List of Atlantic Coast Conference football champions
Encyclopedia
The list of Atlantic Coast Conference football champions includes 11 distinct teams that have won the college football
championship awarded by the Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC) since its creation in 1953. Thirteen different teams have competed in the conference since that year. Just two—Miami
and Boston College
—have never won an ACC football championship, while one team that is no longer a member of the league—South Carolina
—holds one championship.
Between 1953 and 2003, the championship was normally earned in round-robin
regular-season play among all conference members, although in earlier years league teams did not typically play every possible ACC opponent. The league did not employ tiebreaking procedures, such as head-to-head results, to determine a single champion, and thus it was not unusual for a season to end with "co-champions." With a 2004 expansion of the league to include Miami and Virginia Tech
, round-robin play became impossible due to an NCAA
limit on the number of games a team may play during the season and the unwillingness of the league to hold more than eight conference games per season per team. NCAA rules also forbade a championship game due to the league having only 11 members.
A 2005 expansion that admitted Boston College
gave the ACC the required 12 members needed for divisional play and a championship game. The ACC Championship Game
has been held annually since that year, featuring the regular-season winners of the Atlantic and Coastal divisions in a game to determine the conference champion. During the 2005, 2006, and 2007 seasons, the championship game was held at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville
, Florida
. In 2008
and 2009
, the championship was held at Raymond James Stadium
in Tampa, Florida
, and in 2010, the venue switched to Bank of America Stadium
in Charlotte, North Carolina
.
, Duke
, Maryland
, North Carolina
, North Carolina State, South Carolina, and Wake Forest
. The seven ACC charter members had been aligned with the Southern Conference
, but left due in part to the conference's ban on postseason play. The ACC officially came into existence on June 14, 1953. The 1953 college football season
, the first under the new conference, saw Duke and Maryland crowned conference co-champions. Maryland later went on to be crowned national champions before losing the 1954 Orange Bowl
.
On December 4, 1953, conference officials convened in Greensboro
, North Carolina
, and admitted the University of Virginia
as the eighth member of the conference. Virginia was the first non-Southern Conference member to join the new conference, as Virginia had played football with no conference affiliation since 1936. The conference operated with eight members until June 30, 1971, when the University of South Carolina left to become an independent.
After South Carolina's departure, the ACC operated with seven members until April 3, 1978, when the Georgia Institute of Technology
was admitted. The Atlanta, Georgia
, school had withdrawn from the Southeastern Conference in January 1964 and had operated as an independent before joining the ACC. Though the school joined the conference beginning with the 1979 season
, it did not become eligible to win the ACC football championship until the 1983 season
. Seven years after beginning full ACC play, Georgia Tech won its first ACC football championship en route to winning the 1990 NCAA Division I football championship.
In the fall of 1982, Clemson University was put on probation by the NCAA for recruiting violations. The probation forbade the team from participating in any bowl game
s, reduced the scholarships available to the team, and rendered the team ineligible for ACC football championship competition. Though the team still played its full slate of games during the 1983 season
and finished 9–1–1, Maryland, which finished with an 8–4 record, was awarded the ACC football championship.
The ACC expanded to nine members on September 15, 1990, with the addition of Florida State
. Beginning with the 1992 football season—its first in the ACC—Florida State won or shared the ACC football championship nine consecutive times. The conference expanded to 11 members on July 1, 2004, with the addition of the University of Miami and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
.
Miami and Virginia Tech began official ACC play with the 2004 college football season
, but because the league was forbidden from hosting a championship game, the conference was forced to award a championship based on regular-season play (round-robin scheduling was no longer used beginning that season). Virginia Tech, which had the best conference record at the conclusion of the season, was awarded the ACC championship.
Following the admittance of Boston College into the conference beginning with the 2005-2006 season
, the conference began to play an annual championship game
to conclude the season. The new 12-team conference was divided into two divisions, and the champion of each division (the team with the best conference record in each division) was awarded an invitation to the conference championship game.
