Proposing a new ACC Basketball Schedule: 2 Divisions, 18 Game Format

With the Atlantic Coast Conference stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the time has come for a smarter, more balanced scheduling model—one that respects the ACC’s basketball traditions while addressing the travel and logistical challenges of a 21st-century super-conference. This proposal outlines a new divisional format, an updated 18-game schedule, and a revamped ACC Tournament structure built for long-term sustainability and excitement.

Proposed ACC Divisions

Southern Division

Featuring the ACC's traditional basketball powers and regional rivalries:

• Duke

• North Carolina

• NC State

• Virginia

• Georgia Tech

• Clemson

• Virginia Tech

• Wake Forest

• Louisville

American Division

Reflecting the conference’s national expansion:

• Boston College

• Florida State

• Miami

• Pittsburgh

• SMU

• California

• Stanford

• Syracuse

• Notre Dame

18-Game Conference Schedule

Each team would play:

• 16 games within their division: Each of the 8 division opponents is played twice (home and away).

• 2 games against the opposite division: Teams face 2 rotating cross-division opponents, one at home and one on the road.

This format keeps the ACC on an 18-game conference schedule, while prioritizing regional play and reducing cross-country travel.

ACC Tournament Format

With 18 total teams under this structure, the ACC Tournament would include the top 8 teams from each division, reducing the field to 16 qualifiers. The last-place team in each division does not qualify for the tournament.

🏅 Bye Structure

• Top 2 teams in each division: Receive double byes (begin play in the quarterfinals)

• Next 2 teams in each division: Receive single byes (begin play in the second round)

• Seeds 5–8 in each division: Play in the first round

Seeding is determined within each division based on division record, using overall conference record as a tiebreaker.

🏀 Tournament Schedule

• Day 1 (First Round):

  • Seed 16 vs. 9

  • Seed 15 vs. 10

  • Seed 14 vs. 11

  • Seed 13 vs. 12

• Day 2 (Second Round):

  • Winner of 16/9 vs. 8

  • Winner of 15/10 vs. 7

  • Winner of 14/11 vs. 6

  • Winner of 13/12 vs. 5

• Day 3 (Quarterfinals):

  • Top 4 seeds (the double-bye teams) enter play

• Day 4 (Semifinals)

• Day 5 (Championship Game)

Why This Format Works

🔁 Balanced Scheduling

Every team plays its divisional rivals twice and rotates through cross-divisional opponents, ensuring competitive fairness and variety.

🔥 Rivalry Preservation

Classic matchups like Duke–UNC, NC State–Wake Forest, and Virginia–Virginia Tech remain locked in as annual home-and-home series.

✈️ Travel Reduction

The bulk of each team's schedule is regional, and cross-country trips are limited to just one road game per season.

🏆 High-Stakes Tournament

Division races matter. Finishing top 4 in your division secures a bye, while last-place teams are left out entirely—raising the stakes for every game in February.

Conclusion

This two-division, 18-game schedule and 16-team tournament model offers the ACC a modern, sustainable framework for basketball. It honors the league’s legacy while optimizing for geography, competition, and fan engagement in a sprawling national conference.

In short: it's a structure built to strengthen the season, enhance the postseason, and preserve the soul of ACC basketball for years to come.