You've probably noticed this is a presidential election year. Curious, we wondered if we could deduce any parallels between the fates of ACC men's programs during presidential election years, and the fates of Democratic and Republican candidates.We limited our examination to team records in conference play, where the results are minimally skewed by schedule manipulation. Schools added to the ACC since the most recent presidential election (2004) were not included.
Republicans won eight of the 13 presidential elections since the ACC began - 1956, 1968, 1972, 1980, 1984, 1988, 2000, and 2004.
Notable, then, is that Wake Forest has a winning record in ACC seasons when Democrats win the White House, but has a losing record when Republicans win. Wake is 6-6 in the league this year with four games to go, including two at home, where it is 14-1. Republican Ronald Reagan won reelection in 1984, the sole campaign season in which the Demon Deacons broke even in the ACC.
More positive for the Democrats is N.C. State's fate in presidential election year. When N.C. State has a winning record in the ACC, Republicans are far more likely to succeed (5-2-1 versus 1-4 for Democrats). The Wolfpack already is assured a losing record in conference play in 2008.
Yet another good sign for the party that's been out of the White House for eight years: A Democrat has never won the presidency when UVa had a winning ACC record. The Cavs are assured a losing league record in 2008.
Differences are far less dramatic for other schools.
| ELECTORAL COLLAGE | ||
| Democrat | Republican | |
| Clemson | 1-6 | 1-5 |
| Duke | 2-1-2 | 5-0-3 |
| Florida State | 1-1 | 0-2 |
| Georgia Tech | 1-0-1 | 2-3 |
| Maryland | 2-2-1 | 4-3-1 |
| No. Carolina | 4-1 | 7-0-1 |
| N.C. State | 1-4 | 5-2-1 |
| So. Carolina | 0-1-1 | 1-1 |
| Virginia | 0-4-1 | 2-5-1 |
| Wake Forest | 3-2 | 2-5-1 |
| Election Yrs | All Seasons In ACC | |||
| School | W/L/T | W% | W/L/T | W% |
| Clemson | 2-11 | .154 | 9-44-1 | .170 |
| Duke | 7-1-5 | .875 | 38-9-7 | .809 |
| Florida State | 1-3 | .250 | 3-13 | .188 |
| Georgia Tech | 3-3-1 | .500 | 7-14-7 | .333 |
| Maryland | 6-5-2 | .545 | 26-21-7 | .553 |
| No. Carolina | 11-1-1 | .917 | 48-4-2 | .823 |
| N.C. State | 6-6-1 | .500 | 27-22-5 | .551 |
| So. Carolina | 1-2-1 | .333 | 5-11-2 | .313 |
| Virginia | 3-9-1 | .250 | 12-37-5 | .245 |
| Wake Forest | 5-7-1 | .417 | 22-26-6 | .458 |
| 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | |
| Clem | L | L | W | L | L | L | W | L | L | L | L | L | L |
| Duke | W | ~ | W | W | ~ | L | ~ | ~ | W | W | ~ | W | W |
| FSU | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | W | L | L | L |
| Ga.T | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | L | L | W | ~ | W | L | W |
| Md | ~ | W | L | L | W | W | W | W | L | L | ~ | W | L |
| UNC | W | W | L | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | ~ |
| NCS | W | L | L | W | ~ | W | W | L | W | L | L | L | W |
| USC | L | L | ~ | W | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| UVa | L | L | L | W | L | ~ | L | L | ~ | L | W | L | |
| WF | W | W | W | L | L | L | L | ~ | L | L | W | L | W |