Description
The 2008 ACC Championship Game was a college football game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Boston College Eagles. The game, sponsored by Dr Pepper, was the final regular-season contest of the 2008 college football season for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Virginia Tech defeated Boston College, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference football championship, 30–12.
The Virginia Tech Hokies were selected to represent the Coastal Division by virtue of a tie-breaking head-to-head victory against division rival Georgia Tech and came into the game with an 8–4 record (5–3 in ACC play). Representing the Atlantic Division was Boston College, which had a 9–3 record (5–3 ACC). The two teams were the victors of a closely contested season in the ACC. Neither team clinched a spot in the game until the final week before the championship, and both had to rely on conference tie-breaking rules to earn a spot. The game was a rematch of the previous year’s contest, which Virginia Tech won, 30–16.
The game was held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on December 6, 2008. Tampa had been chosen after poor attendance at the game’s previous spot (Jacksonville, Florida) led conference officials to move the game. The 2008 championship was the first to be played in Tampa. The game began slowly, as both teams punted after their opening possessions failed to gain a first down. Later in the quarter, Virginia Tech took a 7–0 lead with a five-yard touchdown run by Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor. The Hokies never relinquished the lead after that point. Tech extended its lead to 14–0 in the second quarter, but Boston College managed to narrow Tech’s lead to 14–7 by halftime. In the second half, Virginia Tech scored 17 points to the Eagles’ five, and the Hokies won the game. In recognition of his game-winning performance, Taylor was named the game’s most valuable player.
