ACC & UM Shine in US News & World Report Rankings

Sept. 13, 2011

UM Release: Canes Lead State, Ranked 38th Nationally

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – The member institutions of the Atlantic Coast Conference lead the way among Bowl Championship Series Conferences in the latest “Best Colleges” rankings released today by US News & World Report. ACC member institutions rank on average 49.2, marking the sixth time in the last seven years that the ACC has led all BCS conferences.

“These rankings exemplify the long-standing commitment to academic excellence and the dedicated leadership of our 12 member institutions,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “The Atlantic Coast Conference is proud to have a collection of schools that are held in such high esteem.”

The ACC is the only BCS conference to place seven member institutions among the Top 38; the next highest conference placed four. The ACC is also the only BCS conference with over half of its members in the Top 50 and is one of only two conferences with all its members in the Top 101.

Duke boasts the league’s highest ranking at 10th and they are joined in the Top 25 by Virginia (25) and Wake Forest (25). Also in the Top 40 are North Carolina (29), Boston College (31), Georgia Tech (36) and Miami (38). Just out of the Top 50, Maryland ranked 55th, followed by Clemson (68), Virginia Tech (71), and Florida State and NC State tied at 101.

Notables:

The ACC has led BCS Conferences in best average rank six of the last seven years.
The ACC is one of only two BCS Conferences to have all schools ranked in the Top 101.
The ACC is the only Conference to have every school ranked in the Top 120 and have at least one school in the Top 10 every year since 2006.
The ACC has had every school rank in the Top 112 every year since 2006.
The ACC has had a school finish in the Top 10 every year since 2006 (one of only two BCS Conferences that can make that claim).
In the 2012 rankings, the ACC is the only conference with over half of its member institutions in the Top 50.
The ACC placed seven schools in the Top 38, three more than any other conference.