2014 Atlantic Coast Conference football season

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. 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. The Irish are not eligible for the ACC Championship Game.

The Atlantic Coast Conference consisted of 14 members in two divisions. The Atlantic Division consisted of Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Louisville, North Carolina State, Syracuse, and Wake Forest. The Coastal Division consisted of Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Virginia, and Virginia Tech. The division champions, Florida State and Georgia Tech, met in December in the 2014 ACC Championship Game, played in Charlotte, North Carolina at Bank of America Stadium.

Preseason Poll
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.

Atlantic Division poll

 * 1) Florida State – 780 (104 first place votes)
 * 2) Clemson – 660 (3)
 * 3) Louisville – 564
 * 4) Syracuse - 368
 * 5) North Carolina State – 326
 * 6) Boston College – 301
 * 7) Wake Forest – 136

Coastal Division poll

 * 1) Miami – 614 (26)
 * 2) Duke – 597 (33)
 * 3) Virginia Tech – 571 (23)
 * 4) North Carolina – 570 (27)
 * 5) Georgia Tech – 322 (1)
 * 6) Pittsburgh - 319 (2)
 * 7) Virginia – 142

Predicted ACC Championship Game Winner

 * 1) Florida State – 104
 * 2) Clemson – 2
 * 3) Virginia Tech - 2

Preseason ACC Player of the Year

 * 1) Jameis Winston, FSU - 99
 * 2) Vic Beasley, CLEM - 6
 * 3) Duke Johnson, MIA - 1
 * 4) Jamison Crowder, DU - 1
 * 5) Brenden Motley, VT - 1

Coaches
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. Wake Forest athletic director, Ron Wellman, stated that their preference was to hire someone with experience coaching a private school. Clawson previously coached at FCS Fordham 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. Following his departure, Louisville rehired former head coach Bobby Petrino to a seven-year contract. 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

Notre Dame partnership
Starting in 2014, Notre Dame is scheduled to play five games against ACC opponents annually. Each ACC team will play Notre Dame at least once during a three-year period. 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.

Bowl eligibility
Bowl eligible
 * Boston College
 * Clemson
 * Duke
 * Florida State
 * Georgia Tech
 * Louisville
 * Miami
 * NC State
 * North Carolina
 * Pittsburgh
 * Virginia Tech

Bowl ineligible
 * Syracuse
 * Wake Forest
 * Virginia

All-conference teams
The following players were selected to the All-ACC teams for 2014.

First Team

Second Team

Third Team

^ indicates that there was a tie in the voting

ACC Individual Awards
ACC Player of the Year
 * RB James Conner - Pittsburgh

Rookie of the Year
 * QB Brad Kaaya - Miami

Coach of the Year
 * Paul Johnson - Georgia Tech

Offensive Player of the Year
 * RB James Conner - Pittsburgh

Offensive Rookie of the Year
 * QB Brad Kaaya - Miami

Brian Piccolo Award
 * RB Duke Johnson - Miami

Jacobs Blocking Trophy
 * T Cameron Erving - Florida State

Defensive Player of the Year
 * DT Vic Beasley - Clemson

Defensive Rookie of the Year
 * S Quin Blanding - Virginia

Jim Tatum Award
 * LB David Helton - Duke

National Awards
John Mackey Award
 * TE Nick O'Leary- Florida State

Jim Thorpe Award
 * S Gerod Holliman- Louisville

Campbell Trophy
 * LB David Helton- Duke