The conference will do away with divisions next season, implementing a new format for at least the next four years.
It’s a new era in the ACC’s football structure, and now we have our first look at what the new frontier will hold.
The conference is adopting a new division-free format beginning in 2023, and revealed the full conference schedule on Monday for the upcoming season. The format will be in place through at least the ’26 campaign.
The ACC’s new model will be a 3-5-5 design—meaning that each team will face three primary opponents every year along with the other 10 teams twice within a four-year period: one home game, and one on the road. The format ensures that every team will play all 13 other conference foes home and away at least once over a four-year span.
The ACC has used the Atlantic and Coastal division format since the 2005 season. Despite the change, teams will still play eight conference games per year.
“As a conference, we’re extremely excited to begin the new scheduling model that provides significant enhancements—the most important being the opportunity for our student-athletes to play every school both home and away over a four-year period,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said. “The new model is also in the best interest of our schools, fans and the conference as a whole. Beyond the incredibly competitive league schedule, our teams will once again play arguably the toughest collection of non-conference opponents. There’s always great anticipation surrounding the annual release of the ACC Football schedule, and 2023 is no exception.”
