ACC Releases Updated Weekly Schedule, BC to Play Ohio in 2020 Opener
Andy Backstrom
Staff Writer
Ohio to open the season, the Holy War in mid-November, and Virginia to close out what might just be the weirdest year of college football in the sport’s history. If it happens, of course.
Boston College’s updated 2020 schedule is out, and, for the first time in quite a while, there’s a bit of clarity surrounding the outlook of head coach Jeff Hafley’s inaugural season.
The ACC released its revised schedule on Thursday morning, unveiling the week-by-week matchups, as well as details concerning non-conference opponents, for all 15 ACC teams, exactly one week after the league announced its COVID-19-adjusted 10-plus-one model.
The news couldn’t be more timely for BC, which kicked off its training camp the very same day. Here’s what the Eagles’ calendar looks like:
● vs. Ohio (Sept. 12)
● @ Duke (Sept. 19)
● BYE
● vs. North Carolina (Oct. 3)
● vs. Pittsburgh (Oct. 10)
● @ Virginia Tech (Oct. 17)
● vs. Georgia Tech (Oct. 24)
● @ Clemson (Oct. 31)
● @ Syracuse (Nov. 7)
● vs. Notre Dame (Nov. 14)
● BYE
● vs. Louisville (Nov. 27)
● @ Virginia (Dec. 5)
BC will play three of its first four games at home, starting with Ohio. The Bobcats were the last remaining non-conference opponent on the Eagles’ original 2020 schedule, after the Patriot League canceled fall sports (Holy Cross), the Big Ten moved to a conference-only schedule (Purdue), and the ACC’s 10-plus-one model qualifications eliminated the possibility of BC traveling to Lawrence (Kansas). Ohio, which graded out with the highest SP+ ranking of any MAC team each of the past two seasons, is BC’s first MAC opponent since 2017—that year, the Eagles squared off against both Northern Illinois and Central Michigan.
It’s unclear how much of a home-field advantage, if any, BC—or any team—will actually have this fall. Last week, new Athletic Director Pat Kraft announced that attendance at Alumni Stadium will be reduced in 2020. And on Thursday, BC Athletics stated that the Eagles’ home opener against Ohio will be played without fans.
The departmental release further stipulated that, if tickets are indeed sold in 2020, BC Athletics will need approval from state and local officials on a game-by-game basis.
Fans or no fans, a week without traveling will benefit teams this year more than ever. As far as the 10-game ACC slate is concerned, the Eagles will have to log the sixth-most road miles (3,224) of any team in the conference.
It could be worse. Pittsburgh, which has the second-most arduous ACC road schedule, in terms of distance (3,886 miles), is the only team in the league without a bye before Halloween. In fact, every other ACC program has a week off sometime between Sept. 26 and Oct. 3. What’s more, the Panthers have to play five of their final seven games on the road.
BC’s two byes landed on Sept. 26 and Nov. 21, giving Hafley and Co. extra time to prepare for home games against UNC and Louisville, respectively. The lone ACC team with a bye ahead of its matchup with BC is the Tar Heels. BC also shares that off-week, leading up to the teams’ Week 4 cross-division contest. By comparison, four teams—Clemson, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, and UVA—all have bye weeks before they play FSU.
After hosting Ohio, the Eagles have a string of five consecutive games versus Coastal Division opponents, three more than BC has faced in a single season since the league expanded to 14 teams in 2013. It starts with a road game against Duke, a bye, and then the aforementioned head-to-head with UNC. This marks the first season in program history that the Eagles will play the Blue Devils and Tar Heels in the same year.
Next up is Pittsburgh, a team that the Eagles defeated in the 2019 regular season finale to clinch bowl eligibility. It’ll be the first time that the Eagles and Panthers run it back two straight years since their Big East days (2003-04). The game is sure to have extra meaning for Hafley, who spent five years (2006-10) on Pittsburgh’s defensive staff.
