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The 2024 college football season is barely one month away, with conference realignment and expanded playoffs setting this up to be one of the most unique and exciting seasons in recent memory.
The ACC added a trio of new teams to the mix in 2024 in Stanford and Cal from the Pac-12 and SMU from the AAC. While none figure to compete for a title over Florida State or Clemson, it will be fun to see how they do in league play – and in the nonconference.
The noncon slate for the ACC has quite a few exciting matchups, none moreso than a Week 1 bout between the Georgia Bulldogs and Clemson Tigers, set to take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Below is a look at that matchup and four others involving ACC teams, all which will have a big impact on this conference’s perception across the college football landscape this season:
Clemson Tigers vs. Georgia Bulldogs
Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK
When: Week 1
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)
The college football season opens with Clemson vs Georgia, a matchup between a Bulldogs team that won two of the last three national titles and a Tigers team that – while they aren’t where they were a half decade ago – is still a tough squad.
Can Kirby Smart and UGA get the season off to another excellent start, or will Dabo Swinney and Clemson pull off a big time upset to kick off the season?
Florida State Seminoles at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
When: Week 11
Location: Notre Dame Stadium (Notre Dame, IN)
Florida State and Notre Dame have a very intriguing late season matchup on the schedule, with the ‘Noles headed to South Bend to take on the Irish on November 9. Both teams will likely be ranked when this matchup rolls around, and if the season goes as planned this very well could be a late-season battle between two teams bound for the College Football Playoffs.
West Virginia Mountaineers at Pittsburgh Panthers
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
When: Week 3
Location: Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh, PA)
The backyard brawl is always an outstanding game, and after a decade long hiatus the two programs have split the last two matchups, with Pitt winning in 2022 and West Virginia taking it last year.
Both victories were at home, so Pitt will look to break the tie and keep the home victory streak alive in what is one of the longest and most consistent nonconference rivalries in college football.
Miami Hurricanes at Florida Gators
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
When: Week 1
Location: The Swamp (Gainesville, FL)
This year’s matchup between Miami and Florida will be the first since 2019 when the Gators took down the ‘Canes, 24-20. It will also be just the third matchup since 2010 and eighth since 2000, although the two teams are planning to meet again in 2025. The scarcity of this rivalry should make the turnout this season all the more fun.
TCU Horned Frogs at SMU Mustangs
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
When: Week 3
Location: Gerald J Ford Stadium (Dallas, TX)
Among the longest-standing rivalry games in college football, the TCU-SMU game will take on new meaning in 2024 with the Mustangs now part of the ACC.
If SMU can secure the win and the iron skillet it goes a long way toward establishing themselves as a legit player in the new conference, while TCU will look to take a third straight victory and expand their overall lead in the series.
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Courtesy : https://collegesportswire.usatoday.com/lists/acc-football-nonconference-college-clemson/