ADVERTISEMENT

ACC vs Big Ten Challenge predictions

Noahtogo24

Well-Known Member
Jan 6, 2015
6,972
5,011
113
Winners in Bold
Minnesota at Va Tech
Pitt at Northwestern
Maryland at Louisville
Penn State at Clemson
Syracuse at Illinois
Georgia tech at Iowa
Wake Forest at Wisconsin
Virginia
at Michigan
Ohio State at Duke
Purdue
at Florida State
Rutgers at Miami
UNC at Indiana
Michigan State at Notre Dame
Boston College at Nebraska

9-5 Big Ten wins
 
Maryland-Louisville and FSU-Purdue are going to be bloodbaths. As long as UVA wins, I honestly don’t care how the rest goes. I’d be shocked if the ACC wins though
 
Maybe someday they will stop giving Purdue crappy ACC teams in this thing. Should have been 1v2 last year versus Duke.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheCainer
Maryland-Louisville and FSU-Purdue are going to be bloodbaths. As long as UVA wins, I honestly don’t care how the rest goes. I’d be shocked if the ACC wins though
Some awful match ups
 
The Challenge has lost its luster...much like the Crossroads Classic. These early season tourneys have been fun though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FaithPlusOne
I dunno-----That UNC @ Indiana seems pretty good.
On paper maybe. But I’m not liking UNC’s chances to win a close one against a good team any time soon. Too much wannabe hero ball has led to some wasted possessions at the worst times so far in this early season.

I’m taking a sort of “wait and see” approach with this group given what happened last year. It just seems like guys bought into their roles the last 18 or so games last year and are sort of playing outside of those roles to start this year. The pieces are good but they need to re-mesh.
 
I still love the Challenge, the folks in charge just need to, ya know, do ANY homework at all on these matchups. 😂 The FSU/Purdue thing is literally so ridiculous.
I’d be fine with them waiting a few weeks into the season to announce the lineups. But I understand with ticket sales that wouldn’t be ideal for those putting it together.
 
I’d be fine with them waiting a few weeks into the season to announce the lineups. But I understand with ticket sales that wouldn’t be ideal for those putting it together.
ESPN's focus on matching name brand programs rather than trying to get the best matchups is dumb. I'm a big fan of Leonard Hamilton and have a lot of respect for his program but it's dumb how many times we've played them in this thing. We've been top 25 at KenPom 7 years in a row and have only played Duke once ever in this event and we've never played UNC. There is a reason why Purdue has the B1G's best record in this event and it's not just because we are largely consistently good.
 
ESPN's focus on matching name brand programs rather than trying to get the best matchups is dumb. I'm a big fan of Leonard Hamilton and have a lot of respect for his program but it's dumb how many times we've played them in this thing. We've been top 25 at KenPom 7 years in a row and have only played Duke once ever in this event and we've never played UNC. There is a reason why Purdue has the B1G's best record in this event and it's not just because we are largely consistently good.
Yep, I’m glad we won’t be playing FSU, NC St, or Miami every year. Can’t wait for the B1G/B12 challenge on Fox to start.
 
Agreed and FÙck ESPN for putting Pitt and the Steelers on at the same time. I watched with Pitt on another TV but it’s small stuff like that, that annoys me.
I'm rooting for the Big Ten, but it is always kind of funny to see Northwestern get demolished ... never paid them much mind until Fitzgerald constantly provoked Illinois in the media and NU started its whole "Chicago's Big Ten Team" campaign, lol - effectively similar to Temple claiming to be Philadelphia's football team or Georgia Tech claiming to be Atlanta's team of choice.

As for the rest of the Challenge, these are my current picks:

Tuesday 11/29
Penn State at Clemson
#22 Maryland
at Louisville
Syracuse at #16 Illinois ... I'll be devastated if we lose, if for no other reason than it's to Boeheim...
Georgia Tech at Iowa
Wake Forest at Wisconsin
#3 Virginia
at Michigan

Wednesday 11/30
Rutgers at Miami (FL)
#5 Purdue
at Florida State
#25 Ohio State at #17 Duke
Boston College at Nebraska ... although, DAMN I am not sure, because Nebraska really sucks...
#20 Michigan State at Notre Dame
#18 North Carolina at #10 Indiana

Big Ten wins 8-6, but who knows with these weird-ass matchups?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1016CC0503
Here's what the matchups look like if you include the preseason rankings from the two respective conferences.

