Way too early thoughts on the 2012 Schedule……

After muddling through some schedule changes with West Virginia dropping Florida State at the eleventh hour and Georgia Tech finding an acceptable opponent following their contest against Virginia Tech on Labor Day night the ACC released the 2012 ACC Football schedule. Coach Paul Johnson desired to play a Football Championship Division opponent instead of previously scheduled Middle Tennessee State. I would like to remind Coach Johnson that Virginia Tech played Boise State on Labor Day night and then after an emotional game, came out flat and lost their home opener against James Madison.

Ultimately that is neither here nor there, now that the issues have been worked out and we are ready for the 187 Days of pontificating to begin.

How the schedule shakes out, when you face certain opponents can mean more than returning personnel. Enough talk take a gander……

Date	Opponent	Location
September 1, 2012	Auburn	Atlanta/Georgia Dome
September 8, 2012	Ball State	Clemson
September 15, 2012	Furman	Clemson
September 22, 2012	Florida State	Tallahassee
September 29, 2012	Boston College	Chestnut Hill
October 6, 2012	Georgia Tech	Clemson
October 13, 2012	OPEN	OPEN
October 20, 2012	Virginia Tech	Clemson
October 25, 2012 (Thurs)	Wake Forest	Winston-Salem
November 3, 2012	Duke	Durham
November 10, 2012	Maryland	Clemson
November 17, 2012	NC State	Clemson
November 24, 2012	South Carolina	Clemson

Full disclosure my thoughts about the schedule will likely change more often than Mitt Romney’s views on social issues so bear with me if I lack consistency as we move through the offseason.

I am less than thrilled with the schedule. Back to back road trips to Florida State and Boston College, followed up with a home game against Georgia Tech, scares me to death. I guess you could compare it to the gauntlet the 2011 team faced last year but two of the three game are on the road instead of at home. I do like the bye week before Virginia Tech but, then four days later the team is off to Winston-Salem for a Thursday night game against Wake Forest. It should be noted that the Demon Deacons will be coming off a road game at Virginia. Clemson’s track record against Wake Forest at Groves Stadium, combined with a Thursday night is reason to cause concern.

I do like how the tail end of the schedule pans out with three home games. Depending on how things have played out following Duke, you have to feel good about playing at home against Maryland and NC State. The first six games will set the tone for the season in the same way the first five did for the 2011 campaign. Let the paralysis by analysis begin!!!