The start of the college basketball season is less than two months, and a sign that the season is getting closer is the unveiling of conference schedules. Last night the ACC released the schedules for all 15 teams on a special that aired on ACC Network. This will be the third consecutive season that the ACC will play 20 league games, as every conference is playing more league games than ever before. The league had a down year last season with both UNC and Duke having down years, but the league is primed to have a bounce back season, and be among the best conferences in the sport. Here is a month by month break down to Carolina’s ACC schedule:
December:
There aren’t any ACC games in November, but Carolina has an early conference test when they travel to Georgia Tech on December 5th. That game follows the Tar Heels matchup with Michigan in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge in Chapel Hill. Atlanta always poses a test for UNC, and the defending ACC Tournament champions will be eager to prove last season wasn’t a fluke. Carolina’s ACC opener will be against Virginia Tech on December 29th. Carolina will have 8 days between games, as they finish up their non-conference portion on December 21st against Appalachian State.
January:
The first month of 2022 is loaded for UNC and will set the tone in regards to Carolina being an ACC contender. While they don’t play Duke in January, they do play 9 games in January alone, with 6 games being at home, against three on the road. They start the new year at Boston College and then travel to Notre Dame, before coming home to host Virginia and a return game with Georgia Tech. They’ll then hit the road for back-to-back games at Miami and Wake Forest, before finishing the month at home with Boston College, NC State, and a road trip to Louisville. The NC State-Lousiville games will be the first of three Saturday-Monday turnarounds for the Tar Heels.
February:
Carolina will open February at home against Duke, in what will be Coach K’s final game in Chapel Hill, and Hubert Davis’ first game in the sport’s best rivalry. After that Carolina will travel to Clemson, which is always a tricky test. After that, Carolina will host Florida State and Pittsburgh, their only meeting with those schools respectively. After Pitt, they’ll travel to Blacksburg for the second meeting with the Hokies, before coming to host Louisville. They’ll then travel to Raleigh to take on the Wolfpack, before their home finale against Syracuse. The trio of games against Virginia Tech, Louisville, and NC State will be the second time UNC will have faced those teams respectively.
March:
Only one game for the Tar Heels in March, as they’ll travel to Duke for Coach K’s final regular season game at Duke, in what will be the emotional setting the rivalry has seen since they honored Dean Smith after his passing back in 2015.
Other Schedule Notes:
UNC has 3 Saturday-Monday turnarounds
Both games against Duke are on Saturday, a trend that started back in 2019-20 season
Carolina will travel to Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Clemson, and Miami for their lone meeting with those teams
Carolina will host Virginia, Florida State, Pitt, and Syracuse for their only meeting with those programs.
The teams UNC will play twice in the regular season include: Duke, NC State, Louisville, Virginia Tech, and Boston College
3 of the the first 4 conference games are on the road
LET'S GO TAR HEELS!!!!!!