Month: March 2021

College football schedules and spring predictions for all 130 teams with the realistic best and worst case records and quick analysis.

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2021 Early College Football Predictions, Schedules
American Athletic | Big Ten
Big 12 | C-USA | Independents
MAC | Mountain West | Pac-12
SEC | Sun Belt

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ACC Atlantic

– ACC Weekly Schedule, Top Games To Watch
– ACC 2021 Pre-Spring Rankings & Breakdown

Boston College Eagles

There’s a lot to like in Year Two under Jeff Hafley, the pass-heavy team should be stronger, and there’s a nice three game tune-up to get ready for the start of the real season that should under with one big thud. The Eagles will win one they shouldn’t lose one they shouldn’t, and go bowling with at least six wins.

2018: 7-5 2019: 6-7 2020: 6-5
Realistic Best Case Record: 8-4
Realistic Worst Case Record: 4-8
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 6-6

Sept. 4 Colgate
Sept. 11 at UMass
Sept. 18 at Temple
Sept. 25 Missouri
Oct. 2 at Clemson
Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
Oct. 16 NC State
Oct. 23 at Louisville
Oct. 30 at Syracuse
Nov. 5 Virginia Tech
Nov. 13 at Georgia Tech
Nov. 20 Florida State
Nov. 27 Wake Forest
– Full Schedule Analysis

Clemson Tigers

It’s all up to the opener against Georgia. That’s the one realistic shot at a loss with a relatively easy-looking ACC slate with no North Carolina or Miami. With a polite nod to Alabama, this should be the best team in college football with nothing more than the annual way-too-close-call brain cramp – maybe at Louisville or Pitt – to worry about.

2018: 15-0 2019: 14-1 2020: 10-2
Realistic Best Case Record: 12-0
Realistic Worst Case Record: 9-3
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 12-0

Sept. 4 Georgia (in Charlotte)
Sept. 11 South Carolina State
Sept. 18 Georgia Tech
Sept. 25 at NC State
Oct. 2 Boston College
Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
Oct. 15 at Syracuse
Oct. 23 at Pitt
Oct. 30 Florida State
Nov. 6 at Louisville
Nov. 13 UConn
Nov. 20 Wake Forest
Nov. 27 at South Carolina
– Full Schedule Analysis

Florida State Seminoles

It’s Florida State – at some point it has to be good again. It’s not like the ACC is anything killer this year – the Noles will drop the road games to the strong Clemson and North Carolina teams – and there won’t be a win over Florida or Notre Dame. Start with those four losses and hope to push for six wins with few home blips and a win in one of the 50/50 road dates against Wake Forest or Boston College.

2018: 5-7 2019: 6-7 2020: 3-6
Realistic Best Case Record: 7-5
Realistic Worst Case Record: 4-8
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 6-6

Sept. 5 Notre Dame
Sept. 11 Jacksonville State
Sept. 18 at Wake Forest
Sept. 25 Louisville
Oct. 2 Syracuse
Oct. 9 at North Carolina
Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
Oct. 23 UMass
Oct. 30 at Clemson
Nov. 6 NC State
Nov. 13 Miami
Nov. 20 at Boston College
Nov. 27 at Florida
– Full Schedule Analysis

Louisville Cardinals

Considering Clemson is a home date, there isn’t a game on the slate the Cardinals can’t win. However, there are more than enough tough battles that could go either way to be concerned. There has to be a win over UCF, Virginia or Kentucky at home, or against Ole Miss in Atlanta to kick things off.

2018: 2-10 2019: 8-5 2020: 4-7
Realistic Best Case Record: 8-4
Realistic Worst Case Record: 5-7
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 6-6

Sept. 6 Ole Miss (in Atlanta)
Sept. 11 Eastern Kentucky
Sept. 17 UCF
Sept. 25 at Florida State
Oct. 2 at Wake Forest
Oct. 9 Virginia
Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
Oct. 23 Boston College
Oct. 30 at NC State
Nov. 6 Clemson
Nov. 13 Syracuse
Nov. 18 at Duke
Nov. 27 Kentucky
– Full Schedule Analysis

NC State Wolfpack

There are enough winnable games to assume a bowl season, but can the Pack beat Mississippi State? Can they come off of their off week to beat Boston College on the road? It’ll take a big run late to go bowling, but they’ll get there.

