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ACC Football Would Dominate Head-to-Head Battles Against Power Five
The ACC had a magical season in 2016 – possibly the best ever for the conference – and would win head-to-head battles against the other power conferences.
For the second time in the last four seasons, the Atlantic Coast Conference is the kings of major college football. With Clemson’s come from behind instant classic victory over Alabama earlier this week, the ACC has now joined won two of the last four national titles and showed they aren’t just a basketball conference anymore.
In 2016, it was the ACC with the best winning percentage against teams from the other “Power Five” conferences – the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac 12 and SEC. In fact, only one conference had a record above .500 against the others…you guessed it, the 14 team league covering the Atlantic Coast and several states nowhere near water.
So, just how would the conference do in a tournament (similar to what many of the top ones do in basketball) with teams playing each other at the end of the 2016 campaign? We seeded the teams in the Power Five conferences based on regular season record and pitted the ACC head to head against each one.
For the games that actually took place during the 2016 season (i.e. FSU vs. Florida, Clemson vs. Alabama, etc.), we put the result of which actually took place. Here’s how we think things would turn out!
Sep 19, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes running back Mark Walton (center) runs past Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Joshua Kalu (left) and Cornhuskers cornerback Jonathan Rose (right) during the second half at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
ACC vs. Big Ten in 2016
No. 1 Clemson at Penn State
No. 2 Ohio State at Florida State
No. 3 Virginia Tech at Wisconsin
No. 4 Michigan at Louisville
No. 5 Miami at Nebraska
No. 6 Minnesota at North Carolina
No. 7 Pittsburgh at Iowa
No. 8 Northwestern at Georgia Tech
No. 9 N.C. State at Indiana
No. 10 Maryland at Wake Forest
No. 11 Boston College at Illinois
No. 12 Michigan State at Syracuse
No. 13 Duke at Purdue
No. 14 Rutgers at Virginia
The ACC gets a split in the top four, with Clemson and Florida State coming out on top. Miami, UNC, Pitt and N.C. State get wins while Georgia Tech, Wake and Boston College come out on the losing end. The bottom three push the conference over the top. ACC wins 9-5
Aug 30, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) runs for a touchdown against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the third quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
ACC vs. Big 12 in 2016
No. 1 Oklahoma at Clemson
No. 2. Florida State at Oklahoma State
No. 3 West Virginia at Virginia Tech
No. 4 Louisville at Kansas State
No. 5 Baylor at Miami
No. 6 North Carolina at TCU
No. 7 Texas at Pittsburgh
No. 8 Georgia Tech at Texas Tech
No. 9 Iowa State at N.C. State
No. 10 Wake Forest at Kansas
If there was ever more of a cakewalk in this make believe competition, it would be hard to find one. The ACC nearly gets the sweep, but the two Techs have to go out there and ruin it for the rest of us. ACC wins 8-2
Dec 31, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) celebrates a touchdown over Ohio State during the fourth quarter during the 2016 CFP semifinal at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY Sports
ACC vs. Pac 12 in 2016
No. 1 Washington at Clemson
No. 2. Florida State at USC
No. 3 Stanford at Virginia Tech
No. 4 Louisville at Colorado
No. 5 Utah at Miami
No. 6 North Carolina at Washington State
No. 7 Cal at Pittsburgh
No. 8 Georgia Tech at Arizona State
No. 9 Oregon State at N.C. State
No. 10 Wake Forest at Oregon
No. 11 UCLA at Boston College
No. 12 Syracuse at Arizona
It’s another one where there really isn’t a contest here. The ACC takes the first seven battles to seal the victory in the 12 game competition, then takes a knee the rest of the way – except for N.C. State getting another for the good guys. ACC wins 8-4
Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) celebrates during the fourth quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
ACC vs. SEC in 2016
No. 1 Clemson at Alabama
No. 2. Florida at Florida State
No. 3 Virginia Tech at Tennessee
No. 4 LSU at Louisville
No. 5 Miami at Auburn
No. 6 Georgia at North Carolina
No. 7 Pittsburgh at Texas A&M
No. 8 Kentucky at Georgia Tech
No. 9 N.C. State at Arkansas
No. 10 South Carolina at Wake Forest
No. 11 Boston College at Mississippi State
No. 12 Vanderbilt at Syracuse
No. 13 Duke at Ole Miss
No. 14 Missouri at Virginia
Thankfully, over half of these games actually took place this season with the conferences splitting their six meetings from the top eight seeds (Clemson, FSU and Georgia Tech for the ACC with Tennessee, LSU and Georgia winning for the SEC). Pitt and Miami get wins for the good guys along with N.C. State and Wake Forest tying things up and Syracuse giving the ACC a clean sweep.
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