2005 ACC Championship Game
Encyclopedia
The 2005 Dr. Pepper Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship Game was the inaugural contest of the game. It was a regular-season ending American college football
contest at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville
, Florida
between the Virginia Tech Hokies
and the Florida State Seminoles
. The game decided the winner of the Atlantic Coast Conference
football championship. Florida State University (FSU) defeated Virginia Tech 27–22 in a game characterized by penalties, defense, and a fourth-quarter comeback attempt by Virginia Tech. The game was the final contest of the regular season
for the two teams, as bowl game
s are not considered part of the regular season. In addition, the contest marked the inaugural championship game for the recently expanded conference.
Virginia Tech entered the 2005 season
having won the 2004 ACC Championship, the last to be awarded without playing a championship game at the end of the season. Tech won its first eight games and appeared to be on course to have an untroubled run to the ACC Championship Game. But against the fifth-ranked Miami Hurricanes
, Tech suffered its first defeat of the season, losing 27–7 on November 5. Because each team had one ACC loss (Miami had previously lost to Florida State) and the Hurricanes had the tie-breaking head-to-head win, Miami had the lead in the Coastal Division. But Miami later lost a second ACC game to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
, and the Hurricanes were knocked out of contention for the Coastal Division title in favor of the Hokies, who lost only to Miami.
Florida State earned its bid to the ACC Championship game by fighting through an Atlantic Division schedule that included several nationally-ranked teams. After defeating ninth-ranked Miami in their opening contest, the Seminoles won their next four games before losing at Virginia
in a close match. Additional losses to North Carolina State
and Clemson
at the end of the season almost eliminated the Seminoles from contention for a spot in the championship game, but losses by Clemson and the other Atlantic Division leaders gave the Seminoles a second chance and set up an ACC Championship game between Florida State and Virginia Tech. The two teams had previously played in the 2000 National Championship Game
, and the rematch served as a point of public interest.
The first two quarters of the game were characterized by defense and penalties that stifled both teams' offenses. In the second half, Florida State took advantage of a punt return for a touchdown
to begin a third-quarter surge. Although Virginia Tech made a late-game comeback, Florida State ran out the clock
and secured a 27–22 victory. Florida State's win earned it the 2005 ACC Championship and a bid to the 2006 Orange Bowl
against Penn State
. Virginia Tech was awarded a bid to the 2006 Gator Bowl
against Louisville
. Following that game, Tech quarterback
Marcus Vick
was released from the team due to repeated violations of team rules and several legal infractions.
traditionally matches the winner of the Coastal and Atlantic Divisions of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Prior to 2005, no championship game existed. The idea for a championship game originated with the league's 2004 expansion, which added former Big East members Miami
, Virginia Tech
, and (in 2005) Boston College
. A request to the National Collegiate Athletic Association
by conference officials to hold a championship game following the 2004 season was rejected because the ACC lacked the requisite 12 teams, and so the league's first championship game had to wait until after Boston College's addition, which had been delayed at the school's request. With the addition of Boston College, the ACC consisted of 12 teams, allowing it to hold a conference championship game under NCAA rules. Before the start of the 2005 season, both Virginia Tech and Florida State were picked as pre-season favorites to play in the championship game in an annual poll conducted by members of the media who cover the ACC.
The Hokies began the 2005 regular season ranked eighth in the country, and played their first game at ACC opponent North Carolina State
. It was a close-fought game, but quarterback
Marcus Vick
threw a game-winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter and the defense slowed a late NC State rally as Virginia Tech earned a 20–16 win. Following the close call against NC State, the Hokies blew out
their next several opponents. Virginia Tech defeated Duke
and by scores of 45–0 each. The Virginia Tech defense held Duke's offense to just 35 total yards
, an NCAA record. Following those victories, Tech hosted 15th-ranked Georgia Tech
, beating the Yellow Jackets by a score of 51–7. Tech's defensive success in those games was typical of the season as Virginia Tech won the first eight games of its season.
In their ninth game, however, third-ranked Virginia Tech suffered its first loss. On a Thursday night game at home, the Hokies lost 27–7 to the fifth-ranked Miami Hurricanes
. Normally, a loss to the division-rival Hurricanes would have knocked the Hokies out of contention for the ACC Championship Game, as Miami had the tie-breaking head-to-head victory and was expected to win the remainder of its games. But because Virginia Tech won the rest of its games and the Hurricanes lost two ACC contests, (Virginia Tech's only ACC loss was to Miami) the Hokies won the Coastal Division championship and qualified for the championship game over Miami.
, ranked ninth in the country. In a defensive struggle, Florida State managed to upset the favored Hurricanes, 10–7. Following the victory, Florida State went on a four-game winning streak, defeating , Boston College, Wake Forest, and en route to a 5–0 record.
In the Seminoles' sixth game of the season, they traveled to Charlottesville
, Virginia
to face the Virginia Cavaliers
. In a hard-fought game, the Seminoles lost, 26–21, earning their first loss of the season. After winning their next two games, Florida State lost to NC State, Clemson
, and 19th-ranked Florida
, the first time they had three consecutive losses since 1983. Florida State ended the regular season with a conference record of 5–3, but because one of those losses had been against a Coastal Division opponent, Florida State finished with the best Atlantic Division record and was named that division's representative to the ACC Championship Game.
in the final two games of the regular season. Off the field, the matchup between head coaches also was a point of interest. At the time, Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden
was the winningest active head coach in college football, while Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer
was the third-winningest. Beamer had never defeated Bowden in a game. Before the game, Beamer was named the ACC's 2005 Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year.
In addition, the game was a rematch of the 2000 BCS National Championship Game. In that game, held in New Orleans, Louisiana
, Florida State defeated Virginia Tech 46–29 despite the performance of Hokie quarterback
Michael Vick
, who would later be selected as the first overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft
. Vick's brother, Marcus, would be the Hokies' starter at quarterback for the 2005 ACC Championship Game.
The Virginia Tech offense was led by quarterback Marcus Vick, brother of former Tech all-star Michael Vick. Coming off a season-long suspension in 2004, Vick threw
for 1,855 yards, 14 touchdown
s and nine interceptions in the 2005 season leading up to the ACC Championship. Vick also ran for four touchdowns during the season and earned first-team All-ACC honors. Receiving Vick's passes were a number of wide receivers and tight end
s. Tight end Jeff King
, a second-team All-ACC selection, had 20 receptions for 230 yards and five touchdowns for the season before the ACC Championship. Wide receivers Eddie Royal
and David Clowney
also had statistically significant seasons heading into the conference championship. Royal had 21 catches
for 271 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season, while Clowney had 28 catches for 515 yards and three touchdowns.
Virginia Tech's rushing offense was led by several different running back
s: Mike Imoh
, Branden Ore, and Cedric Humes
. In 2005, Hokie running back Cedric Humes had accumulated a career-high 134 yards and two touchdowns against North Carolina
in the Hokies' final regular-season game. Backup running back Branden Ore ran for 104 yards and a touchdown on 17 attempts, the second time in as many games that Humes and Ore ran for 100 yards or more in the same game. The Hokies ran 31 times in the second half and threw only two passes. A similar running game was predicted for the ACC Championship Game. Imoh, meanwhile, was limited by an ankle injury suffered during the course of the season. Heading into the conference championship game, he had rushed
for 415 yards and three touchdowns.
David Castillo was named to the ESPN the Magazine
Academic All-America Second Team, which recognizes college football players who have achieved academic success. Writers and staffers at the magazine vote on a list of players, which is separated into "teams" based on position and performance. Castillo, who was a key component of the Seminoles' offensive line, was also a finalist for the Draddy Trophy
, informally known as the "academic Heisman
".
