The ACC needs more TV viewers, many more, and that cannot happen if ACC teams cannot win the important OOC games. That starts with 2 basic groupings. One is the set of 4 games vs. in-state SEC rivals: FSU-UF, GT-UGA, Clemson-SoCar, Louisville-UK. Failing to be at least 2-2 in these games is certain to reinforce negative assessments of ACC football.
Then there are the '5' Notre Dame games. The Irish dominating against ACC football members is bad for the league, worse than having a losing record against the SEC. The SEC is the best league, and ND is just another midwestern team that almost never would have a real shot to win the SEC. This year, ND hosts Pitt and Wake, and goes to Moo, Dook, Louisville, and Clemson. ND guarantees many eyeballs watching those games, even Wake at ND. So the more of them the ACC loses, the worse the ACC looks to the nation.
Those 10 are far from the OOC games that are essential to the ACC's football reputation. Opening weekend features UVA vs. Tennessee in Nashville, UNC vs. SoCar in Charlotte and FSU vs. LSU in Orlando. If the ACC could win both of those games, the buzz at the start of the season would be that the ACC is potentially as good as the SEC. In Week 2, Miami hosts Texas A&M, providing a fourth chance early for the ACC to show the CFB world it can play with the best funded. Also, Wake hosts Vanderbilt. Clark Lea has done a good job in 2 seasons at hapless Vandy, but if Vandy upsets Wake, the ACC looks bad because Wake is coming off 7 consecutive bowl teams. And then we have GT at Ole Miss in Week 3.
Many opportunities for the ACC to show itself well vs. the mighty SEC. Or, once again the ACC can be embarrassed.
The Big Ten also is well represented on ACC schedules, and because BT football is not equal to SEC football, the ACC losing to any BT teams not named Ohio St, Michigan, or Penn State hurts the league reputation. UVA at Maryland is the most important, because Maryland was an ACC charter member and because of local recruiting. Minnesota at UNC is next in importance. Fleck is 4-0 in bowls at Minnesota, and the Gophers are coming off back to back 9 win seasons. VT hosts Purdue and plays at Rutgers. Syracuse goes to Purdue the week after the Boilermakers face VT. That same week, Louisville plays IU in Indianapolis, and Dook hosts Northwestern. There is no reason that the ACC should have less than a winning retro dvs. the BT.
Then there are the '5' Notre Dame games. The Irish dominating against ACC football members is bad for the league, worse than having a losing record against the SEC. The SEC is the best league, and ND is just another midwestern team that almost never would have a real shot to win the SEC. This year, ND hosts Pitt and Wake, and goes to Moo, Dook, Louisville, and Clemson. ND guarantees many eyeballs watching those games, even Wake at ND. So the more of them the ACC loses, the worse the ACC looks to the nation.
Those 10 are far from the OOC games that are essential to the ACC's football reputation. Opening weekend features UVA vs. Tennessee in Nashville, UNC vs. SoCar in Charlotte and FSU vs. LSU in Orlando. If the ACC could win both of those games, the buzz at the start of the season would be that the ACC is potentially as good as the SEC. In Week 2, Miami hosts Texas A&M, providing a fourth chance early for the ACC to show the CFB world it can play with the best funded. Also, Wake hosts Vanderbilt. Clark Lea has done a good job in 2 seasons at hapless Vandy, but if Vandy upsets Wake, the ACC looks bad because Wake is coming off 7 consecutive bowl teams. And then we have GT at Ole Miss in Week 3.
Many opportunities for the ACC to show itself well vs. the mighty SEC. Or, once again the ACC can be embarrassed.
The Big Ten also is well represented on ACC schedules, and because BT football is not equal to SEC football, the ACC losing to any BT teams not named Ohio St, Michigan, or Penn State hurts the league reputation. UVA at Maryland is the most important, because Maryland was an ACC charter member and because of local recruiting. Minnesota at UNC is next in importance. Fleck is 4-0 in bowls at Minnesota, and the Gophers are coming off back to back 9 win seasons. VT hosts Purdue and plays at Rutgers. Syracuse goes to Purdue the week after the Boilermakers face VT. That same week, Louisville plays IU in Indianapolis, and Dook hosts Northwestern. There is no reason that the ACC should have less than a winning retro dvs. the BT.
