Everyone plays a tournament and an SEC Challenge game. Pitt scheduled 1 other game which was supposed to be a good resume-builder (WVU). Here's who other teams have scheduled in addition to their tournament and SEC Challenge
Clemson: Boise, South Carolina, TCU, Memphis. Their tournament was a bit weaker though with UAB and Davidson. But they seemed to over-correct last year's weak schedule which kept them out
UVa: Florida, Memphis
Miami: UCF (B12 now), Colorado
VT: just South Carolina but did have 3 tough games in their tournament
NC State: Ten
UNC: UK, UConn, OU
Wake: UGa, Rut
Syr: Grown, Oregon
Duke: Az, MSU, Baylor
Pitt: WVU
Pitt and NC State scheduled the least ambitious being that they both only had 2 game tournaments and scheduled only 1 P6 team in addition to their SEC Challenge game. To Pitt's defense, they expected WVU to be very good but I dont think that excuses them from scheduling a 2nd P6 game. They had to realize that a L vs Florida and W vs a bad Oregon St team were a good possibility. And Mizzou didnt look good preseason and still doesnt. So that possible W wasnt going to do much. They needed another game vs like a Cincinnati or Northwestern type. Given the fact that they BARELY made it at 14-6, I'm not sure why they wanted to put so much pressure on themselves to need to run through the ACC to make it again. The ACC isnt very good but its hard to win 13 or 14 of the 20 games. Road games are hard and there's some guaranteed losses built in. Honestly, the way NET is, I'd probably only schedule 2 cupcakes: the season-opener and the after Finals game. Play 9 P6s OOC then your 20 ACC games. Go 17-14 and you're in.
Clemson: Boise, South Carolina, TCU, Memphis. Their tournament was a bit weaker though with UAB and Davidson. But they seemed to over-correct last year's weak schedule which kept them out
UVa: Florida, Memphis
Miami: UCF (B12 now), Colorado
VT: just South Carolina but did have 3 tough games in their tournament
NC State: Ten
UNC: UK, UConn, OU
Wake: UGa, Rut
Syr: Grown, Oregon
Duke: Az, MSU, Baylor
Pitt: WVU
Pitt and NC State scheduled the least ambitious being that they both only had 2 game tournaments and scheduled only 1 P6 team in addition to their SEC Challenge game. To Pitt's defense, they expected WVU to be very good but I dont think that excuses them from scheduling a 2nd P6 game. They had to realize that a L vs Florida and W vs a bad Oregon St team were a good possibility. And Mizzou didnt look good preseason and still doesnt. So that possible W wasnt going to do much. They needed another game vs like a Cincinnati or Northwestern type. Given the fact that they BARELY made it at 14-6, I'm not sure why they wanted to put so much pressure on themselves to need to run through the ACC to make it again. The ACC isnt very good but its hard to win 13 or 14 of the 20 games. Road games are hard and there's some guaranteed losses built in. Honestly, the way NET is, I'd probably only schedule 2 cupcakes: the season-opener and the after Finals game. Play 9 P6s OOC then your 20 ACC games. Go 17-14 and you're in.
