ACC season to include Irish
Notre Dame is giving up its independence — for at least one season.
With college football holding onto hope it can proceed with a radically altered season in the midst of a pandemic, the ACC board of directors voted Wednesday to have each of its teams play an 11game schedule — including the Fighting Irish, who will be eligible to play in the conference championship game for the first time. Each team will play 10 conference games and one non-conference game, with the league scrapping divisions for the season — beginning Sept. 12 — and including two bye weeks for each team.
The ACC will release the full schedule at a later date, with teams set to begin practice next week.
“Today’s decision was made after months of thoughtful planning by numerous individuals throughout the conference,” ACC commissioner John Swofford said in a statement. “The Board’s decision presents a path, if public health guidance allows, to move forward with competition. Our institutions are committed to taking the necessary measures to facilitate the return in a safe and responsible manner. We recognize that we may need to be nimble and make adjustments in the future. We will be as prepared as possible should that need arise.”
Having witnessed MLB postponements and MLS teams forced to withdraw from league play, the ACC determined its title game — on Dec. 12 or Dec. 19 in Charlotte, N.C. — will feature the two teams with the highest conference winning percentages, likely simplifying the selections should games be canceled.
Notre Dame, which has been able to maintain football independence due to its longtime national media deal with NBC, and the 14 ACC schools will all split TV revenue equally. The Fighting Irish were previously scheduled to play six ACC games in 2020 — as part of its agreement with the conference, in which Notre Dame’s other athletic programs are all full-time league members.
In addition to each program being issued COVID-19 protocol, the ACC’s medical advisory group will meet with league directors every week to discuss matters related to playing amid the pandemic.