I was not aware of just how many ACC road games were scheduled against G5 teams. It seemed like a lot, but I never looked at it compared to the other Power 5 conferences. Luckily ESPN media members did, and the consensus is clear –
STOP DOING IT!
If you missed In Play yesterday, @ADavidHaleJoint and I discussed why the ACC should never play another G5 road game. pic.twitter.com/BMd4dTMQl2
— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) September 3, 2022
With VT’s loss, the ACC now has 20 road losses vs non-P5 in the playoff era.
The SEC, meanwhile, has only *played* 22 road games vs non-P5.
The ROI on these games is not what a lot of ACC ADs thinks it is.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) September 3, 2022
Road games at Group of 5 schools during Week 1 or Week 0:
ACC: 3 (VT at ODU, NCSU at ECU, UNC at App)
Big 12: 0
Big Ten: 0
Pac 12: 1 (Arizona at SDSU)
SEC: 1 (Week 0, Vandy at Hawaii)Make it stop. There’s no reason for the ACC to keep doing this.
— Kelly Gramlich (@kellygramlich) September 4, 2022
A near disaster ensued this weekend as North Carolina State and North Carolina came within moments of losing to East Carolina and Appalachian State. Virginia Tech did faceplant in their opener in an embarrassing road loss to Old Dominion.
Apparently, ACC AD’s don’t want to pay for a buy-home game, and would rather make a return trip to these opponents.
Those that blame the ACC media contract are misguided as similarly funded Pac 12 and Big 12 teams aren’t doing this.
The ACC’s second highest ranked team in NC State losing to East Carolina would have been a devastating result for the Wolfpack as well as the ACC. In the end, NC State survived, but it certainly wasn’t worth the risk.
North Carolina got a credible win at Boone but was given no credit nationally because they are “supposed” to win that even though there were actually underdogs.
This is an easy fix – add a 9th conference game, only do 2 for 1’s with the G5 teams, play 1 game at home, or even Nuetral site games. I think Charlotte, NC might not mind a East Carolina NC State matchup. Do something, anything but you are currently doing.
Obviously, the ACC shouldn’t be losing these games anyways, but why not control what you can control scheduling is one of them.
ACC ADs that continue to schedule in this manner are making a mistake for their schools and conference.
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