CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Atlantic Coast Conference unveiled the 2026 football league opponents for all 17 of its teams on Tuesday, marking a major step in the league’s transition to a nine-game conference schedule that also requires a minimum of 10 games each season against Power Four opponents.
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said the new scheduling model “strengthens our competitive framework, aligns us with the other Power Four conferences and provides greater consistency for our student-athletes, coaches and fans.”
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Beginning with the 2026 season, the ACC will introduce the new structure through a transitional year designed to balance competitive equity, honor existing non-conference contracts and account for the league’s unique 17-team footprint. Twelve teams will play nine conference games with at least one non-conference Power Four opponent, while five teams will play eight conference games and at least two Power Four non-conference match-ups.
The league also plans to update its tiebreaker policy ahead of the 2026 season. Full game dates and kickoff times will be announced later, with the complete 2026 football schedule scheduled for release in late January.
In 2027, the ACC’s long-term model will have 16 teams play nine conference games annually, with one team each season playing eight ACC games and scheduling two Power Four non-conference opponents to satisfy the 10-game Power Four requirement.
2026 ACC Opponents — Conference Schedules
Teams with a nine-game ACC slate in 2026:
California, Duke, Louisville, Miami, NC State, Pittsburgh, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
Teams with an eight-game ACC slate in 2026: Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and North Carolina.
The 12 teams with nine ACC games will also fulfill at least one Power Four non-conference game to reach the minimum 10 games against Power Four opponents. The five teams slated for eight league games will schedule two non-conference Power Four opponents.
Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia, one of the teams playing nine ACC opponents next season, saw strong performance in 2025, including a berth in the ACC Championship Game. The Cavaliers entered that title contest with a 10-2 record and had an opportunity to secure their first College Football Playoff berth before falling in overtime.
For 2026, Virginia’s league slate includes nine ACC opponents as part of the schedule transition. Those opponents are: California, Duke, North Carolina, NC State, Syracuse at home, and Florida State, SMU, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest on the road. Virginia will also play at least one Power Four nonconference opponent to satisfy the ACC’s requirement of 10 games against Power Four foes.
Virginia Tech Hokies
Virginia Tech also is set for a nine-game ACC schedule in 2026. Per the ACC announcement, the Hokies will host Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Stanford and Virginia at Lane Stadium. Their road conference games will be against Boston College, California, Clemson, Miami and SMU.
This 2026 slate reflects the ACC’s expanded conference footprint and move to a nine-game league schedule. Additional game dates and details for Virginia Tech’s full 2026 schedule will be released later by the school and the league office.