NC State Coach Gives Thoughts on Scheduling Rule Drama
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Conference schedules became a greater point of contention after the dissolution of the Pac-12 and the beginning of the latest era of conference realignment. As power conferences grew to gargantuan sizes, the travel schedule and each season's opponents became an issue, as the Big 10, Big 12, ACC and SEC worked to ensure the continuity of rivalries as well as give their programs the best chance to make the College Football Playoff.
The SEC became the latest conference to adopt a nine-game conference schedule, which will be implemented in 2026. The change matched the Big 12 and Big 10, which both played nine games within the conference for several years.
Even after the SEC change, the ACC remained resolute in its policy of an eight-game conference season. NC State head coach Dave Doeren discussed the rule changes during his Friday media availability.
What are the changes?
The SEC changes don't change the outlook for the conference all that much. The conference will continue to play without divisions, a recent change made to create more scheduling balance.
The main caveat within the rule change is that schools will have three protected matchups against the same teams annually. This policy maintained rivalry continuity to ensure games like the Iron Bowl could be played each season.
Programs from the conference will still be required to schedule an additional power-conference opponent outside of the SEC.
The ACC's Next Move
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips tackled a variety of topics related to conference realignment at the conference's media days. This was an issue not fully on his radar at that point.
"I like where we're at with eight games," Phillips told ESPN. "We'll adjust if we have to, but I think some of those traditional [non-conference] rivalry games that we really enjoy could go away."
NC State's Doeren stated that his program will do whatever Phillips believes is best for the conference as a whole, but provided some context on the two schools of thought about changing the ACC schedule.
"What makes the ACC different, when you sit in that room with those coaches, some of those schools have an automatic crossover with the SEC," Doeren said.
He explained that ACC schools like Clemson and Louisville have geographic rivalries with South Carolina and Kentucky, making those games annual.
"They an automatic power rival that they're playing, which gives them nine games and then if you have Notre Dame on your schedule, there's 10," Doeren said. "If you had another conference game, there's 11."
The Wolfpack doesn't have one of those SEC rivals, at least for now, as North Carolina continues to explore an exodus to the SEC.
"For me, nine games is great. I don't have a problem with it," the coach said. "But I do understand the argument of the teams that do have that other game because you do want to have some freedom to schedule certain games, particularly before a rivalry game."
The Wolfpack will fall in line with whatever Phillips decides, but athletic director Boo Corrigan alluded to the fact that NC State might be exploring alternative options if the ACC continues to fall behind the other power conferences.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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