FSU quarterback Drew Weatherford
recorded a statistically impressive year and was the top freshman quarterback in the nation in terms of passing yardage and passing touchdowns. Wide receivers Willie Reid, Greg Carr and Chris Davis were the primary beneficiaries of Weatherford's passing offense during the 2005 season. Carr, a freshman, caught 27 passes for 593 yards and a conference-leading nine touchdowns. Davis, a junior, caught more passes and recorded more receiving yards during the 2005 season than he had in both his previous seasons combined. Reid, the lone senior starting in the Florida State corps of wide receivers, played in a variety of positions on offense and held the Seminoles' team record for most punt return yardage.
The Seminoles' rushing offense was led by starting running backs Leon Washington
and Lorenzo Booker
. Booker led the team in rushing yardage, rushing attempts, rushing touchdowns, and average yards per game. Washington was the tenth-ranked rusher in Florida State history in terms of rushing yardage.
On the field, the Tech defense was captained by safety Justin Hamilton, who recorded 26 tackles and three interceptions during the 2005 season. On the defensive line, Tech's most significant defensive players were defensive end
s Chris Ellis and Darryl Tapp
. Tapp, an All-ACC selection, recorded 41 tackles (including nine sack
s), three forced fumble
s, and a blocked field goal
. Ellis recorded defensive MVP honors for the Hokies' first-ranked defense. At linebacker
, the Hokies started Vince Hall
and Xavier Adibi
. Hall, a second-team All-ACC performer, led the team in tackles and returned a fumble and an interception for a touchdown during the regular season. Adibi recorded 61 tackles during the season, having recovered from a torn muscle suffered during the 2004 season
.
. Also on the defensive line was defensive end Kamerion Wimbley, who was among the ACC's leaders in recorded sack
s. At linebacker, the Seminoles had A.J. Nicholson, who was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, traditionally given to the best linebacker in college football.
By the end of the 2005 season, the Seminoles recorded five blocked kicks, 12 interceptions, and more than 1,000 tackles. The Seminoles finished the season ranked 12th in rushing defense and 14th in total defense.
The 2005 ACC Championship Game kicked off in Jacksonville, Florida at 8:11 p.m. on December 3, 2005. The game was televised on ABC in the United States, and earned a Nielsen rating
of 5.1, higher than that of either the Big 12 Championship Game or the Southeastern Conference Championship Game
. Brent Musberger, Jack Arute
, and Gary Danielson
were the broadcasters for the game. At kickoff, the weather was mostly cloudy with an air temperature of 67 °F (19.4 °C) degrees. Approximately 72,429 fans were present at the game, but more than 75,000 tickets had been sold. Virginia Tech won the pre-game coin toss, but elected to defer its choice to the second half, forcing Florida State to have the ball on offense to begin the game.
to its 19-yard line. In his opening drive, Seminoles quarterback
Drew Weatherford completed several long passes, including a long 37-yard strike from his own 48-yard line to drive the Seminoles' offense inside the Virginia Tech red zone. Once there, however, the Florida State offense began to struggle with the Virginia Tech defense, which had recovered somewhat from the initial shock of Weatherford's offensive success. On the three plays that followed Weatherford's 37-yard pass, Florida State managed only six positive yards, but this total was largely negated by a five-yard false start
penalty that pushed FSU's offense backward. Facing a fourth down, Florida State coach Bobby Bowden
sent in kicker Gary Cismesia to attempt a 31-yard field goal
. The kick was successful, and the three points gave Florida State an early 3–0 lead with 11:06 remaining in the quarter.
Virginia Tech's first possession of the game began at its 15-yard line after the Florida State kickoff. Hokie quarterback Marcus Vick
completed his first pass of the game, a nine-yard toss to Eddie Royal, and the Hokies picked up a first down on the next play. From there, however, things began to go downhill for the Virginia Tech offense. Vick was sacked
on the next play, running back Cedric Humes was tackled for a five-yard loss, and the Hokies committed a five-yard false start penalty. The miscues prevented Virginia Tech from gaining another first down, and the Hokies were forced to punt
the ball away. Florida State recovered the kick at the 50-yard line and began its second offensive possession of the game. Although Weatherford completed his first pass of the drive, both subsequent passes fell incomplete
. The Seminoles punted the ball back to Virginia Tech, and the kick rolled into the end zone for a touchback
.
The Florida State touchback allowed Vick to start at his 20-yard line for Virginia Tech's second possession of the game. The possession began no better than the first one, as Virginia Tech committed a 10-yard holding penalty on the first play. On subsequent plays, however, the Hokie offense began to move the ball with success. Vick completed a 12-yard pass to wide receiver
Eddie Royal, and the offense was aided by a 15-yard Florida State penalty, which gave the Hokies an automatic first down. Following the first down, Vick completed the first big Virginia Tech play of the game, throwing the ball 35 yards downfield to Justin Harper, who caught it in Florida State territory. Two more plays pushed Virginia Tech to the edge of the Florida State red zone, but a penalty and another sack prevented the Hokies from advancing the ball further. Virginia Tech was forced to send in kicker Brandon Pace to attempt a 45-yard field goal. The kick was good, and Virginia Tech had tied the game 3–3 with 1:00 remaining in the quarter.
After receiving the post-field goal kickoff, the Florida State offense began another drive. After an incomplete pass and a short rush, Weatherford completed a 12-yard pass for a first down as time expired in the quarter. After 15 minutes of play, the score was tied 3–3, but Drew Weatherford had begun driving Florida State offense down the field.
Following the punt, the two teams continued to trade possessions throughout the quarter. Defense dominated, and what few big plays occurred were either neutralized by penalties or stopped by incomplete passes or rushes for no gain. In the second quarter, Virginia Tech punted the ball twice and turned the ball over on downs once. Florida State punted the ball three times and had the ball when time ran out in the quarter. Neither team managed to score, and only twice did either team manage to penetrate into the opponent's territory. At halftime, the score remained tied, 3–3.
After the kickoff, the Hokie offense continued the lethargy that had characterized its play in the first half, as Mike Imoh was stopped for no or little gain on consecutive plays before the Hokies were called for a five-yard illegal procedure penalty. On the next play, Florida State capitalized on the momentum it had gained with Reid's punt-return touchdown as defender Pat Watkins intercepted Marcus Vick's pass, returning it to the FSU 44-yard line. Drew Weatherford and the Seminole offense, with the game's momentum firmly in their favor, wasted no time expanding their lead. Weatherford completed a 6-yard pass, then a 21-yard one, and was aided by a 15-yard facemask
penalty against Virginia Tech. Deep inside Virginia Tech territory, the third play of the drive was a 14-yard touchdown rush by Leon Washington. The speed of the drive, after a nearly scoreless first half, frustrated the Virginia Tech defense, which committed a 15-yard personal foul after the touchdown. The scoring drive had taken just three plays and 54 seconds, and gave Florida State a 17–3 lead with 10:23 remaining in the quarter.
Their frustration clearly apparent, the Virginia Tech offense fared no better on their next possession. Two plays were stopped for no gain, and the only positive play—a five-yard pass to Eddie Royal—was negated by a false start penalty. The Hokies were again forced to punt the ball away to Florida State, their fifth of the game. The punt allowed FSU to start at their own 46-yard line, and at first, the Seminoles were able to capitalize on that opportunity, showing some of the effectiveness that characterized their prior drive. Lorenzo Booker ran for 24 yards on two plays, but afterwards, Drew Weatherford threw two incompletions. A false start penalty backed up the Seminoles, who were forced to punt after failing to pick up the first down. The kick was an excellent one, and Florida State's special teams were able to get downfield and stop the ball inside the Virginia Tech one-yard line, again hurting the Hokie offense.
