While many FBS conferences tamper with how to build a modified schedule for 2020, the Atlantic Coast Conference is ahead of the curve.
On Thursday, the conference released each team's 11-game schedule, comprised of 10 conference games and one non-conference meeting. While not every team has scheduled their non-conference matchup yet, the league has left certain weeks open on the schedule for said teams.
Here is what Pitt's 2020 schedule shapes up to look like:
Week 1 - Saturday, 9/12: vs Miami(Ohio) RedHawks
Week 2 - Saturday, 9/19: vs Syracuse Orange
Week 3 - Saturday, 9/26: vs Louisville Cardinals
Week 4 - Saturday, 10/3: vs North Carolina State Wolfpack
Week 5 - Saturday, 10/10: at Boston College Eagles
Week 6 - Saturday, 10/17: at Miami(Florida) Hurricanes
Week 7 - Saturday, 10/24: vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Week 8 - BYE WEEK
Week 9 - Saturday, 11/7: at Florida State Seminoles
Week 10 - Saturday, 11/14: at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Week 11 - Saturday, 11/21: vs Virginia Tech Hokies
Week 12 - Saturday, 11/28: at Clemson Tigers
ACC Championship Game - Saturday 12/12 or Saturday 12/19
My Thoughts:
Pitt will really benefit from four home games to start the season, especially considering the slow starts that Pitt has gotten off to in the past half decade. It also helps that the first four opponents (all at Heinz Field) should not be too challenging. Louisville is a solid team on the rise, but don't be surprised if Pitt starts 4-0.
Road dates to Boston College and Miami(FL) will be a challenge, especially considering that Notre Dame QB transfer Phil Jurkovec took over at Boston College and that Pitt always seems to struggle with Miami(FL). However, expect Pitt to take at least one, if not both of these games.
The two meetings with Notre Dame and Florida State will be tricky. However, regardless of if in Pittsburgh or South Bend, Pitt always gives Notre Dame a ballgame. Florida State is in a similar position to Louisville, so despite the pedigree of both programs, Pitt could come away with wins here as well, although two losses wouldn't be shocking either.
The final three games should see Pitt come away with at least two wins. Georgia Tech is in full rebuild mode, while Virginia Tech is always a tough opponent. However, the Hokies are without top defensive prospect Caleb Farley, who opted out of the season to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. No one should expect Pitt to win at Clemson, considering the Panthers were the last team to win at Clemson...in 2016.
Pitt really lucked out by not having the back-to-back road games against North Carolina and Virginia, as they were supposed to under their original schedule. The games against Notre Dame and Clemson more than make up for that luck, however.
It's quite clear that Clemson and Notre Dame will be the top teams in the conference and will likely be playing in Charlotte for the conference championship game.
Nonetheless, keep an eye on Pitt, North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech, as all four teams could put together wildly successful seasons.
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