ACC Announces New Nine-Game Conference Schedule for 2026 Football Season and Beyond
The ACC has announced a new nine-game conference schedule for the 2026 football season, with a full nine-game slate set to begin in 2027. In the upcoming season, 12 out of 17 schools will play nine conference games, while five teams, including Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, North Carolina, and Boston College, will play just eight due to existing Power Four opponents outside the conference. Starting in 2027, one school will play eight league games each season due to the odd number of teams in the ACC.
Four ACC schools, namely Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, and Louisville, have annual rivalry games against the SEC. While Louisville is eager to play a strong schedule each season, the other three schools initially had concerns about the lack of scheduling flexibility with a nine-game conference slate and an annual nonconference game against their SEC rival. Clemson also has an annual series against Notre Dame starting in 2027, ensuring at least 11 games against Power Four opponents in years with nine ACC games.
Under the new nine-game scheduling plan approved in September, each team must play at least 10 games against Power Four competition. This translates to one nonconference Power Four game for schools with a full nine-game conference slate and two for teams playing eight conference games. The ACC has undergone multiple scheduling format changes in recent years, including the elimination of divisions in 2023 and adjustments for new schools like Cal, Stanford, and SMU joining the league in 2024. The new nine-game league schedule aims to provide more scheduling flexibility and increased opportunities for schools to compete.
The ACC maintains a contractual agreement with Notre Dame, playing five nonconference games per year against the Fighting Irish. In 2026, teams with a nine-game ACC slate include California, Duke, Louisville, Miami, NC State, Pitt, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest. Teams with an eight-game ACC schedule in 2026 are Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, North Carolina, and Boston College. The ACC's evolving scheduling approach reflects its commitment to enhancing competition and providing exciting matchups for college football fans.