ACC shares 9-game conference schedule in 'Year of Change' -

Twelve of the ACC's 17 schools will play nine football games in 2026, with five schools playing eight games against established Power Four teams.

The ACC will launch its new nine-game conference schedule in a modified format for the 2026 football season, with a full nine-game schedule starting in 2027, the conference announced Tuesday.

In what the ACC is calling a "transition year" this season, 12 of its 17 schools will play nine conference games, with Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, North Carolina and Boston College playing just eight.Each of those five teams has multiple Power Four opponents scheduled outside the conference.

Because the ACC has an odd number of teams, schools will play eight league games per season beginning in 2027.

Four ACC schools — Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and Louisville — get an annual tournament matchup against the SEC, and while Louisville broadcaster Josh Heird said his school intends to play a consistent schedule each semester, the other three were set to begin the lack of schedule flexibility that would come with a nine-game conference and an annual conference matchup against their Sec rivals.

Clemson also has an annual series scheduled against Notre Dame starting in 2027, meaning every year the Tigers are scheduled for nine ACC games, they will be guaranteed at least 11 games against Power Four opponents.

Under the ACC's new nine-game schedule plan, approved in September, each team will be required to play at least 10 games against Power Four competition, meaning one non-conference Power Four game for schools playing a full nine-game conference game, and two for any team playing eight.

The ACC will also adjust tiebreaker policies for the 2026 season and beyond as a result of the uneven scheduling.However, the new formula may also address concerns after this year's second-place finish in the five-team conference, which allowed a 7-5 Duke team to reach the championship game, where the Blue Devils ultimately won.

This is the fourth different scheduling format for the ACC in four years.In 2022, the ACC agreed to eliminate divisions for the 2023 season.In 2024, Cal, Stanford and SMU joined the league, forcing the ACC to adjust its annual rivalry games to accommodate the expanded roster of schools.The new nine-game league schedule allows for increased scheduling flexibility and allows schools to hold more meets, the ACC said.

The ACC is also bound by contract with Notre Dame, which plays five non-conference games a year against the Fighting Irish.

The team has nine ACC games in 2026

Casa: Clemson, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Down: NC State, SMU, Syracuse, Virginia

Home: Boston College, Clemson, North Carolina, Stanford

Away: Georgia Tech, Miami, NC State, Virginia, Wake Forest

Home: Florida State, Pitt, SMU, Stanford, Wake Forest

Away: Georgia Tech, North Carolina, NC State, Syracuse

Home: Boston College, Duke, Florida State, Pitt, Virginia Tech

Fora: Clemson, Carolina del Nord, Stanford, Wake Forest

Home: California Duke of Louisville Cyrus Wilde Awakening

Umgama: Florida State, North Carolina, Stanford, Virginia (eBrazil)

Kāinga: Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Syracuse

Other than: Boston College, California, Louisville, Miami, Virginia Tech

Home: Boston College, California, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Ukude: Jimbo la Florida, Louisville, Stanford, Syracuse

Dar: Georgia Tech, Miami, NC State, SMU

Tandang: California, Diúc, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Cities: California, Clemson, Louisville, SMU

Borta: Boston College, North Carolina, NC State, Pitt, Virginia

Home: California, Duke, North Carolina, NC State (at Brazil), Syracuse

Away: Florida State, SMU, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Holders: Georgia Tech, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia

Away: Boston University, California, Clemson, Miami SMU

Hometown: Duke University, University of Miami, Stanford University, University of Virginia

Apage: California, Georgia Tech, Louisville, NC State, SMU

The teams have eight ACC playoff series in 2026

Home: Florida State, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia Tech

City: Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, SMU

Omah: Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Virginia Tech

Outside: California, Duke, Florida State, Syracuse

Home: Clemson, North Carolina State, SMU, Virginia

Away: Boston College, Louisville, Miami, Pitt

Capital: Boston College, Duke, Louisville, Wake Forest

Layo: Clemson, Pitt, Virginia Tech, Stanford

Casa: Louisville, Miami, NC Staat, Syracuse

Away: Clemson, Duke, Pitt, Virginia