The first championship game was held in Jacksonville, Florida, on December 3, 2005, with Florida State (champions of the Atlantic Division) defeating Virginia Tech (Coastal Division champions), 27–22. In 2006, Wake Forest faced off against Georgia Tech for the championship. In the lowest-scoring conference championship game in Division I history, Wake defeated Georgia Tech, 9–6. The 2007 game saw Virginia Tech return to the contest, this time facing off against Boston College. In their second ACC Championship Game, Tech defeated Boston College, 30–16.
The 2008 ACC Championship Game
was held in Raymond James Stadium
in Tampa, Florida, on December 6, 2008. Virginia Tech won by a score of 30–12, becoming the first ACC team to win consecutive ACC championship games. Tampa also hosted the 2009 ACC Championship Game
which was won by Georgia Tech over Clemson. Poor attendance in both of the Florida locations caused a move to Charlotte, North Carolina's Bank of America Stadium
for the 2010 and 2011 games.
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...
championship awarded 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) since its creation in 1953. Thirteen different teams have competed in the conference since that year. Just two—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 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...
—have never won an ACC football championship, while one team that is no longer a member of the league—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...
—holds one championship.
Between 1953 and 2003, the championship was normally earned in 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...
regular-season play among all conference members, although in earlier years league teams did not typically play every possible ACC opponent. The league did not employ tiebreaking procedures, such as head-to-head results, to determine a single champion, and thus it was not unusual for a season to end with "co-champions." With a 2004 expansion of the league to include Miami 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...
, round-robin play became impossible due to an NCAA
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...
limit on the number of games a team may play during the season and the unwillingness of the league to hold more than eight conference games per season per team. NCAA rules also forbade a championship game due to the league having only 11 members.
A 2005 expansion that admitted 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...
gave the ACC the required 12 members needed for divisional play and a championship game. The ACC Championship Game
ACC 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...
has been held annually since that year, featuring the regular-season winners of the Atlantic and Coastal divisions in a game to determine the conference champion. During the 2005, 2006, and 2007 seasons, the championship game was held 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 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...
and 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,...
, the championship was held at Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, and in 2010, the venue switched to 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, 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...
.
Early era
The charter members of the ACC were ClemsonClemson 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...
, Duke
Duke Blue Devils
Duke University's 26 varsity sports teams, known as the Blue Devils, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The name comes from the French "les Diables Bleus" or "the Blue Devils," which was the nickname given during World War I to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry...
, 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...
, 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...
, North Carolina State, South Carolina, and 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....
. The seven ACC charter members had been aligned with the Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
, but left due in part to the conference's ban on postseason play. The ACC officially came into existence on June 14, 1953. The 1953 college football season
1953 college football season
The 1953 college football season finished with the Maryland Terrapins capturing the AP, INS, and UPI national championship after Notre Dame held the top spot for the first nine weeks. The #4 Oklahoma Sooners defeated Maryland in the Orange Bowl, but there was no further polling after the November...
, the first under the new conference, saw Duke and Maryland crowned conference co-champions. Maryland later went on to be crowned national champions before losing the 1954 Orange Bowl
1954 Orange Bowl
The 1954 Orange Bowl was a postseason American college football bowl game between the first-ranked Maryland Terrapins and the fourth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners...
.
On December 4, 1953, conference officials convened in Greensboro
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
, 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...
, and admitted the University of 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...
as the eighth member of the conference. Virginia was the first non-Southern Conference member to join the new conference, as Virginia had played football with no conference affiliation since 1936. The conference operated with eight members until June 30, 1971, when the University of South Carolina left to become an independent.
After South Carolina's departure, the ACC operated with seven members until April 3, 1978, when the Georgia Institute of Technology
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...
was admitted. The Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, school had withdrawn from the Southeastern Conference in January 1964 and had operated as an independent before joining the ACC. Though the school joined the conference beginning with the 1979 season
1979 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season saw the Alabama Crimson Tide bring home a national title with a perfect 12-0 season. The title was Alabama's 11th claimed, though the number is disputed. It was their 6th Associated Press awarded title....
