The last eight-game hold-out is no more. The ACC is conforming to the rest of college football's Power Conferences.
In a Monday afternoon announcement, the ACC revealed that its league's athletics directors had voted to adopt a nine-game conference schedule plus a requirement for an additional non-conference game against an outside Power Conference opponent.
The league will join the SEC in mandating a schedule that features at minimum 10 games against P-4 foes.
"We have been incredibly intentional throughout our discussions on ACC football, including the future of our conference schedule," said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips in the league's statement. "Today, the athletics directors of the 17 football-playing institutions overwhelmingly supported a regular-season schedule that includes nine conference games and a minimum of 10 games each year against Power Four opponents.
"This positions the ACC as one of only two leagues committed to having every team annually play a minimum of 10 games against Power Four teams. There will be additional discussions and more details to be determined, but today's decision showcases the commitment and leadership of our ADs in balancing what is best for strengthening the conference and their respective programs.
"As specified in the conference constitution, the model will be presented to the faculty athletics representatives for formal adoption."
The ACC had been the last Power Conference league to adopt a nine-game league slate; the SEC announced it was ending its longstanding eight-game slate weeks ago when it revealed plans to go to a nine-game SEC schedule beginning in 2026 and also maintaining its requirement that its 16 member teams schedule at least one additional Power Conference foe.
Alabama, Florida and South Carolina already encountered such 10-game Power Conference schedules this year because the trio had multiple non-conference games against Power Conference foes.
In the ACC, Miami -- which has climbed to No. 2 in the top-25 rankings after posting opening-month wins against then-No. 6 Notre Dame and routing Florida last Saturday, has a 10-game schedule this year against Power Conference foes. The Hurricanes faced both Notre Dame and Florida in their first four games, as well as then-ranked South Florida, a top Group of Five program, and their standing eight ACC games.
Florida State also has a 10-game slate against P-4 teams, as does Clemson, which has limped to an 1-3 start under Dabo Swinney and plummeted out of the polls after being a preseason top-10 team.
