acc, notre dame announces future football dates

ACC Release – Greensboro, N.C.—The Atlantic Coast Conference and Notre Dame Friday announced the annual football game schedule in which the Irish will face an ACC opponent beginning with the 2014 season through the 2016 season. The games are part of an agreement between the Conference and Notre Dame to play five ACC teams each year in football.

Due to previous schedule commitments, in the first year of the schedule, Notre Dame will face four ACC teams.  But the Irish will then play six games against Conference foes in 2015 and thereafter, beginning in 2016, play five ACC teams each year.

In 2014, Notre Dame will face Syracuse, in a game hosted by the Orange at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (Sept. 27), then will host North Carolina (Oct. 11) and Louisville (Nov. 22) and will also travel to face Florida State in Tallahassee (Oct. 18).

In 2015, Notre Dame will host Georgia Tech (Sept. 19) and Wake Forest (Nov. 14) and play Boston College (Nov. 21) as part of the Shamrock Series in Fenway Park in Boston. The Irish will then will play at Virginia (Sept. 12), Clemson (Oct. 3) and Pitt (Nov. 7).

In 2016, Notre Dame will host Duke (Sept. 24), Miami (Oct. 29), and Virginia Tech (Nov. 19) and will go to MetLife Stadium to play Syracuse (Oct. 1) and will then travel to NC State (Oct. 8).

Beginning with the 2016 season, Notre Dame will alternate between playing three home and two away games one year with two home and three away games the next (2017).

 

The Schedule

Year     Date                     Team                                   Site

2014..   Sept. 27                at Syracuse                        MetLife Stadium, E. Rutherford, N.J.

Oct. 11                 North Carolina                 Notre Dame, Ind.

Oct. 18                 at Florida State                 Tallahassee, Fla.

Nov. 22                Louisville                            Notre Dame, Ind.

 

2015..   Sept. 12                at Virginia                           Charlottesville, Va.

Sept. 19                Georgia Tech                     Notre Dame, Ind.

Oct.  3                   at Clemson                         Clemson, S.C.

Nov. 7                   at Pitt                                   Pittsburgh, Pa.

Nov. 14                Wake Forest                      Notre Dame, Ind.

Nov. 21                Boston College                 Fenway Park, Boston, Mass

 

2016..   Sept. 24                Duke                                     Notre Dame, Ind.

Oct. 1                    at Syracuse                        MetLife Stadium, E. Rutherford, N.J.

Oct. 8                    at NC State                          Raleigh, N.C.

Oct. 29                 Miami                                   Notre Dame, Ind.

Nov. 19                Virginia Tech                    Notre Dame, Ind.

austin dillon to bring no. 3 back to sprint cup series

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) Jenna Fryer — The late Dale Earnhardt’s famed No. 3 will be back on track in the elite Sprint Cup Series next season with Austin Dillon using the number.

The move has been long anticipated because car owner Richard Childress has allowed his grandson to use the No. 3 as he’s moved through NASCAR’s ranks.

“I know in my heart, today, as I sit here, Dale Earnhardt is smiling down,” Childress said at Wednesday’s unveiling. “He would want to see this 3. He didn’t want it to ever go away. But I felt it was the thing to do right after Daytona, and I know today that he’s accepting this highly. I knew him that well.”

The number has not been used since Earnhardt’s death in the 2001 season-opening Daytona 500. The car was rebranded to No. 29 for Kevin Harvick following Earnhardt’s fatal accident.

But Dillon has been using it NASCAR national competition since 2009, when he made his Truck Series debut in the No. 3. He won the Truck championship in 2011 driving the No. 3 for Richard Childress Racing, and the Nationwide title this year in the same number.

Childress kept the number out of the Cup Series, though, intent on hanging on to it for the right driver.

“We held the number, I’ve been paying NASCAR for it throughout the years and Bill (France) Jr. told me ‘You know, if we’re ever challenged, we’ll have to let someone have that 3,’ ” Childress said. “But we weren’t, and I knew that the right opportunity would come. It would have to be an Earnhardt or one of the Childress family that we would put behind that.”

Childress said he publicly floated the idea of allowing Dillon to use the No. 3 at the start of the year to get a fan response, and got 90 percent positive feedback the day after he mentioned the number.

“That said to me it was time, and if Austin wanted to it was his choice,” Childress said.

Dillon said he was ready, and it’s the only number he’s ever used in NASCAR.

