Head-to-Head Recruiting Rivals: Whose State Is It?

In our previous piece, we showed you the overall ACC recruiting won-loss records over the last three seasons, but fans don’t just want their coaches to win recruiting battles. They want them to beat out their arch-rivals. 

So we looked at some of the ACC’s biggest rivalries to see who has had the upper hand in recent years. 

Florida State vs. Miami: The Sunshine State is chock full of prospects. Jimbo Fisher and Al Golden battle head-to-head over more prospects than any other pair of ACC schools. Fisher and the Seminoles have had the upper hand, but it hasn’t been a blowout. 

2013: FSU 9, Miami 8

2014: FSU 12, Miami 7

2015: FSU 3, Miami 1

Virginia Tech vs. Virginia: Mike London narrowed the gap last season, but Frank Beamer still has the program to beat in the Commonwealth. 

2013: Virginia Tech 10, Virginia 5

2014: Virginia Tech 7, Virginia 4

2015: 0-0 tie (no recruits have chosen one program’s scholarship offer over the other’s yet)

NC State vs. UNC: Dave Doeren shook off his first-year slump in a hurry, but Larry Fedora is bouncing back strong this year. 

2013: UNC 7, NC State 2

2014: NC State 7, UNC 6

2015: UNC 4, NC State 0 

UNC vs. Duke: It’s not as heated in football as basketball, and David Cutcliffe and Fedora don’t battle head-to-head for many prospects. That seems like good news for Cutcliffe. 

2013: UNC 3, Duke 1

2014: UNC 7, Duke 3

2015: UNC 1, Duke 0

Miami vs. Notre Dame: The old Catholics vs. Convicts battle hasn’t exactly heated up in recruiting circles. 

2013: 2-2 tie

2014: Notre Dame 6, Miami 2

2015: Miami 2, Notre Dame 0

Clemson vs. Florida State: It’s the game that decides the Atlantic Division each year, and up until this year, it’s been a razor-thin margin in recruiting wars. 

2013: 4-4 tie

2014: Florida State 5, Clemson 4

2015: Florida State 5, Clemson 0