The 2008 ACC Championship Game was a college football game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Boston College Eagles. The game, sponsored by Dr Pepper, was the final regular-season contest of the 2008 college football season for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Virginia Tech defeated Boston College, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference football championship, 30–12. Until 2021, this was the last ACC Championship Game to not feature Clemson or Florida State from the Atlantic Division.
The Virginia Tech Hokies were selected to represent the Coastal Division by virtue of a tie-breaking head-to-head victory against division rival Georgia Tech and came into the game with an 8–4 record (5–3 in ACC play). Representing the Atlantic Division was Boston College, which had a 9–3 record (5–3 ACC). The two teams were the victors of a closely contested season in the ACC. Neither team clinched a spot in the game until the final week before the championship, and both had to rely on conference tie-breaking rules to earn a spot. The game was a rematch of the previous year's contest, which Virginia Tech won, 30–16.
The game was held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on December 6, 2008. Tampa had been chosen after poor attendance at the game's previous spot (Jacksonville, Florida) led conference officials to move the game. The 2008 championship was the first to be played in Tampa. The game began slowly, as both teams punted after their opening possessions failed to gain a first down. Later in the quarter, Virginia Tech took a 7–0 lead with a five-yard touchdown run by Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor. The Hokies never relinquished the lead after that point. Tech extended its lead to 14–0 in the second quarter, but Boston College managed to narrow Tech's lead to 14–7 by halftime. In the second half, Virginia Tech scored 17 points to the Eagles' five, and the Hokies won the game. In recognition of his game-winning performance, Taylor was named the game's most valuable player.
Selection process
The ACC Championship Game matches the winners of the Coastal and Atlantic divisions of the Atlantic Coast Conference. In the first decade of the 21st century, the league underwent an expansion to add three former Big East members: MiamiCandon, Tim. , The Daily Tar Heel, June 26, 2003. Accessed December 6, 2007. and Virginia Tech in 2004, and Boston College in 2005.Hall, Brendan. , The Massachusetts Daily Collegian, October 24, 2003. Accessed December 6, 2007. With the addition of a twelfth team, the ACC was allowed to hold a conference championship game under National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules.
The inaugural 2005 game featured a Florida State win over Virginia Tech, 27–22.The Atlantic Coast Conference. Inaugural Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game , TheACC.com. Accessed December 6, 2007. In 2006, two different teams made their first appearances in the game, which was held in Jacksonville, Florida. Wake Forest defeated Georgia Tech, 9–6.The Atlantic Coast Conference. "2006 Dr Pepper ACC Championship" , TheACC.com. Accessed December 6, 2007. In 2007, one team new to the championship game and championship-game veteran featured in the contest as Virginia Tech faced off against Boston College. The game resulted in a 30–16 Virginia Tech victory.ESPN. "4th Qtr Play-by-Play" ESPN.com, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
Site selection
Before the 2007 game, cities other than Jacksonville (site of the 2007 ACC Championship Game) presented their plans to be the site of the 2008 ACC Championship Game.Pickeral, Robbi. , ACC Now, The News & Observer, July 24, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007. After poor attendance in the ACC Championship Game at Jacksonville for the second straight year, ACC officials and representatives of the conference's member schools elected not to extend the Gator Bowl Association's contract to host the game for another year.The Atlantic Coast Conference. "ACC Announces Future Sites for football championship game" , TheACC.com. December 12, 2007. Accessed December 12, 2007. On December 12, less than two weeks after Jacksonville had hosted the 2007 ACC Championship Game, the ACC announced that Tampa, Florida would host the game in 2008 and 2009 and Charlotte, North Carolina would host the game in 2010 and 2011.
The cities were chosen based on bids presented to the ACC and its member schools. Each city requested and was granted a two-year contract, locking the ACC into the locations well in advance. Tampa was chosen as the site of the 2008 game because Charlotte was scheduled to hold the annual convention of the Association for Career and Technical Education at the same time as the game, and adequate hotel space would not be ready in time for the two events. Because of this, Charlotte's two-year span of hosting the game was pushed back to 2010.Quesada, Tony. "ACC title game going to Tampa and Charlotte", Jacksonville Business Journal, December 12, 2007. Accessed December 12, 2007.
Team selection
Before the beginning of the 2008 college football season, the annual poll by media members who cover ACC football predicted Clemson to win the Atlantic Division and Virginia Tech to win the Coastal Division. Clemson received 59 of a possible 65 first-place votes in its division, while Virginia Tech received 58.The Atlantic Coast Conference. 2008 ACC Football Preseason Selections , TheACC.com. July 21, 2008. Accessed July 23, 2008.
