ACC Football: Early look at best conference games for 2016

Taking an early look at some of the best ACC football games for the 2016 season.

On Tuesday, the ACC released the complete football schedules for the 2016 season. The conference loves to boast about their tough non-conference schedule, but next season the conference games could provide more entertainment.

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With teams like Clemson and Florida State in the hunt for a National Championship, the last few seasons and nine schools making a bowl game in 2015 the conference has proven it is packed with talented teams. The 2016 season will bring marquee conference games throughout the season. Some of the best include Clemson at Florida State on October 29, North Carolina at Duke November 10 and Pitt at Clemson November 12.

Clemson at Florida State is the obvious choice for conference game-of-the-year. The two schools won the past two ACC titles and represented the conference in the first two years of the College Football Playoff. Heading into the season Clemson will be the heavy favorite to repeat as champs with Florida State the runner-up. If the Seminoles want a shot at reclaiming the ACC crown they will have to get through the Tigers.

It’s likely that the team that wins this game will get through the rest of their conference play unbeaten, but both teams could be sporting a loss entering the matchup. Clemson opens up the season at Auburn, a very tough place to play. Auburn went 7-6 last season but they are a tough SEC team and if Clemson comes into the game underestimating Auburn they could very well start the season with a loss.

Florida State also takes on a tough SEC team in the early part of the season. On September 5 the Seminoles will play Ole Miss, who finished last season 10-3 and won a bowl game. Both Clemson and Florida State will enter the matchup battle tested. Whoever comes out on top will have a great shot at making the Conference Championship Game.

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The North Carolina at Duke game on November 10 is a matchup of last season’s conference runner-up, North Carolina, and the runner-up in 2013, Duke. Both Duke and North Carolina’s run to the conference title was unexpected. The Blue Devils’ were 10-2 in 2013 before being bulldozed by Florida State in the championship game, 45-7. Last season North Carolina was 11-1 before they gave up 45 in the ACC Conference Championship Game loss to Clemson.

Yes, the two school’s run to the title games were unexpected, but this year they aren’t taking anybody by surprise. These two will be ready for each other come November. This being an in-state rivalry will only add to the intensity, making this one of the best conference matchups of the season.

Pitt at Clemson is an unexpected pick as a good matchup. Clemson is the powerhouse program of the conference while Pitt struggled to get to eight wins last season.

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But Pitt’s early season schedule is one of the toughest in the conference and if they can get through it unbeaten they will have a lot of momentum heading into this November 12 matchup. The Panthers play Penn State, Oklahoma State and North Carolina in the first four weeks.

Wins against this stiff competition could have the Panthers playing their best ball when this game comes around, making it potentially one of the best conference games of the season.

You can check out the ACC’s entire 2016 composite schedule here.