ACC Football's Really Odd Flex at Media Days

This is at least a partial compliment to Notre Dame, right?

Sep 4, 2021; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; A detailed view of the ACC logo on the down marker used during the game between William & Mary Tribe and the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium. / Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports

In the world of college football there is clearly a big-two when it comes to conferences - the Big Ten and SEC.

After a considerable gap is then where you'll find the ACC and Big 12 jockeying for the third spot. The ACC might have a team or two that can make a deep run in the College Football Playoff but from top to bottom the Big 12 figures to be more competitive.

Which is better? Both have a case and I'll let you decide whichever.

The ACC was very proud of one thing upon the conference's football media days getting going and put it on full display for the slew of reporters to see upon their arrivals.

ACC Football - Toughest Non-Conference Schedule in the Country

There to greet attendees was a sign not bragging about championships, top 25 finishes, or bowl wins.

Instead, it was a sign with all 17 team logos from the ACC stating the conference is home to "THE TOUGHEST NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE IN THE COUNTRY".

Don't believe me? See for yourself:

What kind of a flex is this supposed to be? pic.twitter.com/2qKILzbBvG

— Brian Ross (@brewmeone) July 22, 2024

I didn't think they hung banners for such matters unless its the Indianapolis Colts, but its not the first time I've been wrong about something.

Maybe "We don't win many of them but at least we play them!" will be on next year's banner.

ACC Football's Biggest Non-Conference Games

When you look at this out-of-conference slate for the ACC it is actually impressive. There isn't a run of East Carolina, UNLV, and Bowling Green like some programs have used in recent years to help propel College Football Playoff runs.

A few of the highlights of the ACC's non-conference slate include:

Aug. 29 - North Carolina at Minnesota
Aug. 30 - TCU at Stanford
Aug. 31 - Virginia Tech at Vanderbilt
Aug. 31 - Clemson vs. Georgia (Atlanta)
Aug. 31 - Miami at Florida
Sept. 6 - BYU at SMU
Sept. 6 - Duke at Northwestern
Sept. 7 - Pitt at Cincinnati
Sept. 7 - Cal at Auburn
Sept. 7 - North Carolina St. vs. Tennessee (Charlotte)
Sept. 14 - Memphis at Florida State
Sept. 14 - Boston College at Missouri
Sept. 14 - Pitt vs. West Virginia
Sept. 14 - Wake Forest vs. Ole Miss
Sept. 14 - Virginia vs. Maryland
Sept. 21 - Virginia Tech vs. Rutgers
Sept. 21 - Boston College vs. Michigan St.
Nov. 30 - Florida State vs. Florida

As you can see there is a solid number of out-of-conference games against Power Four opponents. Dates with Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, and Ole Miss all figure to be preseason top-15 teams while Memphis could compete for a College Football Playoff spot and Florida and Auburn will certainly be tough outs for nearly all their respective opponents.

Notre Dame Football's Role in ACC's Strong Non-Conference Slate

I was asked about a year ago who the biggest draw in ACC football was.

My answer was of course a team that doesn't identify as a football member of the ACC: Notre Dame.

Regardless of the 17 football teams in the ACC, the biggest show in all 17 towns is when Notre Dame comes to town. A bigger brand that makes the trip to town less frequent is just the fact of the matter even if Florida State-Miami and Florida State-Clemson have certainly had their runs of bigness.

Notre Dame plays five ACC teams this season. Four of those were part of the ACC deal to play five opponents a year. The Stanford game is not part of that deal as it was set before Stanford joined the conference. Notre Dame was supposed to play Miami this season but someone in the Hurricanes athletic department skipped school the day basic math was taught so it had to be pushed back to 2026.

Notre Dame Football's five ACC dates in 2024:

Sept. 28 - vs. Louisville (Notre Dame Stadium)
Oct. 12 - vs. Stanford (Notre Dame Stadium)
Oct. 19 - vs. Georgia Tech (Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta)
Nov. 9 - vs. Florida State (Notre Dame Stadium)
Nov. 16 - vs. Virginia (Notre Dame Stadium)

How is that for good fortune in an absolute sweetheart deal?

Notre Dame gets their five games against Power Four opponents in the ACC deal this year and doesn't have to play any of them in a true road environment. Obviously, the game in Atlanta will be easier for the Georgia Tech fanbase to attend but playing in a much more neutral NFL building instead of on the road in a true road setting is a significant help.

With the timing and locations of these (Florida State game in South Bend the week after Notre Dame's bye week) play largely to the favor of Notre Dame. Before we go though, Florida State does deserve some bouquets thrown in its direction.

Florida State Football's Impressive Non-Conference Slate

We live in a world where Lincoln Riley has been crying for USC to get out of its non-conference game against LSU.

Big non-conference games are becoming harder to come by because of the addition of more big-time programs to the two biggest conferences.

That doesn't slow Florida State down whatsoever, though.

Florida State's non-conference opponents, in case you missed it above:

Sept. 14 - vs. Memphis
Nov. 9 - at Notre Dame
Nov. 23 - vs. Charleston Southern
Nov. 30 - vs. Florida

Alright, the Charleston Southern game is a cupcake but in the other three you get:
-Memphis, who should compete for the No. 12 seed in the newly expanded College Football Playoff
-Notre Dame, who will be knocking on the door of the preseason top-five nationally
-Florida, who plays the toughest schedule in the nation this year but is still talented enough that they should be playing for bowl positioning at the end of November.

Related: Why Florida State Should Leave ACC, Become Independent