, it did not become eligible to win the ACC football championship until the 1983 season
1983 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami winning their first national championship over perennial power Nebraska in the Orange Bowl....
. Seven years after beginning full ACC play, Georgia Tech won its first ACC football championship en route to winning the 1990 NCAA Division I football championship.
In the fall of 1982, Clemson University was put on probation by the NCAA for recruiting violations. The probation forbade the team from participating in any bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
s, reduced the scholarships available to the team, and rendered the team ineligible for ACC football championship competition. Though the team still played its full slate of games during the 1983 season
1983 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami winning their first national championship over perennial power Nebraska in the Orange Bowl....
and finished 9–1–1, Maryland, which finished with an 8–4 record, was awarded the ACC football championship.
The ACC expanded to nine members on September 15, 1990, with the addition of 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...
. Beginning with the 1992 football season—its first in the ACC—Florida State won or shared the ACC football championship nine consecutive times. The conference expanded to 11 members on July 1, 2004, with the addition of the University of Miami and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
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...
.
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...
, but because the league was forbidden from hosting a championship game, the conference was forced to award a championship based on regular-season play (round-robin scheduling was no longer used beginning that season). Virginia Tech, which had the best conference record at the conclusion of the season, was awarded the ACC championship.
Championship game era
Following the admittance of Boston College into the conference beginning with the 2005-2006 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 began to play an annual championship game
ACC 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...
to conclude the season. The new 12-team conference was divided into two divisions, and the champion of each division (the team with the best conference record in each division) was awarded an invitation to the conference championship game.
The first championship game was held in Jacksonville, Florida, on December 3, 2005, with Florida State (champions of the Atlantic Division) defeating Virginia Tech (Coastal Division champions), 27–22. In 2006, Wake Forest faced off against Georgia Tech for the championship. In the lowest-scoring conference championship game in Division I history, Wake defeated Georgia Tech, 9–6. The 2007 game saw Virginia Tech return to the contest, this time facing off against Boston College. In their second ACC Championship Game, Tech defeated Boston College, 30–16.
The 2008 ACC Championship Game
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...
was held in Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
in Tampa, Florida, on December 6, 2008. Virginia Tech won by a score of 30–12, becoming the first ACC team to win consecutive ACC championship games. Tampa also hosted the 2009 ACC Championship Game
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,...
which was won by Georgia Tech over Clemson. Poor attendance in both of the Florida locations caused a move to Charlotte, North Carolina's 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...
for the 2010 and 2011 games.
Champions by year
| Year | Champion(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 1953 college football season The 1953 college football season finished with the Maryland Terrapins capturing the AP, INS, and UPI national championship after Notre Dame held the top spot for the first nine weeks. The #4 Oklahoma Sooners defeated Maryland in the Orange Bowl, but there was no further polling after the November... |
Maryland 1953 Maryland Terrapins football team The 1953 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its first season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . Maryland outscored its opponents 298–38 and recorded six defensive shutouts. Jim Tatum... |
This was the inaugural ACC football season, and seven teams participated. Maryland also won the 1953 NCAA Division I college football national championship. |
| 1954 1954 college football season The 1954 college football season saw three teams finish unbeaten and untied, with Ohio State Buckeyes and the UCLA Bruins sharing the national championship as the #1 picks of the AP Poll and the UPI Poll, respectively. Although the winners of the Big Ten and the Pacific conferences normally met in... |
Virginia participated as an ACC team for the first time. Eight schools participated in the ACC. | |
| 1955 1955 college football season The 1955 college football season saw the Oklahoma Sooners win the national championship after going 10-0-0. Although the final poll was taken before the postseason bowl games, Oklahoma played against the nation's other unbeaten and untied team, the Maryland Terrapins, at the Orange Bowl in Miami,... |
Maryland 1955 Maryland Terrapins football team The 1955 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its third season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Their perfect 10–0 regular season culminated with a bid to the 1956 Orange Bowl, where... |
|
| 1956 1956 college football season The 1956 college football season saw the Sooners of the University of Oklahoma finish a third consecutive season unbeaten and untied to again win the national championship.... |