Though hampered by the need to work inside his own end zone, Marcus Vick completed an 11-yard pass to tight end Jeff King for a first down. The play was the sole positive gain for the VT offense, however, and Virginia Tech was forced into its sixth punt of the game. The kick was a poor one, and traveled only 28 yards before flying out of bounds. Thanks to the bad kick, Weatherford was able to start his offense inside Virginia Tech territory, and took advantage of the situation. On the first play after the punt, Weatherford completed a 41-yard throw downfield to Willie Reid, who hauled in the ball at the Virginia Tech three-yard line to give the Seminoles a first and goal. After a failed quarterback sneak, however, Florida State was penalized 10 yards for holding and Weatherford was sacked for a loss of three yards on the next play. Although unable to cross the goal line for a touchdown, FSU did send in kicker Gary Cismesia for his second field goal attempt of the day. The kick, a 41-yarder, was good and gave Florida State a 20–3 lead with 4:23 remaining in the third quarter.
Following the kickoff, Virginia Tech's offense took the field badly needing to cut down Florida State's lead in order to allow enough time for a fourth-quarter comeback. This was not to be, however, as on the sixth play of the drive, wide receiver David Clowney fumbled the ball after catching a three-yard pass from Marcus Vick. The ball was successfully recovered by Florida State's Broderick Bunkley, thus giving Florida State another excellent chance to score from deep inside Virginia Tech territory. On the second play after the fumble, quarterback Drew Weatherford connected on a 22-yard strike to Greg Carr to drive inside the Virginia Tech 10-yard line. A five-yard facemask penalty against Virginia Tech only added to the Hokies' defensive problems, and two plays later, Weatherford capped the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Chris Davis, expanding the Florida State lead to 27–3 with just 18 seconds remaining in the quarter.
At the end of the third quarter, any hope of victory was seemingly out of reach for Virginia Tech. Three quick plays after the kickoff resulted in a first down before time ran out, but at the end of the third quarter, Florida State still had a 27–3 lead.
Virginia Tech began the fourth quarter in possession of the ball and with a first down, but trailing by 24 points and virtually out of the game. The first two plays of the fourth quarter were similar to what the Tech offense had shown all game: an incomplete pass and a rush for no yards. On the third play, however, Florida State was penalized 15 yards for having too many players on the field, and Virginia Tech was awarded an automatic first down. The penalty allowed the Hokie offense to continue its drive, and Marcus Vick scrambled for 16 yards on the next play, then threw a 28-yard pass to wide receiver Josh Morgan, who broke free for a touchdown. The score was Virginia Tech's first touchdown of the game, and came with 13:03 remaining in the game. Following the touchdown, the Hokies attempted a two-point conversion
, but Vick's pass fell short and the conversion attempt failed. The score cut the Florida State lead to 27–9, but this was still a large margin for the amount of time remaining in the game.
Florida State received the post-score kickoff merely needing to run down the clock
to secure its lead and the win. Two complete passes set up a third-and-two for Drew Weatherford, but his third-down pass fell short, stopping the clock and forcing a Florida State punt. Only a minute and a half had run off the clock, and Virginia Tech recovered the punt at its 22-yard line. On the second play after the punt, Florida State committed a pass interference
penalty that gave Virginia Tech 15 automatic yards and a first down. As in the previous drive, the penalty kick-started the Virginia Tech offense. On the next play, Vick connected with Josh Morgan on a 50-yard pass—the longest offensive play of the game—that drove the Hokies to the Florida State nine-yard line. After that, a Florida State holding penalty gave Virginia Tech a first-and-goal from inside the FSU five-yard line. Marcus Vick scrambled four yards for the touchdown, and what had been a 24-point Seminole lead was now cut to 11 points. The drive had taken just 55 seconds off the clock, and it appeared that Virginia Tech still had a chance to make it a close game. As before, Virginia Tech attempted a two-point conversion, and as before, it failed. With 10:50 remaining in the game, the score was now Florida State 27, Virginia Tech 15.
Florida State began work at its 30-yard line, again needing to just run down the clock to ensure victory. As before, however, Drew Weatherford took to the air, throwing a two-yard pass. Two rushing plays followed, but were stopped for little gain. Florida State again went three-and-out and had to punt. Two and a half minutes had been run off the clock, and Virginia Tech took over at its own 30-yard line after a seven-yard kick return. Unlike the two previous drives, however, Virginia Tech had almost no success on offense. A 10-yard holding penalty pushed the Hokie offense back to start the drive, and quarterback Marcus Vick was sacked for a loss to finish off the Tech possession. VT was forced to punt the ball back to Florida State, which took over at its 43-yard line with 6:21 remaining.
By this point in the game, Florida State was fully committed to running down the clock and executed three straight rushing plays to keep the time running out. Virginia Tech was forced to use two of its timeouts to stop the clock, but was eventually successful in forcing a Seminole punt. The kick rolled inside the Virginia Tech 10-yard line before being downed, pinning the Hokies deep in their territory. The first play of Tech's drive was almost a disaster for Virginia Tech, as Marcus Vick fumble
d the ball while attempting to avoid a sack. Fortunately for the Hokies, the ball was leapt on by Tech's Duane Brown and the drive stayed alive. Virginia Tech moved the ball downfield through the air with difficulty. Due to the limited time remaining, Virginia Tech was forced to rely mainly on passing plays, which stopped the clock when incomplete or were completed for a first down. A 14-yard pass to Josh Morgan and a 10-yard throw to Cedric Humes moved the Hokies to their 47-yard line. Vick then completed a 19-yard pass to Jeff King and Florida State committed a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty on Marcus Vick, which was tacked on to the end of the play. After the penalty, Virginia Tech's offense was deep in Florida State territory, and two plays later, Marcus Vick ran into the end zone on a one-yard quarterback scramble. Rather than attempt another two-point conversion, the Hokies kicked the extra point, and with 1:44 remaining, Virginia Tech had closed the gap to 27–22.
In a situation with more time, Virginia Tech would have kicked the ball off to Florida State and hoped for a defensive stop to give the offense a chance for a game-winning drive. With less than two minutes remaining, however, and with Virginia Tech having used all its timeouts, the only chance for the Hokies was to attempt a difficult onside kick
. A successful recovery would give the Hokies another chance on offense. Kicker Brandon Pace teed up the ball, and kicked it forwards, bouncing the ball high into the air to create a jump ball
situation. Virginia Tech's Xavier Adibi recovered the ball, but because the kick had only traveled nine yards before the recovery, the ball was awarded to Florida State. NCAA rules state that an onside kick must travel at least 10 yards before the kicking team can legally touch the ball, and Pace's kick had not traveled the requisite distance.
Having recovered the ball, and with Virginia Tech having no remaining timeouts and no way to stop the clock, Florida State was able to run out the remaining time in the game and secure a 27–22 victory. Towards the end of the game, players on each team acted with hostility towards each other, and several received personal foul penalties. The penalties had no effect on the final outcome of the game, and Florida State won the ACC Championship Game and an automatic bid to the 2006 Orange Bowl
.
. Weatherford finished the game having completed 21 of his 35 passes for 225 yards and one touchdown. Weatherford would eventually finish the season with 3,180 passing yards, the most ever recorded by a freshman quarterback in the ACC. On the opposite side of the ball, Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick finished the game 26 for 52 with 335 yards, one interception, and one touchdown. Although Vick was slightly better statistically than Weatherford and the Hokies were more statistically successful on offense thanks to Vick, the Most Valuable Player award is not usually given to a player on the losing team.
Virginia Tech turned the ball over twice—once on a fumble
and once on an interception. The two turnovers resulted in two touchdowns for Florida State, and the resulting 14 points were greater than Florida State's margin of victory. The Seminoles did not turn the ball over during the game. Both teams were highly penalized during the game. Virginia Tech finished with 17 penalties for 143 yards, while Florida State was penalized 12 times for 114 yards. The penalties affected each team's ability to convert third downs, as Virginia Tech was only able to convert 9 of 20 third-down attempts, while Florida State was successful on just 3 of its 13 attempts. Despite trailing for much of the game and running a pass-heavy offense, Virginia Tech dominated the game's time of possession, controlling the ball for over 35 of the game's 60 minutes.
bids across the Atlantic Coast Conference and lasting repercussions during the football season that followed the game.
