The first two years since the College Football Playoff was put in place have shown us how important the schedule is heading in to the third year under the current structure. The playoff doubles the number of teams that get the opportunity to compete for a national championship but making that final four is still very difficult. The margin for error will be particularly slim in the ACC where the defending champion Clemson will attempt to hold off Florida State, Louisville and North Carolina among others to win another conference title. The ACC slate is loaded with obstacles for potential contenders but the non-conference schedule will present its own challenges as well. Here is a look at the toughest non-conference game on the schedule for the top contenders in the ACC.
Clemson Tigers: @ Auburn 9/3
Clemson will look to pick up from where it left off a year ago when its magical run ended in a national championship game loss to Alabama. The Tigers are loaded on both sides of the football led by quarterback Deshaun Watson and they will begin the year with their toughest non-conference test on the road against Auburn. Clemson will have a tough road back to the College Football Playoff against an improved ACC so opening the year with a big win on the road against a quality SEC opponent could provide a significant boost.
Florida State Seminoles: vs. Ole Miss 9/5
The Seminoles are expected to re-emerge as legitimate contenders in the ACC this season but they will face a tough slate beginning with a key Labor Day showdown versus Ole Miss at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando in the first week of the season. Florida State has some questions at quarterback that will need to be answered in time for the opener and a neutral site game against the Rebels will provide some insight in to whether or not Florida State is ready to contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff right now.
Louisville Cardinals: @ Houston 11/17
Louisville continues to schedule a lot tougher than the other teams in the ACC. In addition to conference games against Florida State, at Clemson and at Virginia the Cardinals will visit Houston in an extremely difficult test for their penultimate game of the season. The Cougars were the best “Group of Five” team last season with a 13-1 record and they are expected to be just as good this year. That matchup could present major problems for Houston when November rolls around.
North Carolina Tar Heels: vs. Georgia 9/3
The Tar Heels are coming off an 11-win season in which they won the ACC Coastal division and expectations are high once again heading in to this year. It won’t take long to see what they are all about as they are set to open the year against Georgia at the Georgia Dome. It will be North Carolina’s first game against the Bulldogs since 1971 and while it will be deemed a “neutral-site game”, the reality is that it will be a hostile crowd with the Bulldogs making the short trip in-state.
In terms of the programs, North Carolina might even be ahead of Georgia in terms of where the programs are. However, if Georgia is truly going to emerge as an SEC East contender, they’re going to have to win games like this.
Miami Hurricanes: @ Notre Dame 10/29
Mark Richt’s arrival at Miami has spurned a ton of optimism about the return of “The U” as a legitimate power in the ACC but it might take at least a year to turn things around. The Hurricanes have some considerable talent on both sides of the football but they are still missing pieces and will face a very difficult schedule including a non-conference trip to face Notre Dame in last October. Miami could be a sleeper pick to contend in the ACC but there are plenty of obstacles in their way and a road game against the Fighting Irish will be their toughest non-conference matchup.