Clemson | |
| 1957 1957 college football season The 1957 college football season saw two different national champions. Auburn University was ranked first in the AP writers' poll taken at season's end, while Ohio State University was first in the UPI coaches' poll... |
||
| 1958 1958 college football season The 1958 college football season was the first to feature the two point conversion. On January 13, 1958, the 11-man NCAA Rules Committee unanimously approved a resolution to allow teams to choose between kicking an extra point after a touchdown, or running or passing from the 3 yard line for 2... |
Clemson | |
| 1959 1959 college football season The 1959 college football season saw Syracuse University crowned as the national champion by both the AP and the UPI wire services. Mississippi , which had outscored its opponents 350-21, finished #2 in both polls, and its only loss during the regular season had been to LSU, which ultimately... |
Clemson | |
| 1960 1960 college football season The 1960 college football season marked the last time that the University of Minnesota was a national champion on the gridiron. Murray Warmath's Minnesota Gophers were not in the Top 20 in preseason polling, but received the AP Trophy at the end of the regular season... |
||
| 1961 1961 college football season During the 20th century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as "Division I-A". The NCAA did recognize a national champion based upon the final results of "wire service" polls. The extent of that recognition came in the form of acknowledgment in... |
||
| 1962 1962 college football season During the 20th Century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as "Division I-A". The NCAA did recognize a national champion based upon the final results of "wire service" polls. The extent of that recognition came in the form of acknowledgment in... |
||
| 1963 1963 college football season During the 20th Century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as "Division I-A". The NCAA Football Guide, however, did note an "unofficial national champion" based on the top ranked teams in the "wire service" polls... |
|
|
| 1964 | ||
| 1965 1965 college football season During the 20th Century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as "Division I-A". The NCAA did recognize a national champion based upon the final results of "wire service" polls. The "writers' poll" by Associated Press was the most popular,... |
Clemson |
South Carolina/Duke originally co-champions. League office made South Carolina forfeit wins against NC State and Clemson which made them co-champions. |
| 1966 1966 college football season The 1966 college football season was marked by controversy as the year of "The Tie", a November 19 game between the two top-ranked teams, Michigan State and Notre Dame. Neither team participated in a post-season bowl game. At the same time, 1966 was the first year that the professional football... |
Clemson | |
| 1967 1967 college football season The 1967 college football season was the last one in which college football's champion was crowned before the bowl games. During the 20th century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as Division I-A and now as Division I FBS... |
Clemson | |
| 1968 1968 college football season In the 1968 college football season, the system of "polls and bowls" changed. The Associated Press returned to its pre-1961 system of ranking the Top 20 rather than the Top 10, and voted on the national champion after the bowl games, rather than before. During the 20th Century, the NCAA had no... |
||
| 1969 1969 college football season The 1969 college football season was celebrated as the 100th anniversary of college football. During the 20th Century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as "Division I-A"... |
South Carolina 1969 South Carolina Gamecocks football team The 1969 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina during the 1969 college football season. Led by head coach Paul Dietzel, the Gamecocks won the ACC championship and were invited to the .-Schedule:... |
|
| 1970 1970 college football season The 1970 college football season was marked by tragedy, due to two airplane crashes. On October 2, one of the planes carrying the Wichita State football team crashed on the way to a game against Utah State, killing 31 people on board, including 14 players... |
Wake Forest | |
| 1971 1971 college football season The 1971 college football season saw Coach Bob Devaney's Nebraska Cornhuskers repeat as national champions. After being ranked 2nd in the preseason poll, Nebraska captured first place the following week and remained there for the rest of 1971 and won the Orange Bowl 38–6 in a #1 vs... |
South Carolina left the ACC following the 1971 season. Seven teams remained in the ACC. | |
| 1972 1972 college football season The 1972 college football season saw the USC Trojans, coached by John McKay, go undefeated and win the national championship as the unanimous choice of the fifty AP panelists... |
||
| 1973 1973 college football season The 1973 college football season was the first for the NCAA's current three-division structure. Effective with the 1973–74 academic year, schools formerly in the NCAA "University Division" were classified as Division I... |
||
| 1974 1974 college football season The 1974 college football season finished with two national champions. The Associated Press writers' poll ranked the University of Oklahoma, which was on probation and barred by the NCAA from postseason play, #1 at season's end... |
Maryland 1974 Maryland Terrapins football team The 1974 Maryland Terrapins football team represented University of Maryland in the 1974 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The Terrapins offense scored 316 points while the defense allowed 104 points... |
