ACC to Eliminate Divisions, Adopt 3-5-5 Scheduling Model Starting in 2023
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A major change is coming to the way that the Atlantic Coast Conference schedules football games.
The league announced Tuesday that starting in 2023, it will adopt a 3-5-5 scheduling model in football. Under the new model, each team will play three primary opponents annually, and face the other 10 teams in the league twice during a four-year cycle, once at home and once on the road.
Under the new format, the Atlantic and Coastal divisions will be eliminated, and each of the 14 teams will compete in the same division. The two teams with the best conference winning percentage will face off in the ACC Championship Game.
“The future ACC football scheduling model provides significant enhancements for our schools and conference, with the most important being our student-athletes having the opportunity to play every school both home and away over a four-year period,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said in a release.
“We appreciate the thoughtful discussions within our membership, including the head football coaches and athletic directors. In the end, it was clear this model is in the best interest of our student-athletes, programs and fans, at this time.”
For Louisville, their three primary opponents that they were assigned - at least in the first four-year cycle of the new model - are Georgia Tech, Miami and Virginia.
The league also announced the home and away conference schedules for the 2023 through 2026 seasons. In 2023, Louisville will host Boston College, Duke, Virginia, Virginia Tech; and travel to Georgia Tech, Miami, NC State, Pitt.
Below are the primary opponents for each ACC team, as well as Louisville's ACC schedules for the 2023 through 2026 seasons:
Boston College: Miami, Pitt, Syracuse
Clemson: Florida State, Georgia Tech, NC State
Duke: North Carolina, NC State, Wake Forest
Florida State: Clemson, Miami, Syracuse
Georgia Tech: Clemson, Louisville, Wake Forest
Louisville: Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia
Miami: Boston College, Florida State, Louisville
North Carolina: Duke, NC State, Virginia
NC State: Clemson, Duke, North Carolina
Pitt: Boston College, Syracuse, Virginia Tech
Syracuse: Boston College, Florida State, Pitt
Virginia: Louisville, North Carolina, Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech: Pitt, Virginia, Wake Forest
Wake Forest: Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech
- 2023: Home – Boston College, Duke, Virginia, Virginia Tech; Away – Georgia Tech, Miami, NC State, Pitt
- 2024: Home – Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Syracuse; Away – Clemson, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
- 2025: Home – Florida State, NC State, Pitt, Virginia; Away – Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami
- 2026: Home – Clemson, Georgia Tech, Miami, Wake Forest; Away – Florida State, North Carolina, Syracuse, Virginia
(Photo via Rich Barnes -USA TODAY Sports)
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