College Football

2013 ACC football schedule released in full here, new guys and all

Will Florida State repeat as conference champs despite losing a lot of talent? Who will step up to claim the Coastal Division this season?

By Steven Muma@akulawolf Feb 25, 2013, 3:08pm EST

This is an ACC game now. And now we know when it'll happen!

The ACC has released its full team-by-team 2013 football schedule right here, with conference play beginning with Florida State taking on newcomer Pittsburgh on Labor Day.

BOSTON COLLEGE

Aug. 31 VILLANOVA

Sept. 6 WAKE FOREST (Fri.), ESPNor ESPN2, 8 pm

Sept. 14 at Southern California

Sept. 21 OPEN

Sept. 28 FLORIDA STATE

Oct. 5 ARMY

Oct. 12 at Clemson

Oct. 19 OPEN

Oct. 26 at North Carolina

Nov. 2 VIRGINIATECH

Nov. 9 at New Mexico State

Nov. 16 NC STATE

Nov. 23 at Maryland

Nov. 30 at Syracuse

CLEMSON

Aug. 31 GEORGIA

Sept. 7 SOUTH CAROLINA STATE

Sept. 14 OPEN

Sept. 19 at NC State (Thursday), ESPN

Sept. 28 WAKE FOREST

Oct. 5 at Syracuse

Oct. 12 BOSTON COLLEGE

Oct. 19 FLORIDA STATE

Oct. 26 at Maryland

Nov. 2 at Virginia

Nov. 9 OPEN

Nov. 14 GEORGIA TECH(Thursday), ESPN

Nov. 23 THE CITADEL

Nov. 30 at South Carolina

DUKE

Aug. 31 NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL

Sept. 7 at Memphis

Sept. 14 GEORGIA TECH

Sept. 21 PITTSBURGH

Sept. 28 TROY

Oct. 5 OPEN

Oct. 12 NAVY

Oct. 19 at Virginia

Oct. 26 at Virginia Tech

Nov. 2 OPEN

Nov. 9 NC STATE

Nov. 16 MIAMI

Nov. 23 at Wake Forest

Nov. 30 at North Carolina

FLORIDA STATE

Sept. 2 at Pittsburgh (Labor Day), ESPN, 8 pm

Sept. 7 OPEN

Sept. 14 NEVADA

Sept. 21 BETHUNE‐COOKMAN

Sept. 28 at Boston College

Oct. 5 MARYLAND

Oct. 12 OPEN

Oct. 19 at Clemson

Oct. 26 NC STATE

Nov. 2 MIAMI

Nov. 9 at Wake Forest

Nov. 16 SYRACUSE

Nov. 23 IDAHO

Nov. 30 at Florida

GEORGIA TECH

Aug. 31 Elon

Sept. 7 OPEN

Sept. 14 at Duke

Sept. 21 NORTH CAROLINA

Sept. 26 VIRGINIA TECH(Thursday), ESPN

Oct. 5 at Miami

Oct. 12 at BYU

Oct. 19 SYRACUSE

Oct. 26 at Virginia

Nov. 2 PITTSBURGH

Nov. 9 OPEN

Nov. 14 at Clemson (Thursday), ESPN

Nov. 23 ALABAMA A&M

Nov. 30 GEORGIA

MARYLAND

Aug. 31 FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL

Sept. 7 OLD DOMINION

Sept. 14 at Connecticut

Sept. 21 vs. WEST VIRGINIA M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Md.

