Every team has a season-defining weekend, a can’t-miss game on the schedule that will help determine the identity of the team and the outcome of the season. Some are more difficult than others to pinpoint, and many will change as the season and conference race unfolds. Based on what we know now, this series will highlight one game on the schedule for every ACC team -- THE game, the most important game of the year.
The series begins today with Boston College:
Most important game: Nov. 30 at Syracuse
Why it’s important: Because Syracuse and BC are former Big East rivals, and it will be the final measure of how much progress Steve Addazio made during the regular season in his first year. Syracuse, which will join the ACC in July, leads the series 28-18, but Boston College won the last meeting, 16-7, in 2010. The two programs haven’t played regularly, though, since 2004, when Syracuse drubbed BC 43-17 -- a not-so-subtle sendoff for the Eagles, who then left for the ACC. Both programs will now compete in the ACC’s Atlantic Division, once again making their rivalry more meaningful. Both programs will be under first-year head coaches this fall, as Scott Shafer has taken over at Syracuse. Addazio has said that he is looking forward to the game against Syracuse becoming a meaningful rivalry again. It can start this fall.