ACC Championship Game
Encyclopedia
The Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game is an American
college football
game held on the first Saturday in December by the Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC) 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 that follows the conclusion of the regular season. The game's corporate sponsor is Dr Pepper
, and the conference has a deal with ABC
for rights to the television broadcast.
, the Atlantic Coast Conference determined its champion via round-robin play during the course of the regular season and there was no conference championship game. In 2004, the Atlantic Coast conference added two teams—Virginia Tech
and Miami
—expanding the league to 11 teams. At the time, college football teams were limited by the NCAA to 11 regular-season games, three or four of which typically featured teams outside the home team's conference. Following the 2004 season, the league added a 12th team—Boston College
—and became eligible to hold a championship game at the conclusion of the 2005 season
.
The conference was divided into two divisions of six teams each. The team with the best conference record in each division is selected to participate in the championship game. In the inaugural championship game, which took place at the end of the 2005 college football season, the Florida State Seminoles
defeated Virginia Tech 27–22 at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville
, Florida
. In the 2006 game, two other teams faced off as Georgia Tech
played Wake Forest
. Wake defeated Georgia Tech 9–6. For the 2007 game, Jacksonville was awarded a one-year extension as host, and the game remained in Jacksonville. Virginia Tech returned to the ACC Championship game and faced off against Boston College
. Tech won the game, 30–16, and returned to the championship in 2008 to defeat Boston College again 30–12. In 2009, Georgia Tech
defeated Clemson
, 39-34, but was forced to vacate the ACC championship by the NCAA. As of 2010, six of the twelve ACC teams have played in the championship, with four different champions in the first five years.
Following the 2007 game, the Gator Bowl Committee—organizers of the ACC Championship game in Jacksonville—announced they would not seek another contract extension due to falling attendance. With Jacksonville's withdrawal from future site selection
, the ACC selected Tampa
, Florida
and Charlotte
, North Carolina
as future sites of the game. The 2008 and 2009 games were held in Tampa, while the 2010 and 2011 games will be held in Charlotte. In 2008, the Coastal Division champion was the designated "home" team. "Home" teams are 1–2 in ACC Championship Games.
, Pittsburgh
, Syracuse
, South Carolina
, Miami, West Virginia
, Boston College, Rutgers
, or Virginia Tech—an offer to join the league. For various reasons, however, no other team was extended an offer. Throughout the 1990s, the Atlantic Coast Conference remained at nine members.
The nearby Southeastern Conference
(SEC), which also encompasses college football teams in the American South
, also expanded in 1990. Instead of adding one team, as did the ACC, the then 10-team SEC added two—the University of Arkansas
and the University of South Carolina
. The expansion made the SEC the first college football conference eligible to hold a conference championship game under NCAA rules, and the first game was held in 1992. Throughout the 1990s, the SEC enjoyed growing television ratings, revenue, and success on the football field. By 2003, the league was earning over $100 million annually, with the proceeds split among the member schools.
The SEC's earnings and success on the football field proved attractive to Atlantic Coast Conference representatives, who began publicly pursuing the possibility of expansion anew in 2003. On May 13, 2003, representatives voted in favor of extending invitations to three schools. The only certain school was the University of Miami
, while the other two spots were still being debated. Initially, the league favored admitting Miami, Syracuse University
, and Boston College
. After a month of debate, however, the ACC elected to extend formal invitations to Miami, Boston College, and Virginia Tech
, which joined after initially being overlooked.
Miami and Virginia Tech began official ACC play with the 2004 college football season
. After the league settled a lawsuit resulting from the departure of the three former Big East Conference
teams, Boston College began ACC play in the 2005 season
. With the league officially at 12 teams, it became eligible to hold a conference championship football game.
(as it was called then) lobbied heavily for Charlotte's selection. Other early options included Orlando
, Tampa
, Atlanta, and Jacksonville.
Shortly after negotiations for the location of the game began during the spring of 2004, the ACC announced that it had signed a new, seven-year television contract with ABC-TV
and ESPN
. As part of the deal, the ACC would earn over $40 million in revenue a year in exchange for the networks' exclusive right to televise the ACC Championship Game and several so-called "big-name" games. The income was to be divided among all 12 member schools.
In July 2004, the ACC began deliberations about which offer to select. After several months of negotiations and discussions, the ACC made its decision. On August 19, 2004, the league announced that Jacksonville, would host the game in 2005 and 2006. The league would then have the option to re-select Jacksonville for an additional one or two-year contract. League officials said Charlotte was the first runner-up in the competition to be the host of the game.
For its first three years, the championship game was held at EverBank Field (known as Alltel Stadium in 2005 and 2006, and Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in 2007). That contract expired after the 2007 season.
In December 2007, the ACC awarded the next four games to Tampa, and Charlotte. Raymond James Stadium
in Tampa was location of the game in 2008 and 2009, and the Bank of America Stadium
in Charlotte is scheduled to be the location of the game in 2010 and 2011.
On October 18, 2004, the ACC announced its new football structure with two divisions. Each six-team division plays a round-robin
schedule within the division and a rotation of three conference games against teams from the opposing division. The two teams with the best conference records in each division earn places to the championship game. In the event of a tie in records within one division, divisional records and the results of head-to-head games are considered.
Also, in the games between the two divisions, each team has a permanent rival team that is played every year. Hence, every year, there are these football games:
Georgia Tech vs. Clemson; North Carolina vs. North Carolina State; Maryland vs. Virginia; Duke vs. Wake Forest; Florida State vs. Miami; and Boston College vs. Virginia Tech.
Coastal Division
The inaugural ACC Championship Game kicked off in Jacksonville, Florida at 8:11 p.m. on December 3, 2005. The game was televised on ABC
in the United States, and earned a Nielsen rating of 5.1, higher than that of either the Big 12 Championship Game or the Southeastern Conference Championship Game
. The game pitted the Virginia Tech Hokies, champions of the Coastal Division, against the Florida State Seminoles, champions of the Atlantic Division.
The game was marked by defense and penalties throughout. In the first half, both teams battled to a 3–3 tie. Florida State scored first, with a field goal in the early first quarter, but Virginia Tech fought back, equalizing the score before the end of the quarter. Both teams were held scoreless in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Florida State took a 27–3 lead, courtesy of a series of successful offensive drives by Seminoles quarterback Drew Weatherford
. Virginia Tech fought back in the fourth quarter, closing the gap to 27–22, but time ran out before the Hokies could attempt a go-ahead drive. Florida State won the inaugural ACC Championship game, 27–22.
, which had not won an ACC championship since 1970, and Georgia Tech
, which had won the ACC championships in 1990 and 1998 along with a split national championship in 1990
. At the beginning of the season, neither team was predicted to participate in the championship game—Wake Forest was picked to finish last in the Atlantic Division, while Georgia Tech was picked to finish third in the Coastal Division. Wake Forest, buoyed by the play of ACC rookie of the year Riley Skinner
, upset expectations by winning 10 games—the most in school history. Georgia Tech, meanwhile, went 5-1 to start its season and defeated No. 11 Virginia Tech to overcome its only challenger for the Coastal Division title.
The game, which kicked off on December 2, 2006, was marked by poor weather. Defense dominated from the beginning, as Georgia Tech took a 3–0 lead in the first quarter. Wake Forest evened the score before halftime, however, and the two teams headed into the second half tied at 3–3. After a scoreless third quarter, Georgia Tech took a 6–3 lead early in the fourth quarter. After Tech quarterback
Reggie Ball
threw a critical interception, Wake Forest was able to tie the game, then take a 9–6 lead. With time running out, Wake's defense denied Georgia Tech a game-winning score, and Wake Forest clinched the win. All the scoring in the game came via five field goals
, and Wake Forest's kicker
, Sam Swank, was named the game's most valuable player
.
return to the contest for the second time in three years. On the other side of the field was Boston College, which finished the season with a 10–2 overall record. The game kicked off at 1:10 p.m.EST
in Jacksonville
, Florida
. The game was broadcast on ABC
and netted a television rating of 4.1, placing it behind the SEC Championship Game
and the Big 12 Championship Game, which earned ratings of 5.9 and 6.6, respectively. In the first half, the two teams battled to a 16–16 tie. Boston College took a 7–0 lead in the first quarter and a 10–0 lead early in the second, but Virginia Tech earned a rare defensive two-point conversion following a second Boston College touchdown and tacked on two touchdowns of its own to tie the game before halftime.
In the second half, the two teams ratcheted up their defensive play. Neither team scored in the third quarter, and the tie continued well into the fourth quarter. With 6:30 remaining in the game, Virginia Tech took its first lead of the game on a 24-yard pass from quarterback
Sean Glennon
. With time running out, Boston College was forced into a hurry-up offense
. Eagles quarterback and ACC Offensive Player of the Year Matt Ryan
threw an interception, however, and Tech defender Xavier Adibi
returned the pass for a touchdown. The score gave Virginia Tech a 30–16 lead and the victory.
Virginia Tech returned to the ACC Championship game in 2008 for the third time in the contest's four-year history as champion of the Coastal division. Representing the Atlantic division was Boston College. The two teams played in the 2007 ACC Championship game, but had to endure a conference schedule regarded as crazy, wacky, "a mess", and "confusing" by members of the media and college football fans. So closely matched were the 12 teams of the conference that as late as the second-to-last week of the regular season, nine teams were still in the running for a place in the championship game. Following the final week of the regular season, both Virginia Tech and Boston College earned their berths in the championship game by virtue of tie-breaking rules that selected the two teams by virtue of head-to-head wins over their compatriots.