, where college football's two winningest coaches, Penn State's 78-year-old Joe Paterno
and Florida State's 76-year-old Bobby Bowden
, squared off.
Virginia Tech accepted a bid to the 2006 Gator Bowl, which was also played in Jacksonville
, albeit a month later than the ACC Championship Game. The Gator Bowl Committee selected the Hokies over Miami
due to Virginia Tech's reputation for having a large fan base that traveled well. Virginia Tech's selection bumped Miami to the 2005 Peach Bowl, while the Virginia Cavaliers
were selected for the Music City Bowl
and the Clemson Tigers
earned a bid to the Champs Sports Bowl
.
In the off-season following the ACC Championship Game and Florida State's selection by the Orange Bowl, the Orange Bowl committee announced it would be entering into an exclusive contract with the ACC to grant the winner of the ACC Championship Game an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl unless it was ranked high enough in the Bowl Championship Series
standings to play in the BCS National Championship Game
.
stormed off the field, refusing to talk to reporters. Vick, who picked up a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty late in the game, also earned several unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the 2006 Gator Bowl, where post-game replays revealed that he purposefully stomped on the leg of Louisville Cardinals' defensive end
Elvis Dumervil
. Vick claimed he apologized to Dumervil after the game, but Dumervil stated that no apology had been made. In the wake of the incident, Virginia Tech officials announced that they would be conducting a review of Vick's conduct on and off the field.
On January 6, 2006, just a few days after that game, Virginia Tech officials dismissed Vick from the Virginia Tech football team, citing a December 17 traffic stop
in which Vick was cited for speeding and driving with a revoked or suspended license. Vick had hidden the information from the team and the infraction was not discovered until January. The traffic stop, an earlier suspension from the team, and his unsportsmanlike conduct during the 2005 ACC Championship Game and 2006 Gator Bowl were used as grounds for his dismissal.
Other Conference Championship Games
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
contest at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
between the Virginia Tech Hokies
2005 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2005 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season...
and the Florida State Seminoles
2005 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2005 Florida State Seminoles football team won the 2005 ACC Championship Game over the Virginia Tech Hokies by a score of 27-22. With the victory, they were a selection to go to the 2006 Orange Bowl as the ACC representative in the BCS.-Schedule:...
. The game decided the winner of the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
football championship. Florida State University (FSU) defeated Virginia Tech 27–22 in a game characterized by penalties, defense, and a fourth-quarter comeback attempt by Virginia Tech. The game was the final contest of the regular season
2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football...
for the two teams, as bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
s are not considered part of the regular season. In addition, the contest marked the inaugural championship game for the recently expanded conference.
Virginia Tech entered the 2005 season
2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football...
having won the 2004 ACC Championship, the last to be awarded without playing a championship game at the end of the season. Tech won its first eight games and appeared to be on course to have an untroubled run to the ACC Championship Game. But against the fifth-ranked Miami Hurricanes
2005 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2005 Miami Hurricanes football team began the 2005 season ranked #8/9 after a 9-3 campaign in 2004 that ended with a 27-10 win over rival Florida in the 2005 Peach Bowl.-Season:...
, Tech suffered its first defeat of the season, losing 27–7 on November 5. Because each team had one ACC loss (Miami had previously lost to Florida State) and the Hurricanes had the tie-breaking head-to-head win, Miami had the lead in the Coastal Division. But Miami later lost a second ACC game to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
2005 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2005 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2005-2006. The team's coach is former Dallas Cowboys, Samford Bulldogs, and Troy Trojans coach Chan Gailey...
, and the Hurricanes were knocked out of contention for the Coastal Division title in favor of the Hokies, who lost only to Miami.
Florida State earned its bid to the ACC Championship game by fighting through an Atlantic Division schedule that included several nationally-ranked teams. After defeating ninth-ranked Miami in their opening contest, the Seminoles won their next four games before losing at Virginia
2005 Virginia Cavaliers football team
The 2005 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia in the 2005 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's coach was coach Al Groh. They played their home games at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.- Schedule :...
in a close match. Additional losses to North Carolina State
2005 NC State Wolfpack football team
The 2005 NC State Wolfpack football team represented North Carolina State University during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's Head Coach was Chuck Amato. N.C. State has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since the league's inception in 1953, and participated in...
and Clemson
2005 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2005 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tommy Bowden and played their homes game at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.-Season:...
at the end of the season almost eliminated the Seminoles from contention for a spot in the championship game, but losses by Clemson and the other Atlantic Division leaders gave the Seminoles a second chance and set up an ACC Championship game between Florida State and Virginia Tech. The two teams had previously played in the 2000 National Championship Game
2000 Sugar Bowl
The 2000 Sugar Bowl was the designated Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game for the United States 1999 college football season and was played on January 4, 2000, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana...
, and the rematch served as a point of public interest.
The first two quarters of the game were characterized by defense and penalties that stifled both teams' offenses. In the second half, Florida State took advantage of a punt return for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
to begin a third-quarter surge. Although Virginia Tech made a late-game comeback, Florida State ran out the clock
Running out the clock
In sports, running out the clock refers to the practice of a winning team allowing the clock to expire through a series of pre-selected plays, either to preserve a lead or hasten the end of a one-sided contest.- American football :...
and secured a 27–22 victory. Florida State's win earned it the 2005 ACC Championship and a bid to the 2006 Orange Bowl
2006 Orange Bowl
The 2006 Orange Bowl, a 2005-2006 BCS game, was played on January 3, 2006. This 72nd edition to the Orange Bowl featured the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Florida State Seminoles....
against Penn State
2005 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2005 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2005–2006 college football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno...
. Virginia Tech was awarded a bid to the 2006 Gator Bowl
2006 Gator Bowl
The 2006 Gator Bowl was a college football bowl game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Virginia Tech Hokies at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on January 2, 2006. The game was the final contest of the 2005 football season for each team and resulted in a 35–24 Virginia Tech...
against Louisville
2005 Louisville Cardinals football team
The 2005 Louisville Cardinals football team represented the University of Louisville in the 2005 college football season. The team, led by Bobby Petrino in his third year at the school, played their home games in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium...
. Following that game, Tech quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Marcus Vick
Marcus Vick
Marcus Vick is a former college and professional football player. He is the younger brother of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who also began playing high school football in Newport News Public Schools. After accepting a full scholarship to attend Virginia Tech, Marcus played...
was released from the team due to repeated violations of team rules and several legal infractions.
Selection process
The ACC Championship GameACC Championship Game
The Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game is an American college football game held on the first Saturday in December by the Atlantic Coast Conference each year to determine its football champion. The game pits the champion of the Coastal Division against the champion of the Atlantic Division in a game...
traditionally matches the winner of the Coastal and Atlantic Divisions of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Prior to 2005, no championship game existed. The idea for a championship game originated with the league's 2004 expansion, which added former Big East members Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
, Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
, and (in 2005) Boston College
Boston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
. A request to the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
by conference officials to hold a championship game following the 2004 season was rejected because the ACC lacked the requisite 12 teams, and so the league's first championship game had to wait until after Boston College's addition, which had been delayed at the school's request. With the addition of Boston College, the ACC consisted of 12 teams, allowing it to hold a conference championship game under NCAA rules. Before the start of the 2005 season, both Virginia Tech and Florida State were picked as pre-season favorites to play in the championship game in an annual poll conducted by members of the media who cover the ACC.
Virginia Tech
2005 NC State Wolfpack football team
The 2005 NC State Wolfpack football team represented North Carolina State University during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's Head Coach was Chuck Amato. N.C. State has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since the league's inception in 1953, and participated in...
