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The 2006 Dr Pepper
ACC Championship Game The ACC Championship Game is an annual American college football game held in early December by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) each year to determine its football champion. From its inception in 2005 to 2019, and from 2021 to 2022, the gam ...
featured the
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The teams have also been nicknamed the ...
and the
Wake Forest Demon Deacons The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Wake Forest University, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. They compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Assoc ...
in a regular-season
American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...
game to determine the champion of the
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC's eighteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athlet ...
. Wake Forest defeated Georgia Tech by a 9–6 score to win its first ACC football championship since 1970 and its second in school history. The game was held at
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium EverBank Stadium is an American football stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It is the home facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL), and the headquarters of the professional wrestling promotions Al ...
(now known as TIAA Bank Field) in
Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
and was the concluding game of the regular season for each team. Neither team was highly regarded at the beginning of the 2006 season, but each team outperformed expectations to earn the right to play in the conference championship game, which was the second in the conference's history. Wake Forest, the Atlantic Division representative, earned a 10–2 record behind
redshirt Redshirt, Red Shirt, or Redshirts may refer to: Sports * Redshirt (college sports) Redshirt, in United States college athletics, is a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility. Typically ...
freshman A freshman, fresher, first year, or colloquially frosh, is a person in the first year at an educational institution, usually a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational in ...
quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
Riley Skinner Riley Skinner (born October 21, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and was signed by the New York Gi ...
, who won the ACC's rookie of the year award. Wake defeated tough ACC opponents
Florida State Florida State University (FSU or Florida State) is a Public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preeminent university in the s ...
and 16th-ranked
Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private university, private Catholic Jesuits, Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic Religious order (Catholic), religious order, t ...
to win the Atlantic Division. Georgia Tech, led by
junior Junior or Juniors may refer to: Aircraft * Ekolot JK-05L Junior, a Polish ultralight aircraft * PZL-112 Junior, a Polish training aircraft * SZD-51 Junior, a Polish-made training and club glider Arts and entertainment Characters * Bowser Jr., ...
All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
wide receiver A wide receiver (WR), also referred to as a wideout, and historically known as a split end (SE) or flanker (FL), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A key skill position of the offense (American football), offense, WR gets its name ...
Calvin Johnson Calvin Johnson Jr. (born September 29, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Megatron" after the ''Transforme ...
, defeated 11th-ranked
Virginia Tech The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly referred to as Virginia Tech (VT), is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States ...
and
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
en route to winning the Coastal Division and a spot in the championship game. Low attendance and poor weather marred the contest, which kicked off amid rain and fog. Defense dominated from the beginning, as Georgia Tech took a 3–0 lead in the first quarter. Wake Forest evened the score before halftime, however, and the two teams headed into the second half tied at 3–3. After a scoreless third quarter, Georgia Tech took a 6–3 lead early in the fourth quarter. After Tech
quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
Reggie Ball Reginald Lewis Ball (born October 6, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback. He played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and was signed by the Detroit Lions of the National Football Leag ...
threw a critical
interception In Ball game, ball-playing Competitive sport, competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for ...
, Wake Forest was able to tie the game, then take a 9–6 lead. With time running out, Wake's defense denied Georgia Tech a game-winning score, and Wake Forest clinched the win. All the scoring in the game came via five
field goals A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, a ...
, and Wake Forest's
kicker Kicker or The Kicker may refer to: Sports * Placekicker, a position in American and Canadian football * ''Kicker'' (magazine), sports magazine in Germany * Kicker, the German colloquial term for an association football player * Kicker, the wor ...
, Sam Swank, was named the game's
most valuable player In team sports, a most valuable player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particular competition, or ...
. By virtue of its victory, Wake Forest earned its first ACC football championship since 1970 and was awarded a bid to the
2007 Orange Bowl The 2007 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a college football Bowl Championship Series (BCS) bowl game following the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The game was played on January 2, 2007, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The g ...
. Georgia Tech's loss and second-place ACC finish earned it a position in the
2007 Gator Bowl The 2007 Gator Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the West Virginia Mountaineers played on January 1, 2007, at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. For s ...
. Following the conclusion of each team's bowl game, numerous players from both teams were selected in the
2007 NFL draft The 2007 NFL draft was the 72nd annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible American football players. It took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draf ...
.


