Could the ACC fall behind if it doesn’t add a ninth league game?
The Atlantic Coast Conference is officially on the clock. With the SEC set to join the Big Ten and Big 12 in adopting a nine-game conference slate, the ACC now stands as the only Power Four league sticking with eight. That decision, whether to hold steady or expand to nine, could shape not only the league’s television value but also its standing in the College Football Playoff era.
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips has acknowledged the issue has been on the table for years. “We have discussed nine several times in my five years as commissioner,” Phillips said at ACC Media Days. But with 17 football members, he admitted the league faces “difficulty” in making the math work.
The move by the SEC makes the ACC’s position harder to defend. The College Football Playoff selection committee now weighs “record strength” more heavily, meaning conferences with nine league games can showcase tougher schedules. If the ACC sticks at eight, its teams risk being viewed as less tested compared to SEC and Big Ten contenders.
The ACC’s odd number of members complicates things. One model on the table would see 12 teams play nine league games, while the other five count their annual matchup against Notre Dame as a ninth ACC game. But that option adds little value. As one administrator noted, the Irish already play those games, so calling them “conference matchups” wouldn’t change TV money or competition levels.
The SEC’s decision was influenced by ESPN’s willingness to pay more for stronger schedules. Reports suggest the network could boost payouts by $50–80 million annually for the extra game. That raises a critical question for the ACC: can it afford not to follow? Adding a ninth game may help close revenue gaps that have grown between the ACC and its peers.
For now, Phillips insists the league’s eight-game model works because of strong nonconference rivalries. Florida State-Florida, Clemson-South Carolina, and Louisville-Kentucky give the ACC marquee matchups that add national credibility. But if those rivalries are forced out to make room for nine conference games, the ACC faces another identity crisis.
The decision may not come tomorrow, but the clock is ticking. As other leagues move forward with nine, the ACC risks being seen as out of step. The question isn’t just whether the ACC can make nine games work, it’s whether it can afford not to.
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