Chansky’s Notebook: Best ACC Title Game Ever

The 2015 ACC football champion? Hang on, I’ll tell you.

A few things you may not know, or have forgotten, about the ACC Championship game, which will be played for the 11th time Saturday night, the 6th straight in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, the best home for the battle between Atlantic and Coastal Division winners.

Florida State and Virginia Tech have each been in the game five times, facing each other only twice. The Seminoles have won four of their five appearances, but missed the game for five out of six years between 2006 and 2011. They have won the last three ACC titles, edging Georgia Tech twice and blowing out Duke in between. Virginia Tech earned three championships in its five trips.

Georgia Tech is next with four appearances, winning only once. Clemson has been there just twice before Saturday night, winning one and losing one. Boston College lost its two straight visits back in 2007 and ’08. Wake Forest went once and won once. Duke went once and lost once.

There has never been a true sellout for the game, whether in Jacksonville, Tampa or Charlotte. That all ends tomorrow night, when 100,000 tickets could have been sold to see the Tigers take on the Tar Heels, both unbeaten in ACC play this season and easily the best ACC championship matchup ever. Top-ranked and 12-0 Clemson is a five-point favorite, but 11-1 UNC probably like those odds.

Clemson has the best quarterback in DeShaun Watson, undoubtedly ACC Player of the Year and Heisman Trophy hopeful, but don’t tell that to Carolina fans; they love their Marquise Williams who has been even better than Watson the last half of the season. Dabo Swinney edged Larry Fedora for ACC Coach of the Year by six votes, and if they Tar Heels win their first trip to the title game their fans will call for a recount.

UNC has multiple weapons and a slight edge in offensive statistics, Clemson is better on defense and probably the best the Tar Heels have faced this season. If Clemson wins, the Tigers take the top seed into the college football Final Four. If Carolina wins, well, the committee has a mess on its hands. But a conference champion will likely get the nod over higher ranked Ohio State, which did not make the Big Ten title game.

It should be a night to remember, whether watching in person or on ESPN. The winner? On paper, you have to say Clemson, but that’s not where the game is played. That’s why I like the Tar Heels to shock the world. Don’t turn the ball over, guys, and bring home the hardware.