Selection process

The
ACC Championship Game The ACC Championship Game is an annual American college football game held in early December by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) each year to determine its football champion. From its inception in 2005 to 2019, and from 2021 to 2022, the gam ...
matches the winner of the Coastal and Atlantic Divisions of the Atlantic Coast Conference. A conference championship game was added in 2005, as a result of the league's expansion the previous year, adding former
Big East The Big East Conference (stylized as BIG EAST) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference that competes in National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA NCAA Division I, Division I in 10 men's sports and 12 women's sports. H ...
members
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, Virginia Tech, and
Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private university, private Catholic Jesuits, Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic Religious order (Catholic), religious order, t ...
. With the addition of Boston College, the ACC consisted of 12 teams, allowing it to hold a conference championship game under
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
rules.
Florida State Florida State University (FSU or Florida State) is a Public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preeminent university in the s ...
defeated Virginia Tech, 27–22 in the first ACC Championship game. Following the 2005 game, the ACC requested that ABC schedule the 2006 contest for the afternoon in order to maximize television ratings.ACC title game remains a work in progress
Ned Barnett, ''Charlotte News-Observer'', December 13, 2006. Accessed March 29, 2008.
Heading into the 2006 college football season, Florida State and Miami were picked in the annual ACC pre-season media poll as favorites to appear in the 2006 ACC Championship Game. Georgia Tech received the third-most votes on the Coastal Division side of the poll, while Wake Forest was picked to finish last in the Atlantic Division.
The Atlantic Coast Conference, theACC.com. July 24, 2006. Accessed March 31, 2008.


Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech's 2006 season began with a tough game against No. 2 Notre Dame. Though the Yellow Jackets lost 14–10, they took an early 10–0 lead over heavily favored Notre Dame until the Fighting Irish scored 14 unanswered points to win the game. Tech bounced back from the narrow loss by winning five straight games, including a 38–27 victory in
Blacksburg, Virginia Blacksburg is an incorporated town in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 44,826 at the 2020 census. Blacksburg and the surrounding county is dominated economically and demographically by the presence of Virginia T ...
against the No. 11 Virginia Tech Hokies, who would later go on to finish second in the division. Heading into the seventh game of the season, Georgia Tech was 5-1 and had an undefeated 3–0 record in conference play. At No. 12 Clemson, however, Tech suffered its first conference loss and largest loss of the season, losing 31–7. Tech wide receiver
Calvin Johnson Calvin Johnson Jr. (born September 29, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Megatron" after the ''Transforme ...
failed to record a
reception Reception is a noun form of ''receiving'', or ''to receive'' something, such as art, experience, information, people, products, or vehicles. It may refer to: Astrology * Reception (astrology), when a planet is located in a sign ruled by another p ...
for the first time in his career during the loss. Tech followed the loss by winning its next four games. Following the third win, a 7-0
shutout In team sports, a shutout (North American English, US) or clean sheet (Commonwealth English, UK) is a game in which the losing team fails to score. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketba ...
of
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
, Tech clinched the Coastal Division championship and a bid to the ACC Championship Game. After clinching a spot in the championship game, Tech defeated ACC opponent Duke, then prepared for a game against traditional rival
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
before heading to Jacksonville for the ACC championship. In the game against Georgia, the No. 16 Yellow Jackets were upset by the unranked Bulldogs, who
intercepted In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team bu ...
Tech quarterback Reggie Ball twice and held him to just 42  passing yards in the game. Georgia's victory marked the sixth consecutive victory in the rivalry and sent Tech into the ACC Championship Game on a down note.


