Duke's 2012-13 ACC schedule

[Olympic Fan]

Duke released its new 18 game ACC schedule this afternoon. Dates and starting times aren't firm, but the actual opponents are:

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=205497412&DB_OEM_ID=4200

If this has been posted before, I apologize (and mods can roll it into the old thread). But this those like me who haven't seen it, it's basically this:

We play Clemson and Georgia Tech at home only; we play Florida State and Virginia on the road only.

We play the other seven teams home and away: UNC, NC State, Wake Forest, Maryland, Miami, Virginia Tech and BC.

I thought we played almost the easiest ACC schedule it's possible for us to play last year (since we've got to play UNC twice). I think this is almost as tough as it is possible for us to play. We get what I think are the four other toughest ACC teams twice -- UNC, NC State, Miami and Maryland. The only first division team (IMHO) that we only play once is Florida State -- and we get them on the road.

[DukieTiger]

Duke released its new 18 game ACC schedule this afternoon. Dates and starting times aren't firm, but the actual opponents are:

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=205497412&DB_OEM_ID=4200

If this has been posted before, I apologize (and mods can roll it into the old thread). But this those like me who haven't seen it, it's basically this:

We play Clemson and Georgia Tech at home only; we play Florida State and Virginia on the road only.

We play the other seven teams home and away: UNC, NC State, Wake Forest, Maryland, Miami, Virginia Tech and BC.

I thought we played almost the easiest ACC schedule it's possible for us to play last year (since we've got to play UNC twice). I think this is almost as tough as it is possible for us to play. We get what I think are the four other toughest ACC teams twice -- UNC, NC State, Miami and Maryland. The only first division team (IMHO) that we only play once is Florida State -- and we get them on the road.

One thing about going to 18 games before expansion actually happens is that we actually get to see a couple more home/away matchups than we have since 2004. A good thing about that is that Duke/UNC/State all play each other home and away. That plays into Miami/Md favor, but I think pretty clearly the Triangle schools are the top 3, so it's nice that they will all play each other twice.

[gumbomoop]

I thought we played almost the easiest ACC schedule it's possible for us to play last year (since we've got to play UNC twice). I think this is almost as tough as it is possible for us to play. We get what I think are the four other toughest ACC teams twice -- UNC, NC State, Miami and Maryland. The only first division team (IMHO) that we only play once is Florida State -- and we get them on the road.

In general, I agree with this, especially the point about FSU in Tallahassee, sometimes a tough place for Duke. As we get Clemson only once, glad it's in CIS. I don't "fear" UVa, even on the road, but Bennett is smart. I wonder just how good Justin Anderson can be his first year.

It will be interesting to see whether, which, and to what extent, any of the top-half challengers - Miami, FSU, Md - get an easier schedule. As an example, what if FSU gets both Duke and NCSt only at home? Or NCSt gets Md and Miami only at home? I wouldn't predict such good luck for any particular team, but should it happen, that would be an advantage.

[Olympic Fan]

One thing about going to 18 games before expansion actually happens is that we actually get to see a couple more home/away matchups than we have since 2004. A good thing about that is that Duke/UNC/State all play each other home and away. That plays into Miami/Md favor, but I think pretty clearly the Triangle schools are the top 3, so it's nice that they will all play each other twice.

That's true for this year -- we play seven out of the 11 ACC opponents home and home. But it's just for one year.

As soon as Pitt and Syracuse join the league (I think in 2013-14, right?) we lose two home and home opponents. With 14 teams in the league, we'll play five home-and-homes, four teams at home only and four teams on the road only.

That's pretty much what it was (in terms of home and home series) before the expansion from 16 to 18 games.

[DukieTiger]

That's true for this year -- we play seven out of the 11 ACC opponents home and home. But it's just for one year.

As soon as Pitt and Syracuse join the league (I think in 2013-14, right?) we lose two home and home opponents. With 14 teams in the league, we'll play five home-and-homes, four teams at home only and four teams on the road only.

That's pretty much what it was (in terms of home and home series) before the expansion from 16 to 18 games.

Yeah, this is just a one-year treat. Although I wonder if the drive to superconferences will eventually force conferences to create divisions that play round robin. But that's likely a ways off, if it happens at all. After this year, ACC scheduling will be more lopsided and uneven than ever.