Despite other sporting events going on, I find myself still grasping onto the world of college basketball. It only feels like yesterday that we were complaining about the style of play, which top-ranked team was going to falter next and what it looks like when doves cry.
Now, while the release of the ACC schedule is not an actual basketball game, it does provide a small glimpse into the future. A future in which the Miami Hurricanes hope to parlay last season’s success to 2013-14 gold.
Being that there is going to be 34 billions teams in the ACC next season, not all teams are going to play each other twice. Some are going to consist of home-and-homes while others will either just be a home game or an away game.
Let us start with the wonderful world of the home-and-homes. Miami will play at home and away against the Florida State Seminoles, Virginia Tech Hokies, North Carolina State Wolfpack and the freshly ACC-faced Syracuse Orange.
For the home-only games, the Hurricanes will match-up against the Duke Blue Devils, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Pittsburgh Panthers, Boston College Eagles and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
As for the away-only games, Miami will battle it out with Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Clemson Tigers, North Carolina Tar Heels, Maryland Terrapins and Virginia Cavaliers.
It is far too hard to predict which of these games — factoring in where they will be played — will favor the Hurricanes. Taking “educated” guesses at what any of these teams will even look like would likely prove futile. Still, it does give the sense that college basketball is really not too far away after all.
Joe is a Senior Writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JosephNardone