, they defeated No. 23 NC State in its home stadium, 41–30. They defeated nonconference opponent Central Michigan, then beat conference opponent Wake Forest
2010 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team
The 2010 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Jim Grobe, who was coaching his tenth season at the school, and played its home games at BB&T Field. Wake Forest competes in the...
and re-entered the polls at No. 25. Their position in the polls climbed with each opponent they defeated. They beat Duke
2010 Duke Blue Devils football team
The 2010 Duke Blue Devils football team represented Duke University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Blue Devils were led by 3rd year head coach David Cutcliffe and played their home games at Wallace Wade Stadium. They are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference in the Coastal...
as the No. 25 team, Georgia Tech
2010 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2010 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Yellow Jackets were led by 3rd year head coach Paul Johnson and played their home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium. They are members of the Atlantic...
as the No. 23 team, North Carolina
2010 North Carolina Tar Heels football team
The 2010 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the 2010 college football season. The team was led by fourth year coach Butch Davis and played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium. They are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
as the No. 20 team and No. 23 Miami
2010 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2010 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the University of Miami during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hurricanes were coached by Randy Shannon during the regular season, then coached by Jeff Stoutland during their bowl game and played their home games at Sun Life...
as the No. 16 team. The Miami victory clinched Tech the division championship and a slot in the ACC championship game, but the Hokies still won their final previously scheduled game, the annual Commonwealth Cup
Commonwealth Cup
The Commonwealth Cup is an American college football rivalry game played between the Virginia Cavaliers football team of the University of Virginia and the Virginia Tech Hokies football team of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Typically, this series is played on a Saturday...
rivalry against Virginia
2010 Virginia Cavaliers football team
The 2010 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia in the 2010 season as a member of the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cavaliers, led by first year head coach Mike London, played their home games at Scott Stadium and are members of the Coastal...
.
Florida State
Florida State began 2010 after a 7–6 record in 2009 that ended with a 33–21 win against West Virginia2009 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2009 West Virginia Mountaineer football team represented West Virginia University in the college football season of 2009. The Mountaineers were led by head coach Bill Stewart and played their home games at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia...
in the 2010 Gator Bowl
2010 Gator Bowl
The 2010 Gator Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Florida State University Seminoles from the ACC, and the West Virginia University Mountaineers representing the Big East, and was played on Friday, January 1, 2010, at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville,...
. Florida State also began the year under a new head coach. Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
, who retired after 57 years as a head coach, 34 at Florida State and 33 consecutive winning seasons, was replaced by Jimbo Fisher. Immediately before the 2010 season began, Bowden claimed he had been pushed out as head coach, causing a stir before Florida State's first game.
For its opening game, Florida State faced the lightly regarded Samford Bulldogs and defeated them 59–6. In its second game, No. 17 Florida State faced a tougher challenge as it traveled to Norman, Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
to play the No. 10-ranked Oklahoma Sooners
2010 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2010 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2010–2011. It was the 116th year of season play for the Sooners. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops, a two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year award winner, who has a contract...
. The Seminoles were defeated 47–17, in their third-worst loss since 1991. Florida State rebounded from the loss to defeat Brigham Young University
2010 BYU Cougars football team
The 2010 BYU Cougars football team represented Brigham Young University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cougars, led by head coach Bronco Mendenhall, played their home games at LaVell Edwards Stadium and were members of the Mountain West Conference...
, 34–10, then opened the ACC season by defeating Wake Forest, Virginia, in-state rival Miami and Boston College in succession.
On October 28, Florida State traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
to play NC State. Despite leading 21–7 at halftime, Florida State allowed NC State to rally and win the game, 28–24. NC State's win gave it a one-game lead and a tiebreaker against the Seminoles in the Atlantic Division . The following week, Florida State again lost, this time to North Carolina, a Coastal Division opponent. The same week, NC State lost to Clemson
2010 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2010 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney in his second full year and third year overall after taking over the job midway through the 2008 season...
, bringing Florida State even with NC State in the divisional standings. NC State still held the tiebreaker, however.
With three weeks remaining in the regular season and two other Atlantic Division teams also with one loss, there were 120 possible scenarios for the four tied teams. On Nov. 13, Florida State defeated Clemson 16–13, eliminating one of the four tied teams from contention for the divisional championship. The following week, Florida State defeated Maryland, 30–16, eliminating another contender. The divisional championship came down to the final week. Because Florida State was playing nonconference rival Florida
2010 Florida Gators football team
The 2010 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2010 college football season...
