Want to make some easy money next bowl season? Bet against the ACC. With conference champion Clemson’s 70-33 loss to West Virginia Wednesday night in the Orange Bowl, the ACC finished 2-6 this bowl season, another slice of humble pie for the underachieving league.
For five straight years, the conference has had a losing record in the postseason, going 15-27 overall. Virginia Tech’s loss to Michigan on Tuesday in the Sugar Bowl, coupled with Clemson’s defeat brought the ACC’s record in BCS bowl games to 2-13.
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In the last NFL draft, 15 of the top 60 players selected were from the ACC. At the start of this season, the ACC (278) ranked a close second to the SEC (308) in sending players to the NFL. So why is the conference so ineffective during the holidays?
The ACC’s lack of success defies easy explanation. Since entering the ACC in 2005, the conference’s best program, Virginia Tech, has gone 3-5. The Hokies’ chance of success seemingly decreases in proportion to the importance of the game.
Florida State is one of the few ACC teams not vexed by playing in a bowl. The Seminoles beat Notre Dame last week and have won their last four bowls. With his victory over Louisville in the Belk Bowl, N.C. State coach Tom O’Brien improved to 8-2 in bowls, though four of those wins came when he guided Boston College as a member of the Big East.
Other than those teams, the rest have ranged from mediocre to bad. Georgia Tech has lost seven straight bowl games. Miami has lost its last four. Clemson has won only one of its last six.
– Kevin Dunleavy