(12) Minnesota at (7) Va Tech
(14) Pitt at (13) Northwestern
(10) Maryland at (12) Louisville
(11) Penn State at (11) Clemson
(8) Syracuse at (2) Illinois
(15) Georgia tech at (7) Iowa

(9) Wake Forest at (9) Wisconsin
(3) Virginia at (3) Michigan
(6) Ohio State at (2) Duke
(5) Purdue at (5) Florida State
(8) Rutgers at (4) Miami
(1) UNC at (1) Indiana
(4) Michigan State at (6) Notre Dame
(13) Boston College at (14) Nebraska


There are only 5 games that might look out of place, based on the preseason conference rankings. Purdue-FSU is clearly a huge mismatch as we see it now, but from the preseason polls it was the 5th best teams from both conferences... Ohio State-Duke is probably much closer to a 50-50 game than originally anticipated, even though Duke was near the top of the poll. The matchups would have looked a lot better if they just switched two games: paired VT with Iowa and Minnesota with Georgia Tech. Those two contests look wildly lopsided on paper.


If I were in charge of the matchups based on the preseason polls alone, the matchups might look like this...

(1) UNC at (1) Indiana
(2) Duke at (2) Illinois
(3) Virginia at (3) Michigan
(4) Michigan State at (4) Miami
(5) Purdue at (5) Florida State
(6) Ohio State at (6) Notre Dame
(8) Syracuse at (7) Iowa
(8) Rutgers at (7) Virginia Tech
(9) Wake Forest at (9) Wisconsin
(10) Maryland at (11) Clemson
(11) Penn State at (12) Louisville
(12) Minnesota at (13) Boston College
(14) Pitt at (13) Northwestern
(15) Georgia Tech at (14) Nebraska

Bolded, if games would remain the same.
 
^ I think people's main issue definitely had as much to do with the repetitiveness. I don't have the stats in front of me, but I feel like I have seen Purdue/FSU, Pitt/Northwestern and Rutgers/Miami about a billion times.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dukedevilz
Hope you all know this, but this will be the last year for the BIG 10/ACC Challenge, so we might as well enjoy it.
 
I think Virginia is the lone hope that the B1G doesn’t sweep tonight. Maybe Clemson, but who cares about that game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1016CC0503
Hope you all know this, but this will be the last year for the BIG 10/ACC Challenge, so we might as well enjoy it.
I loved ESPN almost immediately announcing ACC-SEC Challenege. I mean kudos to them, they should support their product, but it was like an hour later.

While I don’t love ESPN for what they’ve done to sports and how we talk about it, the Big Ten essentially severing ties has me nervous. I mean ESPN basically canceled this challenge, they run most of the preseason tournaments, they run the champions classic. I just don’t want MSU cut out of all of these fun pre conference events.
 
I loved ESPN almost immediately announcing ACC-SEC Challenege. I mean kudos to them, they should support their product, but it was like an hour later.

While I don’t love ESPN for what they’ve done to sports and how we talk about it, the Big Ten essentially severing ties has me nervous. I mean ESPN basically canceled this challenge, they run most of the preseason tournaments, they run the champions classic. I just don’t want MSU cut out of all of these fun pre conference events.
Yeah, as much as I can’t stand ESPN at times, it feels like hating the postal service. You can hate it, the digital world hurt it, but eventually you’ll need it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MGC_07
Gillispie could come back and be Kentucky's coach and they'd still schedule that matchup.
 
I wonder if they'll pair UK up with UNC or Duke? Probably like KU in the SEC/Big 12.

Have us pair up with UNC for all the years we don't play in the CBS Sports Classic and Duke during those years.
If ESPN stays true to their terrible form, you'll play:
40% of your games against UNC
40% of your games against Duke
20% of your games against the rest of the ACC
 
If ESPN stays true to their terrible form, you'll play:
40% of your games against UNC
40% of your games against Duke
20% of your games against the rest of the ACC
We didn't have a steady team outside of KU in the SEC/B12. We played TT, WVU, Texas, and Baylor.
 
ADVERTISEMENT