, the division was decided by the matchup between NC State and Maryland. Hours after Florida State defeated Florida 31–7, NC State lost to Maryland, giving Florida State the Atlantic Division championship and a bid to the ACC Championship Game.
Pregame buildup
Following the last week of regularly scheduled conference games, both teams moved up in the national college football polls. Florida State, which had been ranked No. 22 in the BCS Poll, No. 22 in the AP PollAP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, and No. 21 in the Coaches' Poll, rose to No. 21 in the BCS, No. 20 in the AP Poll, and No. 20 in the Coaches' Poll. Virginia Tech, which had been ranked 16th in the BCS, 13th in the AP Poll and 14th in the Coaches' Poll before the final week of the regular season, climbed to 15th in the BCS, 11th in the AP Poll and 11th in the Coaches' Poll. Spread bettors
Spread 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 Virginia Tech would win the game. Various betting organizations favored the Hokies by four or 4.5 points. The matchup was a repeat of the inaugural ACC Championship game, and according to observers, the Seminoles' presence appeared to mark a resurgence for Florida State, which performed below expectations in the final years of Bowden's tenure. For Virginia Tech, there were hopes of breaking a trend of losing to Florida State. Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer was 1–8 against Florida State, and the Hokies overall were 11–22–1 against the Seminoles.
Attendance concerns
After two years of poor attendance at ACC championship games in Tampa, FloridaTampa, 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....
, organizers hoped moving the game to Charlotte, closer to the geographic center of the conference, would result in improved ticket sales. That hypothesis was borne out as early public sales approached 28,000 tickets before the participating teams were officially announced. After the announcement, each school sold its allotment of 10,000 tickets, and the more than 50,000 publicly available tickets were purchased at a rapid pace. ACC officials and Charlotte boosters each said they were satisfied with the pace and quantity of ticket sales.
Florida State offense
During the 2010 season, Florida State senior quarterback Christian PonderChristian Ponder
Christian Ponder is an American football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Vikings with the twelfth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and signed with them on July 31, 2011, shortly after the 2011 NFL lockout ended...
completed 62.2 percent of his passes for a total of 2,038 yards, and Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher called him "one of the great Florida State quarterbacks of all time." Despite this endorsement, Ponder's participation in the ACC Championship was in doubt because of injured elbow fascia
Fascia
A fascia is a layer of fibrous tissue that permeates the human body. A fascia is a connective tissue that surrounds muscles, groups of muscles, blood vessels, and nerves, binding those structures together in much the same manner as plastic wrap can be used to hold the contents of sandwiches...
sustained in the Seminoles' game against Boston College. The issue remained in doubt until the day of the ACC Championship, when coach Fisher announced that sophomore quarterback E. J. Manuel, who had led the Seminoles against Clemson was given the start.
Protecting both quarterbacks was a strong offensive line anchored by All-American guard Rodney Hudson
Rodney Hudson
Rodney Hudson is an American Football Center for the Kansas City Chiefs.-Early years:Hudson attended B. C. Rain High School in Mobile, Alabama, where he was a two-way lineman...
, a two-time winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy
Jacobs Blocking Trophy
The Jacobs Blocking Trophy is the name of several similar annual college football awards bestowed by a conference upon their best blocker. The awards are named in honor of , the founder and president of Presbyterian College from 1935 to 1945. The trophies are awarded by his sons, Hugh and William...
, a four-time recipient of all-conference honors and a finalist for the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
. Hudson and the offensive line also protected Florida State's running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
s. Foremost among these was sophomore Chris Thompson, who led the team with 687 rushing yards. Thompson was predicted to start the ACC Championship game because of his performance in the regular season and because fellow running backs Ty Jones and Jermaine Thomas were injured. Taken together, Florida State's offense was 52nd in total offense
Total offense
Total offense is an American football and Canadian football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player...
, accumulating 391 yards per game.
Virginia Tech offense
Virginia Tech's offense was centered on quarterback Tyrod TaylorTyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor is an American football quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was the starting quarterback for the Virginia Tech Hokies football team from the start of the 2008 college football season until the 2011 Orange Bowl, the final game of the 2010 college...
, who was named ACC Player of the Year on December 1. Taylor threw 20 touchdown passes, had only four interceptions and completed 60.2 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 613 yards, a figure that included several "game-changing" runs. Alongside Taylor, the Hokies boasted three strong running backs: David Wilson
David Wilson (American football)
David Emmanuel Wilson is an American football running back for the Virginia Tech Hokies.-Early years:Wilson attended George Washington High School in Danville, Virginia. As a senior he set a school record with 2,291 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns...
