The 2006 Dr Pepper
ACC Championship Game
The ACC Championship Game is an annual American college football game held in early December by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) each year to determine its football champion. From its inception in 2005 to 2022, the game pit the champion of ...
featured the
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), located in Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Rambl ...
and the
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Wake Forest University, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. They compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a mem ...
in a regular-season
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
game to determine the champion of the
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...
. Wake Forest defeated Georgia Tech by a 9–6 score to win its first ACC football championship since 1970 and its second in school history. The game was held at
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium
TIAA Bank Field is an American football stadium located in Jacksonville, Florida, that primarily serves as the home facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL) and the headquarters of the professional wrestling prom ...
(now known as TIAA Bank Field) in
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
and was the concluding game of
the regular season for each team.
Neither team was highly regarded at the beginning of the 2006 season, but each team outperformed expectations to earn the right to play in the conference championship game, which was the second in the conference's history. Wake Forest, the Atlantic Division representative, earned a 10–2 record behind
redshirt
Redshirt, Red Shirt, or Redshirts may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Red Shirts'' (film), a 1952 film about Anita Garibaldi by Franco Rossi
* Redshirt (stock character), originally derived from ''Star Trek'', a stock character who dies soon after b ...
freshman
A freshman, fresher, first year, or frosh, is a person in the first year at an educational institution, usually a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions.
Ara ...
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
Riley Skinner
Riley Skinner (born October 21, 1986) 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 University.
College career
Skinner played high sch ...
, who won the ACC's
rookie of the year award. Wake defeated tough ACC opponents
Florida State
Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
and 16th-ranked
Boston College
Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...
to win the Atlantic Division. Georgia Tech, led by
junior
Junior or Juniors may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* ''Junior'' (Junior Mance album), 1959
* ''Junior'' (Röyksopp album), 2009
* ''Junior'' (Kaki King album), 2010
* ''Junior'' (LaFontaines album), 2019
Films
* ''Junior'' (1994 ...
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
wide receiver Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson Jr., (born September 29, 1985) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Georgia Tech, where he twice ...
, defeated 11th-ranked
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
and
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
en route to winning the Coastal Division and a spot in the championship game.
Low attendance and poor weather marred the contest, which
kicked off amid rain and fog. 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
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
Reggie Ball
Reginald Lewis Ball (born October 6, 1984) is a former American football quarterback. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Georgia Tech.
Early years
Ball played his high ...
threw a critical
interception
In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
, 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
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ball ...
, and Wake Forest's
kicker
Kicker or The Kicker may refer to:
Sports
* Placekicker, a position in American and Canadian football
* ''Kicker'' (sports magazine), in Germany
* Kicker, the German colloquial term for an association football player
* Kicker, the word used i ...
, Sam Swank, was named the game's
most valuable player
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
. By virtue of its victory, Wake Forest earned its first ACC football championship since 1970 and was awarded a bid to the
2007 Orange Bowl. Georgia Tech's loss and second-place ACC finish earned it a position in the
2007 Gator Bowl. Following the conclusion of each team's bowl game, numerous players from both teams were selected in the
2007 NFL Draft.
Selection process
The
ACC Championship Game
The ACC Championship Game is an annual American college football game held in early December by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) each year to determine its football champion. From its inception in 2005 to 2022, the game pit the champion of ...
matches the winner of the
Coastal and Atlantic Divisions of the Atlantic Coast Conference. A conference championship game was added in 2005, as a result of the league's expansion the previous year, adding former
Big East
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and ...
members
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, Virginia Tech, and
Boston College
Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...
. With the addition of Boston College, the ACC consisted of 12 teams, allowing it to hold a conference championship game under
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
rules.
Florida State
Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
defeated Virginia Tech, 27–22 in the
first ACC Championship game. Following the 2005 game, the ACC requested that ABC schedule the 2006 contest for the afternoon in order to maximize television ratings.
[ACC title game remains a work in progress](_blank)
Ned Barnett, ''Charlotte News-Observer'', December 13, 2006. Accessed March 29, 2008. Heading into the 2006 college football season, Florida State and Miami were picked in the annual ACC pre-season media poll as favorites to appear in the 2006 ACC Championship Game. Georgia Tech received the third-most votes on the Coastal Division side of the poll, while Wake Forest was picked to finish last in the Atlantic Division.
The Atlantic Coast Conference, theACC.com. July 24, 2006. Accessed March 31, 2008.
