ACC Plans 10 Power 4 Games Per Team in New Football Schedule

The ACC is moving towards a scheduling format requiring each team to play at least 10 games against Power 4 opponents, either through a nine-game conference schedule plus one Power 4 nonconference game or an 8+2 model with eight conference and two Power 4 nonconference games. This shift aligns with the SEC's recent decision to increase their conference games from eight to nine, aiming to strengthen schedules and provide more high-profile matchups across conferences. There is some resistance from schools like Clemson and Florida State, who are concerned about losing traditional nonconference rivalries, such as Clemson's games against South Carolina and LSU. A straw poll of ACC athletic directors showed a majority are supportive or amenable to the nine-game conference slate, though some remain hesitant. ACC commissioner Jim Phillips favors the nine-game conference model with one Power 4 nonconference game, matching the SEC's approach. The conference's athletic directors are set to discuss these details further in an upcoming meeting in Charlotte.