The game itself was much less closely contested. Though it began slowly, with both teams punt
ing after their opening possessions, Virginia Tech took a 7–0 lead near the end of the first quarter with a five-yard touchdown
run by Tech quarterback
Tyrod Taylor
. The Hokies never relinquished the lead or allowed a tie after that point. Tech extended its lead to 14–0 in the second quarter, but Boston College managed to narrow Tech's lead to 14–7 by halftime. In the second half, Virginia Tech scored 17 points to the Eagles' five, and the Hokies won the game, 30–12. In recognition of his game-winning performance, Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor was named the game's most valuable player
.
In the days leading up to the game, each team had to fend off criticism about its performance during the regular season. Each team lost its final regular-season game of the year to their respective in-state (SEC) rivals, and commentators seized upon the teams' losing finishes as evidence of their sub-par quality. Clemson seized upon this criticism, using it as motivation in pregame practice. Star Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, who had returned to school for another year in an effort to win the ACC Championship, was predicted to be a prominent performer in the game. On the other side of the field, Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson, who had been named ACC Coach of the Year, was portrayed as a strategist trying to stop Clemson.
The game began with a quick start by Clemson: The Tigers needed just seven plays to cover 71 yards and score the game's first touchdown. Georgia Tech responded with a field goal, and the Tigers led 7–3 after the first quarter. Tech had a 16–13 lead at halftime, courtesy of a touchdown and two more field goals. Clemson managed only two field goals. Tech extended its lead in the third quarter, which ended with the Yellow Jackets leading 33–20. In the final quarter, Clemson scored 14 unanswered points, gaining a one-point lead. Georgia Tech received the ball on its 14–yard line with 6:11 remaining, then drove 86 yards in 14 plays to score a go-ahead touchdown. Given the ball with only 1:20 left on the clock and no timeouts, Clemson turned the ball over on downs, allowing Georgia Tech to run out the clock and preserve its victory.
The final score was 39–34, giving Georgia Tech its first ACC Championship since a shared title in 1998 and its first undisputed conference championship since 1990. In a losing effort, Clemson's Spiller was named the game's most valuable player. He carried the ball 20 times for 233 yards and four touchdowns, setting an ACC title-game record for rushing yards. In its final appearance in Tampa, the game sold 57,227 tickets and saw a turnstile attendance of 44,897, pleasing conference officials, who feared a repetition of the low attendance the previous year.
On 7/18/2011, Georgia Tech was forced to vacate the win due to the result of an NCAA investigation. It was announced the game would be considered to have no winner. The NCAA sanctions are currently under appeal.
The match up featured Atlantic Division champion Florida State against Coastal Division champion Virginia Tech. The Hokies, after suffering opening losses to Boise State and FCS James Madison entered the championship game on a 10 game winning streak. They were also the first team to be 8-0 in the conference since the 2000 Florida State Seminoles. The Atlantic Division was in more flux. Florida State had suffered losses to both North Carolina State and North Carolina, but NC State lost the final game of the regular season to Maryland leaving FSU with the best record in the division.
Despite Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder
being forced to sit out the game because of a tear in his elbow fascia
, the match up was a high scoring affair. The Seminoles took an early 3-0 lead but it was soon erased when Virginia Tech returned an interception for a touchdown. The Seminoles would briefly regain the lead in the first quarter but Virginia Tech responded and did not let go of the lead.
The final score was Virginia Tech 44, Florida State 33. The win was the Hokies' fourth conference championship since joining the league in 2004 and third win in the ACC championship game.
Winners are listed in bold. Rankings are from the Coaches Poll
released prior to the game.
* Georgia Tech was forced to vacate this win in response to NCAA violations.
Rankings notes:
Other Conference Championship Games
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
college football
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 held on the first Saturday in December by 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...
(ACC) 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 that follows the conclusion of the regular season. The game's corporate sponsor is Dr Pepper
Dr Pepper
Dr Pepper is a soft drink, marketed as having a unique flavor. The drink was created in the 1880s by Charles Alderton of Waco, Texas and first served around 1885. Dr Pepper was first nationally marketed in the United States in 1904 and is now also sold in Europe, Asia, Canada, Mexico, Australia ...
, and the conference has a deal with ABC
ESPN on ABC
ESPN on ABC is the brand used for sports programming on the ABC television network. Officially the broadcast network retains its own sports division; however, for all practical purposes, ABC's sports division has been merged with ESPN, a sports cable network majority-owned by ABC's parent, The...
for rights to the television broadcast.