Georgia Tech
![Georgia Tech football team Sept 9 2006](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Georgia_Tech_football_team_Sept_9_2006.jpg)
Georgia Tech's 2006 season began with a tough game against No. 2
Notre Dame. Though the Yellow Jackets lost 14-10, they took an early 10-0 lead over heavily favored Notre Dame until the Fighting Irish scored 14 unanswered points to win the game. Tech bounced back from the narrow loss by winning five straight games, including a 38-27 victory in
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg is an incorporated town in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 44,826 at the 2020 census. Blacksburg, as well as the surrounding county, is dominated economically and demographically by the presence of V ...
against the No. 11 Virginia Tech Hokies, who would later go on to finish second in the division.
Heading into the seventh game of the season, Georgia Tech was 5-1 and had an undefeated 3-0 record in conference play. At No. 12
Clemson, however, Tech suffered its first conference loss and largest loss of the season, losing 31-7. Tech wide receiver
Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson Jr., (born September 29, 1985) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Georgia Tech, where he twice ...
failed to record a
reception
Reception is a noun form of ''receiving'', or ''to receive'' something, such as art, experience, information, people, products, or vehicles. It may refer to:
Astrology
* Reception (astrology), when a planet is located in a sign ruled by another p ...
for the first time in his career during the loss. Tech followed the loss by winning its next four games. Following the third win, a 7-0
shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
of
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, Tech clinched the Coastal Division championship and a bid to the ACC Championship Game.
After clinching a spot in the championship game, Tech defeated ACC opponent Duke, then prepared for a game against traditional rival
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
before heading to Jacksonville for the ACC championship. In the game against Georgia, the No. 16 Yellow Jackets were upset by the unranked Bulldogs, who
intercepted Tech quarterback Reggie Ball twice and held him to just 42
passing yards in the game. Georgia's victory marked the sixth consecutive victory in the rivalry and sent Tech into the ACC Championship Game on a down note.
Wake Forest
Wake Forest began the 2006 season on September 2 with a home game against
Big East conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and M ...
opponent
Syracuse
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
*Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
*Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
**North Syracuse, New York
*Syracuse, Indiana
* Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, Miss ...
. Wake defeated Syracuse 20–10, but starting quarterback
Benjamin Mauk suffered a season-ending injury when he fractured his arm, dislocated his shoulder, and suffered a
torn labrum.
Backup quarterback
Riley Skinner
Riley Skinner (born October 21, 1986) 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 University.
College career
Skinner played high sch ...
replaced Mauk in the game, and would serve as Wake's starting quarterback for the remainder of the season.
![2006 Virginia Tech at Wake Forest lined up](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/2006_Virginia_Tech_at_Wake_Forest_lined_up.jpg)
The Deacons struggled in their second game, beating ACC rival Duke 14–13 by blocking a Duke field goal on the final play of the game. Following the close call against Duke, however, Wake Forest went on to win its next three games. A 34–14 win over
Football Championship Subdivision
The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athleti ...
Liberty University
Liberty University (LU) is a private Baptist university in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia (Southern Baptist Convention). Founded in 1971 by Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns, Liberty i ...
gave Wake its first 5–0 start since 1987.
In its sixth game of the season, Wake Forest suffered its first loss. Against the No. 15
Clemson Tigers
The Clemson Tigers are the athletic teams that represent Clemson University, located in Clemson, South Carolina. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) ...
, Wake gave up 24 points in the fourth quarter to give Clemson a 27-17 victory. The Demon Deacons recovered quickly from the loss and proceeded to begin another winning streak, this time against ACC opponents. Over the next four weeks, Wake defeated
North Carolina State
North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The universit ...
, North Carolina, No. 16
Boston College
Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...
, and
Florida State
Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
. The 30-0 win over Florida State marked several milestones for the Deacons. The win marked the first time in school history that the Deacons had earned nine wins in a single season. In addition, Wake Forest recorded its first win against Florida State in
Tallahassee
Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2020, the population ...
since 1959 and became the first team to shut out a
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler Bowden (; November 8, 1929 – August 8, 2021) was an American college football coach. Bowden coached the Florida State Seminoles of Florida State University (FSU) from 1976 to 2009 and is considered one of the greatest college ...
-coached Florida State team in
Doak Campbell Stadium
Doak S. Campbell Stadium (in full Bobby Bowden Field at Doak S. Campbell Stadium), popularly known as "Doak", is a football stadium on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. It is the home field of the Florida State Semin ...
. The game continues to be celebrated in Tallahassee, as it marked the end of the
Jeff Bowden
Jeff Bowden () is an American college football coach. He served as the special teams coordinator and the outside wide receivers coach at Akron. Before that he served as the offensive coordinator for the Florida State Seminoles under his father ...
era.
