The ACC's Top Non-Conference Games 10-6

This year is one of reckoning as the ACC garnered just a little bit of national respect for sending a record ten teams to bowl games. The recently maligned league has two jobs entering the 2009 season; continue the improvement made through upgrading coaching, facilities and talent level and work to maintain some of the national spotlight. With several critical out of conference dates for the ACC’s contenders we’ll take a look at the ten most critical games for the ACC and its national perception.

#10 Oklahoma @ Miami on October 3rd

No one expects the young Canes to win this game early in the season and rightfully so; the Sooners return plenty of firepower from their Big XII Championship team. The young Randy Shannon has been to only one lower tier bowl game so it would seem Big Game Bob Stoops has the Hurricanes overmatched at every turn heading into this contest. It’s the very obvious "haves" of OU versus the "not sure what we have yets." With the OU team going up for their second straight BCS title game appearance this is a great measuring stick for Shannon’s young team. If the Canes can keep it close, or pull off the improbable upset, this would be a solid hat tip to the improving ACC.



#9 Florida State @ Florida on November 28th

The annual contest of the North Florida rivals was a slopfest a season ago that saw the eventual national champions run roughshod through an inexperienced, offensively inept Florida State team. This game will be another measuring stick more than a slug it out battle of the nineties. The Noles are trying to comeback to prominence and their performance will show Bobby Bowden, Mickey Andrews and most importantly Jimbo Fisher how much further the Tallahassee squad must climb to return to the glory of a decade ago.



#8 Boston College @ Notre Dame on October 24th

Last years Atlantic Champs have lost quite a bit including two of the top four defensive tackles taken in this years NFL draft; their second coach in as many seasons and two starting linebackers for the season. New "old" coach Frank Spaziani makes his first trip to South Bend at the helm after handling this rivalry from the defensive coordinator position over the last decade. The Irish appear poised for a break out season after two years of subpar football and the Eagles look to be set for a down year. BC has beaten Notre Dame handily each of the last two seasons but without a proven quarterback and questions on defense that streak could be coming to an end quickly. However, a win here over a hyped ND squad would be a solid coup for the league.



#7 Virginia Tech @ East Carolina on November 5th

The Hokies first and foremost need revenge for a season opening loss in 2008. East Carolina is a potential BCS buster out of Conference-USA and entering 2009 both teams are drastically improved from last years opener. For ECU Pickney is the full time gamer and Skip Holtz’s Pirates return a total of 16 starters. The Hokies have a weapon, in Tyrod Taylor that the Beamer opted not to utilize in last season’s close loss and the freshman receiving and running back core is a year older and Orange Bowl tested. A loss to a non-BCS opponent would be brutal for the ACC here and what’s worse is a loss to East Carolina would send a shockwave through the region.



#6 East Carolina @ North Carolina on September 9th

Two seasons ago Butch Davis was baptized into this largely one sided rivalry as the Pirates packed Dowdy-Ficklen and beat the state’s flagship university. Davis knows full well how pesky a confident ECU can be as they were a thorn in the side of his Canes. A lot has changed since 2007 and the Heels look to prove they’re "The Old North State’s" true big boys by winning. While a Hokie loss is worse nationally for the ACC; the four league schools sharing the state know that another Carolina loss to ECU would shake up the recruiting picture and muddy the waters between the BCS teams and the non-BCS Pirate squad.

Check Back Soon For 5-1 of the ACC's Best Non-Conference Games...

An ACC Player You Oughta Know...

Folks for the next 98 days we'll introduce you to an ACC Player that you should know heading into the 2009 season. That's right we're going to pump them out from now until the season starts just to keep you current on who's who in the ACC.



We'll kick it off with FFM2M's personal favorite Ryan Taylor of the Tar Heels. Now personal favorite doesn't mean a Madden-Favre mancrush situation its more of an older brother and little brother who somehow got more talent (plus a white family and a full scholarship) situation.



On a serious note the rising senior is a special teams dynamo for the Heels. While he's been shuttled between tight end, linebacker and halfback the Tar Heels' special teams captain has been a stalwart in the third facet of the game for the past three seasons.



Entering 2009 Taylor has found a home at the halfback spot and should give the Heels quality minutes opening holes for Shaun Draughn and company and who knows perhaps catching a pass or two out of the backfield.



As long as Taylor keeps his head on a swivel and avoids instances like the Miami Brutality he should be set to have a solid senior season.





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