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The Atlantic Coast Conference has built a rich history in college athletics, becoming one of the college football's recognizable conferences since being founded in 1953.
From national championship contenders to legendary players and coaches, ACC football has produced some of the sport’s biggest moments throughout its history.
The Atlantic Coast Conference is entering a new chapter heading into the 2026 college football season with the introduction of a nine-game conference schedule.
With new challenges, championship contenders, and plenty of storylines ahead, here are five things to know about ACC football heading into the upcoming season
What Teams Play Football in the Atlantic Coast Conference?
- Boston College
- University of California, Berkeley (California)
- Clemson University
- Duke University
- Florida State University
- Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
- University of Louisville
- University of Miami
- North Carolina State University (NC State)
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of Pittsburgh
- Southern Methodist University (SMU)
- Stanford University
- Syracuse University
- University of Virginia
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
- Wake Forest University
California, Stanford, and UCLA were recently added to the conference in the 2024-25 football season.
ACC Introduces New Nine-Game Conference Schedule
The ACC will be transitioning into a nine-game conference schedule for the 2026 football season, with 12 teams partaking in the transition. Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, North Carolina, and Boston College will play just eight since the conference has an odd number of teams. Starting in 2026, only one ACC team will play eight league games each season.
With this new scheduling plan, each team will be required to play at least 10 games against Power Four competition. Teams also must play one nonconference Power Four matchup, while schools playing an eight-game conference will be required to schedule two nonconference Power Four games.
When Is ACC Media Day?
The ACC season will officially begin July 15, when ACC media day takes place in Charlotte.
Fans can look forward to media coverage from their favorite teams, coaches, and athletes as we approach the fall season.
Who Won The 2025 ACC Championship Game?
The Duke Blue Devils won the championship game last year, beating Virginia 27-20 after overtime. It was the first ever ACC Championship game to go into overtime.
When Is The ACC Championship Game?
The ACC Championship game is Saturday, December 5, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Who Won The Each Football National Championship For The 2025-2026 Season?
- Division I FBS – Indiana def. Miami, 27-21
- Division I FCS – Montana State def. Illinois State 35-34 (OT)
- Division II – Ferris State def. Harding, 42-21
- Division III – University of Wisconsin-River Falls def. North Central (Ill.), 24-14
When Do The 2026 NCAA Division I College Football Playoffs Start?
The first round of the 2026 NCAA Division I Playoffs will be Dec.18.
The format features a 12-team bracket consisting of four rounds: the first round, quarterfinals, semifinals and the national championship game. The five highest-ranked conference champions automatically earn bids, while the remaining seven spots are awarded to the highest-ranked at-large teams. The field is then seeded by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, with the top four seeds receiving first-round byes. The tournament progresses through each round until a national champion is crowned.
The 2026 Division I Football Championship title game will be played Jan. 25, 2027 at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. This will be the venue's first time hosting the event.
Archived Footage On FloCollege
Video footage from all games will be archived and stored in a video library for FloCollege subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.
Watch The 2026 College Football Season On FloCollege
FloCollege is the home of the best FCS, Division II and Division III football action all season long.
Don't miss the latest college football action by bookmarking the FloCollege schedule page for the latest games.
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