2008 ACC Team Schedule
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2008 ACC Composite Schedule
& Top Games
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Toughest schedules
Based on home games as
well as who the teams play. when
Atlantic
1. Maryland
2. Florida State
3. Clemson
4. Boston College
5. Wake Forest
6. NC State
Coastal
1. Georgia Tech
2. Virginia Tech
3. Miami
4. Virginia
5. North Carolina
6. Duke |
Atlantic Division
Boston College
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 10-2
Barring total disaster worst case record: 7-5
Realistic record: 9-3
If BC can reload quickly in the
offensive backfield, a second straight Atlantic title is possible with
this slate. It's tough, but all the big ACC games, Georgia Tech,
Virginia Tech and Clemson, are in Boston. The road schedule is a breeze
for a while going to Cleveland to face Kent State and later traveling to
NC State and North Carolina, and then comes the problem in back-to-back
November dates against Florida State and Wake Forest.
Aug. 30
at Kent State (Cleveland)
Sept. 6 Georgia Tech
Sept. 13 OPEN DATE
Sept. 20 UCF
Sept. 27 Rhode Island
Oct. 4 at NC State
Oct. 11 OPEN DATE
Oct. 18 Virginia Tech
Oct. 25 at North Carolina
Nov. 1 Clemson
Nov. 8 Notre Dame
Nov. 15 at Florida State
Nov. 22 at Wake Forest
Nov. 29 Maryland
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Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way
Clemson
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 11-1
Barring total disaster worst case record: 7-5
Realistic record: 10-2
It's Clemson, so there's always going to be a brain cramp or two along
the way, but if Tommy Bowden's club can pull off a season-opening
neutral site win over Alabama, there's no real reason for a team this
loaded to not be 7-0, even though a trip to Wake Forest could be a bear
trap, before November 1st. Then things get interesting with three road
trips in four weeks facing Boston College, Florida State and Virginia
before the yearly showdown against South Carolina. Even if everything
goes right for the Tigers, it's too tough a schedule to get through
unbeaten, but it's not nasty enough to prevent an Atlantic Division
title.
Aug. 30 Alabama (Atlanta)
Sept. 6 The Citadel
Sept. 13 NC State
Sept. 20 SC State
Sept. 27 Maryland
Oct. 4 OPEN DATE
Oct. 9 at Wake Forest
Oct. 18 Georgia Tech
Oct. 25 OPEN DATE
Nov. 1 at Boston College
Nov. 8 at Florida State
Nov. 15 Duke
Nov. 22 at Virginia
Nov. 29 South Carolina
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Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way
Florida State
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 9-3
Barring total disaster worst case record: 5-7
Realistic record: 7-5
The Noles can be forgiven for starting out the year against Western
Carolina and UT Chattanooga with the two other non-conference games
against Colorado and Florida. The ACC road slate isn't a season killer
going to Miami, NC State, Georgia Tech and Maryland, and getting Boston
College and Clemson in Tallahassee will give Bobby Bowden's team a
fighting chance at winning the Atlantic. On the down side, the Coastal
games could be against the three best teams in the division facing
Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Miami.
Aug. 30 OPEN DATE
Sept. 6 Western Carolina
Sept. 13 UT Chattanooga
Sept. 20 Wake Forest
Sept. 27 Colorado (Jacksonville)
Oct. 4 at Miami
Oct. 11 OPEN DATE
Oct. 16 at NC State
Oct. 25 Virginia Tech
Nov. 1 at Georgia Tech
Nov. 8 Clemson
Nov. 15 Boston College
Nov. 22 at Maryland
Nov. 29 Florida
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Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way
Maryland
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 8-4
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 7-5
The Terps face California for the first time in a fun September home
game, but the rest of the non-conference schedule is a joke facing
Delaware, at Middle Tennessee and Eastern Michigan. The scheduling gods
make up for it with trips to Clemson, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Boston
College that'll ensure an also-ran status in the ACC title race. On the
plus side, there's a good chance to come up with a winning season with
victories in at least three of the four home games against Wake Forest,
NC State, North Carolina and Florida State.
