Nine league games for many, eight league games for some

The ACC will indeed be joining the rest of the Power 4 conferences in moving to a nine-game league schedule, possibly as soon as next season. The change is happening despite the fact that it’s impossible for all 17 teams to play a nine-game schedule in the same season.

So how are they going to handle that, anyway?

The ACC’s plan, according to people briefed on the decision, is for some schools to play eight conference games and two Power 4 opponents and others to play nine ACC plus one P4, as early as 2026. The hope is that just one ACC school would play eight conference games in 2027 and beyond. Conference winning percentage could determine the standings, as was the case across leagues in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic made for an unequal number of games. ACC-scheduled games against non-football member Notre Dame would not count in the conference standings.

I guess my plan to pretend that Boston College is no longer in the league wasn’t taken under serious consideration. Oh well, at least this way we’ll get the unwanted potential for controversy between one team playing nine games and another playing eight games. Sure, leaving that door open makes a lot more sense than just ignoring Boston College’s existence.

Anyway, the change to the league schedule won’t require immediate adjustments by NC State—I’m guessing that the Wolfpack’s return trip to Charlottesville for a non-conference game next year will simply be converted to a league contest. In 2027, however, State has both Texas Tech and Kansas State on the slate, and probably will want to jettison one of those games. It’s either that or nix one gimme-game home matchup (NC A&T, Louisiana Tech). Texas Tech is the one road trip of the four and perhaps most likely to be canceled as a result.

Since NC State isn’t going to play fewer than seven home games under any circumstances, on account of money reasons, if State could get a guarantee of five home league games in 2027—and Dave’s feeling spicy—it could keep both Texas Tech and K-State on the schedule and say no-thank-you to Louisiana Tech. But that’s unlikely.