All three Triangle teams will be playing two Division I-AA teams each this football season. The ACC will release the complete football schedule on Thursday but we know the nonconference opponents for N.C. State, UNC and Duke (and the rest of the ACC).
That means it will take 7-5 to get to a bowl for UNC, N.C. State and Duke. (Only one win over a I-AA opponent per season can be counted towards bowl eligibility).
Appalachian State, the lower division champion in 2005, '06 and '07, does not make an appearance in the Triangle. The Apps do open at East Carolina (Sept. 5).
Florida State, Georgia Tech and Clemson each played two Football Championship Series, or formerly classified as I-AA, opponents in 2008. All three finished 7-5 or better to reach the postseason.
ACC teams went 14-0 against FCS opponents in 2008.
UNC hosts The Citadel (Sept. 5), Georgia Southern (Oct. 10) and East Carolina (Sept. 19) and will travel to UConn (Sept. 12). Needless to say, the Tar Heels are more excited about their first home Thursday night game — expected to be Oct. 22 against Florida State — than three of those nonconference games.
N.C. State plays its entire nonconference schedule at home — South Carolina (Thursday, Sept. 3), Pitt, I-AAs Murray State and Gardner-Webb.
Duke gets I-AAs Richmond (Sept. 5) and N.C. Central (Sept. 26) in Durham and goes to Army (Sept. 12) and Kansas (Sept. 19).
Virginia Tech has potentially the most challenging slate with the expected season-opener with Alabama (in Atlanta), Nebraska and Marshall in Blacksburg and a road trip to ECU (Thursday, Nov. 5).
Nonconference opponents:
Boston College: Northeastern (Sept. 5), Kent State (Sept. 12) Central Michigan (Oct. 31), @ Notre Dame (Oct. 24)
Clemson: @ South Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Middle Tennessee, I-AA
Duke: Richmond (Sept. 5), N.C. Central (Sept. 26), @ Army (Sept. 12), @ Kansas (Sept. 19)
Florida State: South Florida, @ Florida, @ BYU, I-AA
Georgia Tech: Jacksonville State, @ Vanderbilt, @ Mississippi State, Georgia
Maryland: @ Cal (Sept. 5), James Madison (Sept. 12), Middle Tennessee (Sept. 19), Rutgers (Sept. 26)
Miami: Florida A&M, @ Central Florida, @ South Florida, Oklahoma
UNC: The Citadel (Sept. 5), @ UConn (Sept. 12), ECU (Sept. 19), Georgia Southern (Oct. 10)
N.C. State: South Carolina (Sept. 3), Murray State, Gardner-Webb, Pitt
Wake Forest: Baylor, Elon, @ Navy (Oct. 24), Stanford
Virginia: Indiana, TCU, William & Mary, @ Southern Miss
Virginia Tech: vs. Alabama (in Atlanta), Nebraska, Marshall, @ ECU (Thursday, Nov. 5)
Note: Dates subject to change
Comments
VT Man's Up
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 01:35 — lil576Up in Blacksburg, we are looking to compete for a National Championship in 2009. Bring on Bama and the Corn Huskers. We will also have something left for the Heels at our house. As for BC, well two straight losses in the title game have taken a little luster out of the Atlantic Division finish.
-JP, Did you ever set the record straight on the B-Ball ACC record. My boy's were not feeling any love after posting us with a losing record earlier in the week.
where's BC?
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 23:48 — reallyJPreallyIm sorry... did someone forget to mention the two time defending Atlantic division champs or did the pollution from the triangle get in your head... perhaps you've been to busy in south carolina with michael phelps participating in his recreational activities...
12 TEAMS in the ACC...
Didn't forget BC
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 01:23 — jpg (author)Their PR staff did not respond to my inquiry.
— JPG
Commodores
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 13:33 — helpme1No Vandy on the sched. for the Deacs?
Didn't know the 7 or 8-game contract skipped '09...