Clemson
9/4 Wake Forest
9/11 Ga Tech
9/18 at Texas A&M
9/25 at Florida St
10/7 at Virginia
10/16 Utah State
10/23 Maryland
10/30 NC State
11/6 at Miami
11/13 at Duke
11/20 So Carolina
Clemson might not be able to win the ACC title with road games at Florida State, Virginia and Miami, but there aren't too many games the Tigers won't be favored in. Getting Georgia Tech, Maryland and NC State at home will be a huge help for an upper-division finish, but the they can't afford a slip.
Nastiest Road Game
at Miami
Cupcake Utah State
Make or Break Game
at Virginia Duke
Duke
9/4 at Navy
9/11 at Conn.
9/18 at Va Tech
9/25 Maryland
10/2 Citadel
10/16 at Ga Tech
10/23 Virginia
10/30 at W Forest
11/6 at Florida St
11/13 Clemson
11/20 No Carolina
Three straight road games to start the season is no way to turn things around. This won't be a winning year, but there's only one game on the slate, at Florida State, that Duke has absolutely no chance whatsoever of winning. There will be at least one win against Maryland, Virginia or Clemson.
Nastiest Road Game
at Florida State
Cupcake Citadel
Make or Break Game
Georgia Tech
Florida State
FSU
9/6 at Miami
9/18 UAB
9/25 Clemson
10/2 No Carolina
10/9 at Syracuse
10/16 Virginia
10/23 at W Forest
10/30 at Maryland
11/6 Duke
11/11 at NC State
11/20 Florida
This is a schedule conducive to winning a national title if the Noles are up to the task. There's the Miami game right off the bat, but it comes early enough to potentially overcome a loss. A win would launch a huge season. Clemson, Virginia and Florida come to Tallahassee, but there are landmines at Maryland and NC State.
Nastiest Road Game
at Miami
Cupcake UAB
Make or Break Game
at Maryland Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech
9/4 Samford
9/11 at Clemson
9/18 at N Carolina
10/2 Miami
10/9 at Maryland
10/16 Duke
10/28 at Va Tech
11/6 at NC State
11/13 Connecticut
11/20 Virginia
11/27 at Georgia
It's not a pretty slate with no room to go on any sort of run. The road games couldn't be more brutal considering Miami comes to Atlanta. The year-end rivalry game at Georgia and the DI-AA layup against Samford won't help bowl hopes. The only chance for the post-season is with a win at North Carolina and at least two other road wins
Nastiest Road Game
at Georgia
Cupcake Samford
Make or Break Game
at Clemson
Maryland
Maryland
9/4 No Illinois
9/11 Temple
9/18 at W Virginia
9/25 at Duke
10/9 Georgia Tech
10/16 NC State
10/23 at Clemson
10/30 Florida State
11/6 at Virginia
11/18 at Va Tech
11/27 Wake Forest
If Maryland is consistent and plays up to its talent level, this is an 10-1/9-2 schedule. The Terps don't have to play Miami and get Florida State and NC State at home. There's the brutal stretch of at Clemson, FSU, at Virginia and at Virginia Tech, but there's no reason UM can't win three of the four.
Nastiest Road Game
at Virginia
Cupcake Temple
Make or Break Game
at Clemson Miami
Miami
9/6 Florida State
9/16 Louisville
9/23 at Houston
10/2 at Ga Tech
10/16 La Tech
10/23 at NC State
10/30 at No Carolina
11/6 Clemson
11/13 at Virginia
12/20 Wake Forest
12/4 Virginia Tech
If Miami can beat Virginia, there's no reason for anything less than an undefeated season. Florida State will be a BCS-level team once the defense comes around, but that won't happen in the opener. At NC State and at Virginia are certainly manageable for a team of this caliber.
Nastiest Road Game
at Virginia
Cupcake Louisiana Tech
Make or Break Game
at Virginia
North Carolina
UNC
9/4 Will. & Mary
9/11 at Virginia
9/18 Ga Tech
9/25 Louisville
10/2 at Florida St
10/9 NC State
10/16 at Utah
10/30 Miami
11/6 Va Tech
11/13 at W Forest
11/20 at Duke
Yuck. At least eight of the D-I teams on the schedule are bowl caliber, and there could be nine. The Tar Heels don't get a break in October playing at Florida State, NC State, at Utah and Miami, while the end of September is no picnic playing possible C-USA favorite Louisville. It's hard to see the Heels being favored against a D-I team until the finale.
Nastiest Road Game
at Florida State
Cupcake William & Mary
Make or Break Game
Georgia Tech NC State
NCST
9/4 Richmond
9/18 Ohio State
9/25 at Va Tech
10/2 Wake Forest
10/9 at No Carolina
10/16 at Maryland
10/23 Miami
10/30 at Clemson
11/6 Georgia Tech
11/11 Florida State
11/27 East Carolina
The Wolfpack gets a chance to scrimmage against Richmond followed by two weeks to prepare for the home showdown with Ohio State. Miami and Florida State come to Raleigh and a three game home stretch to end the season should help the upper-tier bowl chances. Going on the road to play Virginia Tech, Maryland and Clemson won't be fun.