, Ryan Williams
Ryan Williams (American football)
Ryan Williams is an American football running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He played college football at Virginia Tech and was drafted in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft....
and Darren Evans
Darren Evans
Darren Evans is an American football running back who is currently on the Indianapolis Colts active roster. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Virginia Tech....
. Wilson had 573 rushing yards, 509 return yards, 165 receiving yards and nine touchdowns despite being an underclassman.
The Hokies led the ACC in scoring, averaging 34.8 points per game, and were 38th in the nation in total offense (409 yards per game).
Florida State defense
Virginia Tech's offensive line was particularly concerned with containing Florida State sophomore defensive endDefensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Brandon Jenkins
Brandon Jenkins
Brandon Jenkins is an American football defensive end for the Florida State Seminoles. Jenkins is considered one of the best defensive ends in the country and future high NFL Draft pick.-High school:...
, who was tied for third in the nation in sacks (12) and 15th in tackles for loss (18.5). On the other half of the defensive line, defensive end Markus White recorded seven sacks during the regular season. In total, Florida State's defense was No. 1 in college football in terms of sacks (43) and 15th in tackles for loss (7.2 per game). Florida State placed a priority on containing Tyrod Taylor and preventing him from scrambling for extra yardage. The Seminoles were 39th nationally in total defense, allowing an average of 341 yards per game.
Virginia Tech defense
Virginia Tech's defense was less statistically successful in 2010 than it had been in previous years, but the Hokies still led the nation in turnover margin, forcing 16 more turnovers than they gave away. Sophomore cornerbackCornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Jayron Hosley
Jayron Hosley
Jayron Todd Hosley is an American football cornerback for the Virginia Tech Hokies. He is considered one of the top cornerback prospects for the 2012 NFL Draft.-College career:...
, a first-team All-ACC selection, led the nation in interceptions with eight, while Davon Morgan and Rashad Carmichael
Rashad Carmichael
Rashad Bernard Carmichael is an American football cornerback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Texans in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft...
each had four. Tech's defense ranked 10th in the red zone, seven spots ahead of the Seminoles' defense in that respect. In total defense, the Hokies were 42nd, permitting an average of 349 yards per game. In scoring defense, Tech was third in the ACC, permitting 17.9 points per game.
Game summary
The 2010 ACC Championship Game kicked offKickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
on December 4, 2010 at 7:52 pm EST
Eastern 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...
at Bank of America Stadium
Bank of America Stadium
Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East...
in Charlotte
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...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. At kickoff, the weather was overcast with light rain and a temperature of 36 °F (2.2 °C), "dreary and chilly", according to The Associated Press. The wind was from the east at 4 miles per hour (6.4 km/h). The number of tickets sold was 72,379, slightly less than capacity, and despite the chilly temperatures, early turnstile figures reported more than 60,000 people in attendance. The game was televised in the United States by 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....
, and Sean McDonough
Sean McDonough
Sean McDonough is an American sportscaster, currently employed by ESPN.-Early life and career:The son of Boston Globe sportswriter Will McDonough, Sean graduated from Syracuse University in 1984. It was in Syracuse where McDonough began his broadcasting career in 1982 as the play-by-play announcer...
, Matt Millen
Matt Millen
Matthew George "Matt" Millen is an American former National Football League linebacker and a former executive. Millen played for the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins. In Millen's 12-year NFL playing career, he played on four Super Bowl-winning teams...
and Heather Cox
Heather Cox
Heather Cox is an American Sportscaster who is a sideline reporter for WNBA, NBA, college basketball and college football games on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports. As Heather Schoeny, she played college volleyball at University of the Pacific...
were the announcers. The game also appeared on ESPN 3D
ESPN 3D
ESPN 3D is a television network part of the ESPN family of networks that launched June 11, 2010. The network broadcasts in the 3D television format. The channel simulcasts live games from ESPN on a semi-regular basis. It began broadcasting 24 hours a day on February 14, 2011...
, and was broadcast on that channel by Joe Tessitore
Joe Tessitore
Joe Tessitore is a national sports TV broadcaster.-Recent work:Joe Tessitore is a well known football, horse racing and boxing TV broadcaster. In 2011 Tessitore also was named executive producer of the new ESPN Film Roll Tide, War Eagle set to premiere in November. Among his primary assignments...