Following that matchup, BC will hit the road for Lane Stadium to play its traditional crossover opponent: Virginia Tech. Then, Georgia Tech comes to town for the first time since 2008—remember, the teams last met in Dublin, Ireland for the 2016 season opener. After that, the Eagles embark on their toughest trip of the season. BC will play back-to-back games away from Alumni, traveling to both Death Valley and the Carrier Dome for the second year in a row.
The Eagles haven’t won at Clemson since the Matt Ryan era (2007) but have delivered a pair of blowout defeats in their past two games at Syracuse.
The highly-anticipated BC-Notre Dame game is scheduled for Nov. 14. It’s the first time the programs have played each other in two consecutive seasons since 2011-12. The Irish handed BC an embarrassing 40-7 loss in South Bend last year and lead the all-time series, 15-9. But now, as of Tuesday, Notre Dame transfer quarterback Phil Jurkovec will be eligible to play for the Eagles in what could be a revenge game for the dual-threat gunslinger and BC.
Following another bye, Hafley’s team will wrap up the season with a Friday night home game against a resurgent Louisville program and a Dec. 5 matchup in Charlottesville, Va. While BC’s Nov. 27 meeting with the Cardinals is the Eagles’ lone Friday game of the year, it’ll be Louisville’s third such contest. BC’s road game against UVA comes just three years after the program made the same trip down south amid a season-changing, three-game ACC win streak.
Four of BC’s final five opponents finished 2019 with eight or more victories. Although the home/away split is much more forgiving this time around. Last year, the Eagles had to play four of their last five regular season games away from the Heights.
All but two ACC teams announced their non-conference opponents on Thursday: Clemson and UNC, both of which are penciled in to play those games on Sept. 19 (Week 2). The most notable out-of-conference contest is Georgia Tech-UCF (Sept. 19). Interestingly enough, Notre Dame will not see Navy for the 93rd straight year and instead will host Western Michigan.
It’ll be a season of firsts.
Not just for Hafley, but the entire ACC, Power Five, and world of college football.
Andy Backstrom
Staff Writer
Ohio to open the season, the Holy War in mid-November, and Virginia to close out what might just be the weirdest year of college football in the sport’s history. If it happens, of course.
Boston College’s updated 2020 schedule is out, and, for the first time in quite a while, there’s a bit of clarity surrounding the outlook of head coach Jeff Hafley’s inaugural season.
The ACC released its revised schedule on Thursday morning, unveiling the week-by-week matchups, as well as details concerning non-conference opponents, for all 15 ACC teams, exactly one week after the league announced its COVID-19-adjusted 10-plus-one model.
The news couldn’t be more timely for BC, which kicked off its training camp the very same day. Here’s what the Eagles’ calendar looks like:
● vs. Ohio (Sept. 12)
● @ Duke (Sept. 19)
● BYE
● vs. North Carolina (Oct. 3)
● vs. Pittsburgh (Oct. 10)
● @ Virginia Tech (Oct. 17)
● vs. Georgia Tech (Oct. 24)
● @ Clemson (Oct. 31)
● @ Syracuse (Nov. 7)
● vs. Notre Dame (Nov. 14)
● BYE
● vs. Louisville (Nov. 27)
● @ Virginia (Dec. 5)
BC will play three of its first four games at home, starting with Ohio. The Bobcats were the last remaining non-conference opponent on the Eagles’ original 2020 schedule, after the Patriot League canceled fall sports (Holy Cross), the Big Ten moved to a conference-only schedule (Purdue), and the ACC’s 10-plus-one model qualifications eliminated the possibility of BC traveling to Lawrence (Kansas). Ohio, which graded out with the highest SP+ ranking of any MAC team each of the past two seasons, is BC’s first MAC opponent since 2017—that year, the Eagles squared off against both Northern Illinois and Central Michigan.
