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JACKSONVILLE - ACC commissioner John Swofford expected this city to embrace Saturday's inaugural league championship game, making it an event.
From banners lining the entrance to a prestigious golf course to a fireworks show that lit up the river and bridges the night before to the decorations at Alltel Stadium, he and the ACC's other power brokers were impressed.
But will Jacksonville become to the ACC what Atlanta has become to the SEC, the permanent site for the marquee game?
"We'll obviously take a look at it and reflect and evaluate after this first game," Swofford said shortly before kickoff between Florida State and Virginia Tech. "But I think it's been superb. I've heard nothing but positive feedback."
The contract calls for Jacksonville to host the 2006 game, then the league has an option for another two years. Although the ACC would like to follow the SEC model, the SEC staged its first two games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala., before moving to the Georgia Dome in 1994.
If the ACC were to consider another site, expect the bay area to be at or near the top of the list.
The Tampa Bay Sports Commission made a big push to land the inaugural game, and the area has developed a relationship with the league. The ACC men's basketball tournament is coming to the St. Pete Times Forum in 2007.
"With the ACC basketball tournament being less than a year and a half away and the ACC hosting an event within the state, we obviously wanted to come and support our partners in the Atlantic Coast Conference," said commission executive director Rob Higgins , part of a small contingent in town to visit with ACC officials and attend various functions.
ANOTHER INJURY: FSU senior linebacker Marcello Church , the former Lakewood High standout who had been having his best season, broke his left fibula early in the second quarter. Church entered with 24 tackles, seven for a loss, 3.5 sacks and a blocked punt.
2-FOR-2: FSU sophomore safety Roger Williams forced two first-half fumbles, both deep in Hokies territory, both of which Hokies senior tight end Jeff King recovered.
NUMBERS GAME: With 115 first-half passing yards, FSU redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Weatherford increased his total to 2,840 to move past former Seminole Chris Rix (2,734 yards) into second in league history for freshmen. Senior nose guard Brodrick Bunkley , the former Chamberlain High standout, had 1.5 tackles for a loss in the first half to give him 22. That tied defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (2001) for the single-season FSU record.
LEAGUE ELITE: Former FSU All-America linebacker Marvin Jones was one of 12 players (one from each school) recognized during pregame ceremonies as the inaugural class of ACC Legends. Jones, 33, had a notepad and a digital camera to get autographs and pictures of himself and his fellow inductees, including George Mira (Miami), Joe Hamilton (Georgia Tech and the Bucs), Bruce Smith (Virginia Tech) and Roman Gabriel (North Carolina State).
SPECIAL PLAYER: Former Maryland halfback/receiver Darryl Hill , the ACC's first African-American football player (1963-64), tossed the coin.