pfrduke
11-14-2011, 12:31 PM
Already, this season is off to a better start for the conference than the last, and it's entirely due to Wake Forest (in a manner of speaking). Last year, presaging the terrible season ahead, Wake dropped its first contest to Stetson and the ACC did not escape the first Friday unblemished. This season, the Deacs took care of business against Loyola (Md.), and everyone else did their part as well (some with closer games than others), getting the conference through week 1 unscathed. True, no one other than Duke and UNC played teams that are likely to be even within shouting distance of an at large bid, but the conference had plenty of trouble winning the games it should against mid-level opponents, so consider this at least a small step in the right direction. Given the matchups set for this week, it's almost certain that at least one squad will fall before next Monday, but there are plenty of opportunities for teams to pick up big nonconference wins and begin building their resumes.
Monday puts four squads in action, including the first game of the season for Boston College. Picked to finish near the bottom (if not at the bottom) of the conference, BC has a tough road ahead this year. They should have no trouble with New Hampshire (a team picked to finish near the bottom of the America East), but if they do, that's certainly an ominous sign for what's to come. Virginia Tech gets its PNIT action under way with Monmouth, while FSU takes on a Central Florida team that made a lot of noise in the pre-conference season last year (including wins over Miami and Florida) before completely crashing against CUSA opposition.
[179]Boston College hosts [291]New Hampshire
[76]Georgia Tech hosts [278]Delaware State
[33]Florida State hosts [94]Central Florida
[52]Virginia Tech hosts [270]Monmouth
Tuesday is the first shot at 903, to be discussed elsewhere. More interesting (well, not more interesting, but maybe also interesting) is whether the inaugural Champions Classic proves to be a successful format and generates interest both at a local (i.e., people buy tickets) and national (i.e., lots of people watch on the TV) level. Certainly, the organizers couldn't have hoped for a better scenario for the first incarnation than Coach K pursuing the all-time wins record. Virginia kicks off the Paradise Jam much in the way that Duke kicked off the Maui Invitational, with a home game against Winthrop before heading off to the USVI this weekend. Miami takes its first shot at a BCS opponent, taking on a Rutgers team that knocked off the Hurricanes last season. And Virginia Tech has its second round PNIT action; to the PNIT's credit, unlike other "tournaments," this one counts - if the Hokies don't win, they don't go to NYC
[4]Duke vs. [35]Michigan State in Madison Square Garden
[65]Virginia hosts [232]Winthrop
[32]Miami hosts [117]Rutgers
[52]Virginia Tech hosts [67]George Mason/[298]Florida International
Wednesday is a slate of relative lightweights, with only Princeton likely to be at all frisky. Clemson is taking its show on the road to in-state "rival" Citadel, while NC State gets its second pre-Meadowlands Legends Classic action.
[33]Florida State hosts [323]Stetson
[58]NC States hosts [136]Princeton
[142]Wake Forest hosts [295]Georgia Southern
[34]Clemson at [276]The Citadel
Thursday starts another two pre-season tournaments, with Maryland off to exotic San Juan for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off and Georgia Tech off to less exotic (but more scenic) Charleston for the Charleston Classic. Maryland will be the first team to take on a top 25 opponent in the voter polls (Duke, with Belmont, took honors for the computer rankings) with an opening round matchup against Alabama. Georgia Tech has what should be a bit of an easier matchup with St. Joseph's.
[55]Maryland v. [24]Alabama in San Juan
[76]Georgia Tech v. [112]St. Joseph's in Charleston
Friday puts 5 teams in action, only 1 (Duke) playing in their friendly confines. Virginia kicks off the meat of the Paradise Jam on the islands with a matchup against TCU. Maryland and Georgia Tech have second round action in their respective tournaments (hopefully both in the winners brackets). And BC travels to in-state "rival" Holy Cross (note that per Pomeroy, Holy Cross is the favorite here).
[4]Duke hosts [96]Davidson
[179]Boston College at [208]Holy Cross
[65]Virgnia v. [192]Texas Christian in St. Thomas
[55]Maryland v. [118]Colorado in San Juan
[76]Georgia Tech v. [78]Virginia Commonwealth in Charleston
Saturday sees NC State take on the one preseason top 10 squad that's already fallen, but that would be no less a marquee win for a Pack squad looking to establish that this season will be different from years past. Clemson continues its in-state slate with a matchup against Charleston. And Virginia moves on to further action in the USVI (the Puerto Rico and Charleston tournaments take a Saturday breather).
[58]NC State v. [16]Vanderbilt in East Rutherford
[34]Clemson hosts [145]Charleston
[32]Miami hosts [207]North Florida
[65]Virginia v. [69]Drexel/[272]Norfolk State in St. Thomas
Sunday finishes off the week with the busiest day for the conference - half the squads are in action, including final round play in San Juan and Charleston. UNC kicks off the Las Vegas invitational, a tournament UNC should win in a cake walk, with a cake walk game against the Delta Devils. Beyond the tournament action, which I'll update here as the tourney matchups firm up, FSU hosts South Alabama, and Wake plays host to NCCU.
[3]UNC v. [305]Mississippi Valley State
[33]Florida State v. [294]South Alabama
[142]Wake Forest v. [315]North Carolina Central
[55]Maryland in San Juan
[76]Georgia Tech in Charleston
[65]Virginia v. [69]Drexel/[272]Norfolk State in St. Thomas*
*If Virginia beats TCU, it plays the winner of the Drexel/Norfolk game on Sunday; if it loses to TCU, it plays the loser of that game on Saturday.