Wake Forest

Wake Forest began the 2006 season on September 2 with a home game against
Big East conference The Big East Conference (stylized as BIG EAST) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference that competes in National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA NCAA Division I, Division I in 10 men's sports and 12 women's sports. H ...
opponent
Syracuse Syracuse most commonly refers to: * Syracuse, Sicily, Italy; in the province of Syracuse * Syracuse, New York, USA; in the Syracuse metropolitan area Syracuse may also refer to: Places * Syracuse railway station (disambiguation) Italy * Provi ...
. Wake defeated Syracuse 20–10, but starting quarterback Benjamin Mauk suffered a season-ending injury when he fractured his arm, dislocated his shoulder, and suffered a
torn labrum Labrum Latin, defined as "having the edge" * Labrum (architecture), a large water-filled vessel or basin with an overhanging lip * Labrum (arthropod mouthpart), a flap-like structure in front of the mouth in almost all extant Euarthropoda * Bron ...
. Backup quarterback
Riley Skinner Riley Skinner (born October 21, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and was signed by the New York Gi ...
replaced Mauk in the game, and would serve as Wake's starting quarterback for the remainder of the season. The Deacons struggled in their second game, beating ACC rival Duke 14–13 by blocking a Duke field goal on the final play of the game. Following the close call against Duke, however, Wake Forest went on to win its next three games. A 34–14 win over
Football Championship Subdivision The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Bowl Subdivision (F ...
Liberty University Liberty University (LU), known simply as Liberty, is a Private university, private Evangelicalism in the United States, evangelical Christian university in Lynchburg, Virginia, United States. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservativ ...
gave Wake its first 5–0 start since 1987. In its sixth game of the season, Wake Forest suffered its first loss. Against the No. 15
Clemson Tigers The Clemson Tigers are the sport, athletic teams that represent Clemson University, located in Clemson, South Carolina. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I level (NCAA Divis ...
, Wake gave up 24 points in the fourth quarter to give Clemson a 27–17 victory. The Demon Deacons recovered quickly from the loss and proceeded to begin another winning streak, this time against ACC opponents. Over the next four weeks, Wake defeated
North Carolina State North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina sy ...
, North Carolina, No. 16
Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private university, private Catholic Jesuits, Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic Religious order (Catholic), religious order, t ...
, and
Florida State Florida State University (FSU or Florida State) is a Public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preeminent university in the s ...
. The 30–0 win over Florida State marked several milestones for the Deacons. The win marked the first time in school history that the Deacons had earned nine wins in a single season. In addition, Wake Forest recorded its first win against Florida State in
Tallahassee Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of and the only incorporated municipality in Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2024, the est ...
since 1959 and became the first team to shut out a
Bobby Bowden Robert Cleckler Bowden (; November 8, 1929 – August 8, 2021) was an American college football coach. Bowden coached the Florida State Seminoles of Florida State University (FSU) from 1976 to 2009 and is considered one of the greatest college ...
-coached Florida State team in
Doak Campbell Stadium Doak S. Campbell Stadium (in full Bobby Bowden Field at Doak S. Campbell Stadium), popularly known as "Doak", is a football stadium on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is the home field of the Flo ...
. The game continues to be celebrated in Tallahassee, as it marked the end of the Jeff Bowden era. In its next game, however, the Demon Deacons fell at home to the No. 19
Virginia Tech Hokies The Virginia Tech Hokies are the athletic teams representing Virginia Tech in intercollegiate athletics. The Hokies participate in the NCAA's Division I Atlantic Coast Conference in 22 varsity sports. Virginia Tech's men's sports are football, b ...
, 27–6. The Hokies would later go on to finish second in the Coastal Division and earn a bid to the 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl. Wake Forest recovered from its second loss of the season to earn a 38–24 victory against
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
—its first since 1998—clinching the Atlantic Division championship and earning a bid to the ACC Championship Game. Wake became the first team in ACC history to go 6–0 in ACC road games, and extended the school record for wins in a season to 10.


Pre-game buildup

In the weeks leading up to the game, the point most emphasized in media coverage of the game was the fact that Wake Forest had not won an ACC championship in football since 1970. The
point spread Spread betting is any of various types of wagering on the outcome of an event where the pay-off is based on the accuracy of the wager, rather than a simple "win or lose" outcome, such as fixed-odds (or money-line) betting or parimutuel betting. ...
for the game was relatively constant, with spread bettors favoring Georgia Tech by a single point.


Offensive matchups


Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech
wide receiver A wide receiver (WR), also referred to as a wideout, and historically known as a split end (SE) or flanker (FL), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A key skill position of the offense (American football), offense, WR gets its name ...
Calvin Johnson Calvin Johnson Jr. (born September 29, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Megatron" after the ''Transforme ...
, who was voted the preseason ACC Player of the Year, was expected to do well in the ACC Championship Game. Johnson recorded 59 receptions for 889 yards and 13 touchdowns heading into the championship game. On November 29, Johnson was named the ACC Player of the Year (POY), fulfilling the expectations set when he earned preseason player of the year honors. On the day after Johnson earned ACC POY honors, he was named to the Rivals.com
All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
team, an annual selection of the best players at each position in the United States. Johnson was the first Tech player in over a decade to be selected as an All-American in two consecutive seasons.Johnson, Wheeler Earn All-America Honors
Georgia Tech Athletics Department, ramblinwreck.cstv.com, November 30, 2006. Accessed April 1, 2008.
Tech
quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
Reggie Ball Reginald Lewis Ball (born October 6, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback. He played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and was signed by the Detroit Lions of the National Football Leag ...
was not nearly as acclaimed. Despite leading the ACC with 20 touchdown passes and being named an All-ACC honorable mention,Ten Yellow Jackets Earn All-ACC Honors
Georgia Tech Athletics Department, ramblinwreck.cstv.com, November 27, 2006. Accessed April 1, 2008.
there were doubts about Ball's effectiveness.Georgia Tech QB has a lot to prove in ACC title game
The Associated Press, ESPN.com. Accessed April 1, 2008.
Since starting at quarterback in his
freshman A freshman, fresher, first year, or colloquially frosh, is a person in the first year at an educational institution, usually a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational in ...
year, Ball went 0–4 against Tech rival Georgia,Georgia Tech Falls 15–12 to Georgia
Georgia Tech Athletics Department, ramblinwreck.cstv.com, November 25, 2006. Accessed April 1, 2008.
and was excoriated for his inconsistency.Georgia Tech's Ball, Scott ruled out of Gator Bowl
The Associated Press, ESPN.com. December 20, 2006. Accessed April 1, 2008.
After suffering a game-losing fumble against the Bulldogs, commentators questioned how well Ball would recover from the setback before the ACC Championship Game. Supporting Ball and Johnson were a corps of capable receivers including James Johnson and Greg Smith. James Johnson was Tech's second-leading receiver behind Calvin Johnson, and recorded over 500 receiving yards heading into the ACC championship. During Tech's game against Virginia Tech, James caught a 49-yard touchdown pass for the game's first points. Smith was Tech's fifth-leading receiver in 2006, but had several key plays (including two touchdown receptions) in Georgia Tech's game against the
Duke Blue Devils The Duke Blue Devils are the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Duke University, located in Durham, North Carolina. Duke's athletics department features 27 varsity teams that all compete at the N ...
. On the ground, the Georgia Tech
rushing Rushing means a sudden forward motion, or a surge or onslaught. Rushing may refer to: Tactics * Rush (gridiron football), advancing the ball by running on offense. On defense, charging the quarterback or kicker is a pass rush. * Human wave atta ...
attack was led by
Tashard Choice Tashard J. Choice (born November 20, 1984) is an American football coach and former player who currently serves as the running backs coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia ...
. Choice was the leading rusher in the ACC, averaging over 100 yards per game. Against
North Carolina State North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina sy ...
, Choice recorded 164 rushing yards on 34 carries, earning what was then a single-game career high in rushing yards. In the days before the ACC championship, Choice was named to the second-team All-ACC team, and was considered to be a threat on offense against Wake Forest.


