{"id":877757,"date":"2025-12-16T22:20:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T04:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/16\/acc-unveils-transition-2026-conference-schedule\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T22:20:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T04:20:11","slug":"acc-unveils-transition-2026-conference-schedule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/16\/acc-unveils-transition-2026-conference-schedule\/","title":{"rendered":"ACC unveils &#8216;transition&#8217; 2026 conference schedule"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Football <\/p>\n<div id=\"global-viewport\" data-behavior=\"global_nav_condensed global_nav_full\">\n<nav id=\"global-nav-mobile\" data-loadtype=\"server\"><\/nav>\n<div id=\"pane-main\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<section id=\"article-feed\" data-behavior=\"author_overlay article_header_news_feed_item_meta article_legal_footer\">\n<article data-id=\"47324406\" data-behavior=\"story_scroll story_progress\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/story\/_\/id\/47324406\/acc-shares-9-game-conference-schedule-transition-year\">\n<div>\n<header>\n<h2>Football ACC shares 9-game conference schedule in &#8216;transition year&#8217;<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<figure data-video=\"watch,640,360,47230895\" data-cerebro-id=\"69351249bcf2fb6ab8b3cf1c\" data-title=\"Duke Blue Devils vs. Virginia Cavaliers: Full Highlights\" data-source=\"espn\" data-contributing-partner=\"wsc\">\n<div><picture><source  media=\"(min-width: 376px)\"><source  media=\"(max-width: 375px)\"><\/picture>\n<p><span data-id=\"47230895\">play<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div>\n<p><span>Duke Blue Devils vs. Virginia Cavaliers: Full Highlights (1:52)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Duke Blue Devils vs. Virginia Cavaliers: Full Highlights (1:52)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=\/i\/columnists\/full\/hale_david.png&#038;h=80&#038;w=80&#038;scale=crop\" alt width=\"40\" height=\"40\"><\/p>\n<p>David Hale<span>Dec 16, 2025, 10:25 AM ET<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/#\">Close<\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>College football reporter.<\/li>\n<li>Joined ESPN in 2012.<\/li>\n<li>Graduate of the University of Delaware.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>The ACC will roll out its new nine-game conference schedule in a modified form for the 2026 football season, the conference announced Tuesday, with a full nine-game slate beginning in 2027.<\/p>\n<p>For the upcoming season, which the ACC is calling a &#8220;transition year,&#8221; 12 of its 17 schools will play nine conference games, with <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"02382072-a5a3-24ff-6bd1-422a029bd33c\" href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/team\/_\/id\/228\/clemson-tigers\">Clemson<\/a>, <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"e2e3ae48-f880-5489-0628-b2286d0adca1\" href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/team\/_\/id\/59\/georgia-tech-yellow-jackets\">Georgia Tech<\/a>, <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"fa181128-4809-a209-1add-d5a3b0cefd3c\" href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/team\/_\/id\/52\/florida-state-seminoles\">Florida State<\/a>, <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"30776972-a2c7-1cf2-4530-1c3820f5a4ea\" href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/team\/_\/id\/153\/north-carolina-tar-heels\">North Carolina<\/a> and <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"4abb970f-c9e6-7576-3daa-703957b91293\" href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/team\/_\/id\/103\/boston-college-eagles\">Boston College<\/a> playing just eight. Those five teams each have multiple Power Four opponents already scheduled outside the conference.<\/p>\n<p>Because the ACC has an odd number of teams, one school will play eight league games each season starting in 2027.<\/p>\n<p>Four ACC schools &#8212; Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"0584f11f-3e1c-d2ac-b852-35a74216c53e\" href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/team\/_\/id\/97\/louisville-cardinals\">Louisville<\/a> &#8212; have an annual rivalry game against the SEC, and while Louisville AD Josh Heird said his school is eager to play a strong schedule each season, the other three initially balked at the lack of scheduling flexibility that would come with a nine-game conference slate and an annual nonconference game against their SEC rival.<\/p>\n<p>Clemson has also scheduled an annual series against <a href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/team\/_\/id\/87\/notre-dame-fighting-irish\">Notre Dame<\/a> that starts in 2027, meaning that any year in which the Tigers are slated for nine ACC games, they&#8217;d be guaranteed at least 11 games vs. Power Four opponents.<\/p>\n<p>Under the ACC&#8217;s new nine-game scheduling plan, which was <a href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/story\/_\/id\/46349266\/acc-moving-9-league-games-aligning-rest-power-4\">approved in September<\/a>, each team will be required to play at least 10 games against Power Four competition, meaning one nonconference Power Four game for the schools playing the full nine-game conference slate, and two for any teams playing eight.<\/p>\n<p>The ACC will also adjust its tiebreaker policies for the 2026 season and beyond as a result of the unequal scheduling. The new formula, however, might also address concerns following this year&#8217;s five-team tie for second place in the conference that allowed a 7-5 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/team\/_\/id\/150\/duke-blue-devils\">Duke<\/a> team to reach the championship game, which the Blue Devils ultimately won.<\/p>\n<p>This marks the fourth different scheduling format for the ACC in the past four years. In 2022, the ACC agreed to scrap divisions for the 2023 season. In 2024, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/team\/_\/id\/25\/california-golden-bears\">Cal<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/team\/_\/id\/24\/stanford-cardinal\">Stanford<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/team\/_\/id\/2567\/smu-mustangs\">SMU<\/a> joined the league, forcing the ACC to adjust its annual rivalry games to fit the expanded roster of schools. The new nine-game league schedule, the ACC said, will allow for increased flexibility in scheduling and allow schools to face off more frequently.