2010 is the time for the ACC to take that towel off of their heads and win some big games.
As of late, the ACC has failed in producing a BCS championship caliber team with the possible exception of Virginia Tech. In 2009, only Virginia Tech (10-3) landed in the top 10 (#10) of the final AP Top 10 rankings. In 2008, no team from the ACC finished in the final AP Top 10. The highest ranked team was Virginia Tech (10-4) at #15. However, 2010 is the season in which the conference can regain that respect and prove all the doubters wrongs when no one is expecting the ACC to take the crown.
The ACC skeptics are already in full swing noting the conference’s embarrassing non-conference games (to name a few: Weber State at BC; Presbyterian at Clemson; Presbyterian at Wake Forest; W&M at North Carolina; and VMI at Virginia). As we saw from last season, scheduling “easy” non-conference games doesn’t always workout as planned. In the opening weeks of 2009, the ACC went 4-6 in non-conference games. The four wins were hardly impressive (UNC over the Citadel; Boston College over Northeastern; Georgia Tech over Jacksonville State; and Clemson over Middle Tennessee State). What is more disturbing are the loses highlighted by William & Mary’s defeat of Virginia. The only ACC team that really put up a good fight was Virginia Tech staying in the game against eventual BCS champs Alabama.
To overcome the embarrassing schedule and to vault from the shadows of irrelevance, the ACC must perform well in their key non-conference games. All eyes will be on Tyrod Taylor and the Hokies when they face a powerful Boise State team in Washington, D.C. Miami travels to the Horseshoe to face the top ranked Buckeyes. Clemson heads to Auburn, UNC travels to Atlanta to play LSU and the new look Seminoles face-off against Oklahoma. These are all marquee games that provide an opportunity for the ACC to make a bold statement.
This isn’t to say the rest of the major conferences do not schedule easy non-conference games, just look no further than the SEC. The ACC’s opening weeks can truly define how the season and the conference plays out. It’s a shame that as of late the ACC hit mediocrity in football (some call it balance). Fortunately, this is the season for the conference to prove all the doubters wrong and it all starts with Virginia Tech v. Boise State on September 6, 2010.