Nastiest Road Game
at Maryland
Cupcake Richmond
Make or Break Game
at Clemson
Virginia
UVA
9/4 at Temple
9/11 No Carolina
9/18 Akron
9/25 Syracuse
10/7 Clemson
10/16 at Florida St
10/23 at Duke
11/6 Maryland
11/13 Miami
11/20 at Ga Tech
11/27 at Va Tech
The Cavs have several games to work out all the kinks before a brutal finishing kick. If they can beat Clemson, they should be 5-0 going to Florida State. At worst, they should be 6-1 before dealing with Maryland, Miami, at Georgia Tech and at Virginia Tech. The non-conference schedule, with the exception of the Syracuse game, should be a breeze.
Nastiest Road Game
at Florida State
Cupcake at Temple
Make or Break Game
Maryland Virginia Tech
VA TECH
8/28 USC (in DC)
9/11 W. Michigan
9/18 Duke
9/25 NC State
10/2 W. Virginia
10/9 at W Forest
10/16 Florida A&M
10/28 at Ga Tech
11/6 at N Carolina
11/18 Maryland
11/27 Virginia
12/4 at Miami
With as favorable an ACC slate a team can possibly have, Virginia Tech can afford to play USC in the season opener. NC State, Maryland and Virginia have to go to Blacksburg, while Florida State is off the schedule. At Miami is the killer, but the rest of the league road games aren't all that bad. Florida A&M breaks up the mid-season road dates.
Nastiest Road Game
at Miami
Cupcake Florida A&M
Make or Break Game
Maryland
Wake Forest
Wake
9/4 at Clemson
9/11 at E Carolina
9/18 Air Force
9/25 Boston Coll.
10/2 at NC State
10/9 Va Tech
10/23 Florida State
10/30 Duke
11/13 No Carolina
11/20 at Miami
11/27 at Maryland
A strange schedule, the Demon Deacons play in streaks starting off with two interesting road games at Clemson and East Carolina. October is nice with four league games broken up by a week off in the middle. They'd better have six wins before the final two games going on the road to face Miami and Maryland.
Nastiest Road Game
at Miami
Cupcake at East Carolina
Make or Break Game
Virginia Tech
9/4 Wake Forest
9/11 Ga Tech
9/18 at Texas A&M
9/25 at Florida St
10/7 at Virginia
10/16 Utah State
10/23 Maryland
10/30 NC State
11/6 at Miami
11/13 at Duke
11/20 So Carolina
Clemson might not be able to win the ACC title with road games at Florida State, Virginia and Miami, but there aren't too many games the Tigers won't be favored in. Getting Georgia Tech, Maryland and NC State at home will be a huge help for an upper-division finish, but the they can't afford a slip.
Nastiest Road Game
at Miami
Cupcake Utah State
Make or Break Game
at Virginia Duke
Duke
9/4 at Navy
9/11 at Conn.
9/18 at Va Tech
9/25 Maryland
10/2 Citadel
10/16 at Ga Tech
10/23 Virginia
10/30 at W Forest
11/6 at Florida St
11/13 Clemson
11/20 No Carolina
Three straight road games to start the season is no way to turn things around. This won't be a winning year, but there's only one game on the slate, at Florida State, that Duke has absolutely no chance whatsoever of winning. There will be at least one win against Maryland, Virginia or Clemson.
Nastiest Road Game
at Florida State
Cupcake Citadel
Make or Break Game
Georgia Tech
Florida State
FSU
9/6 at Miami
9/18 UAB
9/25 Clemson
10/2 No Carolina
10/9 at Syracuse
10/16 Virginia
10/23 at W Forest
10/30 at Maryland
11/6 Duke
11/11 at NC State
11/20 Florida
This is a schedule conducive to winning a national title if the Noles are up to the task. There's the Miami game right off the bat, but it comes early enough to potentially overcome a loss. A win would launch a huge season. Clemson, Virginia and Florida come to Tallahassee, but there are landmines at Maryland and NC State.