, Tim Brown and Ray Bentley
Ray Bentley
Ray Russell Bentley is a former professional American football linebacker.-Playing career:...
. Approximately 3.047 million people watched the game, earning the broadcast a Nielsen rating
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
of 1.8. That figure was the second-lowest ever for an ACC Championship Game, but 13% more than the previous year's rating of 1.6, the record low. The game's referee was Brad Allen, the umpire was Jim Hyson and the lineman was Art Hardin.
First quarter
Virginia Tech won the ceremonial pregame coin tossCoin flipping
Coin flipping or coin tossing or heads or tails is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to choose between two alternatives, sometimes to resolve a dispute between two parties...
to determine first possession and decided to kick off to Florida State. Kickoff returner Lonnie Pryor mishandled the football, but quickly recovered the loose ball and carried it to the Florida State 33-yard line, where the Seminoles began their first offensive drive. On the first play of the game, quarterback E. J. Manuel completed a 29-yard pass
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
to wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Taiwan Easterling, driving the Seminoles into Virginia Tech's defensive half. A short rush and a subsequent 12-yard pass gave Florida State a first down near the Virginia Tech 20-yard line. Short rushes pushed Florida State's offense inside the Virginia Tech red zone, but the Seminoles were unable to gain another first down. Placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Dustin Hopkins came on the field and kicked a 32-yard field goal, giving Florida State a 3–0 lead with 11:43 remaining in the quarter.
Virginia Tech's first possession began at its 20-yard line after a touchback
Touchback
In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead behind or above a goal line and the team who is attacking that goal line is responsible for the ball being there. Responsibility is determined by which team gave the ball the impetus...
. The Hokies advanced the ball into Florida State with a series of rushing plays, then lost yardage and punted
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
from their 47-yard line. Florida State recovered the kick at its 15-yard line and began its second possession. On the second play of the drive, Seminoles quarterback attempted a pass, but the ball was intercepted by Virginia Tech defender Jeron Gouveia-Winslow, who ran it 24 yards into the end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
for Virginia Tech's first 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:...
. The score gave Tech a 7–3 lead with 8:54 remaining in the quarter.
Florida State received the post-score kickoff, then went three-and-out. Virginia Tech recovered the kick at its 35-yard line, and began a drive that needed only three plays to score a touchdown. The key effort was a 51-yard sprint by running back Darren Evans
Darren Evans
Darren Evans is an American football running back who is currently on the Indianapolis Colts active roster. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Virginia Tech....
, which advanced the ball to the Florida State 9-yard line. The score and extra point pushed Tech's lead to 14–3 with 4:37 remaining. Florida State responded with a quick touchdown drive of its own. From its 32 yard line, the Seminoles needed only six plays, three of them passes from E. J. Manuel, to reach the end zone. The score with 1:52 remaining trimmed Tech's lead to 14–10 at the 1:52 mark. As the quarter came to an end, Virginia Tech received the post-score kickoff and advanced the ball to its 22-yard line before the final seconds ticked off the clock and the first quarter ended with Tech leading 14–10.
Second quarter
The second quarter began with Virginia Tech in possession of the ball and facing a third and nine at its 22-yard line. On the first play of the quarter, Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor completed a 28-yard pass to wide receiver Danny Coale for a first down at the 50-yard line. Tech continued to advance down the field, and eight plays later, Taylor completed a 19-yard pass to Jarret Boykin for the Hokies' third touchdown of the game. The drive consumed 13 plays and covered 91 yards in 6:25, and Tech gained a 21–10 lead with 10:28 remaining before halftime.Following the touchdown, Virginia Tech kicked the ball off to Florida State, and after a short return, the Seminoles' offense took the field at their 22-yard line. Florida State then embarked upon a 10-play, 78-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown with 5:40 remaining in the quarter. During the drive, Florida State converted two third downs and Manuel completed passes of 12 yards, 14 yards and 25 yards.
Tech's Jayron Hosley returned Florida State's subsequent kickoff to the Tech 35-yard line, where the Hokies' offense returned to the field. Tech advanced the ball with short rushes, gaining two first downs via quarterback sneaks from Taylor. The Hokies advanced as far as the Florida State 44-yard line, but Florida State sacked Taylor twice, denying the Hokies another first down. Tech ran down the clock, then punted with 42 seconds remaining in the first half. Rather than attempt to score in the final seconds, Florida State kneeled on the ball and let the first half end with Tech leading, 21–17.
