When was the last time each ACC team finished in the Top 10?

Sep 24, 2020, 10:42 AM

I've been hearing a lot of hype about The U being back this year. I'll believe it when I see it, but I also think the perception of the ACC is largely tied (rightly or wrongly) to the strength of FSU and Miami in any given year. Made me start wondering the last time each ACC team finished in the top 10. Some surprising ones here:

Boston College
2007
#10 AP, #11 Coaches
HC: Jeff Jagodzi?ski
This was the team with Matt Ryan that beat Clemson in that division-winning gut-punch game where Aaron Kelly dropped a sure-TD at the end.

Clemson
2019
#2
HC: Dabo Swinney

Duke
1943
#7 (8-1)
HC: Eddie Cameron (of Cameron Indoor Stadium)
Finished #22 in the Coaches Poll at 10-4 in 2013 when they won the Division. The Spurrier-coached 1989 team that won the ACC went 6-1 in the league (along with UVA surprisingly) but finished 8-4 overall.

FSU
2016
#8
HC: Jimbo Fisher

GT
2014
#7 Coaches, #8 AP
HC: Paul Johnson

Louisville
2006
#6 AP, #7 Coaches
HC: Bobby Petrino (Round I)
The 2016 team with Lamar Jackson got as high as #3 when we beat them but ended the season at #20 in the Coaches and #21 in the AP polls at 9-4.

Miami
2003
#5
HC: Larry Coker
The 2017 team we beat in the ACCCG finished at #13 in both polls with a 10-3 record. The 2004 team we beat in OT finished #11 in both polls.

NC State
1974
#9 Coaches, #11 AP
HC: Lou Holtz
The 2003 team with Phillip Rivers and Chuckie the Chest finished 11-3 and at #11 in the Coaches and #12 AP.

*Notre Dame
2018
#5
HC: Brian Kelly

Pittsburgh
1981
#2 Coaches, #4 AP (we all remember who finished #1 that year)
HC: Jackie Sherrill
The 2018 team we beat in the ACCCG finished with a weird 7-7 record and unranked. The 2003 team that had Larry Fitzgerald win the Biletnikoff only went 8-5; the 2002 team went 9-4 and finished #19.

Syracuse
1992
#6 AP, #7 Coaches
HC: Paul Pasqualoni
The 2018 team that almost knocked off the Tigers actually finished 10-3 at #15. The 1998 team with a Senior Donovan McNabb only went 8-4 and finished #24 in the Coaches, #25 AP. The '95 team that put a whooping on the Tigers in the Gator Bowl finished 9-3 and #16 in the coaches and #19 in the AP.

UNC
1997
#4 Coaches, #7 AP
HC: Mack Brown (Round I) (Mack left to go to Texas before the Gator Bowl game where they beat VT 42-3)
The 2015 team we beat in the ACCCG finished 11-3 at #15.

UVA
From what I can tell, since the AP starting ranking teams in 1935, UVA has never finished in the top 10. They went 8-1 in 1941 under HC Frank Murray but were never ranked. They went 8-1 again in 1951 under HC Art Guepe but finished #13. George Welsh's '89 team went 10-3, won the ACC finished #15 in the Coaches and #18 in the AP.

The great 1995 team that beat FSU finished 9-4 and #16 AP, #17 Coaches. The 2019 team we beat in the ACCCG finished 9-5 and #25 in the Coaches Poll only.

VT
2009
#10
HC: Frank Beamer
The 2016 team we beat in the ACCCG finished 10-4 and #16. The 2011 team we beat as #5 in the ACCCG finished 11-3, #17 in Coaches and #21 AP.

Wake Forest
Like UVA, the Demon Deacons do not seem to have ever finished in the top 10 of either of the polls. The 2006 team that won the ACC finished 11-3, #17 in the Coaches, #18 AP. The 1944 team under Peahead Walker (great name!) finished 8-1 but unranked.