Wake Forest

Wake Forest, which had begun the season with Benjamin Mauk as its starting quarterback, ended the season with redshirt freshman
Riley Skinner Riley Skinner (born October 21, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and was signed by the New York Gi ...
filling the position. Despite having almost no experience starting at quarterback before the season, Skinner was named the ACC's rookie of the year. Skinner led the ACC in completion percentage, passing efficiency, and interception rate. In addition, Skinner set 10 new single-season passing records at Wake Forest during the 2006 season. In the days before the ACC Championship Game, Skinner was named to the second-team All-ACC team, joining eight other teammates selected to one of the two All-ACC teams.Wake Forest Places School Record Nine On All-ACC Team
Wake Forest Athletics Department, wakeforestsports.cstv.com. November 26, 2008. Accessed April 1, 2008.
Two of the other Deacons selected for All-ACC honors were senior tackle Steve Vallos and junior
center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
Steve Justice, both of whom were key components of the Wake Forest
offensive line In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line ( ...
. Vallos had been considered for the
Lombardi Award The Rotary Lombardi Award is an award for college football in the United States. Awarded by the Rotary Club of Houston, Texas annually to the college football player "who best embodies the values and spirit of NFL's legendary coach Vince Lombard ...
and
Outland Trophy The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that g ...
and won first-team Associated Press All-America honors after the championship game. Center Steve Justice started all 14 games during Wake Forest's 2006 season, and participated in 98 percent of the Deacons' offensive plays. Wake Forest also boasted one of the nation's best punters and
placekicker In gridiron football, the placekicker (PK), or simply kicker (K), is the player responsible for attempts at scoring Field goal (football), field goals and extra points. In most cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist ...
s, Sam Swank. Swank was one of the team's nine 2006 All-ACC selections, and performed extremely well during the season. Swank led the Deacons in points scored, and was successful on five of seven kicks from beyond 50 yards during the season. Swank was a finalist for the
Ray Guy Award The Ray Guy Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding punter as adjudged by the Augusta Sports Council. The award is named after punter Ray Guy, an All-American for Southern Mississippi and an All-Pro in the National Fo ...
and
Lou Groza Award The Lou Groza Award is presented annually to the top college football placekicker in the United States by the Palm Beach County, Florida, Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The award is named after former Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Browns ...
, which go to the nation's best punter and placekicker, respectively. Following the championship Game, Swank was named to the
ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
and
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
first-team All-America teams.


Defensive matchups


Georgia Tech

Heading into the game, Georgia Tech had the 11th best rushing defense in FBS football.Skinner, Swank lift Wake to ACC title; next stop: Orange Bowl
The Associated Press, ESPN.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 29, 2008.
That defense was led statistically by
linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...
Philip Wheeler, considered by many to be one of the nation's best
blitz Blitz, German for "lightning", may refer to: Military uses *Blitzkrieg, blitz campaign, or blitz, a type of military campaign *The Blitz, the German aerial campaign against Britain in the Second World War *, several ships of the Prussian, Imperia ...
ing linebackers. In the days leading up to the championship game, Wheeler was named to the Rivals.com All-America team. In addition, Wheeler was a second-team All-ACC selection and a two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Week.Johnson, Brooks Make AP All-America Team
Georgia Tech Athletics Department, ramblinwreck.cstv.com. December 12, 2006. Accessed April 1, 2008.
On the
defensive line In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line (D ...
, Georgia Tech featured
defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that typically lines up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the Guard (American football), offensive guards; however, he may also line up opposite one of the offensive Tackle (gridir ...
Joe Anoa'i, now better known by his
WWE World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
identity of
Roman Reigns Leati Joseph Anoaʻi ( ; born May 25, 1985), better known by his ring name Roman Reigns, is an American professional wrestler and former gridiron football, football player. As a wrestler, he has been signed to WWE , where he performs on the Sm ...
, and
defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
Adamm Oliver. Anoa'i, a first-team All-ACC selection, headed into the ACC Championship having earned six tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in Tech's previous game against Georgia. Anoa'i also forced and recovered a Georgia
fumble A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful h ...
that eventually led to a Tech field goal. Adamm Oliver was a second-team All-ACC selection who was fourth on the team in total tackles and second on the team in tackles for loss. Oliver created the game-winning play for the Yellow Jackets against Miami when he forced a fumble that set up the game-clinching touchdown. Georgia Tech also had several important
defensive back In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...
s.
Safety Safety is the state of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings The word 'safety' entered the English language in the 1 ...
Jamal Lewis was a first-team All-ACC selection and the team's leading tackler. During the Yellow Jackets' game against
Samford University Samford University is a Private university, private Christian university in Homewood, Alabama, United States. It was founded by Baptist Church, Baptists in 1841 as Howard College and located until 1887 in Marion, Alabama. It is governed by an in ...
, Lewis returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown. The return was the fourth-longest in Georgia Tech history and was the longest since a 102-yard return in 1969.


Wake Forest

The Wake Forest defense was led by All-America honorable mention linebacker
Jon Abbate Jon Abbate (born June 18, 1985) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Wake Forest University in 2004–2006 and was signed as a free agent by the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL) in 2007. ...
.Jon Abbate
Wake Forest Athletics Department, wakeforestsports.cstv.com. Accessed April 2, 2008.
Abbate, who was a first-team All-ACC selection, was the team's leading tackler and earned the second-most tackles in the ACC during the season. Safety Josh Gattis was another star on the Wake defense. A first-team All-ACC selection, Gattis was the only player in the ACC to earn 70 tackles and five interceptions. On the defensive line,
defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
Patrick Ghee stood out. An honorable mention All-ACC selection, Ghee ranked fifth on the team in tackles and had three interceptions.


Game summary

The 2006 ACC Championship Game kicked off at
Alltel Stadium EverBank Stadium is an American football stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It is the home facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL), and the headquarters of the professional wrestling promotions Al ...
in
Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
on December 2, 2006. The game was broadcast on
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
, and earned a 4.0 television rating. This figure was down slightly from the previous year's game, which earned a 5.1 rating.
Brad Nessler Bradley Ray Nessler (born June 3, 1956) is an American sportscaster, who currently calls college football and college basketball games for CBS Sports. Career Early assignments Nessler began his professional broadcasting career sharing play– ...
,
Bob Griese Robert Allen Griese ( ; born February 3, 1945) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He earned All-American hono ...
,
Paul Maguire Paul Leo Maguire (born August 22, 1938) is an American former professional football player and television sportscaster. He played as a punter and linebacker in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). Early spo ...
, and
Bonnie Bernstein Bonnie Lynn Bernstein (born August 16, 1970) is an American sports journalist and media executive. She has been named one of the most accomplished female sportscasters in history by the American Sportscasters Association, spending nearly 20 yea ...
were selected to announce the game. At kickoff, a light breeze was blowing from the northeast at , the air temperature was , and the weather was foggy with a light rain.Scoring Summary (Final)
The Atlantic Coast Conference, theACC.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 29, 2008.
Rain had been falling for several hours, turning the field into a muddy mess that would hinder play throughout the game. 62,850 tickets were sold for the game, and that number was given as the official attendance. Real attendance estimates range from 40,000 to 50,000, due to the poor weather and the fact that the stadium was half-empty through much of the game. During the pre-game
coin toss A coin is a small object, usually round and flat, used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order to facilitate trade. They are most often issued by a ...
, a member of the
Wounded Warrior Project Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is an American charity and veterans service organization that operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3). WWP offers a variety of programs, services and events for wounded veterans who incurred a physical or mental injury, ...
, which rehabilitates wounded American war veterans, threw the ceremonial coin. Georgia Tech won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball to begin the game. After Georgia Tech made its selection, Wake Forest elected to defend the north end zone to begin the game, forcing Georgia Tech's kickers to kick into the wind during the first and fourth quarters.