In its next game, however, the Demon Deacons fell at home to the No. 19
Virginia Tech Hokies
The Virginia Tech Hokies are the athletic teams representing the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in intercollegiate athletics. The Hokies participate in the NCAA's Division I Atlantic Coast Conference in 22 va ...
, 27-6. The Hokies would later go on to finish second in the Coastal Division and earn a bid to the
2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl. Wake Forest recovered from its second loss of the season to earn a 38-24 victory against
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
—its first since 1998—clinching the Atlantic Division championship and earning a bid to the ACC Championship Game. Wake became the first team in ACC history to go 6-0 in ACC road games, and extended the school record for wins in a season to 10.
Pre-game buildup
In the weeks leading up to the game, the point most emphasized in media coverage of the game was the fact that Wake Forest had not won an ACC championship in football since 1970. The
point spread
Spread betting is any of various types of wagering on the outcome of an event where the pay-off is based on the accuracy of the wager, rather than a simple "win or lose" outcome, such as fixed-odds (or money-line) betting or parimutuel betting.
...
for the game was relatively constant, with spread bettors favoring Georgia Tech by a single point.
Offensive matchups
Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech
wide receiver Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson Jr., (born September 29, 1985) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Georgia Tech, where he twice ...
, who was voted the preseason ACC Player of the Year,
was expected to do well in the ACC Championship Game. Johnson recorded 59 receptions for 889 yards and 13 touchdowns heading into the championship game. On November 29, Johnson was named the ACC Player of the Year (POY), fulfilling the expectations set when he earned preseason player of the year honors. On the day after Johnson earned ACC POY honors, he was named to the
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel.
History
Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
team, an annual selection of the best players at each position in the United States. Johnson was the first Tech player in over a decade to be selected as an All-American in two consecutive seasons.
[Johnson, Wheeler Earn All-America Honors](_blank)
Georgia Tech Athletics Department, ramblinwreck.cstv.com, November 30, 2006. Accessed April 1, 2008.
Tech
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
Reggie Ball
Reginald Lewis Ball (born October 6, 1984) is a former American football quarterback. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Georgia Tech.
Early years
Ball played his high ...
was not nearly as acclaimed. Despite leading the ACC with 20 touchdown passes and being named an All-ACC honorable mention,
[Ten Yellow Jackets Earn All-ACC Honors](_blank)
Georgia Tech Athletics Department, ramblinwreck.cstv.com, November 27, 2006. Accessed April 1, 2008. there were doubts about Ball's effectiveness.
[Georgia Tech QB has a lot to prove in ACC title game](_blank)
The Associated Press, ESPN.com. Accessed April 1, 2008. Since starting at quarterback in his
freshman
A freshman, fresher, first year, or frosh, is a person in the first year at an educational institution, usually a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions.
Ara ...
year, Ball went 0-4 against Tech rival Georgia,
[Georgia Tech Falls 15–12 to Georgia](_blank)
Georgia Tech Athletics Department, ramblinwreck.cstv.com, November 25, 2006. Accessed April 1, 2008. and was excoriated for his inconsistency.
[Georgia Tech's Ball, Scott ruled out of Gator Bowl](_blank)
The Associated Press, ESPN.com. December 20, 2006. Accessed April 1, 2008. After suffering a game-losing fumble against the Bulldogs,
commentators questioned how well Ball would recover from the setback before the ACC Championship Game.
Supporting Ball and Johnson were a corps of capable receivers including James Johnson and Greg Smith. James Johnson was Tech's second-leading receiver behind Calvin Johnson, and recorded over 500 receiving yards heading into the ACC championship. During Tech's game against Virginia Tech, James caught a 49-yard touchdown pass for the game's first points. Smith was Tech's fifth-leading receiver in 2006, but had several key plays (including two touchdown receptions) in Georgia Tech's game against the
Duke Blue Devils
The Duke Blue Devils are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Duke University, located in Durham, North Carolina. Duke's athletics department features 27 varsity teams that all compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Associatio ...
.
On the ground, the Georgia Tech
rushing attack was led by
Tashard Choice
Tashard J. Choice (born November 20, 1984) is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills and the Indianapolis Colts. He played college football at Georgia Te ...
. Choice was the leading rusher in the ACC, averaging over 100 yards per game. Against
North Carolina State
North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The universit ...
, Choice recorded 164 rushing yards on 34 carries, earning what was then a single-game career high in rushing yards. In the days before the ACC championship, Choice was named to the second-team All-ACC team,
and was considered to be a threat on offense against Wake Forest.