Sept. 28 OPEN

Oct. 5 at Florida State

Oct. 12 VIRGINIA

Oct. 19 at Wake Forest

Oct. 26 CLEMSON

Nov. 2 OPEN

Nov. 9 SYRACUSE

Nov. 16 at Virginia Tech

Nov. 23 BOSTONCOLLEGE

Nov. 30 at NC State

MIAMI

Aug. 30 FLORIDA ATLANTIC

Sept. 7 FLORIDA

Sept. 14 OPEN

Sept. 21 SAVANNAH STATE

Sept. 28 at South Florida

Oct. 5 GEORGIA TECH

Oct. 12 OPEN

Oct. 17 at North Carolina (Thursday), ESPN

Oct. 26 WAKE FOREST

Nov. 2 at Florida State

Nov. 9 VIRGINIA TECH

Nov. 16 at Duke

Nov. 23 VIRGINIA

Nov. 29 at Pittsburgh (Friday), ABC, ESPNor ESPN2

NORTH CAROLINA

Aug. 29 at South Carolina (Thursday), ESPN

Sept. 7 MIDDLE TENNESSEE

Sept. 14 OPEN

Sept. 21 at Georgia Tech

Sept. 28 EAST CAROLINA

Oct. 5 at Virginia Tech

Oct. 12 OPEN

Oct. 17 MIAMI (Thursday), ESPN

Oct. 26 BOSTON COLLEGE

Nov. 2 at NC State

Nov. 9 VIRGINIA

Nov. 16 at Pittsburgh

Nov. 23 OLD DOMINION

Nov. 30 DUKE

NC STATE

Aug. 31 LOUISIANA TECH

Sept. 7 RICHMOND

Sept. 14 OPEN

Sept. 19 CLEMSON (Thursday), ESPN

Sept. 28 CENTRAL MICHIGAN

Oct. 5 at Wake Forest

Oct. 12 SYRACUSE

Oct. 19 OPEN

Oct. 26 at Florida State

Nov. 2 NORTH CAROLINA

Nov. 9 at Duke

Nov. 16 at Boston College

Nov. 23 EAST CAROLINA

Nov. 30 MARYLAND

PITTSBURGH

Sept. 2 FLORIDA STATE (Labor Day), ESPN, 8 pm

Sept. 7 OPEN

Sept. 14 NEW MEXICO

Sept. 21 at Duke

Sept. 28 VIRGINIA

Oct. 5 OPEN

Oct. 12 at Virginia Tech

Oct. 19 OLD DOMINION

Oct. 26 at Navy

Nov. 2 at Georgia Tech

Nov. 9 NOTRE DAME

Nov. 16 NORTH CAROLINA

Nov. 23 at Syracuse

Nov. 29 MIAMI (Friday),ABC, ESPNor ESPN2

SYRACUSE

Aug. 31 vs. PENN STATE, MetLife Stadium, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford,N.J.

Sept. 7 at Northwestern

Sept. 14 WAGNER

Sept. 21 TULANE

Sept. 28 OPEN

Oct. 5 CLEMSON

Oct. 12 at NC State

Oct. 19 at Georgia Tech

Oct. 26 OPEN

Nov. 2 WAKE FOREST

Nov. 9 at Maryland

Nov. 16 at Florida State

Nov. 23 PITTSBURGH

Nov. 30 BOSTON COLLEGE

VIRGINIA

Aug. 31 BYU

Sept. 7 OREGON

Sept. 14 OPEN

Sept. 21 VMI

Sept. 28 at Pittsburgh

Oct. 5 BALL STATE

Oct. 12 at Maryland

Oct. 19 DUKE

Oct. 26 GEORGIA TECH

Nov. 2 CLEMSON

Nov. 9 at North Carolina

Nov. 16 OPEN

Nov. 23 at Miami

Nov. 30 VIRGINIA TECH

VIRGINIA TECH

Aug. 31 vs. Alabama (Georgia Dome, Atlanta,Ga.) Chick‐fil‐A Kickoff Game

Sept. 7 WESTERN CAROLINA

Sept. 14 at East Carolina

Sept. 21 MARSHALL

Sept. 26 at Georgia Tech (Thursday), ESPN

Oct. 5 NORTH CAROLINA

Oct. 12 PITTSBURGH

Oct. 19 OPEN

Oct. 26 DUKE

Nov. 2 at Boston College

Nov. 9 at Miami

Nov. 16 MARYLAND

Nov. 23 OPEN

Nov. 30 at Virginia

WAKE FOREST

Aug. 29 PRESBYTERIAN(Thursday)

