ACC football schedules announced

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GREENSBORO, N.C.-- The 2013 Atlantic Coast Conference football schedule released Monday by Commissioner John Swofford is a slate which is the largest in league history, incorporating new league members Pittsburgh and Syracuse into the 14-team ACC, and it may also be one of the most ambitious in the league's 61-year history.

Ambitious because conference members are playing 11 games against non-conference opponents that finished the 2012 football season ranked in the nation's Top 25, nine games with non-conference teams ranked in the final AP Top Ten, including contests against each of the top four teams in the USA Today's final poll. Nine games are against teams projected by ESPN in its Early Top 10 for the 2013 season.

"The 2013 ACC Football schedule showcases some tremendous matchups this year as our league is arguably playing the toughest nonconference schedule in the country," said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. "This is an exciting year as we look forward to welcoming Pitt and Syracuse into the ACC. Both teams are opening league play at home, with Florida State at Pitt on Labor Day Monday Night and in its first ACC game, Clemson at Syracuse in the Carrier Dome."

No other BCS Automatic Qualifier conferences will play more than eight non-conference games against 2012 Top 25 foes and no more than four games against 2012 Top 10 non-conference opponents.

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