Clemson Football: 5 most important ACC non-conference games of 2024

The ACC will need wins against the SEC and Big Ten if they hope to get more than just one program into the College Football Playoff in 2024.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney talks with players before the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl with Kentucky at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, Friday, December 29, 2023.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney talks with players before the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl with Kentucky at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, Friday, December 29, 2023. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Every Atlantic Coast Conference team will play eight conference matchups in 2024, meaning there will be four non-conference games for each program.

With the format of the new 12-team College Football Playoff, conference games are critical because the best way to make the playoffs is to win the league, particularly for the ACC.

Most pundits feel the bulk of the at-large playoff berths will go to the Power 2: the SEC and the Big Ten.

The best hope for other conferences like the ACC to grab at-large spots probably rests on their performances in non-conference games against the best programs from the Power 2.

Here are the five most important non-conference games of the season for the ACC, and it starts with one you have probably heard a little bit about over the offseason.

Clemson vs Georgia

When: Saturday, August 31stat noon

Where: Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia

Perhaps the most important game for the ACC will happen in Week 1. From the Clemson perspective, I have tried to downplay the importance of this game because it isn’t relevant to the main way the Tigers could make the CFP this season: by winning the ACC Championship.

That is easier said than done, however. The Tigers are one of five teams that appear to be in contention for the conference during the preseason.

If the Tigers are good, but not quite able to bring home the conference championship, then hopes of grabbing an at-large spot could hinge on the memorability of their performance against the Bulldogs in their first game. By the time the CFP selection show rolls around, that might seem like an eternity ago.

Clemson’s play against Georgia (a team favored by many to win the national championship in 2024) will also be important for the other contenders from the ACC. A win would set the tone for the season quickly. It would show that the best of the ACC is a match for the best of the SEC.

A win isn’t the only thing that helps here. A competitive game from the Tigers would still make a healthy impact on the program’s reputation and that of the conference.

Conversely, a blowout by Georgia would put the ACC behind the 8-ball.

NEXT: Miami at Florida