First quarter

Wake Forest kicked off to begin the game, and Georgia Tech returned the kick to its own 24-yard line. On the first play of the game, Tech running back
Tashard Choice Tashard J. Choice (born November 20, 1984) is an American football coach and former player who currently serves as the running backs coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia ...
attempted a rush, but was stopped for a loss of one yard. The play set the tone for the rest of the game, which would be a hard-fought, low-scoring defensive struggle. After the loss, Choice broke free on the second play of the game for a 24-yard run and a
first down A down in gridiron football is an attempt by the offensive team to run a play to advance the ball, while the defending team simultaneously attempts to halt their advance. The down is a distinguishing characteristic of the game compared to othe ...
. On the next two plays, the Georgia Tech offense used their passing attack as quarterback
Reggie Ball Reginald Lewis Ball (born October 6, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback. He played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and was signed by the Detroit Lions of the National Football Leag ...
completed two passes, driving the Yellowjackets into Wake Forest territory. Subsequent plays allowed Tech to penetrate the Wake Forest red zone, but there, the Demon Deacons' defense stiffened. Despite having a first down inside the Wake Forest 10-yard line, Georgia Tech did not cross the goal line. Denied a touchdown, Georgia Tech was forced to settle for a
field goal A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, ...
attempt from kicker Travis Bell. Bell's kick was good, and with 9:59 remaining in the first quarter, Georgia Tech took a 3–0 lead.1st Qtr Play-by-Play
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Play-by-Play, ESPN.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 21, 2008.
Following Georgia Tech's post-score kickoff, Wake Forest received the ball, but failed to gain a first down. The Deacons' offense went
three and out ''Three and Out'' is a 2008 British black comedy film directed by Jonathan Gershfield and starring Mackenzie Crook, Colm Meaney, Gemma Arterton, Imelda Staunton, and Kerry Katona. It premiered in London on 21 April 2008, and was released in the U ...
and was forced to punt. On Tech's next possession, they too had difficulty moving the football on offense. Though they picked up a first down off of a penalty on Wake Forest, they were unable to gain a first down by their own devices and were forced to punt the ball away. The two teams traded possessions once more, and as the first quarter came to an end, Georgia Tech was in possession of the ball but was preparing to punt it away after yet another failure to pick up a first down.


Second quarter

Following the Georgia Tech punt, Wake Forest received the ball to begin the second quarter. Wake Forest, after a three and out, again punted the ball and Georgia Tech took over on offense. On their first full possession of the second quarter, Tech seemed to have more success moving the ball. Quarterback Reggie Ball picked up a first down running the ball, then completed a 22-yard pass to
wide receiver A wide receiver (WR), also referred to as a wideout, and historically known as a split end (SE) or flanker (FL), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A key skill position of the offense (American football), offense, WR gets its name ...
Calvin Johnson Calvin Johnson Jr. (born September 29, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Megatron" after the ''Transforme ...
, driving the Yellow Jackets inside Wake Forest territory. Once there, however, Wake Forest's defense stiffened. Ball was unable to complete two consecutive passes, and his third pass inside Wake Forest territory was
intercepted In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team bu ...
. Having regained the ball, Wake Forest answered Georgia Tech's drive with one of their own. Several Wake running backs rushed with the ball, but it was Wake Forest quarterback
Riley Skinner Riley Skinner (born October 21, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and was signed by the New York Gi ...
who advanced the ball the most. He completed a 24-yard pass to Willie Idlette, then an eight-yard toss to Nate Morton. Inside Tech territory, Wake's offense stumbled. Skinner was sacked by a Tech defender, and kicker Sam Swank was sent into the game to attempt a 45-yard field goal. Swank's kick was no good, and with 7:26 remaining in the second quarter, Georgia Tech still had a 3–0 lead. Taking over after the missed field goal, Georgia Tech was unable to gain a first down. After the Yellow Jackets punted the ball away, Wake Forest continued to have the increased offensive success they had shown in their previous drive. This time, it was running back Kenneth Moore who picked up the majority of the Deacons' yardage, as he carried the ball eight times during the drive. Toward the end of the drive, Wake Forest was assisted by a 10-yard penalty against the Yellow Jackets, which drove them inside Georgia Tech's red zone. There, however, Tech's defense stiffened. Despite having a first down at Tech's 10-yard line, Wake was unable to score a
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Scoring a touchdown grants the team that scored it 6 points. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchd ...
. Kicker Sam Swank again came into the game to attempt a field goal, and connected on a 19-yard field goal. The kick tied the score at 3–3 with just 58 seconds remaining in the first half. With time in the half virtually exhausted, Georgia Tech elected to run down the clock and take the game into
halftime In several team sports, matches are played in two halves. Half-time (also written halftime or half time) is the name given to the interval between the two halves of the match. Typically, after half-time, teams swap ends of the field of play in or ...
tied, 3–3.2nd Qtr Play-by-Play
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Play-by-Play, ESPN.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 22, 2008.