. It was a close-fought game, but quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Marcus Vick
Marcus Vick
Marcus Vick is a former college and professional football player. He is the younger brother of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who also began playing high school football in Newport News Public Schools. After accepting a full scholarship to attend Virginia Tech, Marcus played...
threw a game-winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter and the defense slowed a late NC State rally as Virginia Tech earned a 20–16 win. Following the close call against NC State, the Hokies blew out
Blowout (sports)
A blowout is an easy or one-sided victory. It occurs when one athletic team or individual performer outscores another by a large margin or in such a fashion that allows the second team or individual little chance of a victory from a point early in a competition, game, contest or event...
their next several opponents. Virginia Tech defeated Duke
2005 Duke Blue Devils football team
The 2005 Duke Blue Devils football team represented the Duke University in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was led by head coach Ted Roof. They played their homes games at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.-Schedule:...
and by scores of 45–0 each. The Virginia Tech defense held Duke's offense to just 35 total yards
Total offense
Total offense is an American football and Canadian football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player...
, an NCAA record. Following those victories, Tech hosted 15th-ranked Georgia Tech
2005 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2005 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2005-2006. The team's coach is former Dallas Cowboys, Samford Bulldogs, and Troy Trojans coach Chan Gailey...
, beating the Yellow Jackets by a score of 51–7. Tech's defensive success in those games was typical of the season as Virginia Tech won the first eight games of its season.
In their ninth game, however, third-ranked Virginia Tech suffered its first loss. On a Thursday night game at home, the Hokies lost 27–7 to the fifth-ranked Miami Hurricanes
2005 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2005 Miami Hurricanes football team began the 2005 season ranked #8/9 after a 9-3 campaign in 2004 that ended with a 27-10 win over rival Florida in the 2005 Peach Bowl.-Season:...
. Normally, a loss to the division-rival Hurricanes would have knocked the Hokies out of contention for the ACC Championship Game, as Miami had the tie-breaking head-to-head victory and was expected to win the remainder of its games. But because Virginia Tech won the rest of its games and the Hurricanes lost two ACC contests, (Virginia Tech's only ACC loss was to Miami) the Hokies won the Coastal Division championship and qualified for the championship game over Miami.
Florida State
The Seminoles, like Virginia Tech, were picked as pre-season favorites to win their division. Florida State opened its 2005 season against traditional rival Miami2005 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2005 Miami Hurricanes football team began the 2005 season ranked #8/9 after a 9-3 campaign in 2004 that ended with a 27-10 win over rival Florida in the 2005 Peach Bowl.-Season:...
, ranked ninth in the country. In a defensive struggle, Florida State managed to upset the favored Hurricanes, 10–7. Following the victory, Florida State went on a four-game winning streak, defeating , Boston College, Wake Forest, and en route to a 5–0 record.
In the Seminoles' sixth game of the season, they traveled to Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
to face the Virginia Cavaliers
2005 Virginia Cavaliers football team
The 2005 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia in the 2005 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's coach was coach Al Groh. They played their home games at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.- Schedule :...
. In a hard-fought game, the Seminoles lost, 26–21, earning their first loss of the season. After winning their next two games, Florida State lost to NC State, Clemson
2005 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2005 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tommy Bowden and played their homes game at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.-Season:...
, and 19th-ranked Florida
2005 Florida Gators football team
The 2005 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2005 college football season...
, the first time they had three consecutive losses since 1983. Florida State ended the regular season with a conference record of 5–3, but because one of those losses had been against a Coastal Division opponent, Florida State finished with the best Atlantic Division record and was named that division's representative to the ACC Championship Game.
Pre-game buildup
Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick was predicted to be the key player for the favored Virginia Tech Hokies in pregame discussion. Vick had led the Hokies to a fifth place national ranking and an offense that earned 610 rushing yardsRush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
in the final two games of the regular season. Off the field, the matchup between head coaches also was a point of interest. At the time, Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
was the winningest active head coach in college football, while Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer
Frank Beamer
Frank Beamer is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University , a position he has held since 1987. From 1981 to 1986, Beamer served as the head coach at Murray State University...
was the third-winningest. Beamer had never defeated Bowden in a game. Before the game, Beamer was named the ACC's 2005 Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year.
In addition, the game was a rematch of the 2000 BCS National Championship Game. In that game, held in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, Florida State defeated Virginia Tech 46–29 despite the performance of Hokie quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
, who would later be selected as the first overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
. Vick's brother, Marcus, would be the Hokies' starter at quarterback for the 2005 ACC Championship Game.
Virginia Tech
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
for 1,855 yards, 14 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s and nine interceptions in the 2005 season leading up to the ACC Championship. Vick also ran for four touchdowns during the season and earned first-team All-ACC honors. Receiving Vick's passes were a number of wide receivers and tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
s. Tight end Jeff King
Jeff King (American football)
Jeffery "Jeff" W. King is an American football tight end in the National Football League with the Arizona Cardinals. He played college football and basketball for Virginia Tech.-Football:...
, a second-team All-ACC selection, had 20 receptions for 230 yards and five touchdowns for the season before the ACC Championship. Wide receivers Eddie Royal
Eddie Royal
William Edward "Eddie" Royal is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League...
and David Clowney
David Clowney
David Cortez Clowney IV is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech....
also had statistically significant seasons heading into the conference championship. Royal had 21 catches
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
for 271 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season, while Clowney had 28 catches for 515 yards and three touchdowns.
Virginia Tech's rushing offense was led by several different running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
s: Mike Imoh
Mike Imoh
Mike Imoh is a running back free agent. In college, Imoh played wide receiver and tailback for the Virginia Tech Hokies football team. Prior to coming to Tech, he played for Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax, Virginia.-College career:Imoh, a former high school tailback, moved to receiver in his...
, Branden Ore, and Cedric Humes
Cedric Humes
Cedric Akeem Humes is an American football running back who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the last round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Steelers placed Humes on the practice squad/injured reserve list, ending his season. He attended Virginia Tech and was instrumental in their 2005 ACC...
. In 2005, Hokie running back Cedric Humes had accumulated a career-high 134 yards and two touchdowns against North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
in the Hokies' final regular-season game. Backup running back Branden Ore ran for 104 yards and a touchdown on 17 attempts, the second time in as many games that Humes and Ore ran for 100 yards or more in the same game. The Hokies ran 31 times in the second half and threw only two passes. A similar running game was predicted for the ACC Championship Game. Imoh, meanwhile, was limited by an ankle injury suffered during the course of the season. Heading into the conference championship game, he had rushed
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
for 415 yards and three touchdowns.
Florida State
The day before the game, Florida State centerCenter (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
David Castillo was named to the ESPN the Magazine
ESPN The Magazine
ESPN The Magazine is a bi-weekly sports magazine published by the ESPN sports network in Bristol, Connecticut in the United States. The first issue was published on March 11, 1998....
Academic All-America Second Team, which recognizes college football players who have achieved academic success. Writers and staffers at the magazine vote on a list of players, which is separated into "teams" based on position and performance. Castillo, who was a key component of the Seminoles' offensive line, was also a finalist for the Draddy Trophy
Draddy Trophy
The William V. Campbell trophy, formerly the Vincent dePaul Draddy Trophy, is a trophy awarded by the National Football Foundation that is given to the American college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance...
, informally known as the "academic Heisman
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
".
FSU quarterback Drew Weatherford
Drew Weatherford
Andrew Skillern Weatherford is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Florida State University.-High school career:...
recorded a statistically impressive year and was the top freshman quarterback in the nation in terms of passing yardage and passing touchdowns. Wide receivers Willie Reid, Greg Carr and Chris Davis were the primary beneficiaries of Weatherford's passing offense during the 2005 season. Carr, a freshman, caught 27 passes for 593 yards and a conference-leading nine touchdowns. Davis, a junior, caught more passes and recorded more receiving yards during the 2005 season than he had in both his previous seasons combined. Reid, the lone senior starting in the Florida State corps of wide receivers, played in a variety of positions on offense and held the Seminoles' team record for most punt return yardage.
