Why Duke, NC State football will play 9 ACC games in 2026, while UNC plays 8
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- Duke and NC State scheduled for nine ACC games; UNC is one of five with eight.
- Twelve teams play nine ACC games plus one Power Four nonconference opponent.
- ACC begins nine-game conference model in 2026; transition yields mixed schedules.
The ACC released on Tuesday its 2026 conference football slate, which begins the transition into the new scheduling model.
The conference announced in September it would move to a nine-game conference scheduling model, as voted on by member institutions. Teams will also be required to play a minimum of 10 games against Power Four opponents.
Next season, 12 members of the conference will play nine ACC contests and one Power Four nonconference game. The five remaining schools will play eight conference teams and two P4 opponents during the transition year. The ACC says the goal of the transitional season is to “balance competitive equity, honor existing nonconference game contracts and account for the league’s unique 17-team footprint.”
N.C. State and Duke are among the teams scheduled to play nine conference games, including each other, next season. The Wolfpack plays five home games and four road games. Its game against Virginia in Brazil will be considered a road game. Duke plays four conference opponents at home and five on the road.
North Carolina is one of five programs — Boston College, Clemson, Florida State and Georgia Tech join the Tar Heels — that will play an eight-game ACC schedule in the fall.
“Today’s announcement of our 2026 football league opponents is another significant and intentional step forward for ACC football,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement. “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. This phased approach reflects our commitment to competitive equity, scheduling flexibility and delivering a premier football product across all 17 institutions.”
Exact dates have not been released for the respective games, except for N.C. State’s conference game against Virginia on Aug. 29. The two teams will play in Brazil in Week 0. The ACC will release the rest of the schedule and dates will be released in January.
In 2027, 16 teams will play nine ACC games and one will play eight, answering the question regarding how the conference planned to schedule nine games when it featured an uneven number of teams. Whichever team plays eight conference games will be required to schedule two Power Four opponents during nonconference play to meet the scheduling requirements.
The ACC will also rotate certain opponents to maintain competitive balance within the conference.
N.C. State and Georgia recently agreed to cancel their home-and-home series in preparation for the SEC and ACC moving to nine-game conference schedules.
Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren previously shared support of the nine-game conference schedule. In August, prior to the ACC’s announcement of the change, Doeren said he supports “whatever ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips’ decides.”
Doeren wanted programs to have freedom to schedule games — whether due to rivalry games, how other matchups end up falling on the schedule, or recruiting ties — and understood why some teams were against the move. The Wolfpack, which doesn’t have an SEC rivalry, liked the change.
“For me, nine games is great,” Doeren said. “I don’t have a problem with it, but I understand the argument of the teams that do have that other game. … But, we all saw the new parameters that came out from the College Football Playoff, and so I can understand why commissioners would look at [going to nine games] as something that needs to be done.”
2026 Big Four ACC football opponents
Duke
Home: Boston College, Clemson, North Carolina, Stanford
Away: Georgia Tech, Miami, NC State, Virginia, Wake Forest
NC State
Home: California, Duke, Louisville, Syracuse, Wake Forest
Away: Florida State, North Carolina, Stanford, Virginia (at Brazil)
North Carolina
Home: Louisville, Miami, NC State, Syracuse
Away: Clemson, Duke, Pitt, Virginia
Wake Forest
Home: Duke, Miami, Stanford, Virginia
Away: California, Georgia Tech, Louisville, NC State, SMU
This story was originally published December 16, 2025 at 5:59 PM.
