21 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 17: The letdown or sandwich game for every Power Five team.
Fans assume a win, the players see it as just another game, and coaches lose sleep over everyone not taking it seriously.
They’re overlooked by the general public, and then they lead SportsCenter when the upset happens.
They’re the letdown games, or maybe they’re the sandwiches – the games in between the two supposedly more important, bigger battles.
On each Power Five team’s slate, there’s at least one game that should be a mail-it-in moment, but a bad day could screw up the entire season.
These all should be easy wins, but …
You’ve been warned.
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21 for 2021 College Football Topics
21: 21 Thoughts, Wishes, Hopes
20: 5 Best Programs To Not Make CFP
19: 5 Teams That Will Rebound
18: 5 Teams That Will Take A Step Back
Letdown Game For Every Power 5 Team
Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
ACC Atlantic
Boston College Eagles
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Temple, Sept. 18
Game Before: at UMass
Game After: Missouri
There won’t be any problems against UMass the week before, but it’ll at least generate local interest. The focus will be on the big statement moment against Missouri coming up, but Temple should be more dangerous this year, especially at home.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Clemson Tigers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Wake Forest, Nov. 20
Game Before: UConn
Game After: at South Carolina
At this point, Clemson should have the ACC Championship and more in its sights, but it’ll have to gear it up for the ACC regular season finale against the Demon Deacons. The UConn game will be a scrimmage, and all focus might be on the return of the rivalry date with South Carolina.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Florida State Seminoles
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Boston College, Nov. 20
Game Before: Miami
Game After: at Florida
The Noles have a whole slew of sandwich/letdown games, but Boston College will be the most dangerous moment. Not only will it be in between the home showdown against Miami and with Florida to follow, but the Florida team has to go to Boston in late November.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Louisville Cardinals
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Syracuse, Nov. 13
Game Before: Clemson
Game After: at Duke
It’s not just that the Cardinals have to play Clemson the week before facing Syracuse, and it’s not really about going to Duke the week after. It’s about the timing, with the Duke game coming up five days after hosting SU and with the Kentucky showdown looming.
– Full Schedule Analysis
NC State Wolfpack
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Furman, Sept. 18
Game Before: at Mississippi State
Game After: Clemson
It’ll take something special for the Paladins from the FCS world to pull off the upset over NC State, but the Pack will be coming off the fun date against Mike Leach and the Mississippi State offense, and the ACC opener against Clemson is up next.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Syracuse Orange
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Wake Forest, Oct. 9
Game Before: at Florida State
Game After: Clemson
It’s not like Syracuse is going to overlook anyone, but before going to Florida State it has to deal with a Liberty team that one last year’s game in the dome, and Clemson comes the week after dealing with the Demon Deacons.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Duke, Oct. 30
Game Before: at Army
Game After: at North Carolina
Playing two road games in the second half of the season is tough enough, but the Duke game comes after dealing with the Army offense – defensive linemen legs are never happy after stopping the option attack.
– Full Schedule Analysis
– ACC 2021 Predictions: Spring Version
ACC Coastal
Duke Blue Devils
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Kansas, Sept. 25
Game Before: Northwestern
Game After: at North Carolina
Duke will be in for a battle against Northwestern at home with a chance to make a statement, and opening the ACC season down the road at North Carolina is going to be the focus. Losing to what should be a miserable Kansas team would be devastating.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Boston College, Nov. 13
Game Before: at Miami
Game After: at Notre Dame
Call this as much of a letdown moment as it is a sandwich. Georgia Tech can’t drop a game against anyone, but the visit from BC is the calm before the final storm with Notre Dame and Georgia finishing things up.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Miami Hurricanes
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Appalachian State, Sept. 11
Game Before: Alabama (in Atlanta)
Game After: Michigan State
Overall the schedule isn’t all that bad. However, the Canes should be beaten up a bit after starting out against Alabama and with a fun game against Michigan State to follow. Appalachian State will be good enough to pull this off.
– Full Schedule Analysis
North Carolina Tar Heels
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Georgia State, Sept. 11
Game Before: at Virginia Tech
Game After: Virginia
The Tar Heels have a whole lot of big fish to fry, and that includes dealing with the two Virginia teams to start ACC play. The two games are wrapped around a dangerous home opener against a Georgia State team loaded with veterans and a strong offense.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Pitt Panthers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Western Michigan, Sept. 18
Game Before: at Tennessee
Game After: New Hampshire
A letdown more than a sandwich game, the Panthers will be coming off a trip to Tennessee. One way or another, it’ll be hard to get up for a Western Michigan team with just enough talent to win the MAC.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Virginia Cavaliers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Pitt, Nov. 20
Game Before: Notre Dame
Game After: Virginia Tech
Going to Pitt won’t be any sort of a letdown, but between the home date with Notre Dame and with Virginia Tech to finish, it’s about as sandwichy a game as it gets.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Virginia Tech Hokies
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Middle Tennessee, Sept. 11
Game Before: North Carolina
Game After: at West Virginia
Starting the season off against North Carolina will set the tone either way, and going to West Virginia will be a big statement moment for the season. Middle Tennessee shouldn’t be a threat, but the Hokies can’t just mail it in.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Letdown Game For Every Power 5 Team
Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC