2008 ACC FB Early Season Gametime Announced

by Press Release - Tue Jun 03 23:27:21 GMT-04:00 2008

Greensboro, N.C. ? Nineteen televised games in the first three weeks of the season and the ACC Football Championship Game on Dec. 6 in Tampa Bay headline the early-season football television schedule announced today by Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford. The fourth ACC title contest?but the first to be played in Tampa Bay?s Raymond James Stadium--will again be nationally-televised by ABC with a 1 pm kickoff.

The schedule begins with a pair of nationally-televised Thursday night games to kickoff the season (Aug. 28) on ESPN (NC State at South Carolina, 8 pm) and the Fox Sports Network (Wake Forest at Baylor, 8 pm). In all, the ACC announced 13 nationally-televised games including seven national exposures in the first three weeks including prime-time appearances on ABC (Clemson-Alabama, Aug. 30, 8 pm) and ESPN (Miami at Florida, Sept. 6, 8 pm).

Other nationally-televised games include Virginia Tech vs. East Carolina in Charlotte on Aug. 30 (12 noon, ESPN,) North Carolina at Rutgers (Thursday, Sept. 11, 7:30 pm, ESPN) and California at Maryland (Sept. 13, 12 noon, ESPN or ESPN2).

In all, the ACC will have seven games televised in ESPN?s prominent Thursday Night package this year. NC State travels to South Carolina (8 pm) on the opening Thursday night of the season, followed by UNC at Rutgers (Sept. 11), Clemson at Wake Forest (Oct. 9), Florida State at NC State (Oct. 16), Maryland at Virginia Tech (Nov. 6), Virginia Tech at Miami (Nov. 13) and Miami at Georgia Tech (Nov. 20). All of the Thursday night games are nationally-televised and all have a 7:30 pm kickoff time with the exception of the State?s season-opener at South Carolina which begins at 8pm.

Three of the ACC?s early season games will also appear regionally on ABC with each of the games?Southern California at Virginia (Aug. 30), Mississippi at Wake Forest (Sept. 6), Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech (Sept. 13)?also being televised to areas outside of the regional window expanding the coverage to most of the nation for these three, 3:30 pm games. The Southern Cal at Virginia and Ole Miss at Wake Forest games will be also seen on ESPN2, while the Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech game will have additional exposure on ESPN.

The ACC?s regional football syndicator?Raycom Sports?begins its 13-week package with a pair of intriguing early-season match-ups in Georgia Tech at Boston College (Sept. 6) and NC State at Clemson (Sept. 13). Both games will have a 12 noon kickoff. Raycom begins its regional telecasts on Sept. 6 and ends on Nov. 29.

Additionally, six ACC games will be televised on ESPNU and the Maryland at Middle Tennessee State (Sept. 6, 7 pm) contest will be televised regionally by Comcast Sports Southeast.

Finally, three games, Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech (7:30 pm) and Charleston Southern at Miami (7:30 pm) both on Thursday, August 28, and The Citadel at Clemson (3:30 pm) on Sept. 6, will be available on ESPN 360?ESPN?s video streaming platform.

After the first three weeks of the season (games of Sept. 13) game times and TV will be announced weekly with a ESPN/ABC and Raycom Sports making their choices with a 12-day advanced notice beginning on Monday, Sept. 8 (for games on Saturday, Sept. 20).

2008 Atlantic Coast Conference

Early Season Football Television Schedule Release

(All times Eastern)

Date Game Network Gametime

Aug. 28 Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech ESPN 360 7:30 pm

Aug. 28 Charleston Southern at Miami ESPN 360 7:30 pm

Aug. 28 NC State at South Carolina ESPN 8 pm

Aug. 28 Wake Forest at Baylor, FSN 8 pm

Aug. 30 Virginia Tech at ECU (Charlotte) ESPN 12 pm

Aug. 30 Southern California at Virginia ABC/ESPN2* 3:30 pm

Aug. 30 Delaware at Maryland ESPNU 3:45 pm

Aug. 30 McNeese State at North Carolina 6 pm