It’s unclear how much of a home-field advantage, if any, BC—or any team—will actually have this fall. Last week, new Athletic Director Pat Kraft announced that attendance at Alumni Stadium will be reduced in 2020. And on Thursday, BC Athletics stated that the Eagles’ home opener against Ohio will be played without fans.
The departmental release further stipulated that, if tickets are indeed sold in 2020, BC Athletics will need approval from state and local officials on a game-by-game basis.
Fans or no fans, a week without traveling will benefit teams this year more than ever. As far as the 10-game ACC slate is concerned, the Eagles will have to log the sixth-most road miles (3,224) of any team in the conference.
It could be worse. Pittsburgh, which has the second-most arduous ACC road schedule, in terms of distance (3,886 miles), is the only team in the league without a bye before Halloween. In fact, every other ACC program has a week off sometime between Sept. 26 and Oct. 3. What’s more, the Panthers have to play five of their final seven games on the road.
BC’s two byes landed on Sept. 26 and Nov. 21, giving Hafley and Co. extra time to prepare for home games against UNC and Louisville, respectively. The lone ACC team with a bye ahead of its matchup with BC is the Tar Heels. BC also shares that off-week, leading up to the teams’ Week 4 cross-division contest. By comparison, four teams—Clemson, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, and UVA—all have bye weeks before they play FSU.
After hosting Ohio, the Eagles have a string of five consecutive games versus Coastal Division opponents, three more than BC has faced in a single season since the league expanded to 14 teams in 2013. It starts with a road game against Duke, a bye, and then the aforementioned head-to-head with UNC. This marks the first season in program history that the Eagles will play the Blue Devils and Tar Heels in the same year.
Next up is Pittsburgh, a team that the Eagles defeated in the 2019 regular season finale to clinch bowl eligibility. It’ll be the first time that the Eagles and Panthers run it back two straight years since their Big East days (2003-04). The game is sure to have extra meaning for Hafley, who spent five years (2006-10) on Pittsburgh’s defensive staff.
Following that matchup, BC will hit the road for Lane Stadium to play its traditional crossover opponent: Virginia Tech. Then, Georgia Tech comes to town for the first time since 2008—remember, the teams last met in Dublin, Ireland for the 2016 season opener. After that, the Eagles embark on their toughest trip of the season. BC will play back-to-back games away from Alumni, traveling to both Death Valley and the Carrier Dome for the second year in a row.
The Eagles haven’t won at Clemson since the Matt Ryan era (2007) but have delivered a pair of blowout defeats in their past two games at Syracuse.
The highly-anticipated BC-Notre Dame game is scheduled for Nov. 14. It’s the first time the programs have played each other in two consecutive seasons since 2011-12. The Irish handed BC an embarrassing 40-7 loss in South Bend last year and lead the all-time series, 15-9. But now, as of Tuesday, Notre Dame transfer quarterback Phil Jurkovec will be eligible to play for the Eagles in what could be a revenge game for the dual-threat gunslinger and BC.
Following another bye, Hafley’s team will wrap up the season with a Friday night home game against a resurgent Louisville program and a Dec. 5 matchup in Charlottesville, Va. While BC’s Nov. 27 meeting with the Cardinals is the Eagles’ lone Friday game of the year, it’ll be Louisville’s third such contest. BC’s road game against UVA comes just three years after the program made the same trip down south amid a season-changing, three-game ACC win streak.
Four of BC’s final five opponents finished 2019 with eight or more victories. Although the home/away split is much more forgiving this time around. Last year, the Eagles had to play four of their last five regular season games away from the Heights.
All but two ACC teams announced their non-conference opponents on Thursday: Clemson and UNC, both of which are penciled in to play those games on Sept. 19 (Week 2). The most notable out-of-conference contest is Georgia Tech-UCF (Sept. 19). Interestingly enough, Notre Dame will not see Navy for the 93rd straight year and instead will host Western Michigan.
It’ll be a season of firsts.
Not just for Hafley, but the entire ACC, Power Five, and world of college football.
