Divisions to be scrapped following ’22 season
The ACC revealed its new football scheduling model for the 2023-26 seasons Tuesday, featuring three primary opponents a school faces every year and rotating five additional teams every two years.
The 3-5-5 approach will eliminate the conference’s split into Atlantic and Coastal divisions and thus end the long gaps that came from playing cross-division foes.
“It was clear this model is in the best interest of our student-athletes, programs and fans, at this time,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said in an official statement.
“The future ACC football scheduling model provides significant enhancements for our schools and conference. With the most important being our student-athletes having the opportunity to play every school both home and away over a four-year period.”
The new model, which was approved by the league’s athletic directors and faculty athletic representatives Tuesday, also guarantees each team will face all 13 ACC opponents both at home and on the road in a four-year cycle. Under the old model, it would take 12 years for that to happen.
The NCAA Division I Council voted in May to eliminate division requirements in order for a conference to hold a title game. Starting in 2023, the top two teams in the ACC standings will meet in its conference championship game on the first Saturday in December in Charlotte, North Carolina. The ACC primary’s scheduling partners: Boston College: Miami, Pittsburgh, Syracuse
Clemson: Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State
Duke: North Carolina, North Carolina State, Wake Forest
Florida State: Clemson, Miami, Syracuse Georgia Tech: Clemson, Louisville, Wake Forest
Louisville: Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia Miami: Boston College, Florida State, Louisville
North Carolina: Duke, North Carolina State, Virginia
North Carolina State: Clemson, Duke, North Carolina
Pittsburgh: Boston College, Syracuse, Virginia Tech
Syracuse: Boston College, Florida State, Pittsburgh
Virginia: Louisville, North Carolina, Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech: Pittsburgh, Virginia, Wake Forest
Wake Forest: Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech