Expert Analysis: UNC’s Favorable Schedule Setup; The Ceiling & Floor for 2024
As a funny side note, fans sometimes complain that the schedule is overly tough because you might not win many games.
That being said, if you are interested in winning a lot of activities, you need to play a lot of non-conference games.
With a road journey to Minnesota and JMU, I’m not sure if I would even call this a creampuff schedule. But Charlotte as well as NC Central are games that everyone is already picking to win.
“That’s why the schedule is so good.” I believe it starts just the way you’d like it to. When you get new players, especially on offense, or a new defensive coordinator, you need a month for non-conference games to get used to things and work out any kinks.
And North Carolina will be able to do that. You set yourself up to start ACC play on a good note, and then observe where things go from there.
“This made me think, ‘Wow, that sets up nicely.'” Do you know what I would change if I were coaching this team? I would move that Minnesota game to the second or third meeting instead of the first game.
But other than that, I look at the list and see that Clemson isn’t on it, which we already knew. But just to see how this all fits together… Duke was the first conference game for a team that had just hired a new coach and lost a lot of fifth-year as well as super-senior players.
Pitt, who was a bit of a mess last year, nevertheless they’re going to get rough at first. Tech in Georgia… When you look at the game plan, those three games are ones you have to get to somewhere.
That’s a good spot to play them. Then there’s the free date before the competitive game. No matter where they end up on the schedule for next year, Florida State is going to be a tough game.
Having a trial date in mid-October and then a different open date at the start of November is also helpful because the squad has dropped off in the latter part of the season over the past couple of years. Wake, BC, and State are the next games on the schedule.
The weird thing about this season is that there are three free dates for everyone. I think this helps a lot because it gives you time to get ready for the last three games against Wake, BC, and NC State. That way, you won’t be limping into the last month.
“Yes, I believe this is a very good plan. And if I was Mack Brown, I’m going to be pretty happy with how things turned out.
To get off to a good start, I’d be on that Minnesota game. After this, you feel fairly good about this.”
“Remember that it’s not just who you play when; it’s also who they play before they play you.” And Florida State will have just come back from a trip to Miami.
If you want to take on Florida State in 2018, there is one time on their schedule when I would like to play them. The week after, they play Miami.
Plus they play Notre Dame next week. South Florida State’s toughest run of the season is when they play Miami, North Carolina, and Notre Dame. North Carolina is in that place where you can catch a game.
Next year, the best time to catch the Florida State team in Tallahassee is right before or after their flight to Miami. They have two of their three hardest games right around North Carolina. “That’s a good spot to play them.”
“I’d like to bring up two points. The first is the fact that North Carolina plays seven straight games to start the season before getting a first-round bye. It’s a lot. That is a small point, but seven is a lot of time without a break.
North Carolina only plays on Saturdays this year, which is another thing. Two teams that UNC plays won’t be playing on Saturday the week before.
Wake plays Cal on Friday night before they play Carolina. Then, on Thursday night, NC State plays Georgia Tech before the big game at Kenan Stadium against NC State.
So State will have two extra days to rest, while Carolina will have to be up in BC on a cold Saturday before their game against NC State.