Third quarter
Because Florida State received the ball to begin the game, Virginia Tech received the ball to begin the second half. Running back David Wilson returned the opening kickoff to the Tech 21-yard line, and the Hokies' offense began the first drive of the second half. The first play of the quarter was a 14-yard pass from Taylor to Coale, beginning a seven-play, 67-yard drive resulting in a touchdown. The culminating play of the drive was a 45-yard pass from Taylor to Coale for the touchdown, which extended Tech's lead to 11 points, 28–17, at the 11:24 mark of the quarter.After the kickoff, Florida State went three-and-out and punted back to Virginia Tech. The Hokies began their second possession of the quarter at their 39-yard line and started the drive with five consecutive running plays, advancing 28 yards in the process. Tech then switched to its passing offense, throwing four consecutive passes. Three were complete, and the final one, a 21-yard toss from Taylor to Wilson, ended with the running back carrying the ball into the end zone. The score capped a nine-play, 61-yard drive that grew the Hokies' advantage to 18 points, 35–17.
Florida State's offense returned to the field with 4:35 remaining and needing to score rapidly in order to make up the 18-point deficit, the game's largest. The Seminoles began their drive with their passing offense, trying three passes in four plays. Quarterback Manuel completed two of those three pass attempts, gaining 37 yards and advancing deep into Virginia Tech territory. A pass interference penalty against Virginia Tech advanced the Seminoles to the Tech 11-yard line, and three rushing plays later, running back Ty Jones crossed the goal line for a touchdown. The score came with 1:40 remaining in the quarter and brought the score to 35–24.
Florida State kicked off following the score, and Tech's offense began work from its 18-yard line. Though quarterback Taylor was sacked on the first play of the drive, the Hokies recovered the lost yardage and gained a first down with the final play of the quarter. With one quarter remaining in the game, Tech held a 35–24 lead.
Fourth quarter
Virginia Tech began the quarter with a first down at its 29-yard line. After Williams carried the ball for a four-yard gain, Taylor completed a 14-yard pass to Andre Smith for a first down at the Tech 47-yard line. Two plays gained only one yard, then Taylor completed a 46-yard throw to Coale for a first down at the Florida State 6-yard line. Three plays later, Taylor ran five yards into the end zone, finishing an 11-play, 82-yard drive that spanned two quarters. Tech increased its margin to 41–24, but as Virginia Tech attempted the extra point, Florida State's Nigel Bradham disrupted and blocked the kick. Bradham scooped up the loose ball and returned it the length of the field to the opposite end zone for an unusual defensive two-point conversion.The conversion brought the score to 41–26 with 11:29 remaining in the game. Florida State received the post-touchdown kickoff, then benefited from a 10-yard holding penalty against Virginia Tech. Three subsequent plays failed to gain another first down, however, and on fourth down, a pass by Manuel was intercepted by Virginia Tech's Davon Morgan and returned to the Florida State 34-yard line. With 9:29 remaining, Virginia Tech's offense entered the game. The Hokies went three-and-out, but capitalized on the good starting field position by kicking a 43-yard field goal that increased their lead to 44–26.
Florida State's offense began work from its 36-yard line, but ran four plays without gaining a first down and turned the ball over on downs. Virginia Tech, whose offense began at the Florida State 45-yard line, proceeded to run down the clock. In eight plays, Tech advanced 21 yards and drained 3:22, then turned the ball over on downs at the Seminole 26-yard line. Florida State's offense entered the game one final time and conducted a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 20-yard pass from Manuel to running back Chris Thompson for a touchdown. The score and subsequent extra point made the score 44–33, but only seven seconds remained in the game. The Seminoles attempted an onside kick in an attempt to have another opportunity for offense, but the Hokies recovered the kick and proceeded to run out the final seconds, earning a 44–33 victory.
Statistical summary
In recognition of his performance as the game's winning quarterback, Tyrod Taylor was named the game's most valuable playerMost 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...
. He completed 18 of his 28 pass attempts for 263 yards and three touchdowns. The three touchdowns gave him 23 for the season, setting a Virginia Tech single-season mark. The three touchdowns also tied the record for the most in an ACC Championship Game. Taylor also carried the ball 11 times for 24 yards and one touchdown. Taylor's MVP award was his second, and he became the first player to win the honor multiple times. On the opposite side of the ball, Florida State quarterback E. J. Manuel had a better completion percentage, completing 23 of his 31 passes for 288 yards and one touchdown. He also ran the ball 11 times for nine yards.
