The Virginia-Virginia Tech game that was originally scheduled for this Saturday has been re-scheduled for Dec. 12, putting the scheduled date of the ACC Championship Game in jeopardy.
The teams postponed their game because of a COVID-19 outbreak at No. 20 Virginia Tech. The Hokies had their Sept. 12 opener against NC State pushed back to Sept. 26 because the Wolfpack have also been dealing with a high number of positive tests.
That left the Hokies idle in each of the first two weeks of the season, and with an 11-game schedule that’s supposed to take place in a 12-week season, that means their rescheduled game against the rival Cavaliers will have to take place on Dec. 12.
That’s the week the ACC Championship Game is supposed to be held at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. The Virginia squads playing that day doesn’t necessarily mean the championship game will be moved back. If they’re out of the picture, it won’t matter.
But the season is only one week old and 2/15th of the ACC is now playing that day. How many will be by the time December comes around? The ACC has booked the stadium in Charlotte for Dec. 19, just in case.
On the off chance that Pitt finds itself in the championship game, it being pushed back a week will probably be somewhat unkind to the Panthers. They have their off week the final week of the regular season, meaning they’d have two straight Saturdays off before playing in Charlotte. There’s a long way to go before that could become a reality.
FEELING BLUE
North Carolina starting safety Myles Wolfolk will miss the rest of the 2020 season after being ruled academically eligible, the school announced on Thursday.
Wolfolk “fell behind in his graduate work this past semester, which recently ended” the school said in a release. Wolfolk started the Tar Heels’ season opener against Syracuse on Saturday and his five tackles were second on the team.
A senior, he’s expected to finish his college career and begin draft prep. Redshirt sophomore Auburn transfer Cam’Ron Kelly could replaced Wolfolk in UNC’s starting lineup.
The rest of the Tar Heels’ season is on hold, as well. Carolina was supposed to play Charlotte on Saturday, but an outbreak on the 49ers’ offensive line has caused them to back out of playing the game. No. 12 UNC (1-0) is next scheduled to play Boston College on Oct. 3.
TOUGH TEST
With only one non-conference game this season, most ACC schools decided to go the lower-level route with their opponent. Pitt scheduled Austin Peay. Miami handled UAB. Louisville trounced Western Kentucky. Clemson (1-0) will face The Citadel this week (4 p.m., ACC Network). Notre Dame (1-0) will host South Florida (2:30 p.m., USA Network).
Later this season, Boston College will host Texas State; Florida State will face Jacksonville State; Wake Forest will play Campbell; NC State, Syracuse and Virginia Tech will host Liberty; Duke will play Charlotte and Virginia will host Abilene Christian.
South Florida from the American has the most-prominent conference affiliation of the bunch, but it’s not exactly a threatening list of opponents.
Then there’s Georgia Tech. Under second-year head coach Geoff Collins, the Yellow Jackets have gone out and challenged themselves by playing No. 14 UCF.
Coming off an upset win over Florida State on Saturday, 1-0 Tech is looking to repeat the feat.
“We’ve got to learn how to handle success,” Collins said to the ACC Network’s Packer and Durham on Monday. “We know what a great team they are. They’re going to come in here highly ranked and well deserved, but we just gotta focus on who we are, our development every single day to get ready to play on prime time again and show our brand, show our culture and player really, really hard against a great opponent with great players.”
The Ramblin’ Wreck will take the field just before 3:30 p.m. in Atlanta. That game will be broadcast on ABC.
AROUND THE ACC
• In addition to Pitt and Syracuse, the other noon kick is Boston College at Duke on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh and other ACC-affiliated regional sports networks.
• In prime time, No. 17 Miami (1-0) heads to No. 18 Louisville (1-0). That game will kick at 7:30 p.m. and follow Georgia Tech-UCF on ABC.
• Wake Forest (0-1) at NC State (0-0) is the late game at 8 p.m. on ACC Network.
ACC Folks in Charlotte:
There’s no need to reschedule the ACC Championship Game; Neither VT nor UVA will be one of the ACC’s top 2 teams.
Your welcome.