2012 ACC Football Schedule Breakdown

Posted by Brandon Rink on February 27, 2012 under ACC Football | 2 Comments to Read

Breaking down the schedule with what you should like (and what I like) and dislike on your team’s schedule and things to note…

Check out my top-10 ACC games to watch on Southern Pigskin here as well.

Boston College Eagles

Likes: ACC opener with Miami on the opening weekend, bye week before hosting Clemson, and a FCS opponent sandwiched between Miami and going to Northwestern.
Dislikes: The FSU to Georgia Tech back-to-back road trips and hosting Virginia Tech and traveling to NC State to finish the season..
Strength Ranking in ACC: 9th.
Oddity: Three-straight road games in October.
Toughest Game: Florida State, Oct. 13.

Eagles Full Schedule

Sept. 1   MIAMI
Sept. 8   MAINE
Sept. 15  at Northwestern
Sept. 22   OPEN
Sept. 29   CLEMSON
Oct. 6  at Army
Oct. 13  at Florida State
Oct. 20  at Georgia Tech
Oct. 27   MARYLAND
Nov. 3  at Wake Forest
Nov. 10   NOTRE DAME
Nov. 17   VIRGINIA TECH
Nov. 24  at NC State

Clemson Tigers

Likes: Rubber match with Auburn in the Georgia Dome after splitting the home-and-home series in 2010 and 2011, Thursday nighter at Wake Forest, and three home games to close November.
Dislikes: Back-to-back ACC road games with FSU and BC (BC coming off a bye), short turnaround off a tough Virginia Tech game to a Thursday trip to Wake and playing NC State before South Carolina.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 4th.
Oddity: Play only four road games, and they’re paired back-to-back with FSU-BC and Wake-Duke.
Toughest Game: at FSU, Sept. 22.

Tigers Full Schedule

Sept. 1   AUBURN (Georgia Dome)
Sept. 8   BALL STATE
Sept. 15   FURMAN
Sept. 22  at Florida State
Sept. 29  at Boston College
Oct. 6   GEORGIA TECH
Oct. 13   OPEN
Oct. 20   VIRGINIA TECH
Oct. 25  at Wake Forest (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 3  at Duke
Nov. 10   MARYLAND
Nov. 17   NC STATE
Nov. 24   SOUTH CAROLINA

Duke Blue Devils

Likes: Tough, but winnable stretch in September with FIU, North Carolina Central and Memphis all coming to town, chance to play spoiler with UNC, Virginia, Clemson and Miami hitting Durham and a bye before Georgia Tech.
Dislikes: Trip to Stanford, trip to Virginia Tech, Clemson and FSU on the schedule and a trip to Georgia Tech.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 3rd.
Oddity: No bye until week 12.
Toughest Game: at Stanford, Sept. 8.

Devils Full Schedule

Sept. 1  FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
Sept. 8  at Stanford
Sept. 15  NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL
Sept. 22  MEMPHIS
Sept. 29  at Wake Forest
Oct. 6  VIRGINIA
Oct. 13  at Virginia Tech
Oct. 20  NORTH CAROLINA
Oct. 27  at Florida State
Nov. 3  CLEMSON
Nov. 10   OPEN
Nov. 17  at Georgia Tech
Nov. 24  MIAMI

Florida State Seminoles

Likes: Four home-game start (back end with Atlantic contenders Wake and Clemson), bye before Thursday game at Lane Stadium and Florida coming to Tallahassee.
Dislikes: Underrated-ly tough back-to-back first road trips to South Florida and NC State, a Thursday game in Lane Stadium coupled with an ACC finale at Maryland.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 8th.
Oddity: The ‘Noles start with four homes games this season.
Toughest Game: at Virginia Tech, Nov. 8.

