Last September, the ACC announced that Pittsburgh and Syracuse were joining the conference in 2014, bringing the total number of schools in that conference to 14. The ACC then decided they will play a nine-game conference football schedule beginning with the 2014 season.
But with West Virginia’s early exit from the Big East, it’s very likely that Pittsburgh and Syracuse will join the ACC in 2013 rather than 2014. That creates a problem for a few ACC schools that already have four non-conference games scheduled.
Clemson is one of those schools. The Tigers have four non-ACC games slated for both the 2013 and 2014 seasons. If the ACC begins a nine-game slate in 2013, Clemson will need to drop one game in both 2013 and 2014.
Here’s a look at Clemson’s future non-conference schedules:
- 2013 – Georgia (8/31); Kent State (9/14); The Citadel (11/23); at South Carolina (11/30)
- 2014 – at Georgia (8/30); Coastal Carolina (9/6); Central Michigan (10/4); South Carolina (11/29)
When you look at those games, you might think it’s easier to cancel home games against Kent State, The Citadel, Coastal Carolina or Central Michigan. But buyouts for those games could range in the low-to-mid six-figures. Plus there would be the lost revenue from home games.
Canceling the Georgia-Clemson series won’t be cheap either. According to the contract obtained by Sicemdawgs.com last year, Clemson will owe Georgia $500,000 if they cancel, unless it’s by mutual consent.
Georgia and Clemson, which are only about 75 miles apart, agreed to the home-and-home series back in 2005. The two schools haven’t met since the Bulldogs rolled over the Tigers 30-0 in 2003. Georgia leads the overall series 41-17-4.
Last month, The Post and Courier reported that Clemson assistant AD Kyle Young was waiting to see when Pittsburgh and Syracuse join the ACC before making any decisions on their future schedules.
“Certainly we are going to have to figure something out as we go forward,” Young said. “We have started to look at different scenarios and started to touch base with different schools.”
Although the series may be in jeopardy, for now it seems that both Georgia and Clemson want to play the series as scheduled.
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View Comments (3)
I thought I would never see the day when clemson ducked a game. but with football all about the money, I can see why.they will make enough off the kent st. game to cover the cost of bailing out.uga and clemson in the 80s was the best rivalry out there.those games were classics!
Clemson should not duck the Georgia game. What little credibility the ACC has is at stake. Clemson must distance itself from the dregs of the ACC by playing Auburn & Georgia. Plus, recruiting in Georgia is critical and would be hurt with a duck.
Trust me... Clemson fans have been dying for this series to return. We are all praying that the ACC schedule doesnt screw us out of this one.