Aug. 30 Delaware
Sept. 6 at Middle Tennessee
Sept. 13 California
Sept. 20 Eastern Michigan
Sept. 27 at Clemson
Oct. 4 at Virginia
Oct. 11 OPEN DATE
Oct. 18 Wake Forest
Oct. 25 NC State
Nov. 1 OPEN DATE
Nov. 6 at Virginia Tech
Nov. 15 North Carolina
Nov. 22 Florida State
Nov. 29 at Boston College
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Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way
North
Carolina State
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 8-4
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 6-6
It's tough early, not that bad late. Going to South Carolina and Clemson
in the first two weeks is hardly a way to boost the confidence of a
still rebuilding team, and non-conference home games against East
Carolina and South Florida will be interesting, but the season will be
made or broken in a three-week midseason stretch hosting Boston College
and Florida State wrapped around an off-week. A second half stretch of
three road games in four would seem tough, but the games are against
Maryland, Duke and North Carolina along with a week off to rest up.
Aug. 28 at South Carolina
Sept. 6 William & Mary
Sept. 13 at Clemson
Sept. 20 East Carolina
Sept. 27 South Florida
Oct. 4 Boston College
Oct. 11 OPEN DATE
Oct. 16 Florida State
Oct. 25 at Maryland
Nov. 1 OPEN DATE
Nov. 8 at Duke
Nov. 15 Wake Forest
Nov. 22 at North Carolina
Nov. 29 Miami
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Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way
Wake Forest
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 10-2
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 8-4
The Demon Deacons couldn't ask for much more than getting Clemson and
Boston College at home and Duke from the Coastal Division. On paper,
going on the road to play Florida State, Maryland, Miami and NC State
might appear daunting, but Jim Grobe's club should be able to pull out
two of the four games. Playing three BCS teams in the non-conference
slate, at Baylor, Ole Miss, Navy and Vanderbilt, still doesn't mean
anything less than 4-0 will be expected. This might be a tough schedule,
but it's not unmanageable.
Aug. 30 at Baylor
Sept. 6 Ole Miss
Sept. 13 OPEN DATE
Sept. 20 at Florida State
Sept. 27 Navy
Oct. 4 OPEN DATE
Oct. 9 Clemson
Oct. 18 at Maryland
Oct. 25 at Miami
Nov. 1 Duke
Nov. 8 Virginia
Nov. 15 at NC State
Nov. 22 Boston College
Nov. 29 Vanderbilt
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Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way
Coastal Division
Duke
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 5-7
Barring total disaster worst case record: 1-11
Realistic record: 3-9
For anyone else, the first half of the season wouldn't be that bad with
home games against James Madison, Northwestern and Navy, conference home
dates with Virginia and Miami, a road trip to Vanderbilt, and two weeks
off before November. But there's a price to pay with a stretch of four
road games in five weeks starting with the date against the Commodores
and continuing with trips to Wake Forest, Clemson and Virginia Tech
wrapped around the NC State game. The Blue Devils will play seven
straight weeks without a break to close out the season.
Aug. 30
James Madison
Sept. 6 Northwestern
Sept. 13 Navy
Sept. 20 OPEN DATE
Sept. 27 Virginia
Oct. 4 at Georgia Tech
Oct. 11 OPEN DATE
Oct. 18 Miami
Oct. 25 at Vanderbilt
Nov. 1 at Wake Forest
Nov. 8 NC State
Nov. 15 at Clemson
Nov. 22 at Virginia Tech
Nov. 29 North Carolina
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Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way
Georgia Tech
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 9-3
Barring total disaster worst case record: 5-7
Realistic record: 7-5
Welcome to the show, Paul Johnson. How's this for a road slate? At
Boston College, at Virginia Tech (and those come by mid-September), at
Clemson, at North Carolina and at Georgia. The word you're looking for
is yeeeeeesh. Oh yeah, and then there are ACC home dates against
Virginia, Florida State and Miami just to keep the Yellow Jackets
honest. Non-conference games against Jacksonville State and Gardner-Webb
will help matters, but playing Mississippi State after back-to-back
games against the Eagles and Hokies could be a trap.
