I think we can all agree that the decade of the 2010s has been a resurgence of ACC football. I’ve looked at the ACC’s best Out of Conference wins in the past, but I want to compile the 25 best into a series so far this decade. We did this last year, and we’re updating again this year with games from 2017. We’ll do it again next year…
So here goes with starting with 25 to 21.
Games 1 – 5 | Games 6 – 10 | Games 11 – 15 | Games 16 – 20
21. #14 Florida State 27 #10 Florida 2 – November 29, 2015
Florida came into this game with Florida State 10-1, SEC East Champions, and were playing in the Swamp. They were no match for Florida State. Dalvin Cook ran wild in the 4th quarter, and FSU proved that despite the Gators gaudy record how much separated and continues to separate the two programs.
22. Miami 21 #12 Florida 16 – September 7, 2013
It was the day Dabo Swinney flashed the U.
Dabo: “How about that ACC? Spunky little old league?” Then he makes “The U” sign as he walks out.
— Greg Wallace (@gc_wallace) September 7, 2013
ACC teams beating SEC teams is fairly common place now, but back in early 2013 it was a big deal as the ACC desperately fought for football respect. Clemson beat a big SEC opponent on this same day, that you’ll see on this list later. It was one of Al Golden’s biggest wins during his tenure at Miami.
23. #25 Florida State 18 Notre Dame 14 – December 29, 2011
Who was the last team to defeat Notre Dame, before Alabama did in the 2012-2013 BCS National title game? It was the Florida State Seminoles. This was the ACC’s best bowl win of 2011, and got the Noles into the national title discussion to start the 2012 season for the first time in several years. In only his 2nd year and Florida State, this game proved that the Noles wouldn’t start backing up after a 10 win 2010.
24. Miami 24 #16 Ohio State 6 – September 17, 2011
This win could have been higher on this list but the Buckeyes collapsed to a 6-7 season. Coming into the game though Ohio State had won 24 of their previous 26 games. It was Al Golden’s first marquee win and seemed to have set the foundation for the future of his tenure. Year’s later the game wasn’t the stepping stone for Golden some expected, but at the time it was an upset that stunned the college football world.
25. Wake Forest 55 Texas A&M 52 – December 29, 2017
Wake Forest gave hope to every school in the ACC, that upward mobility is possible. Wake Forest finished 2017 with an 8-5 record playing in a division with 2 recent national title winners and with the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. The season was capped by beating a Texas A&M team with more resources that all but a handful schools in college football. Wake Forest is one of smallest programs in FBS, but that didn’t matter in 2017 Belk Bowl. It was was one of the best bowl games of 2017.
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