Wake Forest
Wake Forest, which had begun the season with
Benjamin Mauk as its starting quarterback, ended the season with redshirt freshman
Riley Skinner
Riley Skinner (born October 21, 1986) 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 University.
College career
Skinner played high sch ...
filling the position. Despite having almost no experience starting at quarterback before the season, Skinner was named the ACC's
rookie of the year. Skinner led the ACC in completion percentage, passing efficiency, and interception rate. In addition, Skinner set 10 new single-season passing records at Wake Forest during the 2006 season. In the days before the ACC Championship Game, Skinner was named to the second-team All-ACC team, joining eight other teammates selected to one of the two All-ACC teams.
[Wake Forest Places School Record Nine On All-ACC Team](_blank)
Wake Forest Athletics Department, wakeforestsports.cstv.com. November 26, 2008. Accessed April 1, 2008.
Two of the other Deacons selected for All-ACC honors were senior
tackle Steve Vallos and junior
center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...
Steve Justice, both of whom were key components of the Wake Forest
offensive line
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
.
Vallos had been considered for the
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is an award for college football in the United States. Awarded by the Rotary Club of Houston, Texas annually to the college football player "who best embodies the values and spirit of NFL's legendary coach Vince Lombar ...
and
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best college football interior lineman in the United States as adjudged by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named an All-Ame ...
and won first-team Associated Press All-America honors after the championship game. Center Steve Justice started all 14 games during Wake Forest's 2006 season, and participated in 98 percent of the Deacons' offensive plays.
Wake Forest also boasted one of the nation's best
punters and
placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter.
Spe ...
s, Sam Swank. Swank was one of the team's nine 2006 All-ACC selections, and performed extremely well during the season.
Swank led the Deacons in points scored, and was successful on five of seven kicks from beyond 50 yards during the season. Swank was a finalist for the
Ray Guy Award
The Ray Guy Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding punter as adjudged by the Augusta Sports Council. The award is named after punter Ray Guy, an All-American for Southern Mississippi and an All-Pro in the National Foo ...
and
Lou Groza Award
The Lou Groza Award is presented annually to the top college football placekicker in the United States by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The award is named after former Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Browns player Lou Groza. It has be ...
, which go to the nation's best punter and placekicker, respectively. Following the championship Game, Swank was named to the
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
and
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
first-team All-America teams.
Defensive matchups
Georgia Tech
Heading into the game, Georgia Tech had the 11th best rushing defense in FBS football.
[Skinner, Swank lift Wake to ACC title; next stop: Orange Bowl](_blank)
The Associated Press, ESPN.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 29, 2008. That defense was led statistically by
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
Philip Wheeler, considered by many to be one of the nation's best
blitz
Blitz, German for "lightning", may refer to:
Military uses
*Blitzkrieg, blitz campaign, or blitz, a type of military campaign
*The Blitz, the German aerial campaign against Britain in the Second World War
*, an Imperial German Navy light cruiser b ...
ing linebackers. In the days leading up to the championship game, Wheeler was named to the Rivals.com All-America team.
In addition, Wheeler was a second-team All-ACC selection and a two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Week.
[Johnson, Brooks Make AP All-America Team](_blank)
Georgia Tech Athletics Department, ramblinwreck.cstv.com. December 12, 2006. Accessed April 1, 2008.
On the
defensive line
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
, Georgia Tech featured
defensive tackle
A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
Joe Anoa'i, now better known by his
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
identity of
Roman Reigns
Leati Joseph "Joe" Anoa'i (born May 25, 1985) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former American football, football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown WW ...
, and
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
Adamm Oliver. Anoa'i, a first-team All-ACC selection,
headed into the ACC Championship having earned six tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in Tech's previous game against Georgia. Anoa'i also forced and recovered a Georgia
fumble
A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful ...
that eventually led to a Tech field goal. Adamm Oliver was a second-team All-ACC selection who was fourth on the team in total tackles and second on the team in tackles for loss. Oliver created the game-winning play for the Yellow Jackets against Miami when he forced a fumble that set up the game-clinching touchdown. Georgia Tech also had several important
defensive back
In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...
s.
Safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are ...
Jamal Lewis was a first-team All-ACC selection and the team's leading tackler. During the Yellow Jackets' game against
Samford University
Samford University is a private Christian university in Homewood, Alabama. In 1841, the university was founded as Howard College by Baptists. Samford University describes itself as the 87th oldest institution of higher learning in the United Sta ...
, Lewis returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown. The return was the fourth-longest in Georgia Tech history and was the longest since a 102-yard return in 1969.
Wake Forest
The Wake Forest defense was led by All-America honorable mention linebacker
Jon Abbate
Jon Abbate (born June 18, 1985) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Wake Forest University in 2004–2006 and was signed as a free agent by the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL) in 2007.