History
Before the 2004 college football season2004 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss...
, the Atlantic Coast Conference determined its champion via round-robin play during the course of the regular season and there was no conference championship game. In 2004, the Atlantic Coast conference added two teams—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...
and 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...
—expanding the league to 11 teams. At the time, college football teams were limited by the NCAA to 11 regular-season games, three or four of which typically featured teams outside the home team's conference. Following the 2004 season, the league added a 12th team—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...
—and became eligible to hold a championship game at the conclusion of the 2005 season
2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football...
.
The conference was divided into two divisions of six teams each. The team with the best conference record in each division is selected to participate in the championship game. In the inaugural championship game, which took place at the end of the 2005 college football season, the Florida State Seminoles
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
defeated Virginia Tech 27–22 at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville
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...
, 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...
. In the 2006 game, two other teams faced off as Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
played 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...
. Wake defeated Georgia Tech 9–6. For the 2007 game, Jacksonville was awarded a one-year extension as host, and the game remained in Jacksonville. Virginia Tech returned to the ACC Championship game and faced off against 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...
. Tech won the game, 30–16, and returned to the championship in 2008 to defeat Boston College again 30–12. In 2009, Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
defeated Clemson
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, 39-34, but was forced to vacate the ACC championship by the NCAA. As of 2010, six of the twelve ACC teams have played in the championship, with four different champions in the first five years.
Following the 2007 game, the Gator Bowl Committee—organizers of the ACC Championship game in Jacksonville—announced they would not seek another contract extension due to falling attendance. With Jacksonville's withdrawal from future site selection
Site selection
Site Selection indicates the practice of new facility location, both for business and government. Site selection involves measuring the needs of a new project against the merits of potential locations...
, the ACC selected 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...
and 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...
as future sites of the game. The 2008 and 2009 games were held in Tampa, while the 2010 and 2011 games will be held in Charlotte. In 2008, the Coastal Division champion was the designated "home" team. "Home" teams are 1–2 in ACC Championship Games.
Conference expansion
In 1990, the eight-team Atlantic Coast Conference added Florida State to the league, creating a new nine-team ACC. Though Florida State was the only school added to the conference, some league officials discussed offering one or more other schools—NavyNavy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
, Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
, Syracuse
Syracuse Orange football
The Syracuse Orange football program is a college football team that represents Syracuse University. The team is a member of the Big East Conference, which is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I conference that is part of the Football Bowl Subdivision...
, South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
, Miami, West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
, Boston College, Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play...
, or Virginia Tech—an offer to join the league. For various reasons, however, no other team was extended an offer. Throughout the 1990s, the Atlantic Coast Conference remained at nine members.
The nearby 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...
(SEC), which also encompasses college football teams in the American South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
, also expanded in 1990. Instead of adding one team, as did the ACC, the then 10-team SEC added two—the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
and the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
. The expansion made the SEC the first college football conference eligible to hold a conference championship game under NCAA rules, and the first game was held in 1992. Throughout the 1990s, the SEC enjoyed growing television ratings, revenue, and success on the football field. By 2003, the league was earning over $100 million annually, with the proceeds split among the member schools.
The SEC's earnings and success on the football field proved attractive to Atlantic Coast Conference representatives, who began publicly pursuing the possibility of expansion anew in 2003. On May 13, 2003, representatives voted in favor of extending invitations to three schools. The only certain school was the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, while the other two spots were still being debated. Initially, the league favored admitting Miami, Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, and Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
. After a month of debate, however, the ACC elected to extend formal invitations to Miami, Boston College, and Virginia Tech
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
, which joined after initially being overlooked.
Miami and Virginia Tech began official ACC play with the 2004 college football season
2004 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss...
. After the league settled a lawsuit resulting from the departure of the three former Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
teams, Boston College began ACC play in the 2005 season
2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football...
. With the league officially at 12 teams, it became eligible to hold a conference championship football game.
Site selection
Even before the announcement proclaiming the ACC's expansion to 12 teams, several cities and sports organizations were preparing bids to host the ACC Championship Game. To a host city, the prospect of tens of thousands of visitors could provide a multi-million-dollar economic boost to the city and region while requiring few, if any, additional facilities. One early contender was the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. Even before Virginia Tech, Miami, and Boston College were chosen as the ACC's picks to expand, Carolinas Stadium Corporation, the owner and operator of Charlotte's Ericsson StadiumBank 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...
(as it was called then) lobbied heavily for Charlotte's selection. Other early options included Orlando
Orlando
Orlando is a major city in the U.S. state of Florida.Orlando may also refer to-Places:* in Florida** Orlando, a major city** Greater Orlando, the 27th-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
, Atlanta, and Jacksonville.