ACC Non-Conference Record: 14-0
ACC Record v. BCS: 1-0
A-Sun: 3-0
Big South: 4-0
B1G Ten: 1-0
Colonial: 1-0
MAAC: 1-0
MEAC: 2-0
OVC: 2-0
Monday puts four squads in action, including the first game of the season for Boston College. Picked to finish near the bottom (if not at the bottom) of the conference, BC has a tough road ahead this year. They should have no trouble with New Hampshire (a team picked to finish near the bottom of the America East), but if they do, that's certainly an ominous sign for what's to come. Virginia Tech gets its PNIT action under way with Monmouth, while FSU takes on a Central Florida team that made a lot of noise in the pre-conference season last year (including wins over Miami and Florida) before completely crashing against CUSA opposition.
[179]Boston College hosts [291]New Hampshire
[76]Georgia Tech hosts [278]Delaware State
[33]Florida State hosts [94]Central Florida
[52]Virginia Tech hosts [270]Monmouth
Tuesday is the first shot at 903, to be discussed elsewhere. More interesting (well, not more interesting, but maybe also interesting) is whether the inaugural Champions Classic proves to be a successful format and generates interest both at a local (i.e., people buy tickets) and national (i.e., lots of people watch on the TV) level. Certainly, the organizers couldn't have hoped for a better scenario for the first incarnation than Coach K pursuing the all-time wins record. Virginia kicks off the Paradise Jam much in the way that Duke kicked off the Maui Invitational, with a home game against Winthrop before heading off to the USVI this weekend. Miami takes its first shot at a BCS opponent, taking on a Rutgers team that knocked off the Hurricanes last season. And Virginia Tech has its second round PNIT action; to the PNIT's credit, unlike other "tournaments," this one counts - if the Hokies don't win, they don't go to NYC
[4]Duke vs. [35]Michigan State in Madison Square Garden
[65]Virginia hosts [232]Winthrop
[32]Miami hosts [117]Rutgers
[52]Virginia Tech hosts [67]George Mason/[298]Florida International
Wednesday is a slate of relative lightweights, with only Princeton likely to be at all frisky. Clemson is taking its show on the road to in-state "rival" Citadel, while NC State gets its second pre-Meadowlands Legends Classic action.
[33]Florida State hosts [323]Stetson
[58]NC States hosts [136]Princeton
[142]Wake Forest hosts [295]Georgia Southern
[34]Clemson at [276]The Citadel
Thursday starts another two pre-season tournaments, with Maryland off to exotic San Juan for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off and Georgia Tech off to less exotic (but more scenic) Charleston for the Charleston Classic. Maryland will be the first team to take on a top 25 opponent in the voter polls (Duke, with Belmont, took honors for the computer rankings) with an opening round matchup against Alabama. Georgia Tech has what should be a bit of an easier matchup with St. Joseph's.
[55]Maryland v. [24]Alabama in San Juan
[76]Georgia Tech v. [112]St. Joseph's in Charleston
Friday puts 5 teams in action, only 1 (Duke) playing in their friendly confines. Virginia kicks off the meat of the Paradise Jam on the islands with a matchup against TCU. Maryland and Georgia Tech have second round action in their respective tournaments (hopefully both in the winners brackets). And BC travels to in-state "rival" Holy Cross (note that per Pomeroy, Holy Cross is the favorite here).
[4]Duke hosts [96]Davidson
[179]Boston College at [208]Holy Cross
[65]Virgnia v. [192]Texas Christian in St. Thomas
[55]Maryland v. [118]Colorado in San Juan
[76]Georgia Tech v. [78]Virginia Commonwealth in Charleston
Saturday sees NC State take on the one preseason top 10 squad that's already fallen, but that would be no less a marquee win for a Pack squad looking to establish that this season will be different from years past. Clemson continues its in-state slate with a matchup against Charleston. And Virginia moves on to further action in the USVI (the Puerto Rico and Charleston tournaments take a Saturday breather).
[58]NC State v. [16]Vanderbilt in East Rutherford
[34]Clemson hosts [145]Charleston
[32]Miami hosts [207]North Florida
[65]Virginia v. [69]Drexel/[272]Norfolk State in St. Thomas
Sunday finishes off the week with the busiest day for the conference - half the squads are in action, including final round play in San Juan and Charleston. UNC kicks off the Las Vegas invitational, a tournament UNC should win in a cake walk, with a cake walk game against the Delta Devils. Beyond the tournament action, which I'll update here as the tourney matchups firm up, FSU hosts South Alabama, and Wake plays host to NCCU.
[3]UNC v. [305]Mississippi Valley State
[33]Florida State v. [294]South Alabama
[142]Wake Forest v. [315]North Carolina Central
[55]Maryland in San Juan
[76]Georgia Tech in Charleston
[65]Virginia v. [69]Drexel/[272]Norfolk State in St. Thomas*
*If Virginia beats TCU, it plays the winner of the Drexel/Norfolk game on Sunday; if it loses to TCU, it plays the loser of that game on Saturday.
ACC Non-Conference Record: 14-0
ACC Record v. BCS: 1-0
A-Sun: 3-0
Big South: 4-0
B1G Ten: 1-0
Colonial: 1-0
MAAC: 1-0
MEAC: 2-0
OVC: 2-0