ACC History Vault

ACC 1986 season

Final ACC standings, 1986

ACC 1986 final standings
#TeamCONFW-LPCTPFPA
1 Clemson Tigersz 5-1 8-2 .750 296 187
2 NC State Wolfpack 5-2 8-3 .708 328 274
3 North Carolina Tar Heels 5-2 7-4 .625 305 279
4 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 3-3 5-5 .500 282 211
5 Maryland Terrapins 2-3 5-5 .500 262 211
6 Duke Blue Devils 2-5 4-7 .364 200 284
7 Virginia Cavaliers 2-5 3-8 .273 198 315
8 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 2-5 5-6 .455 325 295

Source: CollegeFootballData. CONF is the ACC record, which orders the table. z = ACC champion.

How 1986 fits the bigger picture

1986 is one season in the ACC story. See every ACC winner in ACC champions by year, how the national titles split in ACC national championships by team, and the current race on the live standings.

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How the ACC finished in 1986: the champion, the final table and the records that decided it.

Quick answer

Clemson won the ACC in 1986, finishing 5-1 in conference play (8-2 overall). The full final standings for all 8 teams are below.

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ACC 1986: the season in one place

Clemson won the ACC in 1986, finishing 5-1 in conference play (8-2 overall). The final table, ordered by conference record, read 1. Clemson 5-1 (8-2), 2. NC State 5-2 (8-3), 3. North Carolina 5-2 (7-4), 4. Georgia Tech 3-3 (5-5), 5. Maryland 2-3 (5-5), 6. Duke 2-5 (4-7), 7. Virginia 2-5 (3-8), 8. Wake Forest 2-5 (5-6). This ACC 1986 archive sits alongside the History Vault and the live standings, so you can compare any season with the current race.

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Frequently asked questions

Who won the ACC in 1986?

Clemson won the ACC in 1986, finishing 5-1 in conference play (8-2 overall).

What were the final ACC standings in 1986?

1. Clemson 5-1 (8-2), 2. NC State 5-2 (8-3), 3. North Carolina 5-2 (7-4), 4. Georgia Tech 3-3 (5-5), 5. Maryland 2-3 (5-5), 6. Duke 2-5 (4-7), 7. Virginia 2-5 (3-8), 8. Wake Forest 2-5 (5-6). Conference record first, overall record in brackets.

How is the ACC decided?

The table is ordered by conference record, with head-to-head the first tiebreaker. The top two teams meet in the ACC Championship Game for the title.