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Monday, May 12, 2008
Should the ACC play nine conference games?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Amelia Island, Fla.—If playing eight conference games is good for college football fans and for television, would playing nine be even better?
That is one of the topics that will be discussed during this week’s annual ACC Meetings at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
The ACC’s head coaches begin their meetings this morning and on Tuesday will gather with the athletics directors to exchange ideas. One of the subjects that will be put on the table is the possibility of playing nine conference games instead of the current eight.
I’m going to spend a good chunk of today talking to athletics directors and coaches about this topic and will have a complete report soon. But here is the issue in a nutshell: Playing nine conference games would make scheduling easier and would save money. Coaches, I’m sure, will have a different view.
Another topic that will get kicked around this week is how expansion is working for the ACC I would say that after four years (three as a 12-team league) the results are mixed.
Let’s put it this way. If ACC Football were a stock, the smart money guys would probably tell you to “buy.” It hasn’t performed as well as everybody hoped, but just about all of the leading economic indicators for the future are good.
Yes, the ACC is 1-9 in BCS games. The ACC has yet to place two teams in the BCS, which was one of the stated goals for expansion. The ACC was 2-6 in bowl games last season. And yes, both Miami and Florida State have ceased to be Top 10 powers. Those are facts the ACC must face.
But last season the ACC finished with two teams (Virginia Tech, Boston College) in the final AP Top 10. Two out of the first three players taken in the NFL Draft (Chris Long of Virginia, Matt Ryan of Boston College) were from the ACC. The league had seven first-round draft picks, more than any other conference. So the league is getting players.
You know that Miami and Florida State are going to eventually come back. New coaching blood at Georgia Tech (Paul Johnson), Duke (Cutcliffe), North Carolina (Butch Davis, second year), and N.C. State (Tom O’Brien) will make those programs competitive sooner rather than later.
Virginia Tech is still going strong under Frank Beamer. Clemson will be in just about everybody’s Top 10 this season. Will this be the year the ACC finally gets two into the BCS?
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