Shortly after negotiations for the location of the game began during the spring of 2004, the ACC announced that it had signed a new, seven-year television contract with ABC-TV
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and 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....
. As part of the deal, the ACC would earn over $40 million in revenue a year in exchange for the networks' exclusive right to televise the ACC Championship Game and several so-called "big-name" games. The income was to be divided among all 12 member schools.
In July 2004, the ACC began deliberations about which offer to select. After several months of negotiations and discussions, the ACC made its decision. On August 19, 2004, the league announced that Jacksonville, would host the game in 2005 and 2006. The league would then have the option to re-select Jacksonville for an additional one or two-year contract. League officials said Charlotte was the first runner-up in the competition to be the host of the game.
For its first three years, the championship game was held at EverBank Field (known as Alltel Stadium in 2005 and 2006, and Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in 2007). That contract expired after the 2007 season.
In December 2007, the ACC awarded the next four games to Tampa, and Charlotte. 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 was location of the game in 2008 and 2009, and the 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 is scheduled to be the location of the game in 2010 and 2011.
Team selection
Following the absorption of Virginia Tech and Miami into the ACC, questions arose about how an 11-team league could fairly select participants in the conference championship game. A divisional structure involving two six-team divisions competing for two championship-game slots would not be possible. In addition, the ACC could not continue to select its champion via round-robin play since there were now 11 teams and only seven or eight conference games available per team. Even the NCAA's addition of a 12th game to the regular season did little to relieve the conference's problem. Prior to the 2004 college football season, the ACC requested a waiver to the NCAA's rule requiring conferences to have 12-plus teams before having a conference championship game. Before the season began, however, the NCAA rejected the ACC's application, and the league had to use a semi-round-robin format to select a champion during the 2004 football season. After that season, the inclusion of Boston College as the ACC's 12th team solved the problem of enabling the ACC to have a championship football game.On October 18, 2004, the ACC announced its new football structure with two divisions. Each six-team division plays a round-robin
Round-robin
The term round-robin was originally used to describe a document signed by multiple parties in a circle to make it more difficult to determine the order in which it was signed, thus preventing a ringleader from being identified...
schedule within the division and a rotation of three conference games against teams from the opposing division. The two teams with the best conference records in each division earn places to the championship game. In the event of a tie in records within one division, divisional records and the results of head-to-head games are considered.
Also, in the games between the two divisions, each team has a permanent rival team that is played every year. Hence, every year, there are these football games:
Georgia Tech vs. Clemson; North Carolina vs. North Carolina State; Maryland vs. Virginia; Duke vs. Wake Forest; Florida State vs. Miami; and Boston College vs. Virginia Tech.
Divisions
Atlantic Division- Boston College EaglesBoston College Eagles footballThe 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...
- Clemson TigersClemson Tigers footballThe Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
- Florida State SeminolesFlorida State Seminoles footballThe Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
- Maryland TerrapinsMaryland Terrapins footballThe Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
- North Carolina State Wolfpack
- Wake Forest Demon DeaconsWake Forest Demon Deacons footballThe Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represents Wake Forest University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest plays its home football games at BB&T Field....
Coastal Division
- Duke Blue DevilsDuke Blue Devils footballThe Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
- Georgia Tech Yellow JacketsGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets footballThe Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
- Miami HurricanesMiami Hurricanes footballThe 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...
- North Carolina Tar HeelsNorth Carolina Tar Heels footballThe North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
- Virginia CavaliersVirginia Cavaliers footballVirginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
- Virginia Tech HokiesVirginia Tech Hokies footballThe 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...
2005
ESPN on ABC
ESPN on ABC is the brand used for sports programming on the ABC television network. Officially the broadcast network retains its own sports division; however, for all practical purposes, ABC's sports division has been merged with ESPN, a sports cable network majority-owned by ABC's parent, The...
in the United States, and earned a Nielsen rating of 5.1, higher than that of either the Big 12 Championship Game or the Southeastern Conference Championship Game
SEC Championship Game
The SEC Championship Game refers to the game determining the Southeastern Conference's football season champion. The championship game pits the SEC Western Division representative against the Eastern Division representative in a game held after the regular season has been completed. Thus far, nine...
. The game pitted the Virginia Tech Hokies, champions of the Coastal Division, against the Florida State Seminoles, champions of the Atlantic Division.
The game was marked by defense and penalties throughout. In the first half, both teams battled to a 3–3 tie. Florida State scored first, with a field goal in the early first quarter, but Virginia Tech fought back, equalizing the score before the end of the quarter. Both teams were held scoreless in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Florida State took a 27–3 lead, courtesy of a series of successful offensive drives by Seminoles quarterback Drew Weatherford
Drew Weatherford
Andrew Skillern Weatherford is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Florida State University.-High school career:...
