Georgia Tech’s 2011 football schedule, which includes seven home games and eight games against teams that participated in bowl games last season, was officially released by the Atlantic Coast Conference on Monday.

The Yellow Jackets’ home schedule includes non-conference games against Western Carolina, Kansas and Georgia, and ACC contests against Maryland, Clemson, North Carolina and defending ACC champion Virginia Tech. Tech’s road schedule consists of a non-league game at Middle Tennessee State and ACC opponents North Carolina State, Virginia, Duke and Miami.

Georgia Tech’s Nov. 10 game against Virginia Tech will continue the Yellow Jackets’ tradition of playing in a nationally televised Thursday night game on ESPN.

“The schedule will certainly be very challenging,” coach Paul Johnson said. “I expect the ACC to be extremely competitive this season. Almost every team is capable of competing for the conference championship.”

In the Atlantic Coast Conference schedule rotation, Maryland replaces Wake Forest on Tech’s schedule.

Tech opens the 2011 campaign on a Thursday night, Sept. 1 against Western Carolina, in Atlanta. Nine days later the Jackets make their first trip to Middle Tennessee State, then return home Sept. 17 to host Kansas.

The Yellow Jackets kick-off ACC play Sept. 24 in Bobby Dodd Stadium against North Carolina. Tech opened conference play against the Tar Heels last season, coming away with a 30-24 victory in Chapel Hill.

The Yellow Jackets close the regular season Nov. 26 in Atlanta against traditional rival Georgia.