American collegiate athletic organization formed in 1953 as an offshoot of the Southern Conference. Member schools are Boston College (joined 2005), Clemson University, Duke University, Florida State University (joined in 1990), the Georgia Institute of Technology (joined in 1979), the University of Maryland (Maryland, University of), the University of Miami (Miami, University of) (joined 2004), the University of North Carolina (North Carolina, University of), North Carolina State University (North Carolina, University of), the University of Virginia (Virginia, University of), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) (joined in 2004), and Wake Forest University.

The Southern Conference had been organized in 1921 to promote and govern intercollegiate athletics. By 1953 some of the member schools felt the conference had grown too large and unwieldy for competitive athletic scheduling. At the conference's spring meeting, seven schools withdrew and formed the ACC. Virginia, which had not been a member of the Southern Conference, eventually joined the new organization, while the University of South Carolina, an original member, withdrew in 1971.