2009 Atlantic Coast Conference football season
The 2009 ACC football season was an NCAA football season that was played from September 3, 2009, to January 5, 2010. The Atlantic Coast Conference consists of 12 members in two divisions. The Atlantic division consists of Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, North Carolina State and Wake Forest. The Coastal division consists of Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Virginia, and Virginia Tech. The division champions met in the 2009 ACC Championship Game, where Georgia Tech defeated Clemson by a score of 39–34. Georgia Tech represented the ACC in the BCS, being invited  to the FedEx Orange Bowl where they lost to Iowa. The ACC had a total of seven teams play in a bowl game and finished the bowl season with a record of 3–4. Previous season. Boston College and Florida State tied for the Atlantic division championship. Boston College beat Florida State during the regular season so they represented the Atlantic division in the 2008 ACC Championship Game. A similar situation occurred in the Coastal division where Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech tied. Virginia Tech won the regular season meeting so they represented the Coastal division in the championship game. Virginia  Tech would win the ACC championship game 30-12 over Boston College and would represent the ACC in the FedEx Orange Bowl where they would defeat Cincinnati, the champions of the Big East Conference, 20-7. The ACC would ultimately send 10 teams to bowl games, the most of any conference in 2008. Boston College (9-5) lost to Vanderbilt 16-14 in the Music City Bowl. Florida State (9-4) beat Wisconsin 42-13 in the Champs Sports Bowl. Georgia Tech (9-4) lost to LSU 38-3 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Maryland (8-5) beat Nevada  42-35 in the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl. North Carolina (8-5) lost to West Virginia 31-30 in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Wake Forest (8-5) beat Navy 29-19 in the EagleBank Bowl. Miami (7-6) lost to California 24-17 in the Emerald Bowl. Clemson (7-6) lost to Nebraska 26-21 in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl. North Carolina State (6-7) lost to Rutgers 29-23 in the PapaJohns.com Bowl. The only two teams not to go to a bowl game were Virginia (5-7) and Duke (4-8). Preseason. Preseason poll. The 2009  ACC Preseason Poll was announced at the ACC Football Kickoff meetings in Greensboro, North Carolina on July 27. Virginia Tech was voted to win Coastal division and the conference. Florida State was voted to win the Atlantic division. Jonathan Dwyer of Georgia Tech was voted the Preseason ACC Player of the Year. Preseason All Conference Teams. Offense. QB Russell Wilson- NC State, RB Jonathan Dwyer- Georgia Tech, RB C. J. Spiller- Clemson, WR Demaryius Thomas- Georgia Tech, WR Jacoby Ford- Clemson, TE Greg Boone- Virginia Tech, OT Jason Curtis Fox- Miami, OT Anthony Castonzo- Boston College, OG Sergio Render- Virginia  Tech, OG Rodney Hudson- Florida State, C Matt Tennant- Boston College, PK Matt Bosher- Miami. Defense. DE Jason Worilds- Virginia Tech, DE Willie Young- NC State, DT Vince Oghobaase- Duke, DT Marvin Austin- North Carolina, LB Dekoda Watson- Florida State, LB Quan Sturdivant- North Carolina, LB Alex Wujciak- Maryland, CB Ras-I Dowling- Virginia, CB Kendric Burney- North Carolina, S Morgan Burnett- Georgia Tech, S Kam Chancellor- Virginia Tech, P Travis Baltz- Maryland, Specialist: C. J. Spiller- Clemson. Regular season. All times Eastern time Rankings reflect that of the USA Today Coaches poll until week eight when the BCS poll  will be used. Week One. ESPN's College GameDay broadcast from Atlanta for the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against Virginia Tech and Alabama. Players of the Week Week Two. Players of the Week Week Three. Players of the Week Week Four. Players of the Week Week Five. ESPN's College Gameday broadcast from Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts for the Boston College vs Florida State game. Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich, the 2008 ACC Defensive player of the year who earlier in the year was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, announced he was now cancer free. Players of the Week Week  Six. Players of the Week Week Seven. Players of the Week Week Eight. Players of the Week Week Nine. Players of the Week Week Ten. Players of the Week Week Eleven. Players of the Week Week Twelve. Players of the Week Week Thirteen. ESPN's College Gameday broadcast from Gainesville, Florida for the Florida vs Florida State game. Players of the Week All-ACC teams. Player of the year. C. J. Spiller- Clemson