ACC to change football tiebreaker for 2026, announces which teams will play 9 league games

The Atlantic Coast Conference will change its football tiebreakers for the 2026 season after a five-way tie for second this season resulted in the league’s conference champion being left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff.

The changes will be announced at a later date, the league said Tuesday.

Duke won the five-way tiebreaker based on the winning percentage of their conference opponents and defeated regular-season champion Virginia in the ACC championship game. But the Blue Devils, who had five regular-season losses, were left out of the CFP. 

Miami, one of the teams tied with Duke for second, was selected as the final at-large team in the playoff field.

There will be an added wrinkle next season as teams play an unequal number of league games.

The ACC previously announced it is moving from an eight-game conference schedule to a nine-game conference schedule in 2026, though some teams will play eight games in the transition season. The league released conference opponents for all of its teams Tuesday. Dates for conference games will be announced in late December.

Twelve of the league’s 17 football-playing members will play nine games, including NC State and Duke. Five teams, including North Carolina, will play eight league games. NC State will play just three true road games in conference play with five at home and one (Virginia) in Brazil to open the season. Duke has four ACC home games and five league road games.

All league teams will have to play 10 games against Power Four conference opponents, including independent Notre Dame. The requirement aligns the ACC with the SEC and the Big 12. The SEC is also moving to nine conference games in 2026.

UNC plays TCU (Big 12) and Notre Dame, Duke visits Illinois (Big Ten) and NC State plays at Vanderbilt (SEC) in 2026.

“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,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement. “This phased approach reflects our commitment to competitive equity, scheduling flexibility and delivering a premier football product across all 17 institutions.”

With 17 teams, it is impossible for all teams to play nine conference games. Beginning in 2027, one team will play eight league games.

Teams with a nine-game ACC schedule in 2026:

California

Home: Clemson, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Away: NC State, SMU, Syracuse, Virginia

Duke

Home: Boston College, Clemson, North Carolina, Stanford

Away: Georgia Tech, Miami, NC State, Virginia, Wake Forest

Louisville

Home: Florida State, Pitt, SMU, Stanford, Wake Forest

Away: Georgia Tech, North Carolina, NC State, Syracuse

Miami

Home: Boston College, Duke, Florida State, Pitt, Virginia Tech

Away: Clemson, North Carolina, Stanford, Wake Forest

NC State

Home: California, Duke, Louisville, Syracuse, Wake Forest

Away: Florida State, North Carolina, Stanford, Virginia (College Football Brasil)

Pitt

Home: Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Syracuse

Away: Boston College, California, Louisville, Miami, Virginia Tech

SMU

Home: Boston College, California, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Away: Florida State, Louisville, Stanford, Syracuse

Stanford

Home: Georgia Tech, Miami, NC State, SMU

Away: California, Duke, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Syracuse

Home: California, Clemson, Louisville, SMU

Away: Boston College, North Carolina, NC State, Pitt, Virginia

Virginia

Home: California, Duke, North Carolina, NC State (College Football Brasil), Syracuse

Away: Florida State, SMU, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Virginia Tech

Home: Georgia Tech, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia

Away: Boston College, California, Clemson, Miami, SMU

Wake Forest

Home: Duke, Miami, Stanford, Virginia

Away: California, Georgia Tech, Louisville, NC State, SMU

Teams with an eight-game ACC schedule in 2026:

Boston College

Home: Florida State, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia Tech

Away: Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, SMU

Clemson

Home: Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Virginia Tech

Away: California, Duke, Florida State, Syracuse

Florida State

Home: Clemson, NC State, SMU, Virginia

Away: Boston College, Louisville, Miami, Pitt

Georgia Tech

Home: Boston College, Duke, Louisville, Wake Forest

Away: Clemson, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia Tech

North Carolina

Home: Louisville, Miami, NC State, Syracuse

Away: Clemson, Duke, Pitt, Virginia