. Virginia Tech fought back in the fourth quarter, closing the gap to 27–22, but time ran out before the Hokies could attempt a go-ahead drive. Florida State won the inaugural ACC Championship game, 27–22.
2006
The 2006 ACC Championship Game featured Wake Forest2006 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...
, which had not won an ACC championship since 1970, and 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...
, which had won the ACC championships in 1990 and 1998 along with a split national championship in 1990
1990 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 1990 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Yellow Jackets offense scored 379 points while the defense allowed 186 points. Led by head coach Bobby Ross, the Yellow Jackets participated in the...
. At the beginning of the season, neither team was predicted to participate in the championship game—Wake Forest was picked to finish last in the Atlantic Division, while Georgia Tech was picked to finish third in the Coastal Division. Wake Forest, buoyed by the play of ACC rookie of the year Riley Skinner
Riley Skinner
Riley Skinner is a former American football quarterback. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Wake Forest.-College career:...
, upset expectations by winning 10 games—the most in school history. Georgia Tech, meanwhile, went 5-1 to start its season and defeated No. 11 Virginia Tech to overcome its only challenger for the Coastal Division title.
The game, which kicked off on December 2, 2006, was marked by poor weather. Defense dominated from the beginning, as Georgia Tech took a 3–0 lead in the first quarter. Wake Forest evened the score before halftime, however, and the two teams headed into the second half tied at 3–3. After a scoreless third quarter, Georgia Tech took a 6–3 lead early in the fourth quarter. After Tech 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...
Reggie Ball
Reggie Ball
Reginald Lewis Ball is an American football Quarterback who currently plays for the Bricktown Brawlers of the Indoor Football League He was originally signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
threw a critical interception, Wake Forest was able to tie the game, then take a 9–6 lead. With time running out, Wake's defense denied Georgia Tech a game-winning score, and Wake Forest clinched the win. All the scoring in the game came via five field goals
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
, and Wake Forest's kicker
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...
, Sam Swank, 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...
.
2007
The 2007 ACC Championship Game saw the Virginia Tech Hokies2007 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...
return to the contest for the second time in three years. On the other side of the field was Boston College, which finished the season with a 10–2 overall record. The game kicked off at 1:10 p.m.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...
in Jacksonville
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...
, 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 game was broadcast on ABC
ESPN on ABC
ESPN on ABC is the brand used for sports programming on the ABC television network. Officially the broadcast network retains its own sports division; however, for all practical purposes, ABC's sports division has been merged with ESPN, a sports cable network majority-owned by ABC's parent, The...
and netted a television rating of 4.1, placing it behind the SEC Championship Game
2007 SEC Championship Game
The 2007 SEC Championship Game was played on December 1, 2007 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The game determined the 2007 football champion of the Southeastern Conference. The LSU Tigers, winners of the Western division of the SEC, defeated the Tennessee Volunteers, who won the Eastern...
and the Big 12 Championship Game, which earned ratings of 5.9 and 6.6, respectively. In the first half, the two teams battled to a 16–16 tie. Boston College took a 7–0 lead in the first quarter and a 10–0 lead early in the second, but Virginia Tech earned a rare defensive two-point conversion following a second Boston College touchdown and tacked on two touchdowns of its own to tie the game before halftime.
In the second half, the two teams ratcheted up their defensive play. Neither team scored in the third quarter, and the tie continued well into the fourth quarter. With 6:30 remaining in the game, Virginia Tech took its first lead of the game on a 24-yard pass from 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...
Sean Glennon
Sean Glennon
Sean Glennon is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent in the National Football League....
. With time running out, Boston College was forced into a hurry-up offense
Hurry-up offense
The hurry-up offense is an American football offensive style which has two different but related forms in which the offensive team avoids delays between plays. The no-huddle offense refers to avoiding or shortening the huddle to limit or disrupt defensive strategies and flexibility...
. Eagles quarterback and ACC Offensive Player of the Year Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan (American football)
Matthew Thomas "Matt" Ryan , nicknamed "Matty Ice," is the starting American football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round as the third overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft...
threw an interception, however, and Tech defender Xavier Adibi
Xavier Adibi
Xavier Oyekola Adibi is an American football linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
returned the pass for a touchdown. The score gave Virginia Tech a 30–16 lead and the victory.
2008
The 2008 ACC Championship Game was played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on December 6, 2008. The game was moved to Tampa after poor attendance in Jacksonville caused conference officials to seek a new site. Despite the new location, attendance continued to be low. Turnstile attendance was 27,360; approximately half of the 53,927 tickets distributed for the game went unused.The game itself was much less closely contested. Though it began slowly, with both teams punt
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....
ing after their opening possessions, Virginia Tech took a 7–0 lead near the end of the first quarter with a five-yard 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:...
run by Tech 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...