Sept. 6 at Boston College (Friday), ESPN or ESPN2, 8 pm

Sept. 14 LOUISIANA‐MONROE

Sept. 21 at Army

Sept. 28 at Clemson

Oct. 5 NC STATE

Oct. 12 OPEN

Oct. 19 MARYLAND

Oct. 26 at Miami

Nov. 2 at Syracuse

Nov. 9 FLORIDA STATE

Nov. 16 OPEN

Nov. 23 DUKE

Nov. 30 at Vanderbilt

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This season will be the first for the ACC since the league's last round of expansion -- both Syracuse and Pittsburgh are officially on board after waiting out their respective departures from the Big East. What does this mean for the race for the ACC football title? Well, none, probably. But hey, welcome to the party, guys!

Florida State won its first conference title since 2005 last year, and while this latest recruiting cycle reinforced the fact that the Seminoles recruit as well or better than every other school in the ACC on a regular basis, they have some significant questions heading into the 2013 season. Florida State lost a considerable amount of talent on the defensive side of the ball, and it must also replace a multi-year starter at quarterback. FSU is better positioned than just about every other school in the conference to handle this sort of talent drain, but fending off Clemson in the Atlantic Division will be tough.

In the Coastal Division, Miami and North Carolina could challenge for first place. NCAA-related sanctions kept both schools out of ACC title consideration in 2012. The Tar Heels are no longer hindered by any such issues, though the Hurricanes may face more hurdles despite self-imposing postseason bans in each of the last two seasons.

Miami also must play road games at UNC and Virginia Tech, which will make winning the Coastal that much more difficult. The Heels also have to go to Blacksburg in 2013, so the Hokies have a solid opportunity to reclaim their position atop the division after a down season.

The ACC's full release on the schedule:

GREENSBORO, N.C.-The 2013 Atlantic Coast Conference football schedule released Monday by Commissioner John Swofford is a slate which is the largest in league history, incorporating new league members Pittsburgh and Syracuse into the 14-team ACC, and it may also be one of the most ambitious in the league's 61-year history.

Ambitious because conference members are playing 11 games against non-conference opponents that finished the 2012 football season ranked in the nation's Top 25, nine games with non-conference teams ranked in the final AP Top Ten, including contests against each of the top four teams in the USA Today's final poll. Nine games are against teams projected by ESPN in its Early Top 10 for the 2013 season.

"The 2013 ACC Football schedule showcases some tremendous matchups this year as our league is arguably playing the toughest nonconference schedule in the country," said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. "This is an exciting year as we look forward to welcoming Pitt and Syracuse into the ACC. Both teams are opening league play at home, with Florida State at Pitt on Labor Day Monday Night and in its first ACC game, Clemson at Syracuse in the Carrier Dome."

No other BCS Automatic Qualifier conferences will play more than eight non-conference games against 2012 Top 25 foes and no more than four games against 2012 Top 10 non-conference opponents.

When Florida State (8th) and Clemson (9th), each ranked in the final USA Today Top 10, are included in the schedule, ACC teams will face eight of the final Top 10 teams in the Coaches poll.

The conference will again enjoy national exposure on Labor Day Monday, as Pitt, in its first ACC football game, hosts defending ACC champion Florida State at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa., in a nationally-televised prime-time contest on ESPN. The game, which will have an 8 pm (ET) kickoff, will nationally showcase a pair of opponents who have not met on the gridiron in 30 years. The Seminoles last ventured to Pittsburgh in 1983. The game will mark the sixth time the Seminoles have appeared on the ACC's Labor Day Monday Night contest.