The Seminoles' rushing offense was led by starting running backs Leon Washington
Leon Washington
Leon Washington is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State. He is married to Charity Washington with whom he has a son...
and Lorenzo Booker
Lorenzo Booker
Lorenzo Booker is an American football running back for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State....
. Booker led the team in rushing yardage, rushing attempts, rushing touchdowns, and average yards per game. Washington was the tenth-ranked rusher in Florida State history in terms of rushing yardage.
Virginia Tech
Heading into the ACC Championship game, the Virginia Tech defense was ranked first in the nation for total defense and scoring defense. In pass defense, the Hokies were second in the nation, allowing an average of just 88.38 yards a game. ACC rival Miami was first, allowing just 84.57 yards per game on average.On the field, the Tech defense was captained by safety Justin Hamilton, who recorded 26 tackles and three interceptions during the 2005 season. On the defensive line, Tech's most significant defensive players were defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
s Chris Ellis and Darryl Tapp
Darryl Tapp
-Seattle Seahawks:Tapp was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Tapp was a special teamer and part of the Seahawks' DE rotation. He recorded 33 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, one interception, and one defensive touchdown...
. Tapp, an All-ACC selection, recorded 41 tackles (including nine sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s), three forced fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
s, and a blocked field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
. Ellis recorded defensive MVP honors for the Hokies' first-ranked defense. At linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, the Hokies started Vince Hall
Vince Hall
Vincent Larry Hall is an American football linebacker who is currently playing for the Richmond Revolution of the Indoor Football League. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
and Xavier Adibi
Xavier Adibi
Xavier Oyekola Adibi is an American football linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
. Hall, a second-team All-ACC performer, led the team in tackles and returned a fumble and an interception for a touchdown during the regular season. Adibi recorded 61 tackles during the season, having recovered from a torn muscle suffered during the 2004 season
2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football team won the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in its inaugural year in the conference, running off a streak of eight straight wins to end the regular season after a 2-2 start. Tech finished 10th in the final Associated Press poll with a 10-3 record...
.
Florida State
On defense, the Seminoles were led on the defensive line by nose guard Brodrick Bunkley, who ranked among Florida State's historical leaders in tackles for lossTackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
. Also on the defensive line was defensive end Kamerion Wimbley, who was among the ACC's leaders in recorded sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s. At linebacker, the Seminoles had A.J. Nicholson, who was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, traditionally given to the best linebacker in college football.
By the end of the 2005 season, the Seminoles recorded five blocked kicks, 12 interceptions, and more than 1,000 tackles. The Seminoles finished the season ranked 12th in rushing defense and 14th in total defense.
Game summary
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
of 5.1, higher than that of either the Big 12 Championship Game or the Southeastern Conference Championship Game
SEC Championship Game
The SEC Championship Game refers to the game determining the Southeastern Conference's football season champion. The championship game pits the SEC Western Division representative against the Eastern Division representative in a game held after the regular season has been completed. Thus far, nine...
. Brent Musberger, Jack Arute
Jack Arute
Jack Arute, Jr. currently covers the NFL and college sports for Sirius XM Radio. He is the president of the Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut...
, and Gary Danielson
Gary Danielson
Gary Danielson is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League . He played for the Detroit Lions from 1976 to 1984 and for the Cleveland Browns in 1985, 1987, and 1988...
were the broadcasters for the game. At kickoff, the weather was mostly cloudy with an air temperature of 67 °F (19.4 °C) degrees. Approximately 72,429 fans were present at the game, but more than 75,000 tickets had been sold. Virginia Tech won the pre-game coin toss, but elected to defer its choice to the second half, forcing Florida State to have the ball on offense to begin the game.
First quarter
Florida State received the ball to begin the game, and returned the opening kickoffKickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
to its 19-yard line. In his opening drive, Seminoles quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Drew Weatherford completed several long passes, including a long 37-yard strike from his own 48-yard line to drive the Seminoles' offense inside the Virginia Tech red zone. Once there, however, the Florida State offense began to struggle with the Virginia Tech defense, which had recovered somewhat from the initial shock of Weatherford's offensive success. On the three plays that followed Weatherford's 37-yard pass, Florida State managed only six positive yards, but this total was largely negated by a five-yard false start
False start
In sports, a false start is a movement by a participant before being signaled or otherwise permitted by the rules to start...
penalty that pushed FSU's offense backward. Facing a fourth down, Florida State coach Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
sent in kicker Gary Cismesia to attempt a 31-yard field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
. The kick was successful, and the three points gave Florida State an early 3–0 lead with 11:06 remaining in the quarter.
Virginia Tech's first possession of the game began at its 15-yard line after the Florida State kickoff. Hokie quarterback Marcus Vick
Marcus Vick
Marcus Vick is a former college and professional football player. He is the younger brother of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who also began playing high school football in Newport News Public Schools. After accepting a full scholarship to attend Virginia Tech, Marcus played...
completed his first pass of the game, a nine-yard toss to Eddie Royal, and the Hokies picked up a first down on the next play. From there, however, things began to go downhill for the Virginia Tech offense. Vick was sacked
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
on the next play, running back Cedric Humes was tackled for a five-yard loss, and the Hokies committed a five-yard false start penalty. The miscues prevented Virginia Tech from gaining another first down, and the Hokies were forced to punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
the ball away. Florida State recovered the kick at the 50-yard line and began its second offensive possession of the game. Although Weatherford completed his first pass of the drive, both subsequent passes fell incomplete
Incomplete pass
An incomplete pass is a term in American football which means that a legal forward pass hits the ground before a player on either team gains possession. For example, if the quarterback throws the ball to one of his wide receivers, and the receiver either does not touch it or tries to catch it...
. The Seminoles punted the ball back to Virginia Tech, and the kick rolled into the end zone for a touchback
Touchback
In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead behind or above a goal line and the team who is attacking that goal line is responsible for the ball being there. Responsibility is determined by which team gave the ball the impetus...
.
The Florida State touchback allowed Vick to start at his 20-yard line for Virginia Tech's second possession of the game. The possession began no better than the first one, as Virginia Tech committed a 10-yard holding penalty on the first play. On subsequent plays, however, the Hokie offense began to move the ball with success. Vick completed a 12-yard pass to wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Eddie Royal, and the offense was aided by a 15-yard Florida State penalty, which gave the Hokies an automatic first down. Following the first down, Vick completed the first big Virginia Tech play of the game, throwing the ball 35 yards downfield to Justin Harper, who caught it in Florida State territory. Two more plays pushed Virginia Tech to the edge of the Florida State red zone, but a penalty and another sack prevented the Hokies from advancing the ball further. Virginia Tech was forced to send in kicker Brandon Pace to attempt a 45-yard field goal. The kick was good, and Virginia Tech had tied the game 3–3 with 1:00 remaining in the quarter.
After receiving the post-field goal kickoff, the Florida State offense began another drive. After an incomplete pass and a short rush, Weatherford completed a 12-yard pass for a first down as time expired in the quarter. After 15 minutes of play, the score was tied 3–3, but Drew Weatherford had begun driving Florida State offense down the field.
Second quarter
Having earned a first down with the final play of the first quarter, Drew Weatherford and the Florida State offense ran into difficulty as the second quarter began. An incomplete pass and a rush for no gain were followed by a false start penalty and another incomplete pass, and Florida State was forced to punt. Virginia Tech recovered the ball at its 26-yard line, but failed to capitalize on the defensive stop. Marcus Vick threw two incomplete passes and was sacked before Virginia Tech was forced into a punt.Following the punt, the two teams continued to trade possessions throughout the quarter. Defense dominated, and what few big plays occurred were either neutralized by penalties or stopped by incomplete passes or rushes for no gain. In the second quarter, Virginia Tech punted the ball twice and turned the ball over on downs once. Florida State punted the ball three times and had the ball when time ran out in the quarter. Neither team managed to score, and only twice did either team manage to penetrate into the opponent's territory. At halftime, the score remained tied, 3–3.