Nastiest Road Game
at Miami
Cupcake UAB
Make or Break Game
at Maryland Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech
9/4 Samford
9/11 at Clemson
9/18 at N Carolina
10/2 Miami
10/9 at Maryland
10/16 Duke
10/28 at Va Tech
11/6 at NC State
11/13 Connecticut
11/20 Virginia
11/27 at Georgia
It's not a pretty slate with no room to go on any sort of run. The road games couldn't be more brutal considering Miami comes to Atlanta. The year-end rivalry game at Georgia and the DI-AA layup against Samford won't help bowl hopes. The only chance for the post-season is with a win at North Carolina and at least two other road wins
Nastiest Road Game
at Georgia
Cupcake Samford
Make or Break Game
at Clemson
Maryland
Maryland
9/4 No Illinois
9/11 Temple
9/18 at W Virginia
9/25 at Duke
10/9 Georgia Tech
10/16 NC State
10/23 at Clemson
10/30 Florida State
11/6 at Virginia
11/18 at Va Tech
11/27 Wake Forest
If Maryland is consistent and plays up to its talent level, this is an 10-1/9-2 schedule. The Terps don't have to play Miami and get Florida State and NC State at home. There's the brutal stretch of at Clemson, FSU, at Virginia and at Virginia Tech, but there's no reason UM can't win three of the four.
Nastiest Road Game
at Virginia
Cupcake Temple
Make or Break Game
at Clemson Miami
Miami
9/6 Florida State
9/16 Louisville
9/23 at Houston
10/2 at Ga Tech
10/16 La Tech
10/23 at NC State
10/30 at No Carolina
11/6 Clemson
11/13 at Virginia
12/20 Wake Forest
12/4 Virginia Tech
If Miami can beat Virginia, there's no reason for anything less than an undefeated season. Florida State will be a BCS-level team once the defense comes around, but that won't happen in the opener. At NC State and at Virginia are certainly manageable for a team of this caliber.
Nastiest Road Game
at Virginia
Cupcake Louisiana Tech
Make or Break Game
at Virginia
North Carolina
UNC
9/4 Will. & Mary
9/11 at Virginia
9/18 Ga Tech
9/25 Louisville
10/2 at Florida St
10/9 NC State
10/16 at Utah
10/30 Miami
11/6 Va Tech
11/13 at W Forest
11/20 at Duke
Yuck. At least eight of the D-I teams on the schedule are bowl caliber, and there could be nine. The Tar Heels don't get a break in October playing at Florida State, NC State, at Utah and Miami, while the end of September is no picnic playing possible C-USA favorite Louisville. It's hard to see the Heels being favored against a D-I team until the finale.
Nastiest Road Game
at Florida State
Cupcake William & Mary
Make or Break Game
Georgia Tech NC State
NCST
9/4 Richmond
9/18 Ohio State
9/25 at Va Tech
10/2 Wake Forest
10/9 at No Carolina
10/16 at Maryland
10/23 Miami
10/30 at Clemson
11/6 Georgia Tech
11/11 Florida State
11/27 East Carolina
The Wolfpack gets a chance to scrimmage against Richmond followed by two weeks to prepare for the home showdown with Ohio State. Miami and Florida State come to Raleigh and a three game home stretch to end the season should help the upper-tier bowl chances. Going on the road to play Virginia Tech, Maryland and Clemson won't be fun.
Nastiest Road Game
at Maryland
Cupcake Richmond
Make or Break Game
at Clemson
Virginia
UVA
9/4 at Temple
9/11 No Carolina
9/18 Akron
9/25 Syracuse
10/7 Clemson
10/16 at Florida St
10/23 at Duke
11/6 Maryland
11/13 Miami
11/20 at Ga Tech
11/27 at Va Tech
The Cavs have several games to work out all the kinks before a brutal finishing kick. If they can beat Clemson, they should be 5-0 going to Florida State. At worst, they should be 6-1 before dealing with Maryland, Miami, at Georgia Tech and at Virginia Tech. The non-conference schedule, with the exception of the Syracuse game, should be a breeze.
Nastiest Road Game
at Florida State
Cupcake at Temple
Make or Break Game
Maryland Virginia Tech
VA TECH
8/28 USC (in DC)
9/11 W. Michigan
9/18 Duke
9/25 NC State
10/2 W. Virginia
10/9 at W Forest
10/16 Florida A&M
10/28 at Ga Tech
11/6 at N Carolina
11/18 Maryland
11/27 Virginia
12/4 at Miami
With as favorable an ACC slate a team can possibly have, Virginia Tech can afford to play USC in the season opener. NC State, Maryland and Virginia have to go to Blacksburg, while Florida State is off the schedule. At Miami is the killer, but the rest of the league road games aren't all that bad. Florida A&M breaks up the mid-season road dates.
Nastiest Road Game
at Miami
Cupcake Florida A&M
Make or Break Game
Maryland
Wake Forest
Wake
9/4 at Clemson
9/11 at E Carolina
9/18 Air Force
9/25 Boston Coll.
10/2 at NC State
10/9 Va Tech
10/23 Florida State
10/30 Duke
11/13 No Carolina
11/20 at Miami
11/27 at Maryland
A strange schedule, the Demon Deacons play in streaks starting off with two interesting road games at Clemson and East Carolina. October is nice with four league games broken up by a week off in the middle. They'd better have six wins before the final two games going on the road to face Miami and Maryland.
Nastiest Road Game
at Miami
Cupcake at East Carolina
Make or Break Game
Virginia Tech
