ACC Announces A Change In Basketball Scheduling - What Does It Mean For Each School?; ACC Daily: May 8, 2025

The ACC has announced a change to the men's conference basketball scheduling, comprising of 18-game schedule with one constant home-away opponent and one rotating one.

Louisville Cardinals guard Terrence Edwards Jr. (5) reacts to a late call by an official in the Cards' 89-75 loss to Creighton in the first round game of the 2025 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky Thursday March 20, 2025. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the best conferences in all of college basketball is receiving a shakeup when it comes to the 2025 men's conference slate.

The ACC has announced its move to an 18-game conference schedule for men’s basketball.

Each team will play one primary partner both home and away as well as one variable partner home and away. The variable partner will be determined each season. pic.twitter.com/OngK0PczwA

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) May 7, 2025

On May 7, it was announced that the ACC plans to move to an 18-game conference slate in men's hoops, with each team having a primary partner for a home-away game and one rotating partner for a home-away game in the same season. As of this moment, only the primary partners for each school have been announced, and those matchups are as follows:

1. Boston College - Notre Dame

Notre Dame forward Tae Davis (7) and forward Kebba Njie (14) celebrate during a NCAA men's basketball game between Notre Dame and Boston College at Purcell Pavilion on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Boston College Eagles will meet up with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for a home-away series in 2025. Boston College is coming off a disappointing effort this season, but has added a few transfers and kept its best guard in Donald Hand Jr. Notre Dame also finished under .500 on the year, so this should be...exciting.

2. Clemson-Georgia Tech

Mar 13, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets forward Duncan Powell (31) reacts with head coach Damon Stoudamire after scoring in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech finished this season right at .500, going 17-17 overall. Clemson capped off this season with a loss to McNeese in the NCAA Tournament - a mark the Tigers are looking to claw back from in 2025-26.

3. California-Stanford

Mar 12, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; California Golden Bears guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) tries to work the ball to the basket defended by Stanford Cardinal forward Chisom Okpara (10) during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Now this one makes sense. Cal and Stanford will face off in the battle of the West Coast foes in what had to be one of the easiest decisions made during the offseason at the conference level.

4. Duke-North Carolina

Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) controls the ball against Houston Cougars forward J'Wan Roberts (13) during the second half in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Actually, this might have been the easiest decision to come out of these meetings. Now both firmly in their next generation of coaching trees, Duke and North Carolina will battle it out twice a season, as the basketball gods intended.

5. Florida State-Miami

Mar 4, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Florida State Seminoles guard Chandler Jackson (0) dribbles the ball as Virginia Cavaliers guard Isaac McKneely (11) defends in the first half at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images | Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

Florida State gets the lucky draw here simply by geographic standards, as the Seminoles will face the Miami Hurricanes twice next season and, more than likely, in the seasons going forward. Miami is coming off one of its worst seasons in program history, and will be in full rebuild mode in 2025-26.

6. Louisville-SMU

Mar 13, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs guard B.J. Edwards (0) handles the ball against Clemson Tigers guard Jaeden Zackery (11) during the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

SMU put together a solid season last year, and will be looking for more of the same in 2025-26. To make that happen, though, they'll have to face Louisville twice, which doesn't do any team any favors in regards to attempting to stack wins.

7. NC State-Wake Forest

Mar 22, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; McNeese State Cowboys head coach Will Wade talks to an official during the second half of a second round men’s NCAA Tournament game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

NC State made one of the biggest offseason splashes this offseason with the hiring of Will Wade to put the program into full rebuild mode just one season removed from a legendary March Madness run. Wake Forest will look to take advantage of the Wolfpack early and often in Wade's first year at the helm, but I don't expect NC State to take that lying down.

8. Pitt-Syracuse

Louisville's Chucky Hepburn (24) shoots against Pitt's Cameron Corhen (2) during their game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. on Mar. 1, 2025. | Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Pitt will look to face off against Syracuse twice in 2025-26 after putting together another solid campaign in 2024-25. The Panthers will be chasing the illustrious 20-win mark yet again, while Syracuse looks to rebound from a 14-19 year.

9. Virginia Tech-Virginia

Mar 4, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers forward Blake Buchanan (0) talks to the coaching staff in the second half against the Florida State Seminoles at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images | Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

Yet again, an easy decision for the committee here with Virginia Tech and Virginia getting to square off twice a season. Often times, people have bones to pick with scheduling like this, but judging from these home-away series, the powers that be at least hit the nail on the head with these from a logistics standpoint.