The ACC is gearing up for a major scheduling shift, and it’s going to change the way football looks across the conference starting in 2026. While the full transition to a nine-game conference slate won’t officially take hold until 2027, the 2026 season is shaping up to be a preview of what’s to come - with a few notable exceptions.
Twelve of the ACC’s 17 programs will play nine conference games in 2026, effectively getting a head start on the new format. The other five - Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, North Carolina, and Boston College - will stick with eight conference games next season due to already having multiple Power Four opponents lined up outside the league. That’s a nod to scheduling commitments made well in advance, and the conference is giving those schools some flexibility before the full rollout.
Once 2027 arrives, the ACC will officially shift to a nine-game conference schedule across the board - with one caveat. Because the conference now includes 17 teams, one program will play just eight ACC games each year moving forward to balance the odd number. It’s a logistical wrinkle, but the ACC seems ready to work around it.
Another key piece of the new scheduling model: every team will be required to play at least 10 games against Power Four opponents. So, for teams playing nine ACC games, that means at least one non-conference matchup against another Power Four school. It’s a move that’s clearly aimed at bolstering strength of schedule across the board, something that could carry weight in the College Football Playoff selection process as the sport continues to evolve.
For Duke, the new schedule brings both continuity and intrigue. The Blue Devils will be among the 12 programs playing nine ACC games in 2026, and their list of conference opponents is already out.
Six of those matchups are carryovers from the 2025 season, but two games in particular stand out: Clemson and Miami. Those are high-profile showdowns that could have major implications in the ACC race - and for Duke, they’re a chance to prove they belong in the upper tier of the conference.
The road trip to Miami is especially noteworthy. That’s a marquee matchup that adds some real juice to the Blue Devils’ 2026 slate.
Miami, with its speed and talent, always presents a challenge, especially at home. For a Duke program that’s been building momentum, it’s an opportunity to make a statement on a big stage.
This scheduling shake-up comes on the heels of a chaotic 2025 season that saw a five-way tie for second place in the ACC. Duke emerged from that logjam with a 7-5 overall record and a 6-2 mark in conference play, good enough to claim the tiebreaker - though that process was anything but simple. With only eight conference games being played and 17 teams in the league, there just weren’t enough common opponents to make tiebreakers clean or consistent.
Case in point: Duke only played one of the other four teams that finished 6-2 in ACC play - Georgia Tech. That kind of imbalance made it tough to evaluate teams on a level playing field, and it’s one of the driving forces behind the conference’s push to expand the schedule.
The 2026 season will serve as a bridge to a more balanced and competitive ACC. For Duke, it’s a chance to build on a strong finish in 2025 and test themselves against some of the league’s best. With Miami and Clemson on the docket and a full nine-game conference slate ahead, the Blue Devils won’t have to wait long to find out where they stand.