Yes. Ole Miss was famous for it and Alabama as well.
But, the SEC was also noted for much more physical play ... Alabama, for example, plays LSU, Auburn, UGA, Tennessee and Texas A&M. Not exactly cupcakes.
The ACC is mostly comprised of more average teams. Playing even weaker teams isn't going to get anyone excited.
The SEC has always hyped that they were more physical, or at least since Vince Dooley first went to uga. Even when the SEC lost games to OOC opponents they used to brag that “at least that team knew they were in a fight and would be sore for a week.” But to me this was just hype that eventually paid off. It’s not like other teams in other parts of the country don’t play just as tough. I think that’s why a few years ago, after saying (since 1966) we are the most physical conference, the SEC started saying we are the fastest conference (SEC speed). It is marketing genius. And it works. But I’ve always taken it with a grain of salt.
Looking at recent years when Alabama won or challenged for a national championship they played Middle Tenn State, Louisiana Monroe, Charleston Southern, Chattanooga, Kent State, Western Kentucky, Western Carolina, Mercer, Arkansas State, Fresno State, Louisiana, and Citadel, for instance.
These OOC teams, and others, were wedged around SEC powerhouses like Arkansas, Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Missouri.
To be sure, there were always at least 3 tough SEC teams on the schedule, if those teams were having a good year, but Alabama for as long as I can remember, has scheduled enough light weights into the schedule to keep the team from getting too banged up or leg weary and to almost guarantee 9 wins out of the gate.
Wake Forest and Duke do something similar at a much lower level of athletic ability and it seems to pay off in a relatively similar way. They staff fresh for their big games against tougher opponents and they end up with a better record and higher ranking as a result.
Not arguing that Tech should do the same just acknowledging that those who advocate doing this some until Tech “gets well” have precedent on their side.