In an announcement that has sparked excitement among college football fans, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has unveiled its new seven-year football scheduling model. As reported by ESPN.com, the ACC will now be a 17-team league with the addition of new members Cal, Stanford, and SMU. The new scheduling model will include 16 protected matchups and will go into effect starting from the 2024 season.

Under the new format, the ACC will continue to play eight conference games without divisions. Each of the 17 teams will have the opportunity to play against one another at least twice over the next seven seasons – once at home and once on the road. In an effort to ensure fair travel arrangements, none of the 14 current ACC teams will be required to travel to California in back-to-back seasons. Instead, they will make a total of three trips each to California through 2030.

One significant change from the current scheduling model is that not every school will have the same number of protected rivalry games. Clemson, for instance, will have just one protected rivalry game, while Georgia Tech and Louisville will not have any. However, 11 of the 16 protected matchups from the current model will be retained. Additionally, some previous divisional rivalries will be restored, such as Miami vs. Virginia Tech and NC State vs. Wake Forest.

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips expressed his satisfaction with the new scheduling model, stating, "Throughout the entire scheduling model process, the membership was incredibly thoughtful and purposeful... The excitement and anticipation for our teams, alumni, and fans will undoubtedly build as we look ahead to the future of this incredible conference."

The new schedule was developed through collaboration between athletic directors from each school and the league. In cases where schools agreed not to protect any games, it allowed the ACC more flexibility in arranging the entire schedule. For instance, Georgia Tech and Louisville did not require any games to be protected.

However, even with changes to the schedule, traditional rivalries will not be completely abandoned. Clemson and Georgia Tech, for instance, will still face off four times between 2024 and 2030. Similarly, Clemson's matchup against NC State, played 91 times previously, will occur three times over the next seven years.

Geography played a significant role in determining the new scheduling model, with the league aiming to minimize repeat trips and maximize games against teams within close proximity. The result is a higher percentage of games between teams in the same geographic region. For example, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, and Miami will face each other in 24% of their games between 2024 and 2030.

While Cal, Stanford, and SMU did not have an official vote on the scheduling model, they actively participated in discussions and provided input. Jim Knowlton, the athletic director at Cal, expressed optimism about the future and the chance to develop new rivalries with the ACC teams.

Notre Dame, a school that plays nonconference games against ACC schools annually, was not included in the schedule release. The details of their rotation will be determined at a later date, leaving uncertainty as to whether future Notre Dame-Stanford games will be considered ACC games or remain nonconference.

The ACC Network will announce the specific game dates for the 2024 football schedule on January 31, 2024. As we look to the future of the ACC, fans eagerly anticipate the start of the new 17-team league and the exciting matchups that await on the gridiron.