Third quarter

Because Georgia Tech received the ball to begin the game, Wake Forest received the ball to begin the second half. As in the first half, however, both teams' offenses were stifled by each team's defense. On its first possession of the second half, Wake Forest reached the Georgia Tech 48-yard line before being forced to punt. Georgia Tech's first possession of the half was slightly more successful than Wake Forest's, as the Yellow Jackets drove inside the Deacons' 30-yard line on several passes from Reggie Ball. Again, however, the Tech defense stumbled. Facing a fourth down inside the Wake Forest red zone, Tech elected to attempt to convert the first down rather than punt the ball. Despite needing just one yard to gain another first down, Georgia Tech was stopped short of the line. The play was typical of the third quarter, which saw both teams fail to score. Both Wake Forest and Georgia Tech mounted several drives into the other's territory, but were either stopped outside field goal range or attempted to convert a fourth down rather than kick the ball. As the quarter came to an end, the score remained tied 3–3, with neither team having scored a touchdown.3rd Qtr Play-by-Play
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Play-by-Play, ESPN.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 26, 2008.


Fourth quarter

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Georgia Tech was in possession of the ball, deep inside Wake Forest territory. Shortly after the quarter began, Tech failed to gain a needed first down in order to continue its drive. Instead of attempting to convert the fourth down—Tech had attempted and failed on two fourth-down conversions in the third quarter—Tech instead sent in kicker Travis Bell. Bell's 34-yard attempt sailed through the goalposts, and with 12:53 remaining in the game, Georgia Tech took a 6–3 lead. After Georgia Tech's post-score kickoff, Wake Forest continued to struggle on offense. Quarterback Riley Skinner was sacked, threw an 18-yard completion, then three incomplete passes. Wake was forced to punt the ball away again, allowing the Yellow Jackets the possibility of expanding their lead. On Tech's first play after the punt, however, Reggie Ball's pass was intercepted, allowing Wake Forest another chance on offense. The play turned the momentum of the game in favor of Wake Forest, who proceeded to move the ball with slightly more effectiveness. During the Wake Forest drive, Skinner completed a 39-yard pass to John Tereshinski, who drove the Deacons inside Georgia Tech territory, where the drive continued. Though Wake Forest was forced to settle for a 33-yard field goal from kicker Sam Swank, the score tied the game at 6–6 with 7:59 remaining in the game. Wake's post-score kickoff was downed in the end zone for a
touchback In American football, a touchback is a ruling that is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead on or behind a team's own goal line (i.e., in their end zone) and the opposing team gave the ball the momentum, or impetus, to travel ...
. With time running down, Georgia Tech had a chance for a game-winning score if it could sustain a drive into Wake Forest territory from its own 20-yard line. The drive began with a promising 14-yard completion to Calvin Johnson, but after Reggie Ball threw three incomplete passes, Georgia Tech was forced to punt the ball back to Wake Forest. The Deacons, after getting the ball at their own 20-yard line, began a drive of their own. Riley Skinner completed his first four passes of the drive, including a long 45-yard strike to Willie Idlette for the longest play of the game. With a first down inside the Georgia Tech red zone, the Deacons seemed to be in perfect position for a potentially game-winning touchdown. But as had every other drive previous, Wake Forest's offense failed to cross the goal line. Sam Swank kicked a 22-yard field goal to give the Deacons a 9–6 lead, but Georgia Tech still had time for one final drive. After receiving the Wake Forest kickoff, however, Georgia Tech's hopes were quickly deflated by three plays that resulted in negative yardage or no gain. Georgia Tech was forced into its final punt of the game, and Wake Forest received the ball and ran out the remaining time on the clock. Wake Forest won the 2006 ACC Championship Game by a 9–6 score.4th Qtr Play-by-Play
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Play-by-Play, ESPN.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 26, 2008.


Statistical summary

Thanks to his performance in the game, Wake Forest
placekicker In gridiron football, the placekicker (PK), or simply kicker (K), is the player responsible for attempts at scoring Field goal (football), field goals and extra points. In most cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist ...
Sam Swank was named the game's
most valuable player In team sports, a most valuable player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particular competition, or ...
. Swank was successful on three of his four
field goal A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, ...
kicks during the game, kicking 19, 33, and 22-yard field goals while missing on a 45-yard attempt in the second quarter.Individual Statistics (Final)
The Atlantic Coast Conference, theACC.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 30, 2008.
The Demon Deacons' nine points—all of which were scored by Swank—were the least ever scored by the winning team in a Division I-A conference championship game. Wake Forest
quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
Riley Skinner Riley Skinner (born October 21, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and was signed by the New York Gi ...
finished the game having completed 14 of his 25 pass attempts. He passed for 201 yards, one-fifth of which came on a single play during Wake Forest's final drive of the game. On the opposite side of the ball, Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball completed just nine of his 29 passes. Two of Ball's passes were
intercepted In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team bu ...
by Wake Forest defenders, and Ball accounted for just 129 passing yards. The majority of Georgia Tech's offense came on the ground from
running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...
Tashard Choice Tashard J. Choice (born November 20, 1984) is an American football coach and former player who currently serves as the running backs coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia ...
and from
quarterback scramble In gridiron football, a quarterback scramble or scramble is an impromptu maneuver or run by a quarterback. If a quarterback is under pressure by an opposing team's defense, he may run forward, backward, or laterally in an attempt to avoid being ta ...
s by Ball. Choice ran the ball 21 times, netting 100 yards. Ball was Tech's second-leading rusher, and picked up 46 yards on 15 different rushes. Eight different players carried the ball for Wake Forest, with Kenneth Moore and Willie Idlette picking up the majority of the yardage. Moore finished the game with 16 carries for 38 yards, while Idlette earned 35 yards on six different attempts. Half of Idlette's yards came on one 19-yard carry, and he also earned 73 receiving yards during the game to lead all Wake receivers. On defense, Jon Abbate led all Wake Forest defenders with 15 total tackles. Abbate also earned two tackles for loss and a
quarterback sack In gridiron football, a sack occurs when the quarterback (or another offensive player acting as a passer) is tackle (football move), tackled behind the line of scrimmage before throwing a forward pass, when the quarterback is tackled behind the l ...
of Reggie Ball. Riley Swanson and Aaron Curry each caught an interception for Wake.Defensive Statistics (Final)
The Atlantic Coast Conference, theACC.com. December 2, 2006. Accessed March 30, 2008.
Kenny Scott led the Georgia Tech defense statistically, earning eight total tackles, two tackles for loss, and one quarterback sack. Adamm Oliver finished with seven total tackles and one and a half tackles for loss.