C ...
.
[Jon Abbate](_blank)
Wake Forest Athletics Department, wakeforestsports.cstv.com. Accessed April 2, 2008. Abbate, who was a first-team All-ACC selection,
was the team's leading tackler and earned the second-most tackles in the ACC during the season.
Safety
Josh Gattis was another star on the Wake defense. A first-team All-ACC selection,
Gattis was the only player in the ACC to earn 70 tackles and five interceptions. On the defensive line,
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
Patrick Ghee stood out. An honorable mention All-ACC selection,
Ghee ranked fifth on the team in tackles and had three interceptions.
Game summary
The 2006 ACC Championship Game kicked off at
Alltel Stadium
TIAA Bank Field is an American football stadium located in Jacksonville, Florida, that primarily serves as the home facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL) and the headquarters of the professional wrestling prom ...
in
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
on December 2, 2006.
The game was broadcast on
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
, and earned a 4.0
television rating.
This figure was down slightly from the previous year's game, which earned a 5.1 rating.
Brad Nessler
Bradley Ray Nessler (born June 3, 1956) is an American sportscaster, who currently calls college football and college basketball games for CBS Sports.
Career
Early assignments
Nessler began his professional broadcasting career sharing play†...
,
Bob Griese
Robert Allen Griese (pronounced ; born February 3, 1945) is a former American football quarterback who earned All-American honors with the Purdue Boilermakers before being drafted in 1967 by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins. Gries ...
,
Paul Maguire
Paul Leo Maguire (born August 22, 1938) is a former American professional football player and television sportscaster.
Early sports career
Maguire attended Ursuline High School in Youngstown, Ohio where he was an All State wide receiver and ...
, and
Bonnie Bernstein
Bonnie Lynn Bernstein (born August 16, 1970) is an American sports journalist and executive. She has been named one of the most accomplished female sportscasters in history by the American Sportscasters Association. Bernstein is Vice President, Co ...
were selected to announce the game.
At kickoff, a light breeze was blowing from the northeast at , the air temperature was , and the weather was foggy with a light rain.
[Scoring Summary (Final)](_blank)
The Atlantic Coast Conference, theACC.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 29, 2008. Rain had been falling for several hours, turning the field into a muddy mess that would hinder play throughout the game. 62,850 tickets were sold for the game, and that number was given as the official attendance.
Real attendance estimates range from 40,000-50,000, due to the poor weather and the fact that the stadium was half-empty through much of the game.
During the pre-game
coin toss
A coin is a small, flat (usually depending on the country or value), round piece of metal or plastic used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order to ...
, a member of the
Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is an American charity and veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, services and events for wounded veterans of the military actions following September 11, 2001. It operates as a nonprofit ...
, which
rehabilitates wounded American
war veterans
A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular job, occupation or Craft, field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military.
A military vete ...
, threw the ceremonial coin. Georgia Tech won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball to begin the game. After Georgia Tech made its selection, Wake Forest elected to defend the north end zone to begin the game, forcing Georgia Tech's kickers to kick into the wind during the first and fourth quarters.
First quarter
Wake Forest
kicked off to begin the game, and Georgia Tech
returned the kick to its own 24-yard line. On the first play of the game, Tech running back
Tashard Choice
Tashard J. Choice (born November 20, 1984) is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills and the Indianapolis Colts. He played college football at Georgia Te ...
attempted a
rush
Rush(es) may refer to:
Places
United States
* Rush, Colorado
* Rush, Kentucky
* Rush, New York
* Rush City, Minnesota
* Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois
* Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream
* Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...
, but was stopped for a loss of one yard. The play set the tone for the rest of the game, which would be a hard-fought, low-scoring defensive struggle. After the loss, Choice broke free on the second play of the game for a 24-yard run and a
first down
A down is a period in which a play transpires in gridiron football. The down is a distinguishing characteristic of the game compared to other codes of football, but is synonymous with a "tackle" in rugby league. The team in possession of the f ...
. On the next two plays, the Georgia Tech offense used their
passing attack as quarterback
Reggie Ball
Reginald Lewis Ball (born October 6, 1984) is a former American football quarterback. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Georgia Tech.
Early years
Ball played his high ...
completed two passes, driving the Yellowjackets into Wake Forest territory. Subsequent plays allowed Tech to penetrate the Wake Forest
red zone, but there, the Demon Deacons' defense stiffened. Despite having a first down inside the Wake Forest 10-yard line, Georgia Tech did not cross the goal line. Denied a touchdown, Georgia Tech was forced to settle for a
field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
attempt from kicker Travis Bell. Bell's kick was good, and with 9:59 remaining in the first quarter, Georgia Tech took a 3–0 lead.
