Recently we reviewed the ACC’s best 25 OOC wins of the decade so far. Some really good wins got left off the list, so I decided for a little off-season reading to give you the best five OOC wins for each ACC team so far this decade
Click below for ACC team
Virginia Tech | Georgia Tech | Duke | UNC | Virginia | Pittsburgh | Louisville | Clemson | Wake Forest | Florida State | Boston College | Syracuse | NC State
1. #7 Miami 41 #3 Notre Dame 8 – November 11, 2017 (#14 on ACC Top 25 OOC Win List of Decade)
Mark Richt and his Miami Hurricanes turned back the clock in a vintage performance against at the time the #3 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish. In prime time national TV, the Hurricanes absolutely ran the Irish off the field. It got Miami into the thick of the playoff chase and eventually into the top 5. Even though Miami lost their last three games of the season – they reached the ACCCG and made the Orange Bowl in one of their best seasons in years. .
2. Miami 31 #16 West Virginia 14 – December 28, 2016 (#15 on ACC Top 25 OOC Win List of Decade)
The Miami Hurricanes hadn’t won a bowl game since 2006, but returned to the bowl winner’s circle in 2016 with a turn back the clock performance against a top 20 ranked West Virginia team. Mark Richt in his first year at Miami, led the Canes to their best season in several years.
3. Miami 21 #12 Florida 16 – September 7, 2013 (#22 on ACC Top 25 OOC Win List of Decade)
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.
4. Miami 24 #16 Ohio State 6 – September 17, 2011 (#24 on ACC Top 25 OOC Win List of Decade)
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.
5. Miami 45 Appalachian State 10 – September 17, 2016
Remember when Miami’s visit to Boone, NC was everybody’s upset special? Miami went to Appalachian State and ripped the Mountaineers 45-10. This was the first time I thought Mark Richt was really capable of making Miami relevant again. App State had just taken Tennessee to OT 2 weeks before. They went on to win 10 games and were the Sun Belt co-champions. Nationally this game got overlooked, but it was a very meaningful early victory in Richt’s Miami tenure.
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