DURHAM, N.C. -- Six home games including the first-ever meeting with N.C. Central University highlight Duke's 2009 football schedule, released on Thursday by the ACC office in conjunction with the other 11 league schools.
The Blue Devils open the 2009 campaign at home against defending FCS champion Richmond on September 5. After road games against Army (September 12) and Kansas (September 19), Duke will host N.C. Central on September 26 to celebrate the annual Homecoming festivities.
Duke's kicks off ACC action at home on October 3 versus defending league champion Virginia Tech. A road trip to Raleigh to play N.C. State is slated for October 10, followed by an open date. The Blue Devils close the month with a home tilt for Parents' Weekend against Maryland (October 24) and a trip to Charlottesville to meet Virginia (October 31).
After a road game at North Carolina (November 7) to begin the final month of the season, Duke sandwiches home tilts with Georgia Tech (November 14) and Wake Forest (November 28) around an away contest at Miami (November 21).
Duke's 12 opponents combined for an 89-67 (.571) overall record while eight teams -- Georgia Tech, Kansas, Maryland, Miami, North Carolina, N.C. State, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest -- participated in bowl games. Two schools -- Virginia Tech (15th) and Georgia Tech (22nd) finished the year ranked in the Associated Press final poll. In addition, Richmond posted a 13-3 overall record and captured the FCS title with consecutive playoff victories over Eastern Kentucky, Appalachian State, Northern Iowa and Montana.
The fifth annual ACC Championship game featuring the league's divisional winners is set for December 5, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The ACC schedule is highlighted by the return of the Miami-Florida State rivalry to Labor Day Monday Night, as the Seminoles will host the Hurricanes at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Monday, Sept. 7.
The league slate also will feature six Thursday Night ESPN national TV appearances beginning with the season-opening Thursday night clash with NC State hosting South Carolina on Sept. 3, followed by Clemson at Georgia Tech on Sept. 10; Georgia Tech at Miami on Sept. 17; Florida State at North Carolina on Oct. 22; North Carolina at Virginia Tech on Oct. 29 and Virginia Tech at East Carolina on Nov. 5.
Twenty-four of the league’s 48 non-conference games (50 percent) are against 20 teams that earned bowl berths in 2008 including five games with teams which finished ranked in the nation’s final Top 13 (AP) including defending national champion Florida (Florida State), fifth-ranked Oklahoma (Miami), sixth-ranked Alabama (Virginia Tech), seventh-ranked Texas Christian (Virginia) and 13th-ranked Georgia (Georgia Tech).The ACC will also face two other nationally-ranked teams 25th-ranked BYU (Florida State) and California (Maryland), which was ranked 25th in the USA Today Coaches poll.
Non-conference opponents who earned bowl bids this past season are Alabama, BYU, California, Central Michigan (2), Connecticut, East Carolina (2 games), Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Navy, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, South Carolina (2), South Florida (2), Southern Mississippi, TCU and Vanderbilt. Florida State leads all ACC teams, meeting 11 opponents which played in bowl games in 2008. Boston College, Clemson, N.C. State, Virginia and Virginia Tech all meet nine teams which went to bowl games last year with the other six ACC teams each facing 8 foes who earned post-season invitations.
Season tickets for Duke's 2009 campaign may be obtained at GoDuke.com. Fans purchasing or renewing season tickets prior to March 1 will have all processing fees waived.
September
5 -- RICHMOND
12 -- at Army
19 -- at Kansas
26 -- N.C. CENTRAL (Homecoming)
October
3 -- VIRGINIA TECH
10 -- at N.C. State
17 -- Open
24 -- MARYLAND (Parents' Weekend)
31 -- at Virginia
November
7 -- at North Carolina
14 -- GEORGIA TECH
21 -- at Miami
28 -- WAKE FOREST