In all, the schedule is comprised of 113 games and incorporates new conference members Pittsburgh and Syracuse. Syracuse will compete in the Atlantic Division and will play its first official ACC game against Clemson at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse on Oct. 5. Pitt will compete in the ACC's Coastal Division. All ACC teams will face eight conference opponents.

The schedule includes 56 regular-season conference matchups over a span of 14 weeks and is capped off with the Ninth Annual Dr Pepper Atlantic Coast Conference Football Championship Game, which returns to Charlotte, N.C. this year and will be played on Saturday, Dec. 7 in Bank of America Stadium.

ACC teams will face 56 games against 48 nonconference opponents which had a combined winning percentage of .558 in 2012-by far the highest of any of the BCS AQ Conferences-including 43 games against FBS opponents who won .566 percent of their games last fall, also the highest.

From the final 2012 USA Today poll, ACC teams will face national champion Alabama (Virginia Tech), No. 2-ranked Oregon (Virginia), No. 3-ranked Notre Dame (Pitt) and No. 4-ranked Georgia (Georgia Tech, Clemson), as well as No. 7 South Carolina (North Carolina, Clemson) and No. 10 Florida (Miami, Florida State).

Twenty-three of the league's 56 nonconference games (41 percent) are against 17 teams that earned bowl berths in 2012, again the most of any AQ league.

Including games against the eight ACC teams which earned bowl bids in 2012, no ACC team plays fewer than five opponents who went to bowl games last fall, with Virginia facing the most with eight followed by Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Pitt and Wake Forest with seven each.

Adding in North Carolina (8-4) and Miami (7-5), no ACC school will play fewer than six teams with six or more wins, including Virginia which will face a league-high 10 opponents followed by Georgia Tech and Pitt, which will each face nine foes who had six or more wins in 2012.

ACC teams will also play nine non-conference games against six teams selected by ESPN.com in its early preseason Top 25 including matches with projected top-ranked Alabama (Virginia Tech), fifth-ranked Oregon (Virginia), sixth-ranked Georgia (Clemson and Georgia Tech), seventh-ranked Florida (Miami and Florida State), ninth-ranked Notre Dame (Pitt) and 10th-ranked South Carolina (North Carolina and Clemson).

ACC schools will play a total of 11 non-conference games against teams tabbed by ESPN.com in the early preseason Top 25 as Syracuse will also face Northwestern (projected to be 24th) and Wake Forest will play at Vanderbilt (projected to be 25th). Clemson is ranked 11th and Florida State 16th in the most recent ESPN Preseason Top 25.

Nonconference opponents who earned bowl bids this past season include Alabama, Ball State, BYU (2 games with the ACC), Central Michigan, East Carolina (3 games), Florida (2 games), Georgia (2 games), Louisiana Monroe, Navy (2 games), Nevada, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oregon, Southern California, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and West Virginia.

In all, the ACC will play five games nationally-televised by ESPN on Thursday night beginning with North Carolina travelling to South Carolina (Aug. 29) for the first Thursday night game of the year on ESPN. NC State then hosts Clemson on Thursday night (Sept. 19) followed by Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech (Sept. 26); Miami at North Carolina (Oct. 17) and Georgia Tech at Clemson (Nov. 14).

The league will also play two games nationally-televised Friday games, with Boston College hosting and Wake Forest on Sept. 6, a game which will have an 8 p.m. kickoff and will be televised by ESPN or ESPN2; and Pittsburgh hosting Miami on Thanksgiving Friday, Nov. 29, in a game which will be televised by ABC, ESPN or ESPN2, with the game time to be determined at a later date.

The ACC Digital Network, the official home of ACC Video and Highlights, will feature a special edition of #ACCLIVE at 3:00 pm EST today. The ACC Live 2013 Football Schedule Release Show will include comments from ACC Commissioner John Swofford, as well as reactions from analyst Riley Skinner surrounding key matchups and the additions of Syracuse and Pitt to league's schedule.