ACC Announces 2026 Football Schedule With Split Conference Game Format

The Atlantic Coast Conference will modify its scheduling setup in 2026, as the conference prepares for fully adopting a nine-game conference schedule.

Twelve teams will play nine conference games in 2026. Five teams will play eight. This split schedule creates a bridge year as the league shifts toward a full nine-game setup by 2027.

Duke, Cal, Louisville, Miami, N.C. State, Pittsburgh, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest will each tackle nine ACC matchups next season. Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina will play eight conference games because existing nonconference contracts and scheduling needs demand it.

The league also unveiled each squad's 2026 opponents. Cal will host Pittsburgh, Clemson, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, and Stanford. They'll travel to N.C. State, SMU, Syracuse, and Virginia. Pittsburgh will face Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and Syracuse at home. The Panthers will visit Boston College, Cal, Louisville, Miami, and Virginia Tech on the road.

"Today's announcement of our 2026 football league opponents is another significant and intentional step forward for ACC Football," said Commissioner Jim Phillips in a statement, per The Athletic. "Transitioning to a nine-game conference schedule strengthens our competitive framework, aligns us with the other Power Four conferences, and provides greater consistency for our student-athletes, coaches, and fans."

The ACC announced plans in September to adopt a nine-game slate, matching the Big 12, Big Ten, and Southeastern conferences. That decision came after debates about unbalanced scheduling and access to the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Starting in 2027, 16 of 17 teams will play nine conference games each season. One squad will play eight games on a rotating basis since the ACC has an odd number of football members.

Teams playing nine conference games must schedule one other Power Four nonconference opponent. Teams playing eight league games must face two Power Four opponents to hit a 10-game target against top competition.

The ACC will announce an updated tiebreaker policy before the 2026 season. The current system caught heat when Duke won a five-team tiebreaker this month to reach the championship game despite having five losses. The Blue Devils defeated Virginia to claim their first outright ACC title since 1962.

The league hasn't said how it will determine conference standings with teams playing unequal schedules. Officials used winning percentage during the COVID-19 pandemic when games were canceled, but the approach for 2026 remains unclear.

N.C. State will open its 2026 season against Virginia in Brazil. The game will take place at Nilton Santos Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, marking the first time the Wolfpack has played internationally.