[1st Qtr Play-by-Play](_blank)
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Play-by-Play, ESPN.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 21, 2008.
Following Georgia Tech's post-score kickoff, Wake Forest received the ball, but failed to gain a first down. The Deacons' offense went
three and out
''Three and Out'' is a 2008 British black comedy film directed by Jonathan Gershfield and starring Mackenzie Crook, Colm Meaney, Gemma Arterton, Imelda Staunton, and Kerry Katona. It premiered in London on the 21 April 2008 and was released in ...
and was forced to
punt. On Tech's next possession, they too had difficulty moving the football on offense. Though they picked up a first down off of a penalty on Wake Forest, they were unable to gain a first down by their own devices and were forced to punt the ball away.
The two teams traded possessions once more, and as the first quarter came to an end, Georgia Tech was in possession of the ball but was preparing to punt it away after yet another failure to pick up a first down.
Second quarter
Following the Georgia Tech punt, Wake Forest received the ball to begin the second quarter. Wake Forest, after a three and out, again punted the ball and Georgia Tech took over on offense. On their first full possession of the second quarter, Tech seemed to have more success moving the ball. Quarterback Reggie Ball picked up a first down running the ball, then completed a 22-yard pass to
wide receiver Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson Jr., (born September 29, 1985) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Georgia Tech, where he twice ...
, driving the Yellow Jackets inside Wake Forest territory. Once there, however, Wake Forest's defense stiffened. Ball was unable to complete two consecutive passes, and his third pass inside Wake Forest territory was
intercepted.
Having regained the ball, Wake Forest answered Georgia Tech's drive with one of their own. Several Wake running backs rushed with the ball, but it was Wake Forest quarterback
Riley Skinner
Riley Skinner (born October 21, 1986) 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 University.
College career
Skinner played high sch ...
who advanced the ball the most. He completed a 24-yard pass to Willie Idlette, then an eight-yard toss to Nate Morton. Inside Tech territory, Wake's offense stumbled. Skinner was
sacked by a Tech defender, and kicker Sam Swank was sent into the game to attempt a 45-yard field goal. Swank's kick was no good, and with 7:26 remaining in the second quarter, Georgia Tech still had a 3–0 lead.
Taking over after the missed field goal, Georgia Tech was unable to gain a first down. After the Yellow Jackets punted the ball away, Wake Forest continued to have the increased offensive success they had shown in their previous drive. This time, it was running back Kenneth Moore who picked up the majority of the Deacons' yardage, as he carried the ball eight times during the drive. Toward the end of the drive, Wake Forest was assisted by a 10-yard penalty against the Yellow Jackets, which drove them inside Georgia Tech's red zone. There, however, Tech's defense stiffened. Despite having a first down at Tech's 10-yard line, Wake was unable to score a
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron 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. In Ameri ...
. Kicker Sam Swank again came into the game to attempt a field goal, and connected on a 19-yard field goal. The kick tied the score at 3–3 with just 58 seconds remaining in the first half.
With time in the half virtually exhausted, Georgia Tech elected to run down the clock and take the game into
halftime
In several team sports, matches are played in two halves. Half-time (also written halftime or half time) is the name given to the interval between the two halves of the match. Typically, after half-time, teams swap ends of the field of play in or ...
tied, 3–3.
[2nd Qtr Play-by-Play](_blank)
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Play-by-Play, ESPN.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 22, 2008.
Third quarter
Because Georgia Tech received the ball to begin the game, Wake Forest received the ball to begin the second half. As in the first half, however, both teams' offenses were stifled by each team's defense. On its first possession of the second half, Wake Forest reached the Georgia Tech 48-yard line before being forced to punt.
Georgia Tech's first possession of the half was slightly more successful than Wake Forest's, as the Yellow Jackets drove inside the Deacons' 30-yard line on several passes from Reggie Ball. Again, however, the Tech defense stumbled. Facing a fourth down inside the Wake Forest red zone, Tech elected to attempt to convert the first down rather than punt the ball. Despite needing just one yard to gain another first down, Georgia Tech was stopped short of the line. The play was typical of the third quarter, which saw both teams fail to score.
Both Wake Forest and Georgia Tech mounted several drives into the other's territory, but were either stopped outside field goal range or attempted to convert a fourth down rather than kick the ball. As the quarter came to an end, the score remained tied 3–3, with neither team having scored a touchdown.
