FSU Basketball gets lucky with release of future ACC schedules

FSU Basketball avoided having a single year being fully loaded with more games against tougher foes when the future schedules were released Thursday.

There is no doubt that, year in and year out, the FSU basketball team has to deal with one of the toughest schedules in all of college basketball – one of the “perks” if you will that comes with being a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. So far this season, the Seminoles have played ranked foes like Duke, Virginia and Louisville are among the foes.

The Noles knew what they were getting into when they joined the conference, and now they know what the schedules will look like when it comes to conference play for the next three seasons – and for the sake of head coach Leonard Hamilton and his team, FSU basketball might have just gotten lucky when it comes to having an even chance.

The ACC revealed the foes for each of the 15 basketball members schools as part of the new 20 game conference schedule that will start next season, with each team facing six teams twice a year as well as four other teams once at home and four others once on the road. Each season, the Seminoles will face Clemson and Miami twice as their primary foes.

"2019-20 SeasonHome and Away Foes: Clemson, Miami, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pitt, VirginiaHome Foes: Boston College, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, SyracuseAway Foes: Duke, N.C. State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest2020-21 SeasonHome and Away Foes: Clemson, Miami, Boston College, Georgia Tech, UNC, SyracuseHome Foes: Duke, N.C. State, Virginia Tech, Wake ForestAway Foes: Louisville, Notre Dame, Pitt, Virginia2021-22 SeasonHome and Away Foes: Clemson, Miami, Duke, N.C. State, Virginia Tech, Wake ForestHome Foes: Louisville, Notre Dame, Pitt, VirginiaAway Foes: Boston College, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Syracuse"

Now, I’m not sitting here for a second and saying that FSU basketball will go through a season undefeated at all in ACC play – but not having to play arguably the three best teams in the conference right now (Duke, North Carolina and Virginia) twice in a single season is beyond beneficial to the Seminoles.

What also helps the Noles is being grouped with both the Tigers and Hurricanes, two teams that have had good years recently but seem to be struggling this year and look like they are heading toward the downside of things.

This schedule would put Hamilton at 20 years with the FSU basketball team as their leader – and with a slightly easier schedule than what could have been, the Noles might be able to get him another ACC championship along the way.