On Wednesday afternoon, the ACC announced the 2020 scheduling model for football, as voted on and approved by member University Presidents and Chancellors.

An announcement regarding Olympic sports was also made. We’ll tackle the latter later.

Right now, we’re talking about football.

Here we go:

1. There will be one (1) division
2. All teams will play 10 ACC games + 1 non-conference game.
3. The non-conference game is mandated to be played in the home state of the ACC team, and the visiting non-con team must meet ACC COVID-19 testing and safety standards.
4. Notre Dame is a full member for this year, playing a 10-game ACC schedule and eligible for the ACC Championship game.
5. The 2 teams with the highest winning percentages will meet in the ACC Championship game. Again, REGARDLESS OF DIVISION because all teams are in one group for this season.
6. 11 games will take place over 13 weeks, so each team will get 2 bye weeks.
7. ACC Championship game to be played either December 12th or 19th in Charlotte.
8. All television revenues, including Notre Dame’s home ACC games on NBC, will be split among the 15 conference member schools this season.
9. Detailed schedule to be announced later.

Whew. That’s a lot. I’ve long made my stance on Notre Dame known (short version: we should only allow them to be an ACC Member school if they join FULLY starting immediately, not this “do what suits you best” thing that we’re doing) so that’s a personal point of contention. Otherwise, I guess it makes sense.

Now, to the other part of things: the schedule itself.

While the detailed week-by-week schedule is not yet known, we do know the teams Miami will be playing. Here’s the graphic:

theacc.com

Here’s the list:

Home games

• Florida State Seminoles
• Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
• North Carolina Tar Heels
• Pittsburgh Panthers
• Virginia Cavaliers

These are all yearly staple matchups from the Coastal Division or, in the case of FSU, our annual crossover rival. FSU, UNC, and Pitt would have been home games based on the original schedule, but Virginia and GT are coming back to South Florida for a 2nd consecutive year, after having done so in 2019.

Away Games

• Clemson Tigers
• Louisville Cardinals
• NC State Wolfpack
• Virginia Tech Hokies
• Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Bang. Off the top. Showstopper. Miami at Clemson. Massive game. Obviously, Miami has been looking toward measuring themselves against the Tigers in the ACC Championship game for some time, but to have that be a regular season game ramps up the intensity greatly from the jump. And yes, I’m well aware of the 93-3 scoreline in Clemson’s favor the last 2 times we’ve played them (58-0 in Al Golden’s swan song in 2015, and 38-3 in the 2017 ACC Championship game). I know. But to be the best you have to beat the best so circle this game on your calendar as a measuring stick for where this program is right now, get your mind right, and LET’S GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A return matchup vs Louisville is many years early, since we just crossed over against them last year. NC State is a year or two early on the schedule. So is Wake. Virginia Tech is the lone Coastal foe Miami will travel to face, keeping the normal rotation in tact, as the Hokies came to Hard Rock Stadium last fall.

Absences

• Duke Blue Devils

Yup. That’s it. We play every other team we were supposed to play this season other than Dook. Oh well.

Those are the 10 conference games Miami will play in 2020, with the non-conference game to be announced at a later date.

I know you have thoughts. Let’s hear them.

The floor is yours.

Go Canes