Official: Matchups in Big 10-ACC Challenge

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tjgopher

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Nov. 30
Penn State at Virginia

Dec. 1
Maryland at Indiana
Michigan State at North Carolina
Northwestern at N.C. State
Virginia Tech at Iowa
Wake Forest at Purdue

Dec. 2
Boston College at Michigan
Duke at Wisconsin
Florida State at Ohio State
Illinois at Clemson
Minnesota at Miami

Georgia Tech (last place in ACC) is not participating.
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Those pairings don't exactly exude "must see TV" but I will say they seem favorable to the Big Ten. Could this be the year the Big Ten finally wins a Challenge??
 

Thanks for posting TJ. I was hoping to see Purdue take on UNC, but I would think Michigan State's got a pretty good shot to take them down next season. If there's a year to win this thing, it'll be next season. Off the initial look, I only see two, maybe three games (Maryland, Duke, Va Tech) where the ACC would be big favorites.
 

What I like is NO neutral-site games. These games should always be played at home sites. As a matter of fact, other than tournaments, I think college basketball should get rid of neutral-site games altogether. College basketball games are meant to be played on college campuses, not in huge arenas that are mostly empty.

The other thing I like is the Big 10's (expected) two worst teams both get to play at home. At least maybe there's a chance for an upset that way.
 

SelectionSunday said:
What I like is NO neutral-site games. These games should always be played at home sites. As a matter of fact, other than tournaments, I think college basketball should get rid of neutral-site games altogether. College basketball games are meant to be played on college campuses, not in huge arenas that are mostly empty.

The other thing I like is the Big 10's (expected) two worst teams both get to play at home. At least maybe there's a chance for an upset that way.
Click to expand...

That's what annoyed me about MSU-UNC last year. Not saying the Spartans would have won had the game been at Breslin, but they would've probably given a better performance.
 

The game was at Breslin, wasn't it? Or am I imagining things?

EDIT - I was imagining things. I remember now it was neutral site.
 


My prediction is 6-5 B10 with it coming down to the Gophers having to get the 6th win.
PSU > Virginia
Indiana < Maryland
Michigan State > North Carolina
Northwestern < N.C. State
Iowa < Virginia Tech
Purdue > Wake Forest
Michigan > Boston College
Wisconsin < Duke
Ohio State < Florida State
Illinois > Clemson
Minnesota > Miami
 

DiehardGopher said:
Ohio State < Florida State
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florida state loses their only player (douglas) who averaged double figures last year. heck, douglas averaged 13 more points than their second leading scorer. he also led the team in assists, steals, and 3-point percentage.

ohio state does lose mullens (non-starter), but they gain lighty (pre-injury starter). effectively, ohio state returns 6 starters. if buford (fpoy) doesn't start, the starting lineup will comprise all upperclassmen. in addition, the game will be in columbus. i will be highly surprised if ohio state falls to florida state.
 

SelectionSunday said:
What I like is NO neutral-site games. These games should always be played at home sites. As a matter of fact, other than tournaments, I think college basketball should get rid of neutral-site games altogether. College basketball games are meant to be played on college campuses, not in huge arenas that are mostly empty.

The other thing I like is the Big 10's (expected) two worst teams both get to play at home. At least maybe there's a chance for an upset that way.
Click to expand...

That's fine and dandy, but that would be taking a lot of power out of the hands of the coaches and AD if they start dictating in which arenas games can be played. I think neutral court games have their place during the regular season. I don't see anything wrong with them. Kentucky, for example, use to play a game in Louisville (non UofL team) and Cincinnati so that fans in those parts of the state would be able to watch UK play. That's perfectly fine and a good example of why playing in neutral sites does indeed serve a purpose. And the neutral site needn't be a huge arena either.
 

solidly in the big ten's favor:

minnesota at miami (no mcclinton; miami was so-so to begin with; minny returns all)

northwestern at ncsu (ncsu decimated by graduation; wasn't that good to begin with)

boston college at m*ch*gan (no rice; m*ch*gan returns all; in ann arbor)

florida state at ohio state (no douglas; osu returns 6 starters; in columbus)



somewhat in big ten's favor:

wake forest at purdue (will switch to solidly in purdue's favor if teague and/or aminu drafted; in lafayette)



solidly in the acc's favor:

maryland at indiana (given that vasquez is back; indiana major turnover)

virginia tech at iowa (iowa will suck)



somewhat in the acc's favor:

illinois at clemson (each has personnel losses; clemson won last year; in clemson)

duke at wisconsin (will switch to solidly in duke's favor if henderson returns; should switch anyway)

michigan state at north carolina (each has considerable personnel losses; deciding factor is chapel hill)

penn state at virginia (virginia better than horrible record implied; virginia loses no one; psu loses key players; in charlottesville)
 



"I don't see anything wrong with them."

