Maryland’s going-away ACC schedule is as unfavorable as you’d expect
Considering the widespread acrimony caused by its decision to bolt for the Big Ten in 2014, Maryland had to suspect it would receive no favors from the ACC office before its departure.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise to the Terps that the newly released 2013-14 ACC schedule isn't exactly ideal.
Neither North Carolina nor Duke will visit College Park for one final sendoff next season because the ACC's flagship programs will be road-only opponents for Maryland. Fellow Tobacco Road power NC State will also only be a road trip. In fact, the Terps' home slate more closely resembles a Big East schedule circa 2000 than anything else.
• MARYLAND'S ACC HOME SCHEDULE: Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
• MARYLAND'S ACC ROAD SCHEDULE: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, North Carolina, N.C. State, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Virginia Tech
Maryland certainly isn't the first school to gripe about how it is being treated on its way out the door of a league it's leaving.
The Big East angered outgoing Pittsburgh and Syracuse last year with how it handled scheduling for the annual Big East-SEC Challenge. The Panthers didn't get the home game they were promised, forcing them to scramble to find a high-profile opponent late in the scheduling process. And the Orange were sent to Arkansas even though school officials had notified the conference office they were over-committed and would prefer not to participate in the event.
It certainly wouldn't be surprising to see Maryland receive similar treatment this season in its final ACC-Big Ten Challenge as members of the ACC.
Get ready for an inevitable visit to Penn State or Nebraska, Terps. And just be thankful the ACC didn't make you play every league game on the road.
