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- The Atlantic Coast Conference released a new model for its football scheduling on Tuesday.
- The model eliminates divisions and secures rivalry games for the foreseeable future.
- Fans across the conference are all about the new format.
When the NCAA announced in May that teams no longer had to win their division to compete in conference championship games, fans knew that schedule and conference alignment changes were imminent.
Now those changes are here in a big way.
The ACC announced radical changes on Tuesday, eliminating the Atlantic and Coastal divisions and completely blowing up its future schedules.
In 2023, the ACC will adopt a 3-5-5 football scheduling model and all 14 schools will compete in one division.
Teams will play 3 primary opponents annually + face the other 10 teams twice during the 4-year cycle, once at home and once on the road.
📰: https://t.co/7cvsuH48j3 pic.twitter.com/ne5TjwtfYd
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) June 28, 2022
The new scheduling ensures that teams will play three rivals annually (I.E Florida State-Miami, Virginia Tech-Virginia) and the other 10 teams in the conference twice in each rolling four-year period.
The two top teams by conference win percentage will then meet in the ACC Championship Game on the first Saturday each December.
With the release, the conference also put out the schedules for the first four years of competition under the new format.
2023 Conference Opponents: pic.twitter.com/C33CWuLBfH
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) June 28, 2022
Fans are absolutely thrilled with the changes.
Initial thoughts:
1. Great concept. Love it. But league chose competitive balance over TV opportunities.
2. VT will play FSU, Miami or Clemson EVERY Year. In '25. VT will play the 'Noles and Canes. In 26 will play Clemson & Canes.
3. Sorry to see end of VT-Miami annually. https://t.co/SStscFildu
— Bill Roth (@BillRoth2020) June 28, 2022
Men*, what's stopping you from looking** like this
*the SEC
**scheduling https://t.co/g1de7OT0TT— Jerry Hinnen (@JerryHinnen) June 28, 2022
The model is great! (I mean, somebody proposed it nine years ago. https://t.co/6uRf0BOpS6)
The #Hokies not playing Miami every year is lame. https://t.co/o6nYo4nag8
— Andy Bitter (@AndyBitterVT) June 28, 2022
This is the schedule model I offered the ACC in 2014.
I am glad to see they've come around to it https://t.co/xz1ytc7NyM
— Joe Giglio (@giglio_OG) June 28, 2022
an idea so good they had no choice but to actually do it https://t.co/CVfm1OfICX
— Matt Hinton (@MattRHinton) June 28, 2022
Though not all fans loved the new protected rivalries. Virginia Tech fans, in particular, seemed unhappy.
https://twitter.com/JordanCanes/status/1541808561184858114?s=20&t=VgYzSs1o9kbScuaZT9hvuQ
This is an absolute joke for Wake to not be playing one of State or Carolina annually.
Wake v NC State had been played every year since 1910- longest continuous rivalry in the ACC.
Wake and UNC already was broken up with divisions.. and the schools scheduled a non-con series https://t.co/TOw7D7xNwx
— Josh Gattis (@speed_in_space) June 28, 2022
Virginia Tech vs Miami is one of the best rivalries in the ACC. You can even go as far back to the Big East days if you like.
This is an absolute TRAVESTY. Shame on you ACC. #Hokies https://t.co/xyPMQYw6Wm
— Nathan Brennan (@NathanKCTV5) June 28, 2022
https://twitter.com/HeffCurry_/status/1541804703960502272?s=20&t=VgYzSs1o9kbScuaZT9hvuQ
Fans of teams in other conferences also liked the scheduling model. The Big Ten may be next in line to make the change. Conference commissioner Kevin Warren and numerous athletic directors have discussed the change in the pass.
MSU AD Alan Haller at the DEC meeting says Big Ten realignment is being discussed. Said he expects changes are coming.
— Matt Charboneau (@mattcharboneau) May 23, 2022
The ACC is at the forefront for now, though, and fans of the conference seem largely overjoyed with the change.