Third quarter
Because Florida State had received the game's opening kickoff, Virginia Tech received the ball to begin the second half. As in the first half, however, the Virginia Tech offense failed to advance the ball in any meaningful fashion. Marcus Vick threw two incompletions and running back Cedric Humes managed a short three-yard dash. Forced to punt the ball away yet again, Virginia Tech set up the game's critical play. From his 34-yard line, punter Nic Schmitt kicked the ball 49 yards to the Seminoles' Willie Reid, who broke through the Virginia Tech special teams punt coverage for an 89-yard punt-return touchdown. Reid's return was the first touchdown of the game and the first touchdown in ACC Championship Game history. With 13:46 remaining in the third quarter, Florida State had taken a 10–3 lead.Football helmet
A football helmet is a protective device used primarily in American football and Canadian football. It consists of a hard plastic top with thick padding on the inside, a face mask made of one or more plastic bars, and a chinstrap. Some players add polycarbonate visors to their helmets, which are...
penalty against Virginia Tech. Deep inside Virginia Tech territory, the third play of the drive was a 14-yard touchdown rush by Leon Washington. The speed of the drive, after a nearly scoreless first half, frustrated the Virginia Tech defense, which committed a 15-yard personal foul after the touchdown. The scoring drive had taken just three plays and 54 seconds, and gave Florida State a 17–3 lead with 10:23 remaining in the quarter.
Their frustration clearly apparent, the Virginia Tech offense fared no better on their next possession. Two plays were stopped for no gain, and the only positive play—a five-yard pass to Eddie Royal—was negated by a false start penalty. The Hokies were again forced to punt the ball away to Florida State, their fifth of the game. The punt allowed FSU to start at their own 46-yard line, and at first, the Seminoles were able to capitalize on that opportunity, showing some of the effectiveness that characterized their prior drive. Lorenzo Booker ran for 24 yards on two plays, but afterwards, Drew Weatherford threw two incompletions. A false start penalty backed up the Seminoles, who were forced to punt after failing to pick up the first down. The kick was an excellent one, and Florida State's special teams were able to get downfield and stop the ball inside the Virginia Tech one-yard line, again hurting the Hokie offense.
Though hampered by the need to work inside his own end zone, Marcus Vick completed an 11-yard pass to tight end Jeff King for a first down. The play was the sole positive gain for the VT offense, however, and Virginia Tech was forced into its sixth punt of the game. The kick was a poor one, and traveled only 28 yards before flying out of bounds. Thanks to the bad kick, Weatherford was able to start his offense inside Virginia Tech territory, and took advantage of the situation. On the first play after the punt, Weatherford completed a 41-yard throw downfield to Willie Reid, who hauled in the ball at the Virginia Tech three-yard line to give the Seminoles a first and goal. After a failed quarterback sneak, however, Florida State was penalized 10 yards for holding and Weatherford was sacked for a loss of three yards on the next play. Although unable to cross the goal line for a touchdown, FSU did send in kicker Gary Cismesia for his second field goal attempt of the day. The kick, a 41-yarder, was good and gave Florida State a 20–3 lead with 4:23 remaining in the third quarter.
Following the kickoff, Virginia Tech's offense took the field badly needing to cut down Florida State's lead in order to allow enough time for a fourth-quarter comeback. This was not to be, however, as on the sixth play of the drive, wide receiver David Clowney fumbled the ball after catching a three-yard pass from Marcus Vick. The ball was successfully recovered by Florida State's Broderick Bunkley, thus giving Florida State another excellent chance to score from deep inside Virginia Tech territory. On the second play after the fumble, quarterback Drew Weatherford connected on a 22-yard strike to Greg Carr to drive inside the Virginia Tech 10-yard line. A five-yard facemask penalty against Virginia Tech only added to the Hokies' defensive problems, and two plays later, Weatherford capped the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Chris Davis, expanding the Florida State lead to 27–3 with just 18 seconds remaining in the quarter.
At the end of the third quarter, any hope of victory was seemingly out of reach for Virginia Tech. Three quick plays after the kickoff resulted in a first down before time ran out, but at the end of the third quarter, Florida State still had a 27–3 lead.
Fourth quarter
Two-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
, but Vick's pass fell short and the conversion attempt failed. The score cut the Florida State lead to 27–9, but this was still a large margin for the amount of time remaining in the game.
Florida State received the post-score kickoff merely needing to run down the clock
Running out the clock
In sports, running out the clock refers to the practice of a winning team allowing the clock to expire through a series of pre-selected plays, either to preserve a lead or hasten the end of a one-sided contest.- American football :...
to secure its lead and the win. Two complete passes set up a third-and-two for Drew Weatherford, but his third-down pass fell short, stopping the clock and forcing a Florida State punt. Only a minute and a half had run off the clock, and Virginia Tech recovered the punt at its 22-yard line. On the second play after the punt, Florida State committed a pass interference
Pass interference
In American and Canadian gridiron football, pass interference is a penalty that occurs when a player interferes with an eligible receiver's ability to make a fair attempt to catch a forward pass. Pass interference may include tripping, pushing, pulling, or cutting in front of the receiver or...
penalty that gave Virginia Tech 15 automatic yards and a first down. As in the previous drive, the penalty kick-started the Virginia Tech offense. On the next play, Vick connected with Josh Morgan on a 50-yard pass—the longest offensive play of the game—that drove the Hokies to the Florida State nine-yard line. After that, a Florida State holding penalty gave Virginia Tech a first-and-goal from inside the FSU five-yard line. Marcus Vick scrambled four yards for the touchdown, and what had been a 24-point Seminole lead was now cut to 11 points. The drive had taken just 55 seconds off the clock, and it appeared that Virginia Tech still had a chance to make it a close game. As before, Virginia Tech attempted a two-point conversion, and as before, it failed. With 10:50 remaining in the game, the score was now Florida State 27, Virginia Tech 15.
Florida State began work at its 30-yard line, again needing to just run down the clock to ensure victory. As before, however, Drew Weatherford took to the air, throwing a two-yard pass. Two rushing plays followed, but were stopped for little gain. Florida State again went three-and-out and had to punt. Two and a half minutes had been run off the clock, and Virginia Tech took over at its own 30-yard line after a seven-yard kick return. Unlike the two previous drives, however, Virginia Tech had almost no success on offense. A 10-yard holding penalty pushed the Hokie offense back to start the drive, and quarterback Marcus Vick was sacked for a loss to finish off the Tech possession. VT was forced to punt the ball back to Florida State, which took over at its 43-yard line with 6:21 remaining.
By this point in the game, Florida State was fully committed to running down the clock and executed three straight rushing plays to keep the time running out. Virginia Tech was forced to use two of its timeouts to stop the clock, but was eventually successful in forcing a Seminole punt. The kick rolled inside the Virginia Tech 10-yard line before being downed, pinning the Hokies deep in their territory. The first play of Tech's drive was almost a disaster for Virginia Tech, as Marcus Vick fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
d the ball while attempting to avoid a sack. Fortunately for the Hokies, the ball was leapt on by Tech's Duane Brown and the drive stayed alive. Virginia Tech moved the ball downfield through the air with difficulty. Due to the limited time remaining, Virginia Tech was forced to rely mainly on passing plays, which stopped the clock when incomplete or were completed for a first down. A 14-yard pass to Josh Morgan and a 10-yard throw to Cedric Humes moved the Hokies to their 47-yard line. Vick then completed a 19-yard pass to Jeff King and Florida State committed a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty on Marcus Vick, which was tacked on to the end of the play. After the penalty, Virginia Tech's offense was deep in Florida State territory, and two plays later, Marcus Vick ran into the end zone on a one-yard quarterback scramble. Rather than attempt another two-point conversion, the Hokies kicked the extra point, and with 1:44 remaining, Virginia Tech had closed the gap to 27–22.
