With Virginia Tech (they of the loss to West Virginia), Pitt (they of the loss to Western Michigan), and Duke (they of the loss to Charlotte) the ACC Coastal’s lone unbeatens, let’s take a minute and appreciate just how bad the Coastal always is. Here are the last 15 ACC Coastal champions, which is all of them in history, alongside their final records:
- 2019: Virginia; 9-5 (6-2)
- 2018: Pitt; 7-7 (6-2)
- 2017: Miami; 10-3 (7-1)
- 2016: Virginia Tech; 10-4 (6-2)
- 2015: North Carolina; 11-3 (8-0)
- 2014: Georgia Tech; 11-3 (6-2)
- 2013: Duke; 10-4 (6-2)
- 2012: Georgia Tech; 7-7 (5-3)
- 2011: Virginia Tech; 11-3 (7-1)
- 2010: Virginia Tech; 11-3 (8-0)
- 2009: Georgia Tech; 11-3 (7-1)
- 2008: Virginia Tech; 10-4 (5-3)
- 2007: Virginia Tech; 11-3 (7-1)
- 2006: Georgia Tech; 9-5 (7-1)
- 2005: Virginia Tech; 11-2 (7-1)
Why did I bold four of them? Well, those are the only four that won the conference championship game.
Incredible feats, both individually and as a division.
As a fan of an Atlantic Division team, this one hurts so bad.
Ever since ACC football went to a divisional format, there have been several years in which we probably would have made the Championship Game had we played in the moribund Coastal. Instead, we have to contend with the gauntlet of solid-to-excellent Atlantic teams: Clemson, Louisville, NC State, Florida State, etc.
I think it’d be worthwhile to explore a regularly scheduled reset of divisions. This would shake things up a bit. Also, it’s kind of annoying that they’ve split up the Tobacco Road teams (Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State, and Wake Forest). It’d be cool if they found a way to get us back together again.