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...
. The Hokies never relinquished the lead or allowed a tie after that point. Tech extended its lead to 14–0 in the second quarter, but Boston College managed to narrow Tech's lead to 14–7 by halftime. In the second half, Virginia Tech scored 17 points to the Eagles' five, and the Hokies won the game, 30–12. In recognition of his game-winning performance, Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor 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...
.
2009
The 2009 ACC Championship Game was played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on December 5, 2009. Georgia Tech played as the Coastal Division champion, winning the division with a 7–1 conference record. Clemson played as the Atlantic Division champion, winning the division with a 6-2 record after a 1-2 start. Georgia Tech and Clemson had played on September 10 in Atlanta. In that game, Georgia Tech led 24–0 before Clemson took the lead late, 27–24. Georgia Tech fought back, winning 30–27 with two field goals in the final 5:40.In the days leading up to the game, each team had to fend off criticism about its performance during the regular season. Each team lost its final regular-season game of the year to their respective in-state (SEC) rivals, and commentators seized upon the teams' losing finishes as evidence of their sub-par quality. Clemson seized upon this criticism, using it as motivation in pregame practice. Star Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, who had returned to school for another year in an effort to win the ACC Championship, was predicted to be a prominent performer in the game. On the other side of the field, Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson, who had been named ACC Coach of the Year, was portrayed as a strategist trying to stop Clemson.
The game began with a quick start by Clemson: The Tigers needed just seven plays to cover 71 yards and score the game's first touchdown. Georgia Tech responded with a field goal, and the Tigers led 7–3 after the first quarter. Tech had a 16–13 lead at halftime, courtesy of a touchdown and two more field goals. Clemson managed only two field goals. Tech extended its lead in the third quarter, which ended with the Yellow Jackets leading 33–20. In the final quarter, Clemson scored 14 unanswered points, gaining a one-point lead. Georgia Tech received the ball on its 14–yard line with 6:11 remaining, then drove 86 yards in 14 plays to score a go-ahead touchdown. Given the ball with only 1:20 left on the clock and no timeouts, Clemson turned the ball over on downs, allowing Georgia Tech to run out the clock and preserve its victory.
The final score was 39–34, giving Georgia Tech its first ACC Championship since a shared title in 1998 and its first undisputed conference championship since 1990. In a losing effort, Clemson's Spiller was named the game's most valuable player. He carried the ball 20 times for 233 yards and four touchdowns, setting an ACC title-game record for rushing yards. In its final appearance in Tampa, the game sold 57,227 tickets and saw a turnstile attendance of 44,897, pleasing conference officials, who feared a repetition of the low attendance the previous year.
On 7/18/2011, Georgia Tech was forced to vacate the win due to the result of an NCAA investigation. It was announced the game would be considered to have no winner. The NCAA sanctions are currently under appeal.
2010
The 2010 ACC Championship Game, played on December 4, 2010, was the first played in Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Because of poor attendance in the Florida sites the Conference moved it to Charlotte, which is more centrally located to the ACC's fan base.The match up featured Atlantic Division champion Florida State against Coastal Division champion Virginia Tech. The Hokies, after suffering opening losses to Boise State and FCS James Madison entered the championship game on a 10 game winning streak. They were also the first team to be 8-0 in the conference since the 2000 Florida State Seminoles. The Atlantic Division was in more flux. Florida State had suffered losses to both North Carolina State and North Carolina, but NC State lost the final game of the regular season to Maryland leaving FSU with the best record in the division.
Despite Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder
Christian 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...
being forced to sit out the game because of a tear in his 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...
, the match up was a high scoring affair. The Seminoles took an early 3-0 lead but it was soon erased when Virginia Tech returned an interception for a touchdown. The Seminoles would briefly regain the lead in the first quarter but Virginia Tech responded and did not let go of the lead.
The final score was Virginia Tech 44, Florida State 33. The win was the Hokies' fourth conference championship since joining the league in 2004 and third win in the ACC championship game.