Seminoles Full Schedule

Sept. 1   MURRAY STATE
Sept. 8   SAVANNAH STATE
Sept. 15   WAKE FOREST
Sept. 22   CLEMSON
Sept. 29  at South Florida
Oct. 6  at NC State
Oct. 13   BOSTON COLLEGE
Oct. 20  at Miami
Oct. 27   DUKE
Nov. 3   OPEN
Nov. 8  at Virginia Tech (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 17  at Maryland
Nov. 24   FLORIDA

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Likes: Easy landing with Presbyterian off the Labor Day opener at Virginia Tech starting a 4-game homestand, Duke to close ACC play.
Dislikes: Having Virginia Tech with a full offseason to prepare for the Labor Day road game, back-to-back road trip with Maryland/UNC and traveling to Georgia.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 6th.
Oddity: Has to be the Labor Day game to Saturday matchup with Presbyterian.
Toughest Game: at Virginia Tech, Sept. 3.

Yellow Jackets Full Schedule

Sept. 3  at Virginia Tech (Monday), ESPN, 8 pm
Sept. 8   PRESBYTERIAN
Sept. 15   VIRGINIA
Sept. 22   MIAMI
Sept. 29   MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Oct. 6  at Clemson
Oct. 13   OPEN
Oct. 20   BOSTON COLLEGE
Oct. 27   BYU
Nov. 3  at Maryland
Nov. 10  at North Carolina
Nov. 17   DUKE
Nov. 24  at Georgia

Maryland Terrapins

Likes: Edsall v. old school matchup with UConn in week three in College Park, bye before conference play starts against Wake, alternating home and road games the whole season.
Dislikes: Trips to WVU, Virginia and Clemson.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 5th.
Oddity: First ACC game on Oct. 6.
Toughest Game: at West Virginia, Sept. 22.

Terps Full Schedule

Sept. 1   WILLIAM & MARY
Sept. 8  at Temple
Sept. 15   CONNECTICUT
Sept. 22  at West Virginia
Sept. 29   OPEN
Oct. 6   WAKE FOREST
Oct. 13  at Virginia
Oct. 20   NC STATE
Oct. 27  at Boston College
Nov. 3   GEORGIA TECH
Nov. 10  at Clemson
Nov. 17   FLORIDA STATE
Nov. 24  at North Carolina

Miami Hurricanes

Likes: Neutral site game in Chicago with Notre Dame, FSU and Virginia Tech (Thursday) coming to them in September.
Dislikes: At BC and Kansas State then an FCS opponent before a trip to Georgia Tech.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 7th.
Oddity: Three of their first four games on the road and the next four games at home or at a neutral site.
Toughest Game: Florida State, Oct. 20.

Hurricanes Full Schedule

Sept. 1   at Boston College
Sept. 8   at Kansas State
Sept. 15    BETHUNE-COOKMAN
Sept. 22   at Georgia Tech
Sept. 29    NC STATE
Oct. 6   at Notre Dame (Chicago, Ill.)
Oct. 13    NORTH CAROLINA
Oct. 20    FLORIDA STATE
Oct. 27    OPEN
Nov. 1    VIRGINIA TECH (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 10   at Virginia
Nov. 17    SOUTH FLORIDA
Nov. 24   at Duke

North Carolina Tar Heels

Likes: Easing into the first divisional game with ECU and Idaho before hosting Virginia Tech, and finishing the season with Maryland.
Dislikes: At Wake and Louisville in weeks two and three won’t be easy, nor will the back-to-back roadie to Miami and Duke before hosting NC State.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 10th.
Oddity: A late bye of Nov. 3 and a short turnaround from Georgia Tech to at Virginia on a Thursday night.
Toughest Game: at Virginia, Nov. 15 (because of the above fact).