Post-game effects

With the victory, Wake Forest finished the regular season with an 11–2 record, breaking its previous team record for wins in a season.2006 Season in Review
Wake Forest Athletics Department, Page 1. Accessed March 29, 2008.
The 2006 ACC Championship was Wake's second championship in history, the first having come in 1970. Following the game, the Deacons' head coach, Jim Grobe, earned multiple national coach of the year honors for taking Wake to its first ACC championship in 36 years and taking the program from the worst in the ACC to the best in just one season. Following the game, Wake Forest earned an automatic bid to the
2007 Orange Bowl The 2007 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a college football Bowl Championship Series (BCS) bowl game following the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The game was played on January 2, 2007, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The g ...
as a reward for its status as ACC champion. Wake Forest faced the Louisville Cardinals in Dolphin Stadium, now known as
Hard Rock Stadium Hard Rock Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Southeastern United States, located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The stadium is the home field for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and the Miami Hurricanes, the Univers ...
, in Miami Gardens, Florida.Wake Forest To Face Louisville In FedEx Orange Bowl
Wake Forest Athletics Department, December 3, 2006. Accessed March 29, 2008.
Georgia Tech's went to 9–3 with the loss. Tech was selected as a participant in the
2007 Gator Bowl The 2007 Gator Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the West Virginia Mountaineers played on January 1, 2007, at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. For s ...
as a reward for its second-place ACC finish. Tech's selection to the Gator Bowl was a controversial one. Because both the Gator Bowl and ACC Championship game were held in Jacksonville, Georgia Tech would be forced to play two games in Jacksonville in four weeks. The team, league, and bowl officials were concerned that fact would hurt attendance.


See also

*
List of Atlantic Coast Conference football champions The Atlantic Coast Conference football champions includes 11 distinct teams that have won the college football championship awarded by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) since its creation in 1953. Sixteen teams have competed in the conference si ...
*
Glossary of American football The following terms are used in American football, both conventional and indoor. Some of these terms are also in use in Canadian football; for a list of terms unique to that code, see '' Glossary of Canadian football''. 0–9 ...
Other conference championship games * American Athletic Conference Championship Game (since 2015) * Big Ten Championship Game (since 2011) *
Big 12 Championship Game The Big 12 Championship Game is a college football game held by the Big 12 Conference between the best and the second-best Big 12 team. The game was played each year since the conference's formation in 1996 until 2010 and returned during the 201 ...
(1996–2010, 2017–present) * Conference USA Championship Game (since 2005) *
MAC Championship Game The MAC Football Championship Game is an annual postseason college football game played to determine the champion of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). History The game has been played since 1997, when the conference was first divided into div ...
(since 1997) * Mountain West Championship Game (since 2013) *
Pac-12 Championship Game The Pac-12 Football Championship Game was an annual college football game held by the Pac-12 Conference to determine the season's conference champion. The game from the 2011–2021 seasons had the champion of the North Division against the cham ...
(since 2012) *
SEC Championship Game The SEC Championship Game is an annual American football game that has determined the Southeastern Conference's season champion since 1992. For its first 32 seasons, the championship game pitted the Eastern Division regular season champion again ...
(since 1992) * Sun Belt Championship Game (since 2018) * WAC Championship Game (last held in 1998)


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2006 Acc Championship Game ACC Championship Game Wake Forest Demon Deacons football games Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football games December 2006 sports events in the United States
ACC Championship The ACC Championship was a cancelled two-day cricket tournament run by the Asian Cricket Council that is contested between its members nations. The first tournament was scheduled to be held in December 2014. It was canceled due to the busy pre ...
American football competitions in Jacksonville, Florida 2000s in Jacksonville, Florida