What we know and don’t know about how the ACC football’s 10+1 model affects UNC
The ACC announced Wednesday that its football teams will play a conference-only schedule, plus one non-conference game, this season amid mounting concerns over the coronavirus.
The ACC’s announcement follows the lead of other Power 5 conferences, which have also announced conference-only schedules in 2020.
“As we look ahead to the fall, the safety of our students, staff and overall campus community continues to be our top priority,” said Kentt Syverud, Syracuse’s Chancellor and the ACC Board of Directors chair.
He added that the protocols were put forward by the ACC’s medical advisory group.
Here is what we know and don’t know about how it will affect UNC:
How many games will be affected?
The Tar Heels were scheduled to play four non-conference games in 2020 — UCF (Sept. 4), Auburn (Sept. 12), James Madison (Sept. 19) and Connecticut (Nov. 17). Now they will only play one, and it will have to be in North Carolina. That likely rules out UCF and Auburn, which was an away game and neutral site game.
The two games against UCF and Auburn could have played a huge role in helping UNC get to a New Year’s Six Bowl.
Auburn finished the 2019 season with a 9-4 record, and was ranked No. 12 in the final AP Top 25 Poll. UCF, which finished the 2017 season undefeated, finished 2019 with a 10-3 record. Both are expected to have talented teams next season.
The games against James Madison and UCONN were both home games. And UNC could keep one of those games.
While UNC will likely lose both UCF and Auburn, it adds Notre Dame, a team that is often in consideration for the College Football Playoff. The Fighting Irish finished 11-2 in 2019. UNC’s schedule also includes Florida State, Wake Forest and Syracuse.
Will UNC face penalties for canceled games?
The answer is unclear.
According to UNC’s contract with both UCF and UCONN, if either school breaches the contract and decides not to play within 12 months of the game, the school that breaches the contract is required to pay $1.5 million in liquidated damages to the non-breaching school.
According to UNC’s contract with James Madison, if either party breaches the contract, it is required to pay the other school $500,000 in liquidated damages.
However, all of the contracts have a “force majeure provision,” where a party would not have to pay the penalty if an event occurs beyond reasonable control, like a catastrophe or an order by the government. The COVID-19 pandemic would seem to fit that description, but it is not spelled out in the contract.
According to UNC’s contract with Peach Bowl Inc., where it will play Auburn in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff, if UNC terminates the agreement or fails to participate for any reason other than a force majeure event, UNC would be required to pay PBI $3 million.
Combined, that is $6.5 million.
All of these contracts were signed before the pandemic begin.
In 2018, Arkansas State sued the University of Miami for canceling a game because of concerns over a hurricane. The two schools settled and Miami was required to pay Arkansas State $400,000, according to the Miami Herald.
Will the 2020 season be delayed?
Yes. The ACC’s schedule won’t start until the week of Sept. 7.
UNC’s game against UCF was scheduled on Sept. 4. Its first conference game against Georgia Tech was Sept. 26, but that game has been replaced.
It is unclear when the one non-conference game will be played.
What would it take for UNC to make it to the ACC Championship game?
There will no longer be any divisions. It will be one conference with 15 teams, including Notre Dame. The top two teams with the highest conference-game winning percentage will advance to the ACC Championship game in Charlotte.
Why is this happening?
The Big Ten was the first Power 5 conference known to switch to a conference-only model.
And the ACC has said it wants to ensure “return to competition protocols are in place to facilitate the re-socialization process.”
Recently, a number of ACC schools reported positive cases among their athletes and staff.
UNC-Chapel Hill announced on Wednesday that 37 people among staff and student-athletes tested positive for COVID-19.
N.C. State announced on Thursday that five people among staff and players tested positive, the News & Observer previously reported. Virginia announced Friday that two of its 110 football players tested positive. And 28 football players and staff members tested positive at Clemson last month, according to The State.
This story was originally published July 29, 2020 at 5:55 PM.
