Here is the ACC’s bowl schedule for 2021, and whether you think the games are purely exhibition or not the ACC needs a respectable performance. Last year the conference went a disastrous 0-6 in bowls and was hammered for it. Actually they have lost 11 straight bowl games going back to 2019. This season the ACC missed on several notable OOC games (Clemson vs Georgia, Miami vs Alabama and Michigan, Louisville vs Ole Miss, NC State vs Mississippi State, and Notre Dame vs Virginia Tech among others)
Were there any positive OOC results this season? Sure there a few, but when the best OOC win is either Pitt over a 7-5 Tennessee or Louisville defeating 8-4 Central Florida, then that it is still pretty thin pickings.
Pittsburgh 41 Tennessee 34
Louisville 42 UCF 45
Miami 25 Appalachian State23
Syracuse 24 Liberty 21
Clemson 30 South Carolina 0
Since 2017, only the Pac 12 has a worse bowl record than the at 8-17 (32%) than the ACC 14-24 (36%). There is a reason that the two conference are considered the worst at football in the Power 5.
The fact is the ACC needs to start winning some of these games, and frankly the mathcups are pretty good.
ACC teams can’t faceplant and lose the majority of these games, and they are favored 6 out of the 10 games.
These are the only games the ACC is underdog in, and Texas A&M has bowed out of the Gator Bowl.
Virginia vs Maryland
Clemson vs Iowa State
Pitt vs Michigan State
Wake Forest vs Texas A&M
Monday, Dec. 27
Military Bowl presented by Peraton
Boston College vs. East Carolina, 2:30 p.m., ESPN
Tuesday, Dec. 28
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Air Force vs. Louisville, 3:15 p.m., ESPN
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
UCLA vs. NC State, 8 p.m., Fox
Wednesday, Dec. 29
Wasabi Fenway Bowl
SMU vs. Virginia, 11 a.m., ESPN
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Maryland vs. Virginia Tech, 2:15 p.m., ESPN
Cheez-It Bowl
Clemson vs. Iowa State, 5:45 p.m., ESPN
Thursday, Dec. 30
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
North Carolina vs. South Carolina, 11:30 a.m., ESPN
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Michigan State vs. Pittsburgh, 7 p.m., ESPN
Friday, Dec. 31
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (Texas A&M has withdrawn)
Wake Forest vs. Texas A&M, 11:00 a.m., ESPN
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Washington State vs. Miami, 12:30 p.m., CBS
