Clemson Still Has Chance for ACC Title

Oct. 29, 2000

Clemson suffered its first ACC loss and overall loss of the 2000 season in the 31-28 thriller against Georgia Tech. The Tigers are now 6-1 in the ACC and have just one league game left, at Florida State on November 4. Florida State is a perfect 6-0 in league play.

Clemson can still tie for the ACC title with a win over Florida State in Tallahassee. Clemson has not won the ACC championship, or a share of it since 1991, the year before Florida State entered the league. Clemson has 13 ACC championships (12 outright and one tied) in its history, more than any other school. Florida State and Maryland are second with eight, six outright and two tied.

Clemson still has a chance to be the ACC representative in the Bowl Championship Series. According to ACC rules, the first tie-breaker is head-to-head competition. The head to head winner goes to the BCS as long as that head-to-head winner has an average ranking of 10th or higher in the final regular season AP and USA Today/ESPN polls combined. Additionally, Clemson could go if it is within five spots of Florida State in the combined average ranking of the final regular season AP and USA Today polls.

But, for all that to happen, Clemson must first win at Florida State, which it has not done since 1989.