ACC has officially removed the football division.
The meeting announced on Tuesday that it would introduce a new scheduling model from the 2023 season. The new model, which eliminates the Atlantic and coastal divisions, has a 3-5-5 structure where each team plays against three major opponents each year.
From there, each team will play the other 10 teams twice in a four-year cycle. Play once at home and once on the go. The new format guarantees that each team will play at least two other 13 meeting members over a four-year period.
With this change, the ACC title game will feature the top two teams in the meeting based on the winning percentage of the meeting. Previously, Atlantic and Coastal winners won the league crown.
“The future ACC football scheduling model will bring significant enhancements to schools and meetings. Most importantly, student athletes will have the opportunity to play at all schools, both at home and on the go, for four years. “According to ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips.
“We appreciate the thoughtful discussions within the membership, including head football coaches and athletic directors. After all, at this point, this model is of the greatest benefit to our student athletes, programs and fans. It was clear that it would be. “
Selected ACC permanent opponent
This change was expected and widely seen positively, but perhaps the biggest hurdle was to settle for the three main opponents at each school.
Here’s what I came up with at the meeting:
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Boston University: Miami, Pitt, Syracuse
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Clemson: Florida, Georgia Institute of Technology, North Carolina
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Duke: North Carolina, North Carolina, Wake Forest
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Florida: Clemson, Miami, Syracuse
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Georgia Institute of Technology: Clemson, Louisville, Wake Forest
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Louisville: Georgia Institute of Technology, Miami, Virginia
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Miami: Boston University, Louisville, Florida
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North Carolina: Duke, North Carolina, Virginia
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North Carolina: Clemson, Duke, North Carolina
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Pittsburgh: Boston University, Syracuse, Virginia Tech
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Syracuse: Boston University, Florida, Pitt
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Virginia: Louisville, North Carolina, Virginia Tech
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Virginia Tech: Pit, Virginia, Wake Forest
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Wake Forest: Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech
Most of the conference’s long-standing rivals (Clemson vs. FSU, FSU vs. Miami, North Carolina State University vs. UNC, Virginia vs. Virginia Tech, etc.) are covered, but one notable one is affected. North Carolina State University and Wake Forest University have been playing every year since 1910. This is one of the longest consecutively played series in the sport, but will end in 2025. There are no plans to play Wolfpack and Demon Demon either. Any of 2026 (complete ACC schedule until 2026 season) You can see it here).
However, from a wakeforest perspective, winning Duke and Georgia Institute of Technology as opponents each year is a pretty good draw from a win-loss perspective.
Regionally, these choices make a lot of sense. Especially because it is related to the destination of the road where the fans can move. But another fit that makes sense from a geographic point of view is Florida and Georgia Institute of Technology. Tallahassee is not the easiest place to go. The four-hour drive to Atlanta to play the Yellowjackets seemed like a logical option. Instead, Syracuse is one of FSU’s three annual opponents.
Similar changes may be made at other meetings
In May, the NCAA Division I Council voted to eliminate the need for divisions in meetings with more than 12 members to host the meeting’s title game. Most FBS meetings are expected to make changes prior to the 2023 season, and many will remove the splits and adjust the schedule format like ACC.
I already have some.
Although its schedule (based on the North and South divisions) is in place, Pac-12 has previously adjusted the format of the next season’s Championship Game. The two teams with the highest winning percentages will play. In 2023, Pac-12 will remove that split. Mountain West also resolved to abolish the division in 2023. Elsewhere, AAC removed the division last year following UConn’s departure, and the Big 12 hasn’t had a division since it was reduced to 10 members in 2011.
ACC is currently the fifth FBS league to abolish the division. The Big 12 has been operating without departments since 2011, after Nebraska, Missouri and Texas A & M departed for the reorganization. Americans abolished the split format last year when UConn set out for an independent position. Pac-12 and Mountain West also resolved to abolish the split in 2023. The SEC hopes to follow suit, but continues to discuss the best format.
In addition to the 3-5-5 format being promoted by ACC, other formats such as having 4 team pods are being discussed at the meeting. In removing the split, meetings like the SEC avoid long periods of time when two teams do not play against each other.
Also, at conferences such as ACC, Big Ten, and Pac-12, you can help position the College Football Playoff by playing the two best teams against each other in the championship game.
There is also the issue of imbalances within the meeting. At Big Ten, for example, East Division Champions have won conference titles in all eight seasons in the current format of the league.
But even without a department, creating a balanced schedule remains a challenge for meetings of as many as 16 teams (such as the SEC expanded in Texas and Oklahoma).
