TALLAHASSEE, Fla.
Next up for the ACC is Ohio State, Oklahoma and Southern California -- more of college football's powerhouses.
The ACC -- gaining a reputation as the Almost Competitive Conference -- didn't win its first two games against the nation's elite, but had good showings: No. 13 Virginia Tech lost a thriller on Monday against No. 3 Boise State; short-handed North Carolina came up a play short against No. 19 LSU.
No. 12 Miami, No. 17 Florida State and Virginia are attempting to show that the ACC can do more than just compete with football royalty on Saturday when they play at the No. 2 Buckeyes, No. 10 Sooners and 16th-ranked Trojans, respectively.
But is the risk worth the reward?
Several ACC teams chose less-treacherous roads, beating up on lower-division schools such as Samford, South Carolina State and Western Carolina.
There is widespread disagreement about which method works best, considering that there is little penalty in national rankings for playing a soft schedule, or reward for going against the best.
Coach Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech, who for the third straight season has lost an opener against a high-profile opponent, said that the early challenges help his team. Last year Beamer's Hokies lost to eventual champion Alabama in their opener.
"We've won 10 games each of those, also," said Beamer. "In the long haul it makes you a better football team."
Beamer also said it's easier to prepare your team for the season when there's big game on the schedule to get it started.
Florida State's Jimbo Fisher is among those who feel there's more risk than reward playing a schedule without breathers.
"It does add some fun and excitement," conceded Fisher, who still has BYU and Florida on his nonconference ledger after Saturday's game at Oklahoma.
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