From the first game of the season, however, those preseason predictions were cast into doubt. Virginia Tech lost its season opener to lightly regarded East Carolina,The Associated Press. "East Carolina turns back Virginia Tech with punt block for TD", ESPN.com. August 30, 2008. Accessed November 28, 2008. while Clemson lost to Alabama.The Associated Press. , ESPN.com. August 30, 2008. Accessed November 28, 2008. Though neither loss factored into either team's conference standings, it reflected the early stages of a conference schedule that was regarded as crazy,Wood, Norm. "The Crazy ACC", The (Newport News, Va.) Daily Press. November 8, 2008. Accessed November 28, 2008. wacky,Jarrett, Keith. "Wacky ACC regular season concludes", Asheville Citizen-Times. November 29, 2008. Accessed November 28, 2008. "a mess",Strelow, Paul. "ACC is a BCS mess" , The State. November 21, 2008. Accessed November 28, 2008. and "confusing" by members of the media and college football fans.Latter, Sam. "ACC faces confusing playoff fight" , The (Hanover) Evening Sun. November 21, 2008. Accessed November 28, 2008.Whitmore, Chris. "Who could have predicted the 2008 ACC?", Bleacher Report. November 18, 2008. Accessed November 28, 2008. So closely matched were the 12 teams of the conference that as late as the second-to-last week of the regular season, nine teams were still in the running for a place in the championship game.The Associated Press. "Hello! Does anyone want to win the ACC?", International Herald Tribune. November 18, 2008. Accessed November 28, 2008. Heading into the final week of the regular season, four teams were still in position to potentially participate in the game: Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech from the Coastal Division,Milner, Brad. , Panama City News-Herald. November 25, 2008. Accessed November 28, 2008. and Boston College and Florida State from the Atlantic Division.Dinch, Heather. "Georgia Tech, FSU watching their own scoreboards this week", ESPN.com. November 26, 2008. Accessed November 28, 2008. In that final week, Virginia Tech clinched the Coastal Division co-championship with a 17–14 win over Virginia,The Associated Press. "Virginia Tech edges Virginia for spot in ACC Championship Game", ESPN.com. November 29, 2008. Accessed November 29, 2008. while Boston College became co-champions of the Atlantic Division with a 28–21 win against Maryland.The Associated Press. , ESPN.com. November 29, 2008. Accessed November 29, 2008.
Boston College
The Boston College Eagles entered the 2008 college football season having gone 11–3 during the 2007 season, ending that season with a loss to Virginia Tech in the 2007 ACC Championship GameThe Associated Press. "Hokies ride Glennon's arm, Taylor's legs to ACC crown", ESPN.com. December 1, 2007. Accessed November 29, 2008. and a 24–21 victory over Michigan State in the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl.The Associated Press. "Ryan, Gunnell help BC extend bowl winning streak to eight", ESPN.com. December 28, 2007. Accessed November 29, 2008. In the annual preseason poll of media covering the ACC, Boston College was picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Division.
The Eagles opened the season by traveling to Kent State, whom the Eagles defeated, 21–0.The Associated Press. , ESPN.com. August 30, 2008. Accessed December 1, 2008. The Eagles' home opener was their second game of the season and was also their first conference game of the year. Against Georgia Tech, the Eagles eked out a 9–7 halftime lead, but fell behind in the second half, eventually losing, 19–16, on a Georgia Tech touchdown that came with 8:26 remaining in the game.The Associated Press. , ESPN.com. September 6, 2008. Accessed December 1, 2008. Despite the loss, the Eagles recovered quickly, beating Central Florida, 34–7, two weeks after the Georgia Tech game.The Associated Press. "Crane turns it around in second half as BC rolls.", ESPN.com. September 20, 2008. Accessed December 1, 2008. The victory was the first in an eventual four-game win streak that culminated with a 28–23 defeat of then-No. 17 Virginia Tech.The Associated Press. , ESPN.com. October 18, 2008. Accessed December 1, 2008.
The win over Virginia Tech gave the Eagles a 2–1 conference record, and they appeared to be destined for a bid to the ACC Championship Game. But Boston College lost its next two games, both against conference opponents,The Associated Press. "Nicks' four TDs pace North Carolina past Boston College", ESPN.com. October 25, 2008. Accessed December 1, 2008.The Associated Press. "RB Spiller sets receiving record as Clemson interim coach Swinney gets first win", ESPN.com. November 1, 2008. Accessed December 1, 2008. dropping its record to 2–3. Despite the losses, Boston College still had a chance to win the Atlantic Division—but only if other teams lost as well. This happened on November 6, when fellow Atlantic Division team Maryland lost to Virginia Tech,The Associated Press. "Evans powers Virginia Tech past No. 23 Maryland", ESPN.com. November 6, 2008. Accessed December 1, 2008. and the Eagles recovered from their losing streak with an out-of-conference win against Notre Dame.The Associated Press. "Anderson helps Boston College extend streak to six over Irish", ESPN.com. November 8, 2008. Accessed December 1, 2008.