ACC shares 9-game conference schedule in ‘transition year’

The ACC will introduce its new nine-game conference schedule in a revised form for the 2026 football season, the conference announced Tuesday, with a full nine-game slate beginning in 2027.

For the upcoming season, which the ACC is calling a “transition year”, 12 of its 17 schools will play nine conference games, including CLEMSON, georgia tech, Florida State, North Carolina And boston college Only eight are playing. Each of those five teams already has several Power Four opponents scheduled outside the conference.

Because the number of teams in the ACC is odd, a school will play eight league games each season starting in 2027.

Four ACC schools – Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and louisville – There is an annual rivalry game against the SEC, and while Louisville AD Josh Heard said his school is eager to play a strong schedule each season, the other three were initially adamant on the lack of scheduling flexibility that would come with a nine-game conference slate and an annual non-conference game against their SEC rival.

Clemson also schedules an annual series against Notre Dame It will begin in 2027, meaning that in any year when the Tigers are scheduled for nine ACC games, they will be guaranteed at least 11 games against Power Four opponents.

Under the ACC’s new nine-game scheduling plan, which was Approved in SeptemberEach team will be required to play at least 10 games against Power Four competition, which means one non-conference Power Four game for schools playing a full nine-game conference slate, and two for any team playing eight.

The ACC will also adjust its tiebreaker policies for the 2026 season and beyond as a result of the uneven scheduling. However, the new formula could also address concerns after a five-team tie for second place in the conference this year, which allowed a 7-5 ruler The team reached the championship game, which was ultimately won by the Blue Devils.

This is the fourth different scheduling format for the ACC in the last four years. In 2022, the ACC agreed to eliminate divisions for the 2023 season. In 2024, period, stanford And smu The league joined, 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 increase scheduling flexibility and allow schools to face off more often.

The ACC is also contractually tied to Notre Dame and plays five non-conference games per year against the Fighting Irish.

Teams with nine-game ACC slate in 2026

California

• Home: Clemson, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

• away: NC State, SMU, Syracuse, Virginia

ruler

• Home: Boston College, Clemson, North Carolina, Stanford

• away: Georgia Tech, Miami, NC State, Virginia, Wake Forest

louisville

• Home: Florida State, Pitt, SMU, Stanford, Wake Forest

• away:Georgia Tech, North Carolina, NC State, Syracuse

miami

• Home: Boston College, Duke, Florida State, Pitt, Virginia Tech

• away: Clemson, North Carolina, Stanford, Wake Forest

nc state

• Home:California, Duke, Louisville, Syracuse, Wake Forest

• away: Florida State, North Carolina, Stanford, Virginia (in Brazil)

the pit

• Home: Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Syracuse

• away: Boston College, California, Louisville, Miami, Virginia Tech

smu

• Home: Boston College, California, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

• away: Florida State, Louisville, Stanford, Syracuse

stanford

• Home:Georgia Tech, Miami, NC State, SMU

• away:California, Duke, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Syracuse

• Home:California, Clemson, Louisville, SMU

• away: Boston College, North Carolina, NC State, Pitt, Virginia

Virginia

• Home: California, Duke, North Carolina, NC State (in Brazil), Syracuse

• away: Florida State, SMU, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Virginia Tech

• Home:Georgia Tech, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia

• away: Boston College, California, Clemson, Miami, SMU

wake up forest

• Home: Duke, Miami, Stanford, Virginia

• away: California, Georgia Tech, Louisville, NC State, SMU

Teams with eight-game ACC schedules in 2026

boston college

• Home: Florida State, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia Tech

• away: Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, SMU

CLEMSON

• Home:Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Virginia Tech

• away: California, Duke, Florida State, Syracuse

Florida State

• Home: Clemson, NC State, SMU, Virginia

• away: Boston College, Louisville, Miami, Pitt

georgia tech

• Home: Boston College, Duke, Louisville, Wake Forest

• away: Clemson, Pitt, Virginia Tech, Stanford

North Carolina

• Home: Louisville, Miami, NC State, Syracuse

• away: Clemson, Duke, Pitt, Virginia