“My grandfather has done a great job of teaching me how to handle certain responses to things, and I think we’re going to go forward with it,” Dillon said. “I’ve heard a lot of good feedback from the fans, and every time I’m at an autograph session I’ve had someone ask what’s going to happen. They are excited and we are, too, at RCR.

“It’s what our sport was built on — family and history — and a great opportunity for all of our sport to see this No. 3 back on the track.”

The No. 3 Chevrolet will be sponsored by Dow, Bass Pro, Realtree and General Mills. Neither of the two paint schemes unveiled Wednesday resembled the dominant black cars driven by Earnhardt, winner of seven Cup titles and a first ballot Hall of Famer.

But Childress believed just having the No. 3 back in the series will help resurrect Earnhardt’s legacy.

“My hope is that Dale Earnhardt fans will be re-energized and say ‘Hey, it gives me something to look at,’ ” he said. “We know we aren’t going to please everyone. We know that. We are going to do our best to make them proud and I know Austin will. I think the new fans will learn a lot about the great Dale Earnhardt by watching this.”

Gil Martin, who led Harvick to six berths in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, will be crew chief for Dillon.

Childress said he’s consulted with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister, Kelley, every time he’s moved the No. 3 to a different level on the track and the Earnhardt family has been supportive. Earnhardt Jr. declined to use the No. 3 following his father’s death, but has raced the number in the Nationwide Series.

“I would be worried if I didn’t think he’d respect it or not understand the legacy, but he does. I know he does. He appreciates it,” Earnhardt Jr. said last week of Dillon using the No. 3.

RCR will field a three-car Cup lineup next season with Dillon, Paul Menard and Ryan Newman.

Ty Dillon will run a full Nationwide Series schedule, and Childress said Wednesday he’s sold his Truck Series assets to Gallagher Motorsports.

 

Follow JENNA FRYER on Twitter @JennaFryer

UNC Pembroke jumps 4 spots in National Poll

The UNC Pembroke Braves football team grabbed a thrilling 34-29 road win over defending national champion Valdosta State last weekend. Due to the win, the Braves moved up four spots to No. 10 in the latest American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 poll Monday afternoon November 11, 2013.  The Braves (9-1) will wrap up the regular season this weekend at home for Senior Day at Grace P. Johnson Stadium against Virginia-Lynchburg (2-7). Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m.

nc state hosts acc new arrival Syracuse

The NC State Wolfpack will host the Syracuse Orangemen who have recently joined the ACC and the Wolfpack will be looking for their first conference win today at Carter Finley Stadium. The Sports Blast will be there to bring you the most current info on the game. On Twitter, follow @BigHalNunn or Brett Friedlander @StarNewsACC and listen into the show Monday from 4-6 p.m. on AM1490 WAZZ in Fayetteville, NC or here online to hear analysis and many comments on this great ACC Match up.

UNC Pembroke football moves to #14 in National Poll

LIBERTY, Mo. – The UNC Pembroke football team continued its movement in the national polls on Tuesday morning as the Braves jumped two spots in the D2Football.com Top 25, the online publication announced.

The No. 14 listing is the highest-ever listing for the Braves (4-0) in the D2Football.com poll. UNCP climbed as high as No. 15 in the poll in week three (Sept. 14) of the 2010 season. The Braves achieved a program-best regular season rank of No. 14 in Monday’s American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25. The program’s loftiest ranking was at No. 8 in the 2010 preseason listing by The Sporting News.

UNCP was one of four NCAA Super Region 2 teams included in Tuesday’s D2Football.com ranking. Valdosta State (3-0) continued its reign atop the release, while West Alabama (3-1) is No. 12 and Carson-Newman is No. 21.

Winston-Salem State, a week one victim of the Braves at home, climbed two spots to No. 16.

The Braves will be back in action again on October 12 when they make the short trip up U.S. 74 to battle NCAA Division I (FCS) rival Charlotte (3-2). Kickoff is set for noon inside Jerry Richardson Stadium.

Wolfpack Men’s Basketball Schedule Updated

RALEIGH, N.C. – With the exception of two tip times in November, NC State men’s basketball has completed its 2013-14 schedule. The slate features 18 regular season games at PNC Arena, a December contest at Reynolds Coliseum, an exciting non-conference lineup and an enhanced ACC schedule.

The non-conference schedule, featuring home games against Northwestern and Missouri and trips to Cincinnati and Tennessee, was recently updated with tip-off and television information. There are two start times yet to be determined, NC State’s exhibition at PNC Arena against Morehouse College on Saturday, Nov. 2 and the team’s Saturday, Nov. 30 date with Eastern Kentucky. Those two start times will be released once NC State’s football kick-off times for those dates are released.

