ACC to drop divisions for format with permanent rivalries in 2023

The ACC became the latest conference to scrap divisions in favor of a new scheduling format Tuesday, making 2022 the final year of the Atlantic and Coastal divisions.

Starting in 2023, the league announced it will move to a 3-5-5 format, in which each team has three permanent rivalry games played annually, with the other 10 opponents rotating on an every-other-year basis.

«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 statement. «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.»

The plans for a shift to a single-division format gained steam during the league's spring meetings in May, with the ACC hoping to improve its TV inventory of marquee games and set up a league championship game that would include its two best teams annually. Interestingly, the new format would not have altered the teams playing in the ACC title game in seven of the last eight years.

Boston College: Miami, Pitt, SyracuseClemson: FSU, Georgia Tech, NC StateDuke: UNC, NC State, Wake ForestFlorida State: Clemson, Miami, SyracuseGeorgia Tech: Clemson, Louisville, Wake ForestLouisville: Georgia Tech, Miami, VirginiaMiami: BC, FSU, LouisvilleNorth Carolina: Duke, NC State, VirginiaNC State: Clemson, Duke, UNCPitt: BC, Syracuse, Virginia TechSyracuse: BC, FSU, PittVirginia: Louisville, UNC, Virginia TechVirginia Tech: Pitt,