I was looking at past seasons to see how well the conference has done over the years. The ACC actually had a few really good season sprinkled in the last 20 years. I remember during the 90s the ACC still got little respect, but reflecting back I think alot of it had to do with there were always 3-4 teams in any given year that were non-competitive while most other conferences usually had 1 or 2 and a few more members.

2000 looks like one of those years where the conference from top to bottom had a good season:

#3 FSU 11-2, wins vs #8 UF and #37 Louisville
#13 Clemson 9-3, win vs #33 USCe
#15 GT 9-3. win vs #24 UGA
#43 NCSU 8-4, win vs #56 Minnesota
#44 UVA 6-6
#46 UNC 6-5, win vs #39 Pitt
#64 UMd 5-6
#102 Wake 2-9
#104 Duke 0-11

#These rankings are taken from my rankulator program.

One of the strongest, certainly at the top, was 1981.  Clemson won the national championship, with a perfect record, while the Carolina Tar Heels also finished in the top ten national rankings, for a second consecutive year, with a 10-2 record. Add to that the fact that the closest Clemson came to tasting defeat that year was a 10-9 Tiger victory in a classic slugfest in Chapel Hill, highlighting what were at that time the conference’s two premier football programs This followed 1980’s classic game at Clemson, where late game heroics by Lawrence Taylor, helped seal a narrow win for the Tar Heels and an 11-1, top ten finish.

I like 1998 a bit more than 2000. FSU played for the title. Georgia Tech had a Heisman Finalist and a 10-2 record, finishing with a win over ND and a Top 10 ranking. Virginia started 7-1 and beat VT. NC State had the big upset over FSU and a star player with Torry Holt, and UNC was competitive as well and won a bowl game.

I remember the 1998 season well.  The highlight of it for me was the Carolina Tar Heels’ overtime victory over N.C.State, in Charlotte, at Panthers’ Stadium, the first of two consecutive series games played there.  Oscar Davenport hit Na Brown with a pass in the corner of the endzone to win in OT.  That was the Tar Heels’ sixth straight win over the Wolfpack. ( the streak would extend to seven in 1999, after another Heel win over the Pack, in Charlotte.) After the 1998 regular season, the Tar Heels beat a John Robinson coached San Diego State team in the Las Vegas Bowl.  Ronald Curry had a big game for the Heels.  As a whole, the conference was pretty strong that year.

amosbryant - 27 June 2012 11:22 AM

One of the strongest, certainly at the top, was 1981.  Clemson won the national championship, with a perfect record, while the Carolina Tar Heels also finished in the top ten national rankings, for a second consecutive year, with a 10-2 record. Add to that the fact that the closest Clemson came to tasting defeat that year was a 10-9 Tiger victory in a classic slugfest in Chapel Hill, highlighting what were at that time the conference’s two premier football programs This followed 1980’s classic game at Clemson, where late game heroics by Lawrence Taylor, helped seal a narrow win for the Tar Heels and an 11-1, top ten finish.

People don’t give those Dick Crum late 70’s early 80’s teams enough credit. They were awesome and proved it in the bowls.

I agree SoPines.  Dick Crum was not a back slapper, nor a riot on the barbecue trail, but he was a fine X’s and O’s coach.  Those bowl victories over Michigan (Bo Schembechler), Texas, Arkansas (Lou Holtz), and then Texas again, were sweet.  Another great win under Crum was in 79. when the Tar Heels handed Jackie Sherill, Hugh Green, a young Dan Marino, and the Pitt Panthers, their only loss of the season.

Seems like 1990 was a pretty good year for the ACC as well.  I remember watching the UVA-GT game as a kid when UVA was ranked number 1 and GT edged them out in Charlottesville on their way to a split national title.  I still think that is one of the best games I have ever watched.