Virginia Placed With UNC, Virginia Tech, Louisville As ACC Announces 3-5-5 Scheduling Model

Virginia coach Tony Elliott
Virginia coach Tony Elliott will only coach his first season in the ACC Coastal Division as the conference shifts schedule models. ~ Photo courtesy of Matt Riley/Virginia Athletics Media Relations

The ACC announced Tuesday that the conference has adopted a 3-5-5 schedule model that will begin with the 2023 season. The decision eliminated the Atlantic and Coastal Divisions, pairs each school including Virginia with two permanent partners, and guarantees playing every team in the conference at least twice in a four-year span.

The shift with the scheduling model follows a May decision by the NCAA Division I Council to remove the division requirement for conference championship games.

“The future ACC football scheduling model provides significant enhancements for our schools and conference, with the most important being our student-athletes having the opportunity to play every school both home and away over a four-year period,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said in a news release. “We appreciate the thoughtful discussions within our membership, including the head football coaches and athletic directors. In the end, it was clear this model is in the best interest of our student-athletes, programs and fans, at this time.”

For Virginia, the 3-5-5 model set the yearly games with North Carolina, Virginia Tech, and Louisville. The UNC and VT series both date back into the late 1800’s as the Cavaliers have faced the Tar Heels 123 times and the Hokies 98 times. The series with the Cardinals is much newer with 10 total games, though they have been the cross-division opponent since 2014 after Maryland left the ACC.

The other ACC partnerships look like this:

  • Boston College: Miami, Pittsburgh, Syracuse
  • Clemson: Florida State, Georgia Tech, NC State
  • Duke: North Carolina, NC State, Wake Forest
  • Florida State: Clemson, Miami, Syracuse
  • Georgia Tech: Clemson, Louisville, Wake Forest
  • Louisville: Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia
  • Miami: Boston College, Florida State, Louisville
  • North Carolina: Duke, NC State, Virginia
  • NC State: Clemson, Duke, North Carolina
  • Pittsburgh: Boston College, Syracuse, Virginia Tech
  • Syracuse: Boston College, Florida State, Pittsburgh
  • Virginia Tech: Pittsburgh, Virginia, Wake Forest
  • Wake Forest: Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech

In terms of the three partners for UVA, the Wahoos already play all three every year under the division model that will finish its run in 2022. The change impacts who the other conference opponents will be each year, though, and seeing some opponents more often is considered to be a big benefit of the 3-5-5 structure.

“I am excited to compete under the new scheduling model,” Cavalier football coach Tony Elliott said in a released statement. “I am very grateful that our student-athletes will have an opportunity to experience a game day environment at every other institution in the ACC.”

“The new model creates several enhancements for ACC football, which will be beneficial to the league, our student-athletes and our fans,” UVA athletics director Carla Williams said.

The Hoos now have the following ACC schedule outline from 2023 through 2026. Discuss on the message boards!

2023

  • H – Duke, Georgia Tech, NC State, Virginia Tech
  • A – Boston College, Louisville, Miami, UNC

2024

  • H – Florida State, Louisville, UNC, Wake Forest
  • A – Clemson, Duke, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech

2025

  • H – Boston College, Miami, Syracuse, Virginia Tech
  • A – Georgia Tech, Louisville, UNC, NC State

2026

  • H – Clemson, Louisville, UNC, Pittsburgh
  • A – Florida State, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

6 Responses You are logged in as Test

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  1. Seems to have worked out well for everyone but Miami, with two of their three yearly rivals being quite a distance away, and therefore less likely to feel like a real regional rival. But, at least they have some old Big East rivalries to lean on, and I’m sure the ACC will probably make sure the BC and Louisville away games are in alternating years.

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