In a situation with more time, Virginia Tech would have kicked the ball off to Florida State and hoped for a defensive stop to give the offense a chance for a game-winning drive. With less than two minutes remaining, however, and with Virginia Tech having used all its timeouts, the only chance for the Hokies was to attempt a difficult onside kick
Onside kick
In American and Canadian football, an onside kick is a type of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball...
. A successful recovery would give the Hokies another chance on offense. Kicker Brandon Pace teed up the ball, and kicked it forwards, bouncing the ball high into the air to create a jump ball
Jump ball
A jump ball is a method used to begin or resume play in basketball. It is similar to a face-off in ice hockey or ball-up in Australian rules football...
situation. Virginia Tech's Xavier Adibi recovered the ball, but because the kick had only traveled nine yards before the recovery, the ball was awarded to Florida State. NCAA rules state that an onside kick must travel at least 10 yards before the kicking team can legally touch the ball, and Pace's kick had not traveled the requisite distance.
Having recovered the ball, and with Virginia Tech having no remaining timeouts and no way to stop the clock, Florida State was able to run out the remaining time in the game and secure a 27–22 victory. Towards the end of the game, players on each team acted with hostility towards each other, and several received personal foul penalties. The penalties had no effect on the final outcome of the game, and Florida State won the ACC Championship Game and an automatic bid to the 2006 Orange Bowl
2006 Orange Bowl
The 2006 Orange Bowl, a 2005-2006 BCS game, was played on January 3, 2006. This 72nd edition to the Orange Bowl featured the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Florida State Seminoles....
.
Final statistics
Thanks to his performance in leading Florida State to the win, FSU quarterback Drew Weatherford was named the game's Most Valuable PlayerMost Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. Weatherford finished the game having completed 21 of his 35 passes for 225 yards and one touchdown. Weatherford would eventually finish the season with 3,180 passing yards, the most ever recorded by a freshman quarterback in the ACC. On the opposite side of the ball, Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick finished the game 26 for 52 with 335 yards, one interception, and one touchdown. Although Vick was slightly better statistically than Weatherford and the Hokies were more statistically successful on offense thanks to Vick, the Most Valuable Player award is not usually given to a player on the losing team.
Virginia Tech turned the ball over twice—once on a fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
and once on an interception. The two turnovers resulted in two touchdowns for Florida State, and the resulting 14 points were greater than Florida State's margin of victory. The Seminoles did not turn the ball over during the game. Both teams were highly penalized during the game. Virginia Tech finished with 17 penalties for 143 yards, while Florida State was penalized 12 times for 114 yards. The penalties affected each team's ability to convert third downs, as Virginia Tech was only able to convert 9 of 20 third-down attempts, while Florida State was successful on just 3 of its 13 attempts. Despite trailing for much of the game and running a pass-heavy offense, Virginia Tech dominated the game's time of possession, controlling the ball for over 35 of the game's 60 minutes.
Post-game effects
Florida State's 27–22 victory over Virginia Tech secured it the 2005 ACC Championship and a bid to the Orange Bowl. The victory also had ripple effects for bowl gameBowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
bids across the Atlantic Coast Conference and lasting repercussions during the football season that followed the game.
Bowl effects
Florida State (8–4) earned a BCS berth despite a record inferior to the other seven BCS teams. Regardless of that fact, the Seminoles' matchup with Penn State (10–1) in the 2006 Orange Bowl2006 Orange Bowl
The 2006 Orange Bowl, a 2005-2006 BCS game, was played on January 3, 2006. This 72nd edition to the Orange Bowl featured the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Florida State Seminoles....
, where college football's two winningest coaches, Penn State's 78-year-old Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
and Florida State's 76-year-old Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
, squared off.
Virginia Tech accepted a bid to the 2006 Gator Bowl, which was also played in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, albeit a month later than the ACC Championship Game. The Gator Bowl Committee selected the Hokies over Miami
2005 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2005 Miami Hurricanes football team began the 2005 season ranked #8/9 after a 9-3 campaign in 2004 that ended with a 27-10 win over rival Florida in the 2005 Peach Bowl.-Season:...
due to Virginia Tech's reputation for having a large fan base that traveled well. Virginia Tech's selection bumped Miami to the 2005 Peach Bowl, while the Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
were selected for the Music City Bowl
Music City Bowl
The Music City Bowl is a post-season American college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1998.-Site:The first Music City Bowl was played at Vanderbilt Stadium in 1998...
and the Clemson Tigers
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
earned a bid to the Champs Sports Bowl
Champs Sports Bowl
The Champs Sports Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that is played in Orlando, Florida, at the Citrus Bowl. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group which also organizes the Capital One Bowl and Florida Classic...
.
In the off-season following the ACC Championship Game and Florida State's selection by the Orange Bowl, the Orange Bowl committee announced it would be entering into an exclusive contract with the ACC to grant the winner of the ACC Championship Game an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl unless it was ranked high enough in the Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
standings to play in the BCS National Championship Game
BCS National Championship Game
The BCS National Championship Game, or BCS National Championship, is the final bowl game of the annual Bowl Championship Series and is intended by the organizers of the BCS to determine the U.S. national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision...
.
Marcus Vick
Following the ACC Championship Game, Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus VickMarcus Vick
Marcus Vick is a former college and professional football player. He is the younger brother of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who also began playing high school football in Newport News Public Schools. After accepting a full scholarship to attend Virginia Tech, Marcus played...
stormed off the field, refusing to talk to reporters. Vick, who picked up a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty late in the game, also earned several unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the 2006 Gator Bowl, where post-game replays revealed that he purposefully stomped on the leg of Louisville Cardinals' defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Elvis Dumervil
Elvis Dumervil
-Denver Broncos:Dumervil was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan stated that he planned to keep Dumervil at defensive end....
. Vick claimed he apologized to Dumervil after the game, but Dumervil stated that no apology had been made. In the wake of the incident, Virginia Tech officials announced that they would be conducting a review of Vick's conduct on and off the field.
On January 6, 2006, just a few days after that game, Virginia Tech officials dismissed Vick from the Virginia Tech football team, citing a December 17 traffic stop
Traffic stop
A traffic stop, commonly called Being pulled over, is a temporary detention of a driver of a vehicle by police to investigate a possible crime or civil infraction. In constitutional law in the United States, a traffic stop is considered to be a subset of the Terry stop; the standard set by the...
in which Vick was cited for speeding and driving with a revoked or suspended license. Vick had hidden the information from the team and the infraction was not discovered until January. The traffic stop, an earlier suspension from the team, and his unsportsmanlike conduct during the 2005 ACC Championship Game and 2006 Gator Bowl were used as grounds for his dismissal.
See also
Other Conference Championship Games
- SEC Championship GameSEC Championship GameThe SEC Championship Game refers to the game determining the Southeastern Conference's football season champion. The championship game pits the SEC Western Division representative against the Eastern Division representative in a game held after the regular season has been completed. Thus far, nine...
- Big 12 Championship Game
- WAC Championship GameWestern Athletic Conference Football Title Game-By year:-By school:-Championship games :The Western Athletic Conference staged a conference title football game during the three years the league consisted of sixteen members. During this time, the league was split into two divisions, Pacific and Mountain, with eight teams in each division...
- MAC Championship GameMAC Championship GameThe Marathon MAC Football Championship is a football game between the winners of the East and West divisions of the Mid-American Conference to determine the conference champion. The game has been played since 1997, when the conference was first divided into divisions and since 2003 has been...
- Conference USA Championship GameConference USA Football ChampionshipThe Conference USA Football Championship Game is an annual postseason college football game played to determine the champion of Conference USA. From 1996–2004, the champion of Conference USA was determined by regular season record...