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ACC Championship History
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The ACC Championship Game was the domain of Florida State and Virginia Tech in its early days. But over the past decade, it’s essentially evolved into a Clemson Invitational.
Dabo Swinney’s Tigers have made 8 trips to the title game since 2015, taking home the trophy each time. Along the way, they’ve beaten 6 different opponents – including Notre Dame during its 1 brief COVID-altered season as a conference member. Only Pittsburgh in 2019 and Florida State in 2023 have have broken through to interrupt Clemson’s recent dominance.
This page looks at the ACC Championship Game final scores, MVPs, winning coaches and more since the game came into existence in 2005:
ACC Championship Game Scores
| Year | Winner | Loser | Score | Location | Winning Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Clemson | SMU | 34-31 | Charlotte | Dabo Swinney |
| 2023 | Florida State | Louisville | 16-6 | Charlotte | Mike Norvell |
| 2022 | Clemson | North Carolina | 39-10 | Charlotte | Dabo Swinney |
| 2021 | Pittsburgh | Wake Forest | 45-21 | Charlotte | Pat Narduzzi |
| 2020 | Clemson | Notre Dame | 34-10 | Charlotte | Dabo Swinney |
| 2019 | Clemson | Virginia | 62-17 | Charlotte | Dabo Swinney |
| 2018 | Clemson | Pittsburgh | 42-10 | Charlotte | Dabo Swinney |
| 2017 | Clemson | Miami | 38-3 | Charlotte | Dabo Swinney |
| 2016 | Clemson | Virginia Tech | 42-35 | Orlando | Dabo Swinney |
| 2015 | Clemson | North Carolina | 45-37 | Charlotte | Dabo Swinney |
| 2014 | Florida State | Georgia Tech | 37-35 | Charlotte | Bobby Bowden |
| 2013 | Florida State | Duke | 45-7 | Charlotte | Bobby Bowden |
| 2012 | Florida State | Georgia Tech | 21-15 | Charlotte | Bobby Bowden |
| 2011 | Clemson | Virginia Tech | 38-10 | Charlotte | Dabo Swinney |
| 2010 | Virginia Tech | Florida State | 44-33 | Charlotte | Frank Beamer |
| 2009 | Georgia Tech* | Clemson | 39-34 | Tampa | Paul Johnson |
| 2008 | Virginia Tech | Boston College | 30-12 | Tampa | Frank Beamer |
| 2007 | Virginia Tech | Boston College | 30-16 | Jacksonville | Frank Beamer |
| 2006 | Wake Forest | Georgia Tech | 9-6 | Jacksonville | Jim Grobe |
| 2005 | Florida State | Virginia Tech | 27-22 | Jacksonville | Bobby Bowden |
*-Vacated because of NCAA violations
ACC Championship Game MVPs
Three players have been named ACC Championship Game MVP multiple times. Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor won the award in 2008 and 2010, Clemson’s Deshaun Watson won in 2015 and 2016, and most recently, fellow Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik earned the honor in 2022 and 2024. Clemson’s CJ Spiller in 2009 is the only MVP chosen from the losing team. Here is every winner in ACC title game history:
| Year | MVP | Position | Winner | Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Cade Klubnik | QB | Clemson | SMU | 34-31 |
| 2023 | Lawrance Toafili | RB | Florida State | Louisville | 16-6 |
| 2022 | Cade Klubnik | QB | Clemson | North Carolina | 39-10 |
| 2021 | Eric Hallett | Safety | Pittsburgh | Wake Forest | 45-21 |
| 2020 | Trevor Lawrence | QB | Clemson | Notre Dame | 34-10 |
| 2019 | Tee Higgins | WR | Clemson | Virginia | 62-17 |
| 2018 | Travis Etienne | RB | Clemson | Pittsburgh | 42-10 |
| 2017 | Kelly Bryant | QB | Clemson | Miami | 38-3 |
| 2016 | Deshaun Watson | QB | Clemson | Virginia Tech | 42-35 |
| 2015 | Deshaun Watson | QB | Clemson | North Carolina | 45-37 |
| 2014 | Dalvin Cook | RB | Florida State | Georgia Tech | 37-35 |
| 2013 | Jameis Winston | QB | Florida State | Duke | 45-7 |
| 2012 | James Wilder Jr. | RB | Florida State | Georgia Tech | 21-15 |
| 2011 | Tajh Boyd | QB | Clemson | Virginia Tech | 38-10 |
| 2010 | Tyrod Taylor | QB | Virginia Tech | Florida State | 44-33 |
| 2009 | CJ Spiller | RB | Georgia Tech | Clemson | 39-34 |
| 2008 | Tyrod Taylor | QB | Virginia Tech | Boston College | 30-12 |
| 2007 | Sean Glennon | QB | Virgina Tech | Boston College | 30-16 |
| 2006 | Sam Swank | PK | Wake Forest | Georgia Tech | 9-6 |
| 2005 | Willie Reid | WR | Florida State | Virginia Tech | 27-22 |
Most ACC Championships, by School
Clemson has won the most ACC Championship Games entering the 2025 season.
- Clemson: 9
- Florida State: 5
- Virginia Tech: 3
- Georgia Tech: 1
- Pittsburgh: 1
- Wake Forest: 1
ACC Championship Titles, by Coach
Seven coaches have won at least 1 ACC Championship Game. Clemson’s Dabo Swinney leads the way with 9:
- Dabo Swinney: 9
- Bobby Bowden: 4
- Frank Beamer: 3
- Jim Grobe: 1
- Paul Johnson: 1
- Pat Narduzzi: 1
- Mike Norvell: 1
ACC Championship MVPs, by School
As you’d expect, Clemson has produced the most ACC Championship Game MVPs entering the 2025 season.
- Clemson: 10
- Florida State: 5
- Virginia Tech: 3
- Pittsburgh: 1
- Wake Forest: 1
ACC Championship Game Records
Here are several notable records from the AC title game, entering the 2025 season:
Most Points, Team
62: Clemson vs. Virginia, 2019
Most Passing Yards, Individual
355: Michael Vick, Virginia Tech vs. Florida State, 2005
Most Passing Touchdowns, Individual
4: Trevor Lawrence, Clemson vs. Virginia, 2019
Most Rushing Yards, Individual
233: CJ Spiller, Clemson vs. Georgia Tech, 2009
Most Rushing Touchdowns, Individual
4: CJ Spiller, Clemson vs. Georgia Tech 2009
Most Receiving Yards, Individual
182: Tee Higgins, Clemson vs. North Carolina, 2022
Most Receiving Touchowns, Individual
3: Tee Higgins, Clemson vs. North Carolina, 2022
Longest Run From Scrimmage
75 yards: Travis Etienne, Clemson vs. Pittsburgh, 2018
Longest Pass Play
70 yards: Demaryius Thomas from Joshua Nesbitt, Georgia Tech vs, Clemson, 2009
Longest Interception Return
98 yards: Nate Wiggins, Clemson vs. North Carolina, 2022
Longest Field Goal
56 yards: Nolan Hauser, Clemson vs. SMU, 2024
Award-winning columnist Brett Friedlander has covered the ACC and college basketball since the 1980s.
