2010 ACC Championship Game

2010 Dr. Pepper ACC Championship Game
Conference Championship
1234 Total
Florida State 10779 33
Virginia Tech 147149 44
DateDecember 4, 2010
Season2010
StadiumBank of America Stadium
LocationCharlotte, North Carolina
MVPQB Tyrod Taylor (Virginia Tech)
FavoriteVirginia Tech by 4.5
National anthemNicole Henry, R&B singer
RefereeBrad Allen
Attendance72,379
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
AnnouncersSean McDonough play-by-play
Matt Millen color
Heather Cox sideline
Nielsen ratings1.8
ACC Championship Game
 < 2009  2011
2010 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Atlantic Division
No. 17 Florida State x   6 2     10 4  
No. 23 Maryland   5 3     9 4  
No. 25 NC State   5 3     9 4  
Boston College   4 4     7 6  
Clemson   4 4     6 7  
Wake Forest   1 7     3 9  
Coastal Division
No. 16 Virginia Tech x$   8 0     11 3  
Miami (FL)   5 3     7 6  
Georgia Tech   4 4     6 7  
North Carolina   4 4     8 5  
Duke   1 7     3 9  
Virginia   1 7     4 8  
Championship: Virginia Tech 44, Florida State 33
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2010 ACC Championship Game was a college football game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Florida State Seminoles. The game, sponsored by Dr. Pepper, was the final regular-season contest of the 2010 college football season for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Virginia Tech defeated Florida State, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference football championship, 44–33. Until 2021, this was the last ACC championship game won by the Coastal Division.

The Virginia Tech Hokies were selected to represent the Coastal Division by virtue of an undefeated (8–0) record in conference play and a 10–2 record overall. Representing the Atlantic Division was Florida State, which had a 9–3 record (6–2 ACC). The game was a rematch of the inaugural ACC Championship Game, won 27–22 by Florida State in 2005.

The game was held at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on December 4, 2010. Charlotte was chosen after poor attendance at the game's previous locations (Tampa, Florida and Jacksonville, Florida) led conference officials to seek a location closer to the conference's geographic center. The 2010 championship was the first to be played in Charlotte, and the game will return to the city in 2011.

The 2010 game began slowly, as Florida State scored only a field goal on its opening possession and Virginia Tech was held scoreless on its first try. On the second play of Florida State's second possession, Virginia Tech defender Jeron Gouveia-Winslow intercepted a pass by Florida state quarterback E. J. Manuel and returned it for a touchdown, giving the Hokies a 7–3 lead. They did not relinquish the advantage the rest of the game. The teams traded field goals and touchdowns through the remainder of the first and second quarters and entered halftime with Tech leading 21–17. In the third quarter, Tech scored 14 points to Florida State's seven, establishing the winning margin. In the final quarter, each team scored nine points, and the Hokies won with the most points ever scored by one team in an ACC championship game. In recognition of his winning performance, Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor was named the game's most valuable player.

By winning, Virginia Tech earned a spot in the 2011 Orange Bowl football game, and Florida State was selected for the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl. Several players that participated in the 2010 ACC Championship Game were picked in the 2011 NFL draft.