I respectfully disagree. The games are taken away from home sites, hostile arenas, hostile fans & and in most cases are being played in sterile environments, half-empty arenas and no college atmosphere whatsoever. Home crowds are what make college basketball (and football) special, not playing at dull neutral sites with over-priced tickets.

Went to the Gophers-Louisville game last December and though the win was great, the atmosphere was horrible. It was like watching two teams scrimmage. There couldn't have been more than 5,000 people there during the Gopher game, and there was no electricity whatsoever. I'd much rather see games like that played in Freedom Hall or Williams Arena where season-ticket holders from the respective schools are rewarded, as opposed to having a fan make a nearly $1,000 commitment to watch his favorite team play in a city that could care less about the result of the game.
 

SS,

I think it depends on the game. Sometimes there is a reason for a neutral site game.

When Illinois plays Missouri in St. Louis, it's always a great atmosphere with the crowd split 50-50. Illinois has had some good success with games at the United Center. Kentucky and Indiana play a semi-neutral game each year either in Indy or Louisville and that works.
 

I agree with anonymous - SOME neutral site games serve a fantastic purpose.

If you've ever been to the Illinois-Missouri Braggin' Rights game in St. Louis you know what I mean. 21,000 people there- total sellout - exactly split even from both sides. Outstanding atmosphere.

Or, in football, the "World's Largest Cocktail Party" in Jacksonville when Florida takes on Georgia. Or, the Oklahoma-Texas football game at the Texas State Fair. Both sides with the same number of fans - those both are unbelievable atmospheres. Certainly on par with most other venues.

And, I also agree with SS in that those really fantastic neutral site games are far outnumbered by sterile, not so good atmospheres and venues.
 

Point taken from both of you. I think TJ hit it on the head what I was trying to say but didn't convey very well. ... the sterile neutral-site games far outnumber the electric atmospheres, hence my frustration with the dearth of neutral-site games. Braggin' Rights certainly would be a fun one to see, no doubt that one's a keeper.
 



DiehardGopher said:
My prediction is 6-5 B10 with it coming down to the Gophers having to get the 6th win.
PSU > Virginia
Indiana < Maryland
Michigan State > North Carolina
Northwestern < N.C. State
Iowa < Virginia Tech
Purdue > Wake Forest
Michigan > Boston College
Wisconsin < Duke
Ohio State < Florida State
Illinois > Clemson
Minnesota > Miami
Click to expand...

My picks are the same except OSU should beat FSU and I have Clemson beating Illinois.
 



anonymous said:
SS,

I think it depends on the game. Sometimes there is a reason for a neutral site game.

When Illinois plays Missouri in St. Louis, it's always a great atmosphere with the crowd split 50-50. Illinois has had some good success with games at the United Center. Kentucky and Indiana play a semi-neutral game each year either in Indy or Louisville and that works.
Click to expand...

The Gophers and Badgers should play a game in Tomah. That would be awesome.
 

I'm pretty happy about our draw. There is a chance I'll be at Miami for law school next fall.
 


Will the U plan a road trip for Miami? I'm in for a trip their in early December - lets hope they try to make it affordable this time.
 

MadtownGopher said:
That would be awesome!

Or La Crosse, it's more on the border. I guess Tomah is about half way on 94 though...
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LaCrosse would work better than Tomah or Black River Falls (the true halfway mark on 94 between the campuses) for a neutral-site game for the Axe. You could configure the fairgrounds racetrack to seat 80,000+. Granted, most of that would be in large mosh pits. However, between the Bar-muda Triangle and overnight camping/drinking on the fairgrounds, that could be a rollicking good time. :drink:
 

I like the Miami draw for an ACC road game, probably the weakest home court advantage in the league. Their fanbase is bad, last in ACC attendance, maybe around 3 or 4 thousand per game?
 

TheDinkytowner said:
I like the Miami draw for an ACC road game, probably the weakest home court advantage in the league. Their fanbase is bad, last in ACC attendance, maybe around 3 or 4 thousand per game?
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good lord, no kidding! i have been trying to find their forums, and the few that i have found only one had a thread from this month. is there one i am not seeing or what is the deal??
 


Ope1169 pointed something out that I hadn't thought of. To paraphrase, the Gopher/Miami game is most likely destined for ESPNU. It easily appears to be the least attractive game out of the 5 that day. To be safe, call your cable provider if you don't have ESPNU. Not to mention, it won't be easy for the Gophers having played 3 games in 4 days in Anahiem, then flying over 3 time zones to play the Hurricanes after 2 off days.

But hey, excuses are for losers (have expressed this sentiment many times before). You make your own schedule, don't make excuses if you lose. ... your travel schedule; "the officials screwed us"; my personal favorite ("U of M at a disadvantage because of unlevel playing field"), etc.
 

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