2018: 9-4 2019: 4-8 2020: 8-4
Realistic Best Case Record: 8-4
Realistic Worst Case Record: 5-7
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 7-5

Sept. 2 USF
Sept. 11 at Mississippi State
Sept. 18 Furman
Sept. 25 Clemson
Oct. 2 Louisiana Tech
Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
Oct. 16 at Boston College
Oct. 23 at Miami
Oct. 30 Louisville
Nov. 6 at Florida State
Nov. 13 at Wake Forest
Nov. 20 Syracuse
Nov. 26 North Carolina
– Full Schedule Analysis

Syracuse Orange

Can the Orange block anyone? The O line has to come together fast. The season should come down to two home games – Rutgers and Liberty. There will be a few ACC wins, but the difference between a solid season or another dud will come down to the early September games. Go at least 3-1 to start, or there’s going to be a problem even with a relatively okay slate.

2018: 10-3 2019: 5-7 2020: 1-10
Realistic Best Case Record: 7-5
Realistic Worst Case Record: 3-9
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 5-7

Sept. 4 at Ohio
Sept. 11 Rutgers
Sept. 18 Albany
Sept. 24 Liberty
Oct. 2 at Florida State
Oct. 9 Wake Forest
Oct. 15 Clemson
Oct. 23 at Virginia Tech
Oct. 30 Boston College
Nov. 6 OPEN DATE
Nov. 13 at Louisville
Nov. 20 at NC State
Nov. 27 Pitt
– Full Schedule Analysis

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

You know exactly how this works under Dave Clawson. The Demon Deacons will overachieve and win a few ACC games in fun shootouts, they won’t have enough in a few of the bigger road games, and they’ll somehow work their way to six-to-eight wins on the way to a bowl game. However, there’s one big concern – North Carolina. It’s technically a non-conference game instead of playing some cream-puff to boost up the record.

2018: 7-6 2019: 8-4 2020: 4-5
Realistic Best Case Record: 8-4
Realistic Worst Case Record: 4-8
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 6-6

Sept. 3 Old Dominion
Sept. 11 Norfolk State
Sept. 18 Florida State
Sept. 24 at Virginia
Oct. 2 Louisville
Oct. 9 at Syracuse
Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
Oct. 23 at Army
Oct. 30 Duke
Nov. 6 at North Carolina*
Nov. 13 NC State
Nov. 20 at Clemson
Nov. 27 at Boston College
*Not considered an ACC game
– Full Schedule Analysis

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ACC Coastal

– ACC Weekly Schedule, Top Games To Watch
– ACC 2021 Pre-Spring Rankings & Breakdown

Duke Blue Devils

There’s a base of three wins built into the cake – Charlotte, North Carolina A&T and Kansas – but where else are the Blue Devils going to make any noise without a massive overall improvement? There will be one win somewhere – like against Georgia Tech – and there will probably be an upset or two along the way, but they’ll be double-digit dogs for most of the ACC season.

2018: 8-5 2019: 5-7 2020: 2-9
Realistic Best Case Record: 7-5
Realistic Worst Case Record: 3-9
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 4-8

Sept. 4 at Charlotte
Sept. 11 North Carolina A&T
Sept. 18 Northwestern
Sept. 25 Kansas
Oct. 2 at North Carolina
Oct. 9 Georgia Tech
Oct. 16 at Virginia
Oct. 23 OPEN DATE
Oct. 30 at Wake Forest
Nov. 6 Pitt
Nov. 13 at Virginia Tech
Nov. 18 Louisville
Nov. 27 Miami
– Full Schedule Analysis

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Have things started to turn under Geoff Collins? The Yellow Jackets should have more pieces in place, but it’s going to take a few upsets to push for a winning season. Playing Clemson, Notre Dame and Georgia are three losses and going to Miami and Virginia doesn’t help. At least North Carolina and Virginia Tech are at home.

2018: 7-6 2019: 3-9 2020: 3-7
Realistic Best Case Record: 7-5
Realistic Worst Case Record: 3-9
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 4-8

Sept. 4 Northern Illinois
Sept. 11 Kennesaw State
Sept. 18 at Clemson
Sept. 25 North Carolina
Oct. 2 Pitt
Oct. 9 at Duke
Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
Oct. 23 at Virginia
Oct. 30 Virginia Tech
Nov. 6 at Miami
Nov. 13 Boston College
Nov. 20 at Notre Dame
Nov. 27 Georgia
– Full Schedule Analysis

Miami Hurricanes

Start with a loss to Alabama to kick things off, and be afraid of Appalachian State and Michigan State to follow. However, if this is going to be a great season, the Canes need to beat the Mountaineers and Spartans in Hard Rock. There’s no Clemson on the slate, going to Florida State shouldn’t be too tough, and there’s a week off before dealing with North Carolina.