|
| 1975 1975 college football season The 1975 college football season saw University of Oklahoma repeat as national champion in the Associated Press writers' poll. With the Sooners having completed two seasons of NCAA probation, they were ranked #1 in the United Press International coaches' poll as well... |
Maryland 1975 Maryland Terrapins football team The 1975 Maryland Terrapins football team represented University of Maryland in the 1975 NCAA college football season. The Terrapins offense scored 312 points while the defense allowed 150 points. Led by head coach Jerry Claiborne, the Terrapins appeared in the Gator Bowl.-Schedule:-Team Players in... |
|
| 1976 1976 college football season The 1976 college football season ended with a championship for the Panthers of the University of Pittsburgh. Coached by Johnny Majors , the Pitt Panthers brought a college football championship to the home of the defending pro football champions, the Steelers. Pitt also had the Heisman Trophy... |
Maryland 1976 Maryland Terrapins football team The 1976 Maryland Terrapins football team represented University of Maryland in the 1976 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The Terrapins offense scored 294 points while the defense allowed 115 points... |
|
| 1977 1977 college football season The 1977 college football season was one in which the top five teams all finished with records of 11-1-0. Notre Dame, which beat a #1 ranked Texas team in the Cotton Bowl Classic, became the national champion. The year 1977 was the last before NCAA's Division I was divided into I-A and I-AA... |
||
| 1978 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first season of Division I-A football; Division I-A was created in 1978 from the splitting of Division I for football only. The season came down to a rare #1 vs. #2 post-season meeting as #1 Penn State and #2 Alabama met in the New Year's Day Sugar... |
Clemson | |
| 1979 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season saw the Alabama Crimson Tide bring home a national title with a perfect 12-0 season. The title was Alabama's 11th claimed, though the number is disputed. It was their 6th Associated Press awarded title.... |
Georgia Tech joined the ACC in 1979, but did not participate in the football championship competition. | |
| 1980 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Georgia take its first national title since World War II.The Georgia Bulldogs starred freshman running back Herschel Walker, who made his NCAA debut against Tennessee. Down 15-2 at halftime, Georgia sent in Walker, the third string running back at the... |
North Carolina 1980 North Carolina Tar Heels football team The 1980 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the 1980 NCAA Division I-A college football season.-Regular season:... |
|
| 1981 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the Clemson Tigers, unbeaten and untied, taking the national championship after a victory over traditional power Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. This was also the first year of the California Bowl, played in Fresno, California; this game fancied... |
Clemson 1981 Clemson Tigers football team The 1981 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tigers were led by head coach Danny Ford and played their home games in Memorial Stadium... |
|
| 1982 1982 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1982 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Paul "Bear" Bryant retire as head coach at Alabama with 323 career victories in 38 seasons.The Penn State Nittany Lions won their first consensus national championship, closing out an 11-1 season by defeating Georgia and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel... |
Clemson | |
| 1983 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami winning their first national championship over perennial power Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.... |
Maryland 1983 Maryland Terrapins football team The 1983 Maryland Terrapins football team represented University of Maryland in the 1983 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The Terrapins offense scored 316 points while the defense allowed 253 points... |
Clemson finished undefeated against ACC opponents, but was ineligible for the 1983 conference title. Therefore, the championship was awarded to Maryland, whose loss to Clemson did not count against its conference record. Georgia Tech became eligible to win the ACC football championship this season. |
| 1984 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Brigham Young University winning their first national championship by beating an unranked Michigan team in the Holiday Bowl... |
Maryland 1984 Maryland Terrapins football team The 1984 Maryland Terrapins football team represented University of Maryland in the 1984 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The Terrapins won the ACC for the second consecutive season.-Regular season:... |
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| 1985 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season saw the Oklahoma Sooners, led by head coach Barry Switzer, win the national championship.Oklahoma finished the season 11-1, with their only loss to Miami at home, in a game future NFL star Troy Aikman was lost for the season... |
Maryland 1985 Maryland Terrapins football team The 1985 Maryland Terrapins football team represented University of Maryland in the 1985 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The Terrapins offense scored 326 points while the defense allowed 192 points... |
