Overview

• League officials said athletic directors overwhelmingly backed the shift, aligning scheduling with the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC on nine conference games.
• Reporting indicates most schools will begin nine-game slates in 2026, while multiple teams use an 8+2 model next year to accommodate existing contracts.
• Because the ACC has 17 football members, reports say that starting in 2027 sixteen schools will play 9+1 and one will play 8+2 each season.
• Key details still to be finalized include which team plays eight league games in a given year, how standings and tiebreakers are handled, and how Notre Dame and ACC–SEC rivalries are integrated.
• Examples cited include Florida canceling future series with NC State and Cal and several marquee 2026 games already scheduled such as Florida State–Alabama and Clemson–LSU, with the change driven in part by CFP metrics and added TV inventory.