Brian: This upcoming season, the ACC has the ignominious honor of having scheduled the most I-AA opponents as a conference. The ACC football schedule has gone soft and BC is certainly not blameless, having scheduled such powerhouse programs as Weber State, Kent State and ... Syracuse.
While those teams don’t provide much in the way of a fair fight, it’s far from the most egregious of 2010 cupcake scheduling in the ACC.
Today we take a look at 12 of the ACC’s most embarrassing non-conference games to determine who earns the title of #1 cupcake-y opponent in 2010.
Food Chain: The ACC’s Most Embarrassing Non-Conference Games of 2010
(Lesson here: Try not to get too excited about the first two weeks of ACC football ...)
Weber State at Boston College (September 4, 2010) - Boston College is located in - well - not Boston, but Chestnut Hill. Weber State has many campuses throughout Utah but there isn't a state or a town named Weber. Despite these schools both being locationally challenged when naming their universities, there is no logical reason for playing this game.
Presbyterian at Clemson (September 11, 2010) - The Presbyterian Blue Hose football team just recently made the transition to Division I, joining the Big South Conference in 2007. Last season, Presbyterian pulled off the impressive feat of going 0-11. The Blue Hose lost to Coastal Carolina 41-37, a team that Clemson "struggled" to beat last year 49-3. The only redeeming value of this matchup is that it helps boost the profile of a fellow South Carolina football team ... I guess.
Samford at Florida State (September 4, 2010) - Both Bobby and Terry Bowden coached at Samford once upon a time so now that Bobby is gone at Florida State, they scheduled a two year series. Samford's stadium only seats 6,700 people so Doak Campbell might be a little overwhelming for them.
Morgan State at Maryland (September 11, 2010) - Crabcakes and football .. beatdowns. That’s what Maryland does! After nearly becoming the third ACC program to get upset by an I-AA program last season, the Terps have lessened the cupcake quality in 2010. The Morgan State Bears finished last season with a mark of 6-5. James Madison, they are not.
Western Carolina at NC State (September 4, 2010) - Dennis Wagner will probably go to 5-19 all time at Western Carolina when he opens the season at N.C. State. Good move by TOB to schedule a cupcake instead of getting beat up by a mediocre SEC team like his Wolfpack has done the past two seasons.
Presbyterian at Wake Forest (September 2, 2010) - There’s even less redeeming value for this matchup with Presbyterian since Wake and PC are in different states. If the Blue Hose scores any points against either ACC opponent in 2010, I’ll be … surprised .
Elon at Duke (September 4, 2010) - Elon made the FCS playoffs last season and is located in North Carolina so this looks to be one of the more competitive of the ACC's opening weekend games. During the regular season, Elon went 9-1 against FCS opponents, losing only to Appalachian State.
South Carolina State at Georgia Tech (September 4, 2010) - SC State is actually decent when it comes to I-AA programs, having compiled a record of 10-2 last season. The Bulldogs went a perfect 8-0 at home, and their only losses were at South Carolina (by a score of 38-14) and Appalachian State in the first round of the FCS playoffs (20-13). That being said, last year’s MEAC champs shouldn’t be much of a roadblock for the Yellow Jackets.
Florida A&M at Miami (September 2, 2010) - BC fans should know Florida A&M because this is where college gameday was broadcasting from in Talahassee on the same day that BC was playing at Florida State in primetime on ESPN back on November 15, 2008. This is a stretch for Miami to be scheduling this team because these teams are located nowhere near each other despite both being located in Florida.
William & Mary at North Carolina (October 30, 2010) - The Tribe will attempt to go 2-0 against the ACC in back-to-back seasons when they travel to Chapel Hill on October 30. Last season, William & Mary upset Virginia 26-14 in the Cavaliers home opener. The Tribe finished last season 11-3, advancing to the FCS National Semifinals before losing to eventual champ Villanova 14-13.
VMI at Virginia (September 25, 2010) - With the way Virginia football is headed, they might have made the phone call here not to get another win closer to bowl eligibility, but to sell a few tickets against an in-state opponent. VMI is coming off of a 2-9 season.
James Madison at Virginia Tech (September 11, 2010) - The Dukes finished the season at 6-5 in the competitive Colonial Athletic Conference. Last season, JMU nearly upset Maryland, losing 38-35 in overtime. While James Madison gave Maryland all they could handle last season, this cupcake scheduling is still only mildly respectable.
Jeff’s Food Chain
I can't put Presbyterian vs. Clemson on my list because of the proximity of the two schools. You'll notice that this is my primary consideration here.
5. Western Carolina at N.C. State - Western Carolina hasn't had a winning season in a really long time
4. Florida A&M at Miami - You should only play one team from Tallahassee a season
3. Samford at Florida State - This is who FSU should have played during Bobby's farewell tour last season
2. Presbyterian at Wake Forest - Presbyterian was 0-11 last season, isn't located in the same state as Wake Forest, and Clemson already plays them
1. Weber State at Boston College - it just doesn't make any sense
Brian’s Food Chain
5. Morgan State at Maryland - Maryland's date with in-state Morgan State makes my list given that some of the other teams under consideration (FAMU, South Carolina State) beat the Bears last season
4. Western Carolina at N.C. State - Western Carolina took a paycheck and a 45-0 beatdown from Vanderbilt last season, one of only two wins for the 'Dores in 2009
3. VMI at Virginia - After getting embarrassed by William & Mary in their home opener, Mike London and the 'Hoos had to dumb down the schedule even more this season
2. Presbyterian at Clemson - I don't care how close the schools are. Demerits for scheduling an FCS opponent that went 0-11 last season
1. Presbyterian at Wake Forest - the only reason this takes #1 instead of Clemson is that Wake plays Presbyterian first