<\/p>\n<p>The ACC remains contractually tied with Notre Dame as well, playing five nonconference games per year against the Fighting Irish.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Teams with a nine-game ACC slate in 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>California<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Clemson, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: NC State, SMU, Syracuse, Virginia<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Duke<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Boston College, Clemson, North Carolina, Stanford<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: Georgia Tech, Miami, NC State, Virginia, Wake Forest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Louisville<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Florida State, Pitt, SMU, Stanford, Wake Forest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: Georgia Tech, North Carolina, NC State, Syracuse<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Miami<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Boston College, Duke, Florida State, Pitt, Virginia Tech<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: Clemson, North Carolina, Stanford, Wake Forest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>NC State <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: California, Duke, Louisville, Syracuse, Wake Forest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: Florida State, North Carolina, Stanford, Virginia (in Brazil)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Pitt<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Syracuse<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: Boston College, California, Louisville, Miami, Virginia Tech<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>SMU<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Boston College, California, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: Florida State, Louisville, Stanford, Syracuse<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Stanford<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Georgia Tech, Miami, NC State, SMU<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: California, Duke, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Syracuse<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: California, Clemson, Louisville, SMU<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: Boston College, North Carolina, NC State, Pitt, Virginia<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Virginia<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: California, Duke, North Carolina, NC State (in Brazil), Syracuse<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: Florida State, SMU, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Virginia Tech <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Georgia Tech, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: Boston College, California, Clemson, Miami, SMU<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Wake Forest<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Duke, Miami, Stanford, Virginia<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: California, Georgia Tech, Louisville, NC State, SMU<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Teams with an eight-game ACC schedule in 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Boston College<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Florida State, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia Tech<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, SMU<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Clemson<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Virginia Tech<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: California, Duke, Florida State, Syracuse<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Florida State<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Clemson, NC State, SMU, Virginia<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: Boston College, Louisville, Miami, Pitt<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Georgia Tech<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Boston College, Duke, Louisville, Wake Forest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: Clemson, Pitt, Virginia Tech, Stanford<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>North Carolina<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home<\/strong>: Louisville, Miami, NC State, Syracuse<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Away<\/strong>: Clemson, Duke, Pitt, Virginia<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-football\/story\/_\/id\/47324406\/acc-shares-9-game-conference-schedule-transition-year\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a> David Hale<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ACC shares 9-game conference schedule in &#8216;transition year&#8217; play Duke Blue Devils vs. Virginia Cavaliers: Full Highlights (1:52) Duke Blue Devils vs. Virginia Cavaliers: Full Highlights (1:52) David HaleDec 16, 2025, 10:25 AM ET Close College football reporter. Joined ESPN in 2012. Graduate of the University of Delaware. The ACC will roll out its new<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":877758,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3790,25802,1009],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-877757","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"category-transition","9":"category-unveils"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/877757","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=877757"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/877757\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/877758"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=877757"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=877757"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=877757"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}