Looking ahead to the top non-conference games for ACC football teams heading into the 2023 college football season.
The ACC football non-conference schedule continues to be the most difficult in the country. ACC football teams will play 25 non-conference games against Power 5 opponents this season. In addition, 11 non-conference games are against teams that were ranked in the final 2022 AP Top 25 poll.
Here are the top 10 must-watch out of conference games for ACC football teams in 2023:
LSU vs. Florida State (in Orlando, FL)
LSU and Florida State return their starting quarterbacks and have College Football Playoff aspirations this upcoming year. A Week 1 loss could end or severely hamper those dreams for either team. This is the final contest of the two-game neutral-site series. Florida State is 8-2 all-time against LSU. The Tigers’ last victory was in 1982.
Notre Dame at Clemson
Notre Dame and Clemson have developed a bit of a rivalry in recent years. In Notre Dame’s only season as a full ACC football member, the Irish beat Clemson in South Bend to win the ACC regular season championship but fell in a rematch to the Tigers in the ACC Championship Game. Notre Dame and Clemson have met seven times previously, with 5 of those matchups coming since 2015. The Tigers hold a 4-3 series lead.
Texas A&M at Miami
Last year Texas A&M upset Miami, 17-9, in front of 107,245 fans, the third-largest crowd in Kyle Field history. This year the teams play in Miami and finish up the home-and-home series. This game could set the tone for the remainder of the season for both programs. Especially as both teams look to resurrect their football programs.
Pitt at West Virginia
Pitt and West Virginia will play the 106th game of their shared series at 7:30 pm during Week 3 with the game broadcast on ABC. One year after opening the 2023 season in primetime, the Backyard Brawl will once again receive a national spotlight. From 1895 to 2011, the Pittsburgh Panthers and West Virginia Mountaineers traveled the 75 miles between the institutions to meet on the gridiron in a game known simply as the Backyard Brawl. Following the dissolution of the Big East, the two teams had not met until last year. After last season’s victory, Pitt leads the all-time series Pittsburgh leads 62–40–3.
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Clemson at South Carolina
The Palmetto Bowl was the longest continuous non-conference rivalry in the nation, the second longest continuous rivalry in Division I college football, and the longest uninterrupted rivalry series in the South until 2020. This game could have enormous implications or it could just be two teams who hate each other playing for bragging rights. The 120th meeting will be played Saturday, November 25th at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.
Pitt at Notre Dame
This game has been set for a Saturday, Oct. 28 a Halloween weekend matchup in South Bend. The Irish will be coming off a bye week when they renew this series for the 73rd time. The Panthers have three former Irish players on their roster – quarterback Phil Jurkovec, linebacker Shayne Simon and running back C’Borius Flemister. The Irish hold a 50-21-1 lead in the all-time series.
Minnesota at North Carolina
North Carolina and Minnesota agreed to a home-and-home football series for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. They have never met on the gridiron before. Drake Maye taking on Minnesota’s defense is going to be fun to watch. Minnesota fans are wondering what the offense will look like with a new coordinator and quarterback.
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Kentucky at Louisville
Though the teams first played in 1912, they only played six times. The rivalry resumed in 1994 with a new Governor’s Cup trophy after 70 years. Last year, the Wildcats ended their regular season with a big win over No. 25 Louisville. Kentucky leads the all-time series 19–15!
Florida State at Florida
The annual Sunshine Showdown, a bitter rivalry with two coaches in” must-win” seasons. If 2023 plays out like many think it will at FSU, the Noles could be playing the regular-season finale for a chance to reach the Playoffs. Second-year Florida coach Billy Napier is 0-3 in rivalry games last season, with losses to FSU, Tennessee, and Georgia. He looks to change that in 2023. Florida leads the all-time series 37–27–2.
North Carolina vs. South Carolina (in Charlotte, NC)
Battle of the Carolinas: The two flagship universities of the Carolinas, South Carolina, and North Carolina, will renew their rivalry on the gridiron at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte to open the 2023 season. This has the potential of being a tremendous game featuring a marquee non-conference matchup. This will be the 60th meeting in the series that dates back to 1903. North Carolina leads the all-time series, 35-20-4.