Virginia.
Duke at Wisconsin. UNC, in yet another scheduling break, hosts Iowa. Also Michigan will host Syracuse in the "Where's everybody gone?" game.
I'm hearing that the matchups for next season will be released later today.
I'm betting that Duke gets a trip to Wisconsin ... if not that, then Michigan State -- although MSU is -- like Duke -- due a road game this season.
BTW: The gossip is that Maryland has been promised a home game in this year's challenge. What ACC teams draws that clunker?
Virginia.
Duke at Wisconsin. UNC, in yet another scheduling break, hosts Iowa. Also Michigan will host Syracuse in the "Where's everybody gone?" game.
I can't believe UVA has to play MD in College Park. Given the recent tensions between MD and the ACC, I was hoping MD would somehow not be playing in the Challenge this season. I know it wasn't going to happen; but still wished for it. I think it sucks for UVA that they will have to deal with all of the issues that come with playing MD in CP. I have to admit that its going to be weird for me to now see MD playing ACC teams as a BIG team.
I wish you wouldn't go there. Last year, UNC -- picked third in ACC preseason polls -- was forced to play at Michigan State, the preseason Big Ten favorite. We were the one that got the break -- getting to play at home for the second straight year against a Michigan team that was picked second in the Big Ten (we were first).
The year before that, UNC got a home game against No. 1 Indiana.
Over the years, they have had some easy games -- and I think that if they did get Iowa (likely to be picked fourth in the Big Ten) at home, then this is one of them. But over the totality of the Challenge, I don't see UNC getting unusual breaks.
I'm all for jumping on their sham of a program for their crooked academics and their know-nothing fan base. But I'd rather keep our attacks to things that deserve it.
1. Wisconsin may be the only team that truly starts from day one as a cohesive unit, so there is likely not going to be a tougher game for Duke all year.
2. The last time Duke played at Wisconsin, the team won a national championship, and I am all for that streak continuing.
3. I truly believe this is the best possible option for Duke, win or lose, because Wisconsin is going to be a great challenge, which cannot result of any true negatives for Duke. (save injuries of course)
Washington Post and SI also reporting the Challenge sked...
www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/t...-ten-challenge/
UVA at MD (traveled for the two prior years). A release with the full matchups, including the dates, is expected for 4 p.m. According to SI.com, Wisconsin will host Duke, Michigan will host Syracuse, Louisville will host Ohio State, Indiana will host Pittsburgh and North Carolina will host Iowa.
Duke at Wisconsin sounds delicious. Two potential Final Four teams. I also love the Syracuse-Mich. match-up. And OSU at L'ville sounds very attractive (and likely an ACC win).
No doubt the very young Duke squad will lose some early-season marquee games, but will no doubt be much better in Feb. than in early-Dec...
Well let's not get ahead of ourselves. Wisconsin returns four starters off a Final Four team, while Duke losses three starters off a team that lost in the 1st Round. Having lost in the 1st Round two of the past three years plus having advanced to the Final Four only once in the past 10 years (2010), I'm certainly not willing to label us a "potential Final Four team" before seeing the team play a few games.
I'm very much in the wait and see mode right now.
Bob Green
Sigh. Wait and see mode is perfectly legitimate, but the suggestion that making the Final Four last year gives you a leg up on making the next Final Four is suspect. Even more suspect is the suggestion that losing in the first round one year makes you less likely to do well in the following tournament. Worst of all is the idea that a school's performance over a 10 year period (most of which was played with none of the team's existing players) has any bearing at all on the school's chances to make the next year's Final Four.
The full set of 14 matchups:
Mon, Dec 1
Nebraska at Florida State
Rutgers at Clemson
Tue, Dec 2
No. 21 Syracuse at No. 24 Michigan
Ohio State at No. 8 Louisville
Pittsburgh at Indiana
NC State at Purdue
Illinois at Miami (Fla.)
Minnesota at Wake Forest
Wed, Dec 3
No. 2 Duke at No. 4 Wisconsin
No. 18 Michigan State at Notre Dame
No. 25 Iowa at No. 6 North Carolina
No. 7 Virginia at Maryland
Georgia Tech at Northwestern
Virginia Tech at Penn State
Looks like another draw from here.
hope UVA smacks Maryland. The Nebraska vs FSU game is an intriguing matchup that doesnt involve a ranked team.
I saw that too. Wednesday is stacked with very good games and match-ups imo. I'm surprised that didn't put the UNC and Duke games on different days like they usually do; but I guess with realignment, espn decided that they have enough quality matchups now that they don't have to make both games the marquee games of each night. For the first time in a while, I'm actually looking forward to watching all of these games. Thank-you DVR...