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| 1986 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Penn State winning the national championship. Coached by Joe Paterno, they defeated Miami 14–10 in the Fiesta Bowl. This Fiesta Bowl was the first in the game's history to decide the national championship, launching it into the top tier of... |
Clemson | |
| 1987 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Miami winning its second national championship during the 80s in an Orange Bowl match-up featuring a rare #1 vs... |
Clemson | |
| 1988 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Notre Dame winning the national championship. The Fighting Irish won the title via a 34-21 defeat of previously unbeaten West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona.... |
Clemson | |
| 1989 1989 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1989 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Miami winning its third National Championship during the 80s, cementing its claim as the decade's top team, winning more titles than any other program.... |
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Virginia received the Citrus Bowl Capital One Bowl The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl... bid awarded to the ACC champion in 1989. |
| 1990 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with a split championship and the ensuing controversy led to the creation of the Bowl Coalition, a precursor to the Bowl Championship Series. The title was split between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets... |
Georgia Tech 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... |
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| 1991 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with a split champion for the second consecutive season. Both the Miami Hurricanes and the Washington Huskies finished the season undefeated and with the top ranking in a nationally recognized poll... |
Clemson | Florida State joined the ACC, but did not compete for the football championship until the following season. |
| 1992 1992 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1992 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first year of the Bowl Coalition, and ended with Alabama's first national championship in thirteen years—their first since the departure of Bear Bryant... |
Florida State 1992 Florida State Seminoles football team The 1992 Florida State Seminoles football team finished #2 in the AP and Coaches poll with an 11-1 record. The Seminoles offense scored 446 points while the defense allowed 186 points. Led by head coach Bobby Bowden, the Seminoles competed in the Orange Bowl.... |
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| 1993 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Florida State crowned national champions, but not without controversy.Under the Bowl Coalition, undefeated Big 8 champ and #2 ranked Nebraska hosted ACC champ and #1 ranked Florida State in the Orange Bowl... |
Florida State 1993 Florida State Seminoles football team The 1993 Florida State Seminoles football team was the national champion of the 1993 college football season. The team finished with a 12-1 record.-Regular season:... |
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| 1994 1994 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1994 NCAA Division I-A football season saw yet another controversial finish as both Nebraska and Penn State finished undefeated, and yet Penn State finished a distant second in the final AP and UPI polls. The controversial finish, however, could have been an even worse morass if not for some... |
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| 1995 1995 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1995 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first year of the Bowl Alliance and was a relatively calm year compared to the early 1990s.Tom Osborne led Nebraska to its second straight national title with a victory over Florida in the Fiesta Bowl.... |
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Florida State received the Bowl Alliance Bowl Alliance The Bowl Alliance was an agreement among college football bowl games for the purpose of trying to match the top two teams in a national championship bowl game and to provide quality bowl game matchups for the champions of its member conferences... bid awarded to the 1995 ACC football champion. |
| 1996 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the Florida Gators crowned National Champions, but not as unanimously as the Bowl Alliance would have hoped.... |
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| 1997 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-A level, began in late summer 1997 and culminated with the major bowl games in early January 1998. The national championship was... |
Florida State 1997 Florida State Seminoles football team The 1997 Florida State Seminoles football team represented the Florida State Seminoles in the college football season of 1997. The team was coached by Bobby Bowden and played their home games in Doak Campbell Stadium.-Schedule:... |
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| 1998 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first of the Bowl Championship Series, which saw Tennessee win the national championship, one year after star quarterback Peyton Manning left for the NFL... |
Florida State 1998 Florida State Seminoles football team The 1998 Florida State Seminoles football team represented the Florida State University in the college football season of 1998. The team was coached by Bobby Bowden and played their home games in Doak Campbell Stadium.-Schedule:... |
Florida State received the 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... bid awarded to the 1998 ACC football champion. |