Heels Full Schedule

Sept. 1    ELON
Sept. 8   at Wake Forest
Sept. 15   at Louisville
Sept. 22    EAST CAROLINA
Sept. 29    IDAHO
Oct. 6    VIRGINIA TECH
Oct. 13   at Miami
Oct. 20   at Duke
Oct. 27    NC STATE
Nov. 3    OPEN
Nov. 10    GEORGIA TECH
Nov. 15   at Virginia (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 24    MARYLAND

NC State Wolfpack

Likes: Tennessee Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game, easing into the first conference game with a couple FCS games (at Miami, Sept. 29), bye before back-to-back road trips (Maryland and UNC), and closing with three of four at home.
Dislikes: None.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 11th.
Oddity: Play three of four on the road in the middle of the season and three of four at home in their final four.
Toughest Game: at Clemson, Nov. 17.

Wolfpack Full Schedule

Aug. 31    TENNESSEE (Georgia Dome)
Sept. 8   at Connecticut
Sept. 15    SOUTH ALABAMA
Sept. 22    THE CITADEL
Sept. 29   at Miami
Oct. 6   FLORIDA STATE
Oct. 13   OPEN
Oct. 20  at Maryland
Oct. 27  at North Carolina
Nov. 3   VIRGINIA
Nov. 10   WAKE FOREST
Nov. 17  at Clemson
Nov. 24   BOSTON COLLEGE

Virginia Cavaliers

Likes: Richmond leading into the Penn State home game, bye before the trip to NC State, Miami and UNC (Thurs.) coming to Scott Stadium in November.
Dislikes: Penn State-at Georgia Tech-at TCU stretch in September and finishing at Virginia Tech.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 2nd.
Oddity: They’ll have a little extra prep time on Virginia Tech with a Thursday night game the week before versus UNC.
Toughest Game: at Virginia Tech on Nov. 24.

‘Hoos Full Schedule

Sept. 1   RICHMOND
Sept. 8   PENN STATE
Sept. 15  at Georgia Tech
Sept. 22  at TCU
Sept. 29   LOUISIANA TECH
Oct. 6  at Duke
Oct. 13   MARYLAND
Oct. 20   WAKE FOREST
Oct. 27   OPEN
Nov. 3  at NC State
Nov. 10   MIAMI
Nov. 15   NORTH CAROLINA (Thur.), ESPN
Nov. 24  at Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech Hokies

Likes: Getting the offseason to prepare for Georgia Tech at home, bye before Miami Thursday night road trip, hosting FSU on a Thursday and getting Virginia at home.
Dislikes: At Clemson before a bye with a trip to Miami, home with FSU and traveling to BC right afterwards.
Strength in ACC Ranking: 1st.
Oddity: Clemson, Miami and FSU all come off byes going into their game with the Hokies.
Toughest Game: at Clemson, Oct. 20.

Hokies Full Schedule

Sept. 3   GEORGIA TECH (Monday)
Sept. 8   AUSTIN PEAY
Sept. 15  at Pittsburgh
Sept. 22   BOWLING GREEN
Sept. 29  at Cincinnati (FedEx Field)
Oct. 6  at North Carolina
Oct. 13   DUKE
Oct. 20  at Clemson
Oct. 27   OPEN
Nov. 1  at Miami (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 8   FLORIDA STATE (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 17  at Boston College
Nov. 24   VIRGINIA

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Likes: UNC as an early home opener, bye before trip to Virginia, hosting Clemson on a Thursday then BC at home as well.
Dislikes: At FSU in week three, short turnaround from at Virginia to Clemson (5 days) and back-to-back November road trips to NC State and Notre Dame.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 12th.
Oddity: They wrap up conference play on Nov. 10 at NC State before the road game at Notre Dame and coming back home to face Vandy.
Toughest Game: at FSU, Sept. 15.

Deacs Full Schedule

Sept. 1    LIBERTY
Sept. 8    NORTH CAROLINA
Sept. 15   at Florida State
Sept. 22    ARMY
Sept. 29    DUKE
Oct. 6   at Maryland
Oct. 13   OPEN
Oct. 20   at Virginia
Oct. 25    CLEMSON (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 3    BOSTON COLLEGE
Nov. 10   at NC State
Nov. 17   at Notre Dame
Nov. 24    VANDERBILT

Check out my top-10 ACC games to watch on Southern Pigskin here as well.