ACC shifting to 9 league video games, aligning with remainder of Power 4

ACC athletic administrators agreed Monday to maneuver to a nine-game convention schedule after conferences in Charlotte, North Carolina, becoming a member of the opposite Power 4 leagues in going to 9 convention video games.

As a part of the brand new scheduling mannequin, league groups will now be required to play 10 Power 4 video games. Most groups will start taking part in 9 convention video games plus one Power 4 recreation in 2026.

Multiple ACC groups have return nonconference or impartial website nonconference video games scheduled for subsequent season, together with Florida State at Alabama, Clemson at LSU, SMU at Baylor, Duke at Illinois, Georgia Tech at Colorado, North Carolina-TCU in Dublin, Ireland, and Virginia-West Virginia in Charlotte.

In an announcement, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips stated athletics administrators “overwhelmingly” supported the change from eight convention video games to 9. Conversations about shifting to a nine-game convention schedule ramped up after the SEC made the choice to maneuver to 9 league video games final month. The SEC and Big 12 are also requiring convention groups to play 10 Power 4 video games.

The Big 12 and Big Ten have already been at 9 convention video games.

“We have been incredibly intentional throughout our discussions on ACC football, including the future of our conference schedule,” Phillips stated in an announcement. “This positions the ACC as one of only two leagues committed to having every team annually play a minimum of 10 games against Power 4 teams. There will be additional discussions and more details to be determined, but today’s decision showcases the commitment and leadership of our ADs in balancing what is best for strengthening the conference and for their respective programs.”

The new scheduling mannequin will probably be offered to the college athletics representatives for formal adoption later this week.

The ACC has had discussions about taking part in 9 video games for greater than a decade, however its distinctive scheduling partnership with Notre Dame and nonconference rivalry video games for Florida State, Louisville, Clemson and Georgia Tech all the time made it tough to maneuver to 9.

The SEC and ACC had been the lone holdouts staying at eight video games. But as soon as the SEC moved to 9 convention video games, the chance of retaining eight convention video games whereas taking part in a robust nonconference schedule in opposition to Power 4 groups began to dwindle. Simply put, with the opposite three Power 4 conferences at 9 video games, it might be tougher to schedule as many marquee nonconference video games within the ACC because it had up to now.

Unlike the opposite Power 4 conferences, the ACC has 17 league groups, so taking part in 9 convention video games is a little more sophisticated. According to a supply, beginning in 2027 when the nine-game league schedule is absolutely applied, 16 groups will play 9 league video games and one will play eight convention video games plus two Power 4 nonconference video games.

The ACC-SEC rivalry video games between Florida-Florida State, Georgia Tech-Georgia, Clemson-South Carolina and Louisville-Kentucky are anticipated to proceed. Because these faculties have already got an annual Power 4 nonconference recreation, they may have selections to make about their future schedules.

But SEC groups should make comparable selections, too. Georgia, for instance, has video games scheduled in opposition to Louisville in 2026 and 2027, and Florida State in 2027 and 2028. Florida has already canceled nonconference video games in opposition to NC State (2026, 2032) and Cal (2026, 2027).

Notre Dame is an element, too, because the Irish at the moment play 5 ACC video games as a part of its scheduling settlement with the league. In the years these 4 ACC groups play Notre Dame, they may have 11 Power 4 video games. The scenario grows additional complicated for Clemson. In May, Clemson and Notre Dame agreed to a 12-year scheduling settlement that can pit the 2 faculty soccer powers in opposition to each other yearly via 2038.