The ACC is turning the page on its football scheduling model, and 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the conference. On Tuesday, the league rolled out its list of conference opponents for next season-its first with a full nine-game conference slate. While the full schedule with dates is expected in late January, what we already know paints a clear picture: the ACC is stepping into a new era, one that reflects its expanded footprint and a stronger push toward playoff relevance.
Virginia Tech: Welcome to the West Coast
The Hokies are right in the thick of the changes. Their originally scheduled home game against NC State has been swapped out for a visit from Stanford, signaling the impact of the ACC’s new additions-Stanford, Cal, and SMU.
Virginia Tech’s ninth conference game? A road trip to Dallas to face SMU, a team that’s quietly been dominant at home against ACC opponents, going 8-0 since joining the conference in 2024.
That game will also mark just the fourth all-time meeting between the Hokies and Mustangs, with the previous three coming way back in the early 1970s. Virginia Tech and Wake Forest are the only two teams set to face all three newcomers next season, giving them a unique blend of cross-country matchups and fresh rivalries.
And while the Hokies are embracing change, their 2026 schedule will also include some familiar faces. Georgia Tech, Pitt, and Virginia come to Blacksburg, while road trips to Boston College, Cal, Miami, SMU, and Clemson round out a challenging slate for new head coach James Franklin.
That Clemson game? It’ll be Tech’s first trip to Death Valley since 2012.
Virginia Heads to Rio
Meanwhile, Virginia’s biggest headline isn’t just who they’re playing-it’s where. The Cavaliers’ previously scheduled nonconference home game against NC State has been converted into a conference matchup and moved to Rio de Janeiro.
Yes, that Rio. Set for August 29, it’ll be the first-ever FBS game played in South America, giving UVA a global spotlight to kick off the season.
In addition to the Rio trip, Virginia’s 2026 conference slate includes home games against Cal, Duke, North Carolina, and Syracuse. On the road, they’ll face Florida State, SMU, Wake Forest, and Virginia Tech. It’s a balanced mix of old rivals and new challenges as the Cavaliers look to build on their recent ACC Championship Game appearance.
The Bigger Picture: ACC’s Nine-Game Shift
The move to a nine-game conference schedule, announced back in September, brings the ACC in line with the Big Ten and Big 12, both of which already play nine league games. The SEC is making the switch next year. For the ACC, it’s more than just a numbers game-it’s about strengthening playoff résumés in the new 12-team College Football Playoff format, where schedule strength is under the microscope like never before.
To help bolster those résumés, the ACC is also requiring each team to play at least 10 games against Power Four opponents. For Virginia and Virginia Tech, that means nonconference matchups against West Virginia (in Charlotte) and Maryland (on the road), respectively.
The Cavaliers will also host Norfolk State and Delaware, while the Hokies are expected to host VMI and Old Dominion. A previously scheduled game against James Madison could be moved or canceled to make room.
Not Every Team at Nine-Yet
It’s worth noting that not every ACC team is jumping to nine conference games right away. Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and Boston College will stick with eight for 2026 as part of a phased transition.
Starting in 2027, all but one team each year will play nine conference games, rotating annually due to the league’s odd number of football members (17). That odd number makes a uniform nine-game schedule mathematically impossible across the board.
Of course, with uneven schedules come potential complications-like how to fairly determine ACC Championship Game participants when some teams may finish 8-1 and others 7-1 in conference play. The league plans to review and refine its tiebreaker procedures this offseason to address that very issue.
Marquee Matchups on Deck
The 2026 season won’t just be about conference play. Several high-profile nonconference games are already locked in, and they’re sure to draw national attention.
Clemson heads to Baton Rouge to face LSU in Lane Kiffin’s debut with the Tigers. Louisville opens against Ole Miss in Nashville.
Georgia Tech welcomes Tennessee to Atlanta in Week 2. And Florida State travels to Tuscaloosa for a heavyweight clash with Alabama in Week 3.
A Strategic Shift
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips summed it up in a statement, calling the new model a move toward “competitive equity, scheduling flexibility and delivering a premier football product.” The league’s decision to go to nine conference games-while also emphasizing Power Four nonconference matchups-is all about keeping pace with the rest of the Power Four and giving its teams the best shot at postseason success.
In short, the ACC is no longer just playing catch-up. With a coast-to-coast footprint and a more demanding schedule, it’s positioning itself to be a true national player in the evolving college football landscape.