ACC Football Out of Conference 2010

Yesterday, I looked at the 2010 out of conference scheduling for the SEC. Today, we move on to the ACC...

BOSTON COLLEGE: Weber State, Kent State, Notre Dame, at Syracuse

CLEMSON: North Texas, Presbyterian, at Auburn, South Carolina

DUKE: Elon, Alabama, Army, at Navy

FLORIDA STATE: Samford, at Oklahoma, BYU, Florida

GEORGIA TECH: South Carolina State, at Kansas, Middle Tennessee State, at Georgia

MARYLAND: Navy, Morgan State, at West Virginia, Florida International

MIAMI: Florida A&M, at Ohio State, at Pitt, USF

NORTH CAROLINA: LSU (neutral site), at Rutgers, East Carolina, William & Mary

NORTH CAROLINA STATE: Western Carolina, at UCF, Cincinnati, at East Carolina

VIRGINIA: Richmond, at USC, Virginia Military Institute, Eastern Michigan

VIRGINIA TECH: Boise State (neutral site), James Madison, East Carolina, Central Michigan

WAKE FOREST: Presbyterian, at Stanford, Navy, at Vanderbilt

Here's what hops out at me immediately while looking at the list:

• Every ACC team elected to play an FCS team (Virginia elected to play two.)
• Every school elected to play at least one non-conference game away from their home stadium (Virginia Tech plays a neutral site game, everyone else plays at least one "true" road game.)
• 19 of 48 games (40%) against BCS competition
• 17 of 48 games (35%) are played away from home (includes two neutral site games.)
• Virginia Tech is the only school to not play BCS competition, though they do play Boise State.
• Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Wake Forest play two BCS schools each (FSU also plays BYU.)
  
• Miami plays three BCS schools

Breakdown of opponents by conference (excluding the 13 FCS opponents):

• SEC (7): Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, South Carolina, Vanderbilt
• Big East (6): Cincinnati, Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, West Virginia, USF
• Independent (5): Army, Navy (x3), Notre Dame
• C-USA (4): East Carolina (x3), UCF
• MAC (3): Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State
• Sun Belt (3): Florida International, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas
• Big XII (2): Kansas, Oklahoma
• Pac-10 (2): Stanford, USC
• Big Ten (1): Ohio State
• Mountain West (1): BYU
• WAC (1): Boise State

The SEC had 11 FCS opponents and 8 Sun Belt teams as opposed to 13 FCS and 3 Sun Belt for the ACC. The ACC plays four games against service academies, but three of those are against Navy who isn't a pushover by any stretch of the imagination (just ask Ohio State.) Miami elected to run a gauntlet this year going on the road to Ohio State and Pitt and getting USF at home (I imagine even September or October weather in Ohio and Pennsylvania might do Miami in.) I'd say North Carolina and Florida State have the toughest non-conference runs after Miami. Besides the paycheck beatdown Virginia will receive from USC, the rest of their schedule is mighty soft with two FCS opponents. I imagine all eyes will be on the Virgina Tech vs. Boise State game in Landover, Maryland to open the season. The LSU vs. North Carolina game in the Dome on opening weekend will also be one to watch.