| 1999 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Florida State named national champions, defeating Virginia Tech in the BCS Sugar Bowl.Florida State became the first team in history to start out preseason #1 and remain there through the entire season. Their 12-0 season gave them 109 victories in the... |
Florida State 1999 Florida State Seminoles football team The 1999 Florida State Seminoles football team was the national champion of the 1999 college football season. The team finished with a perfect 12-0 record, and was the first in NCAA history to go "wire-to-wire," being ranked continuously as the nation's #1 team from the preseason through the bowl... |
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| 2000 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the Oklahoma Sooners claiming their first national championship and their first conference championship since the departure of head coach Barry Switzer.... |
Florida State 2000 Florida State Seminoles football team The 2000 Florida State Seminoles football team was the champion of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The team finished with a 11-2 record, and lost in the 2001 BCS National Title Game to the Oklahoma Sooners... |
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| 2001 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami winning the national title for the fifth time.The Hurricanes were led by Larry Coker, who was in his first year as head coach after five years as Miami's offensive coordinator under Butch Davis... |
Maryland 2001 Maryland Terrapins football team The 2001 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in its 49th season in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Terps closed the regular season with a record of 10–1, with its only loss coming to Florida State. The Terps won the ACC Championship and were granted a Bowl... |
Maryland became the first team other then Florida State to win the outright conference championship since FSU joined the ACC. |
| 2002 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season ended the season with what most consider an exciting double overtime national championship game. Ohio State and Miami both came into the Fiesta Bowl undefeated. The underdog Buckeyes defeated the Hurricanes 31–24, ending Miami's 34 game winning... |
Florida State 2002 Florida State Seminoles football team -Schedule:... |
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| 2003 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with an abundance of controversy, resulting in a split national championship. This was the first split title since the inception of the BCS, something the BCS intended to eliminate.... |
Florida State 2003 Florida State Seminoles football team -Schedule:... |
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| 2004 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... |
Virginia Tech 2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football team The 2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football team won the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in its inaugural year in the conference, running off a streak of eight straight wins to end the regular season after a 2-2 start. Tech finished 10th in the final Associated Press poll with a 10-3 record... |
Virginia Tech and Miami joined the ACC, which then had 11 teams. |
| 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... |
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:... |
This was the first year of the ACC Championship Game ACC 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... . Florida State defeated Coastal Division champion Virginia Tech. Boston College joined the ACC, bringing it to its current total of 12 teams. |
| 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... |
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 Forest defeated Coastal Division champion Georgia Tech. |
| 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... |
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... |
Virginia Tech defeated Atlantic Division champion Boston College. |
| 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... |
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... |
Virginia Tech defeated Atlantic Division champion Boston College. |
| 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,... |
No Champion | Georgia Tech defeated Atlantic Division champion Clemson in the championship game, but the NCAA later vacated their win. |
| 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... |
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... |
Virginia Tech defeated Atlantic Division champion Florida State. |
Championships by school
| School | Championships | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Clemson | 13 | 1956, 1958, 1959, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991 |
| Florida State | 12 | 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 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... |
| Maryland | 9 | 1953, 1955, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2001 |
| Duke | 7 | 1953, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1989 |
| NC State | 7 | 1957, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1973, 1979 |
| North Carolina | 5 | 1963, 1971, 1972, 1977, 1980 |
| Virginia Tech | 4 | 2004, 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... , 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... , 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... |
| Georgia Tech | 2 | 1990, 1998, 2009 vacated |
| Virginia | 2 | 1989, 1995 |
| Wake Forest | 2 | 1970, 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... |
| South Carolina | 1 | 1969 |
| Boston College | 0 | |
| Miami | 0 |