NC State, coming off consecutive 24-win seasons and NCAA Tournament appearances under head coach Mark Gottfried, will open its 2013-14 season at home against Appalachian State at 7 p.m. The team’s first four home games in November all begin at 7 p.m.

The Wolfpack will see Northwestern and Missouri come to Raleigh in December. Northwestern visits Wednesday, Dec. 4 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m. Missouri comes to PNC Arena Saturday, Dec. 28 for an 8 p.m. contest on ESPN2.

ACC action opens at home against new member Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jan. 4 at noon. NC State closes the month of January with three consecutive home games, including its final conference match-up against Maryland.

In all, Gottfried’s program will appear on ESPN networks 17 times during the 2013-14 regular season. The team will play seven times on the ACC Network, five times on the Regional Sports Network and once on CBS.

NC State fans will get their first glimpse of the young Wolfpack team Friday, Oct. 18 when the program hosts Primetime With The Pack: Operation Our State at PNC Arena at 7 p.m. The event will feature player introductions, skill contests and an intrasquad scrimmage. The first game action comes Wednesday, Oct. 30 when NCSU hosts an exhibition vs. UNC Pembroke at Reynolds Coliseum, followed by the exhibition vs. Morehouse. Admission to both exhibition games is free.

Season tickets are currently on sale, and fans will enjoy a lower per-game price this season than in 2012-13. To purchase tickets,CLICK HERE or call the ticket office at (919) 865-1510.    

Eagles Rookie Earl Wolff set to make first NFL Start

Philadelphia Eagle rookie Earl Wolff is set to make his first start this weekend against the best passing attack in the NFL with Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. Wolff a 4 year starter from NC State and who is from Raeford, NC (Hoke County High), will get his chance to take up the position that was held by Patrick Chung who is sidelined with a shoulder injury according to RotoWorld.com. Wolff played high school football for Hoke County High School in Raeford, NC where the current coach is Milton Butts who was an offensive lineman for Archie Manning (Peyton’s dad) when he was at New Orleans. 

UNC Pembroke moves up to #16 National Football Poll

LIBERTY, Mo. – The UNC Pembroke football team continued to make moves in the national polls on Tuesday as the Braves crawled up one spot to No. 16 in the latest top 25 poll by D2Football.com, the online publication announced.
The Braves (3-0) were one of just four NCAA Super Region 2 teams included in Tuesday’s release and joined top-ranked Valdosta State (2-0), No. 13 Carson-Newman (3-0) and No. 14 West Alabama (2-1) in the poll. Winston-Salem State (2-1), a week one victim of the Braves in Pembroke, inched up one spot to No. 18 following a 34-13 victory over then-No. 18 Tuskegee last week.
UNCP will be in action again on Saturday when it returns home to tangle with region and U.S. 74 nemesis Wingate (1-1) in a 2 p.m. Parents Weekend contest at Grace P. Johnson Stadium. Tickets can still be purchased by calling (910) 521-6361.

ECU Pirates SUSPEND Nose tackle Terry Williams

GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina junior nose tackle Terry Williams has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team policy according to an announcement from head football coach Ruffin McNeill Tuesday afternoon.

“The expectation for every member of our program has always been that they must earn the right to represent East Carolina University and that they will be held accountable for their actions on and off the field,” McNeill said. The fourth-year ECU head coach did not address specifics of the suspension, but added that Williams “did not adhere to the conduct standards we have in place.”

Williams, a two-year starter on the Pirates’ front line, has recorded nine tackles and half a sack in his first three games of the 2013 season. McNeill indicated junior Chrishon Rose would take over the starting role in Williams’ absence.

East Carolina (2-1) will return to action Saturday when it faces North Carolina (1-2) at Kenan Stadium beginning at 12:30 p.m.

NC State vs Clemson 9/19/13

The 2013 NC State Wolfpack is set to take on the #3 ranked Clemson Tigers at Carter Finley Stadium in Raleigh. For live info, Follow on Twitter @BigHalNunn. On Facebook you can follow BigHal Nunn. Listen to the Sports Blast radio show every Monday from 4-6 p.m. on AM1490 WAZZ Fayetteville, NC or ONLINE at http://www.audiosportsonline.net/2013Fall/Bucks.htm . ENJOY THE GAME

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