2018: 7-6 2019: 6-7 2020: 8-3
Realistic Best Case Record: 10-2
Realistic Worst Case Record: 7-5
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 9-3

Sept. 4 Alabama (in Atlanta)
Sept. 11 Appalachian State
Sept. 18 Michigan State
Sept. 25 Central Connecticut
Sept. 30 Virginia
Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
Oct. 16 at North Carolina
Oct. 23 NC State
Oct. 30 at Pitt
Nov. 6 Georgia Tech
Nov. 13 at Florida State
Nov. 20 Virginia Tech
Nov. 27 at Duke
– Full Schedule Analysis

North Carolina Tar Heels

It’s a weird-tough slate for the loaded Tar Heels. There isn’t anyone on the schedule they can’t beat – they don’t have to play Clemson – but Georgia State is the only non-ACCish non-conference game with the date at Notre Dame and home game against Wake Forest both not counting in the ACC standings.

2018: 2-9 2019: 7-6 2020: 8-4
Realistic Best Case Record: 11-1
Realistic Worst Case Record: 7-5
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 9-3

Sept. 2 at Virginia Tech
Sept. 11 Georgia State
Sept. 18 Virginia
Sept. 25 at Georgia Tech
Oct. 2 Duke
Oct. 9 Florida State
Oct. 16 Miami
Oct. 23 OPEN DATE
Oct. 30 at Notre Dame
Nov. 6 Wake Forest*
Nov. 11 at Pitt
Nov. 20 Wofford
Nov. 26 at NC State
*Not considered an ACC game
– Full Schedule Analysis

Pitt Panthers

It’s going to be another dangerous Pitt team that will be just good enough to shock someone along the way, and just off enough to not be 100% certain of anything special. It should come down to road games at Tennessee and Virginia Tech and home dates with Clemson, Miami, and North Carolina. The Panthers have to win at least two of those.

2018: 7-7 2019: 8-5 2020: 6-5
Realistic Best Case Record: 9-3
Realistic Worst Case Record: 5-7
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 7-5

Sept. 4 UMass
Sept. 11 at Tennessee
Sept. 18 Western Michigan
Sept. 25 New Hampshire
Oct. 2 at Georgia Tech
Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
Oct. 16 at Virginia Tech
Oct. 23 Clemson
Oct. 30 Miami
Nov. 6 at Duke
Nov. 11 North Carolina
Nov. 20 Virginia
Nov. 27 at Syracuse
– Full Schedule Analysis

Virginia Cavaliers

It’s a dangerous schedule for a good team that’s going to have a hard time pushing for anything special. Win at home against William & Mary, Illinois, Wake Forest, Duke and Georgia Tech, and it’ll easily be a winning season. However, going to BYU won’t be a breeze, but there are only two road games after October 9th.

2018: 8-5 2019: 9-5 2020: 5-5
Realistic Best Case Record: 9-3
Realistic Worst Case Record: 4-8
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 7-5

Sept. 4 William & Mary
Sept. 11 Illinois
Sept. 18 at North Carolina
Sept. 24 Wake Forest
Sept. 30 at Miami
Oct. 9 at Louisville
Oct. 16 Duke
Oct. 23 Georgia Tech
Oct. 30 at BYU
Nov. 6 OPEN DATE
Nov. 13 Notre Dame
Nov. 20 at Pitt
Nov. 27 Virginia Tech
– Full Schedule Analysis

Virginia Tech Hokies

It’s the Xiest of X factor teams with so many new parts and so much uncertainty. Starting the season with North Carolina doesn’t help and going to West Virginia is a problem, but it’s not that bad an ACC slate even with four of the last five games on the road.

2018: 6-7 2019: 8-5 2020: 5-6
Realistic Best Case Record: 9-3
Realistic Worst Case Record: 5-7
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 6-6

Sept. 2 North Carolina
Sept. 11 Middle Tennessee
Sept. 18 at West Virginia
Sept. 25 Richmond
Oct. 2 OPEN DATE
Oct. 9 Notre Dame
Oct. 16 Pitt
Oct. 23 Syracuse
Oct. 30 at Georgia Tech
Nov. 5 at Boston College
Nov. 13 Duke
Nov. 20 at Miami
Nov. 27 at Virginia
– Full Schedule Analysis

2021 Early College Football Predictions, Schedules
American Athletic | Big Ten
Big 12 | C-USA | Independents
MAC | Mountain West | Pac-12
SEC | Sun Belt

Next: American Athletic