[3rd Qtr Play-by-Play](_blank)
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Play-by-Play, ESPN.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 26, 2008.
Fourth quarter
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Georgia Tech was in possession of the ball, deep inside Wake Forest territory. Shortly after the quarter began, Tech failed to gain a needed first down in order to continue its drive. Instead of attempting to convert the fourth down—Tech had attempted and failed on two fourth-down conversions in the third quarter—Tech instead sent in kicker Travis Bell. Bell's 34-yard attempt sailed through the goalposts, and with 12:53 remaining in the game, Georgia Tech took a 6–3 lead.
After Georgia Tech's post-score kickoff, Wake Forest continued to struggle on offense. Quarterback Riley Skinner was sacked, threw an 18-yard completion, then three incomplete passes. Wake was forced to punt the ball away again, allowing the Yellow Jackets the possibility of expanding their lead. On Tech's first play after the punt, however, Reggie Ball's pass was intercepted, allowing Wake Forest another chance on offense. The play turned the momentum of the game in favor of Wake Forest, who proceeded to move the ball with slightly more effectiveness. During the Wake Forest drive, Skinner completed a 39-yard pass to John Tereshinski, who drove the Deacons inside Georgia Tech territory, where the drive continued. Though Wake Forest was forced to settle for a 33-yard field goal from kicker Sam Swank, the score tied the game at 6–6 with 7:59 remaining in the game.
Wake's post-score kickoff was downed in the end zone for a
touchback
In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead on or behind a team's own goal line (i.e., in their end zone) and the opposing team gave the ball the momentum, or impetus, to trav ...
. With time running down, Georgia Tech had a chance for a game-winning score if it could sustain a drive into Wake Forest territory from its own 20-yard line. The drive began with a promising 14-yard completion to Calvin Johnson, but after Reggie Ball threw three incomplete passes, Georgia Tech was forced to punt the ball back to Wake Forest. The Deacons, after getting the ball at their own 20-yard line, began a drive of their own. Riley Skinner completed his first four passes of the drive, including a long 45-yard strike to Willie Idlette for the longest play of the game. With a first down inside the Georgia Tech red zone, the Deacons seemed to be in perfect position for a potentially game-winning touchdown. But as had every other drive previous, Wake Forest's offense failed to cross the goal line. Sam Swank kicked a 22-yard field goal to give the Deacons a 9–6 lead, but Georgia Tech still had time for one final drive.
After receiving the Wake Forest kickoff, however, Georgia Tech's hopes were quickly deflated by three plays that resulted in negative yardage or no gain. Georgia Tech was forced into its final punt of the game, and Wake Forest received the ball and ran out the remaining time on the clock. Wake Forest won the 2006 ACC Championship Game by a 9–6 score.
[4th Qtr Play-by-Play](_blank)
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Play-by-Play, ESPN.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 26, 2008.
Statistical summary
Thanks to his performance in the game, Wake Forest
placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter.
Spe ...
Sam Swank was named the game's
most valuable player
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
. Swank was successful on three of his four
field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
kicks during the game, kicking 19, 33, and 22-yard field goals while missing on a 45-yard attempt in the second quarter.
[Individual Statistics (Final)](_blank)
The Atlantic Coast Conference, theACC.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 30, 2008. The Demon Deacons' nine points—all of which were scored by Swank—were the least ever scored by the winning team in a Division I-A conference championship game.
Wake Forest
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
Riley Skinner
Riley Skinner (born October 21, 1986) 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 University.
College career
Skinner played high sch ...
finished the game having completed 14 of his 25 pass attempts. He passed for 201 yards, one-fifth of which came on a single play during Wake Forest's final drive of the game.
On the opposite side of the ball, Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball completed just nine of his 29 passes. Two of Ball's passes were
intercepted by Wake Forest defenders, and Ball accounted for just 129 passing yards.
The majority of Georgia Tech's offense came on the ground from
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
Tashard Choice
Tashard J. Choice (born November 20, 1984) is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills and the Indianapolis Colts. He played college football at Georgia Te ...
and from
quarterback scramble
A quarterback scramble or scramble is an impromptu maneuver or run in gridiron football by a quarterback. If a quarterback is under pressure by an opposing team's defense, he may run forward, backward, or laterally in an attempt to avoid being tac ...
s by Ball. Choice ran the ball 21 times, netting 100 yards. Ball was Tech's second-leading rusher, and picked up 46 yards on 15 different rushes.
Eight different players carried the ball for Wake Forest, with Kenneth Moore and Willie Idlette picking up the majority of the yardage. Moore finished the game with 16 carries for 38 yards, while Idlette earned 35 yards on six different attempts. Half of Idlette's yards came on one 19-yard carry, and he also earned 73
receiving yards during the game to lead all Wake receivers.