Virginia Tech wide receiver Danny Coale's 143 receiving yards were a career high and set a championship-game record. Many of those receiving yards came on third down and were a reason why Tech converted 13 of its 17 third-down opportunities, setting another championship-game record. Florida State's leading receiver was wide receiver Taiwan Easterling, who had six catches for 79 yards. Close behind was wide receiver Willie Haulstead, who had three receptions for 73 yards. All of Haulstead's receptions came in the first half, setting a record for receiving yards in an ACC Championship Game half.
On the ground, Virginia Tech running back Darren Evans led all rushers with 69 yards on six carries. In total, Virginia Tech had 179 rushing yards; three players had more rushing yards than the leading rusher on Florida State, running back Ty Jones, who had 24 yards. Jones also had three rushing touchdowns, becoming the first Florida State player to rush for three touchdowns since Oct. 4, 2008. He also was the second player ever to rush for three touchdowns in an ACC Championship Game.
Among defensive players, Florida State safety Nick Moody had 12 tackles, the most in the game. Virginia Tech's leading defensive player was safety Eddie Whitley, who had nine tackles and two pass breakups. Tech's Davon Morgan and Jeron Gouveia-Winslow were responsible for the only turnovers in the game; each had one interception. Gouveia-Winslow’s 24-yard interception return for a touchdown was the second such score in an ACC Championship Game. On the opposite side of the ball, Nigel Bradham's defensive two-point conversion was only the fifth in all of college football during the 2010 season. Florida State received no penalties during the game, and Virginia Tech received only four. The four penalties were the fewest in an ACC Championship Game.
Postgame effects
Virginia Tech's win in the ACC Championship Game, its first against Florida State in postseason play, brought it to a 11–2 record, while Florida State's loss dropped it to a 9–4 record. Virginia Tech became the first team in college football history to win 11 consecutive games after losing its first two of the season, and it was the first team in conference history to defeat nine different ACC teams in one season. Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer became only the second coach in ACC history to win four conference titles in seven years. The first to do so was Florida State's Bobby Bowden. Both teams' standings in the national polls were affected by the game. In the BCS poll, the Seminoles fell from 21st to out of the poll, while Virginia Tech rose from 15th to 13th. In the AP Poll, Tech rose to 12th, while Florida State fell to 23rd.As a reward for winning the ACC Championship, the Hokies received a position in the 2011 Orange Bowl
2011 Orange Bowl
The 2011 Discover Orange Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Stanford Cardinal on Monday, January 3, 2011, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Stanford defeated Virginia Tech 40–12...
, 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. Virginia Tech's opponent in that game was the Stanford Cardinal
2010 Stanford Cardinal football team
The 2010 Stanford Cardinal football team represented Stanford University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Cardinal were led by head coach Jim Harbaugh, who was in his 4th and final season before leaving to become head coach of the San Francisco 49ers...
, from the Pacific-12 Conference. In that game, a blowout in favor of the Cardinal, Stanford defeated Virginia Tech 40–12. Florida State, meanwhile, was selected to participate in the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl
2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl
The 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl is the forty-third edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. It was played Friday, December 31, 2010 at 7:30 EST, and featured the #23 Florida State Seminoles versus the #19 South Carolina Gamecocks.-South...
against South Carolina
2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
The 2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head football coach was Steve Spurrier, who was in his sixth season at USC...
. In that game, held New Year's Eve, the Seminoles defeated South Carolina, 26–17.
Several players from each team participated in all-star games following their teams' respective bowl games. Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor and center Beau Warren 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...
, Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder and offensive lineman Rodney Hudson played in the 2011 Senior Bowl. In that game, Ponder, who had been held out of the ACC Championship Game and underwent elbow surgery, guided the South team to victory by throwing two touchdown passes. The two games were a final chance to impress National Football League scouts before the 2011 NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
, which began April 28.
Florida State had three players selected in the draft, including Ponder, who was taken with the 12th overall selection, making him the first participant from the 2010 ACC Championship Game to be picked. Florida State's two other selections were offensive lineman Rodney Hudson
Rodney Hudson
Rodney Hudson is an American Football Center for the Kansas City Chiefs.-Early years:Hudson attended B. C. Rain High School in Mobile, Alabama, where he was a two-way lineman...
(55th overall) and defensive end Markus White
Markus White
Markus White is an American football linebacker for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Redskins in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State University...
(224th). Virginia Tech likewise had three players selected: Ryan Williams (38th), Rashad Carmichael (127th), and Tyrod Taylor (180th).