Aug. 28
Jacksonville State
Sept. 6 at Boston College
Sept. 13 at Virginia Tech
Sept. 20 Mississippi State
Sept. 27 OPEN DATE
Oct. 4 Duke
Oct. 11 Gardner-Webb
Oct. 18 at Clemson
Oct. 25 Virginia
Nov. 1 Florida State
Nov. 8 at North Carolina
Nov. 15 OPEN DATE
Nov. 20 Miami
Nov. 29 at Georgia
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Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way
Miami
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 9-3
Barring total disaster worst case record: 5-7
Realistic record: 8-4
The Canes will know just how much better they've gotten this off-season
in a big hurry. After a warm-up against Charleston Southern, road dates
at Florida and Texas A&M could either set the tone for the season or
show just how far the program still has to go. On the flip side, the big
Coastal showdown against Virginia Tech is at home, missing Clemson and
Boston College from the Atlantic, and getting Florida State in Miami are
all tremendous breaks. Closing up with three road dates (Virginia,
Georgia Tech and NC State) in the final four, with the home game against
the Hokies, isn't a plus.
Aug. 28
Charleston Southern
Sept. 6 at Florida
Sept. 13 OPEN DATE
Sept. 20 at Texas A&M
Sept. 27 North Carolina
Oct. 4 Florida State
Oct. 11 UCF
Oct. 18 at Duke
Oct. 25 Wake Forest
Nov. 1 at Virginia
Nov. 8 OPEN DATE
Nov. 13 Virginia Tech
Nov. 20 at Georgia Tech
Nov. 29 at NC State
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Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way
North Carolina
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 8-4
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 6-6
The Tar Heels catch a monster break missing Clemson, Florida State and
Wake Forest from the Atlantic and get Boston College at home, while
Virginia Tech, the likely preseason Coastal favorite, has to come to
Chapel Hill. Three of the four ACC road trips are against teams that
didn't go to a bowl last year. The non-conference slate, outside of the
opener against McNeese State, is challenging highlighted by a Thursday
night showdown at Rutgers, but battles against UConn and Notre Dame are
at home.
Aug. 30
McNeese State
Sept. 6 OPEN DATE
Sept. 11 at Rutgers
Sept. 20 Virginia Tech
Sept. 27 at Miami
Oct. 4 Connecticut
Oct. 11 Notre Dame
Oct. 18 at Virginia
Oct. 25 Boston College
Nov. 1 OPEN DATE
Nov. 8 Georgia Tech
Nov. 15 at Maryland
Nov. 22 NC State
Nov. 29 at Duke
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Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way
Virginia
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 8-4
Barring total disaster worst case record: 3-9
Realistic record: 6-6
The tone could be set for the season in the opener against USC, but no
one will be expecting a win. A non-conference road trip to Connecticut
will also be tough, and East Carolina isn't going to be a layup. In ACC
play the Cavaliers have to deal with Wake Forest and Clemson from the
Atlantic, while road trips Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech will likely
decide whether or not they're really Coastal Division contenders.
Aug. 30
USC
Sept. 6 Richmond
Sept. 13 at Connecticut
Sept. 20 OPEN DATE
Sept. 27 at Duke
Oct. 4 Maryland
Oct. 11 East Carolina
Oct. 18 North Carolina
Oct. 25 at Georgia Tech
Nov. 1 Miami
Nov. 8 at Wake Forest
Nov. 15 OPEN DATE
Nov. 22 Clemson
Nov. 29 at Virginia Tech
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Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way
Virginia Tech
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 10-2
Barring total disaster worst case record: 7-5
Realistic record: 9-3
The road trips are going to be challenging. There aren't many breaks in
interdivision play having to travel to face Boston College and Florida
State, while a late Coastal Division showdown at Miami could end up
making or breaking ACC title hopes. The non-conference schedule is
interesting with a trip to Nebraska for the first machup with the
Huskers since the 1996 Orange Bowl (a 41-21 Hokie loss) to off-set
layups against Furman and Western Kentucky. The opener against East
Carolina won't be a walk in the park.
Aug. 30 East Carolina (Charlotte)
Sept. 6 Furman
Sept. 13 Georgia Tech
Sept. 20 at North Carolina
Sept. 27 at Nebraska
Oct. 4 Western Kentucky
Oct. 11 OPEN DATE
Oct. 18 at Boston College
Oct. 25 at Florida State
Nov. 1 OPEN DATE
Nov. 6 Maryland
Nov. 13 at Miami
Nov. 22 Duke
Nov. 29 Virginia
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Almost certain win
- Likely loss
- Could go either way