On defense, Jon Abbate led all Wake Forest defenders with 15 total
tackles. Abbate also earned two tackles for loss and a
quarterback sack
In gridiron football, a sack occurs when the quarterback (or another offensive player acting as a passer) is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before throwing a forward pass, when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in th ...
of Reggie Ball. Riley Swanson and Aaron Curry each caught an interception for Wake.
[Defensive Statistics (Final)](_blank)
The Atlantic Coast Conference, theACC.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 30, 2008. Kenny Scott led the Georgia Tech defense statistically, earning eight total tackles, two tackles for loss, and one quarterback sack. Adamm Oliver finished with seven total tackles and one and a half tackles for loss.
Post-game effects
With the victory, Wake Forest finished the regular season with an 11–2 record, breaking its previous team record for wins in a season.
[2006 Season in Review](_blank)
Wake Forest Athletics Department, Page 1. Accessed March 29, 2008. The 2006 ACC Championship was Wake's second championship in history, the first having come in 1970.
Following the game, the Deacons' head coach, Jim Grobe, earned multiple
national coach of the year honors for taking Wake to its first ACC championship in 36 years and taking the program from the worst in the ACC to the best in just one season.
Following the game, Wake Forest earned an automatic bid to the
2007 Orange Bowl as a reward for its status as ACC champion. Wake Forest faced the Louisville Cardinals in Dolphin Stadium, now known as
Hard Rock Stadium
Hard Rock Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The stadium is the home field for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and the Miami Hurricanes, the University of Miami's NCAA Division I college ...
, in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Wake Forest To Face Louisville In FedEx Orange Bowl
Wake Forest Athletics Department, December 3, 2006. Accessed March 29, 2008.
Georgia Tech's went to 9–3 with the loss. Tech was selected as a participant in the 2007 Gator Bowl as a reward for its second-place ACC finish.
Tech's selection to the Gator Bowl was a controversial one. Because both the Gator Bowl and ACC Championship game were held in Jacksonville, Georgia Tech would be forced to play two games in Jacksonville in four weeks. The team, league, and bowl officials were concerned that fact would hurt attendance.
See also
*List of Atlantic Coast Conference football champions
The 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. Sixteen teams have competed in the conference s ...
*Glossary of American football
The following terms are used in American football, both conventional and indoor. Some of these terms are also in use in Canadian football; for a list of terms unique to that code, see ''Glossary of Canadian football''.
0–9
...
Other conference championship games
* American Athletic Conference Championship Game (since 2015)
*Big Ten Championship Game
The Big Ten Football Championship Game is a college football game held by the Big Ten Conference each year to determine the conference's season champion. The game, held after the regular season has been completed, matches the division champions f ...
(since 2011)
*Big 12 Championship Game
The Big 12 Championship Game is a college football game held by the Big 12 Conference between the best and the second-best Big 12 team. The game was played each year since the conference's formation in 1996 until 2010 and returned during the 20 ...
(1996–2010, 2017–present)
* Conference USA Championship Game (since 2005)
*MAC Championship Game
The MAC Football Championship Game is a football game between the winners of the East and West divisions of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) to determine the conference champion.
History
The game has been played since 1997, when the conferenc ...
(since 1997)
* Mountain West Championship Game (since 2013)
*Pac-12 Championship Game
The Pac-12 Football Championship Game is an annual college football game held by the Pac-12 Conference to determine the season's conference champion. The game from the 2011–2021 seasons had the champion of the North Division against the champi ...
(since 2012)
*SEC Championship Game
The SEC Championship Game is an annual American football game that has determined the Southeastern Conference's season champion since 1992. The championship game pits the SEC East Division regular season champion against the West Division regula ...
(since 1992)
*Sun Belt Championship Game
The Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game is an annual college football game that determines the season champion of the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). The game is played between the SBC regular-season divisional champions from the East and We ...
(since 2018)
*WAC Championship Game
The Western Athletic Conference football championship game was a short-lived annual postseason college football game played to determine the champion of the Western Athletic Conference (MW).
History
The Western Athletic Conference staged a confer ...
(last held in 1998)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:2006 Acc Championship Game
ACC Championship Game
Wake Forest Demon Deacons football games
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football games
December 2006 sports events in the United States
ACC Championship
The ACC Championship was a cancelled two-day cricket tournament run by the Asian Cricket Council that is contested between its members nations.
The first tournament was scheduled to be held in December 2014. It was canceled due to the busy prep ...