The 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference football season was the 62nd season of college football play for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). It was played from August 2014 to January 2015.[1] 2014 was first season of play in the ACC for former American Athletic Conference member Louisville, which replaced ACC charter member Maryland after their move to the Big Ten Conference. Although the Notre Dame football program is not a member of the ACC, it has an agreement to play five ACC schools per season in football starting in 2014. This is in return for access to the non-College Football Playoff ACC bowl line-up.[2][3] The Irish are not eligible for the ACC Championship Game.[4]
The 2014 ACC Preseason Poll was announced at the ACC Football Kickoff meetings in Greensboro, North Carolina on July 23. Miami was voted to win Coastal division while Florida State was voted to win the Atlantic division and the conference. Jameis Winston of Florida State was voted the Preseason ACC Player of the Year.[5]
The conference had two new head coaches for the 2014 football season. Wake Forest hired Dave Clawson from Bowling Green one week after 13-year coach Jim Grobe resigned after his fifth straight losing season.[7] Wake Forest athletic director, Ron Wellman, stated that their preference was to hire someone with experience coaching a private school. Clawson previously coached at FCSFordham and Richmond before leading FBS Bowling Green to three bowl appearances and a conference title in the past five years. Louisville also changed coaches prior to the 2014 season. Former head coach Charlie Strong left the Louisville program following the 2013 season to take the head coaching position at Texas.[8] Following his departure, Louisville rehired former head coach Bobby Petrino to a seven-year contract.[9] Petrino formerly coached Louisville from 2003 to 2006 before leaving to coach at Arkansas. He spent his 2013 season as the head coach of Western Kentucky, where he led the team to an 8–4 record.
Note: Stats shown are before the beginning of the season
Received votes but were not ranked in Top 25 of poll
Pre
Wk 1
Wk 2
Wk 3
Wk 4
Wk 5
Wk 6
Wk 7
Wk 8
Wk 9
Wk 10
Wk 11
Wk 12
Wk 13
Wk 14
Wk 15
Final
Boston College
AP
RV
RV
C
RV
RV
CFP
Not released
Clemson
AP
16
23
23
22
RV
RV
RV
24
21
22
19
18
RV
23
19
18
15
C
16
24
24
24
RV
RV
25
22
20
21
19
17
RV
24
19
18
15
CFP
Not released
21
21
19
22
21
18
17
Duke
AP
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
24
22
19
25
RV
RV
RV
C
RV
RV
RV
RV
23
RV
RV
RV
RV
24
20
19
25
RV
RV
RV
CFP
Not released
24
22
21
Florida State
AP
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
2
2
5
C
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
6
CFP
Not released
2
2
3
3
3
4
3
Georgia Tech
AP
RV
RV
22
RV
RV
24
17
16
12
10
8
C
RV
RV
RV
23
RV
RV
RV
23
16
15
12
9
7
CFP
Not released
24
22
18
16
11
12
Louisville
AP
RV
25
21
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
24
21
20
24
C
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
RV
23
20
20
24
CFP
Not released
25
24
22
21
21
Miami
AP
RV
RV
RV
C
RV
RV
RV
RV
CFP
Not released
North Carolina
AP
23
21
RV
RV
C
23
23
25
25
RV
CFP
Not released
NC State
AP
RV
C
RV
RV
CFP
Not released
Pittsburgh
AP
RV
RV
RV
RV
C
RV
RV
RV
CFP
Not released
Syracuse
AP
C
CFP
Not released
Virginia
AP
RV
RV
RV
RV
C
RV
CFP
Not released
Virginia Tech
AP
RV
RV
17
RV
C
RV
RV
19
RV
CFP
Not released
Wake Forest
AP
C
CFP
Not released
Notre Dame partnership
Starting in 2014, Notre Dame is scheduled to play five games against ACC opponents annually.[2] Each ACC team will play Notre Dame at least once during a three-year period.[10] Due to scheduling constraints however, the 2014 Notre Dame team will only play four ACC opponents, but will play six in 2015 to even out the schedule.[11]