2011
The 2011 ACC Championship Game will be played on December 3, 2011, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina between Clemson and Virginia Tech.Overall results
| Year | Atlantic Division | Score | Coastal Division | Venue | Attendance | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 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... |
22 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:... |
27–22 | 5 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... |
Alltel Stadium (Jacksonville, FL 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... ) |
72,749 | Willie Reid Willie Reid Willie Louis Reid is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft... (Florida State) |
| 2006 2006 ACC Championship Game The Dr. Pepper 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game featured the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in a regular-season American football game to determine the champion of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest defeated Georgia Tech by a 9–6 score... |
16 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... |
9–6 | 22 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... |
Alltel Stadium (Jacksonville, FL 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... ) |
62,850 | Sam Swank Sam Swank Sam Swank is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2009... (Wake Forest) |
| 2007 2007 ACC Championship Game The 2007 Dr. Pepper Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game featured the Boston College Eagles and the Virginia Tech Hokies in a regular-season college football game that determined the conference's champion for the 2007 season. Virginia Tech defeated Boston College 30–16 to win the ACC... |
12 Boston College | 16–30 | 5 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... |
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium | 53,212 | Sean Glennon Sean Glennon Sean Glennon is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent in the National Football League.... (Virginia Tech) |
| 2008 2008 ACC Championship Game The 2008 ACC Championship Game was a college football game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Boston College Eagles. The game, sponsored by Dr. Pepper, was the final regular-season contest of the 2008 college football season for the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
20 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... |
12–30 | Unranked in the Coaches Poll and AP Poll but #25 in the BCS standings. 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... |
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... (Tampa, FL 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.... ) |
27,360 | 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... (Virginia Tech) |
| 2009 2009 ACC Championship Game 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,... |
Unranked in the Coaches Poll and BCS standings but #25 in the AP Poll. 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... |
34–39* | 10 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... |
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... (Tampa, FL 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.... ) |
44,897 | 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... (Clemson) |
| 2010 2010 ACC Championship Game 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... |
20 Florida State 2010 Florida State Seminoles football team The 2010 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Seminoles were led by 1st year head coach Jimbo Fisher and played their home games at Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium. They were members of... |
33–44 | 11 Virginia Tech 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... |
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... (Charlotte, NC 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... ) |
72,379 | 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... (Virginia Tech) |
| 2011 2011 ACC Championship Game The 2011 ACC Championship Game will be the seventh football championship game for the Atlantic Coast Conference. It will feature the winners of the ACCs two divisions, the Atlantic Division and the Coastal Division. Clemson will represent the Atlantic while the Coastal division will be represented... |
21 Clemson 2011 Clemson Tigers football team The 2011 Clemson Tigers football team represents Clemson University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers will be led by head coach Dabo Swinney in his third full year and fourth overall since taking over midway through 2008 season. They will play their home games at Memorial... |
3 Virginia Tech 2011 Virginia Tech Hokies football team The 2011 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represents the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hokies are led by 25th year head coach Frank Beamer and play their home games at Lane Stadium... |
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... (Charlotte, NC 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... ) |
|||
| 2012 |
Winners are listed in bold. Rankings are from the Coaches Poll
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
released prior to the game.
Rankings notes:
Results by team
| Appearances | School | W | L | Pct | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 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... |
3 | 1 | .750 | |
| 2 | Florida State Florida State Seminoles football The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
1 | 1 | .500 | |
| 2 | Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
1 | 1 | .500 | |
| 2 | 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... |
0 | 2 | .000 | |
| 1 | Wake Forest Wake Forest Demon Deacons football The Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represents Wake Forest University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest plays its home football games at BB&T Field.... |
1 | 0 | 1.00 | |
| 2 | Clemson Clemson Tigers football The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
0 | 1 | .000 | |
| 0 | Duke Duke Blue Devils football The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal... |
0 | 0 | .000 | |
| 0 | Maryland Maryland Terrapins football The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
0 | 0 | .000 | |
| 0 | 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... |
0 | 0 | .000 | |
| 0 | North Carolina North Carolina Tar Heels football The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566... |
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| 0 | NC State | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| 0 | Virginia Virginia Cavaliers football Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
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See also
Other Conference Championship Games
- SEC Championship GameSEC Championship GameThe SEC Championship Game refers to the game determining the Southeastern Conference's football season champion. The championship game pits the SEC Western Division representative against the Eastern Division representative in a game held after the regular season has been completed. Thus far, nine...
- Big Ten Championship GameBig Ten Football Championship GameThe Big Ten Football Championship Game is a college football game that will be held by the Big Ten Conference each year to determine the conference's season champion. The inaugural game will be held on December 3, 2011. The games during the next two seasons will be held on December 1, 2012 and...
(starting 2011 season) - Pac-12 Championship GamePacific-12 Football Championship GameThe Pacific-12 Championship Game is a college football game that will be held by the Pacific-12 Conference each year to determine the Pacific-12 Conference's season champion. The inaugural game will be held December 2, 2011 at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT...
(starting 2011 season) - Big 12 Championship Game (end after 2010 season)
- MAC Championship GameMAC Championship GameThe Marathon MAC Football Championship is a football game between the winners of the East and West divisions of the Mid-American Conference to determine the conference champion. The game has been played since 1997, when the conference was first divided into divisions and since 2003 has been...
- Conference USA Championship Game