ACC to 16…Navy to Get Notre Dame-esque Scheduling Deal From ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference did not drive the recent expansion like the Big 10, but it has been very very involved nonetheless. Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and Louisville are full members. Maryland is exiting. Notre Dame has a quasi-membership for football and a full-membership otherwise. In a move that is somewhat shocking, but perhaps not VERY shocking, the reports are that Navy will be joining the ACC in a deal akin to Notre Dame’s, only with far less compensation. See link to article below.
The decision to add Navy to a non-full membership does a few notable things for the ACC, such as:
- The Notre Dame-Navy game will eventually give the ACC a 6th game football game involving Notre Dame, making the next step to 7 workable for Notre Dame by 2018.
- The addition of Navy gives the ACC a presence in the Maryland/D.C. corridor, which will not hurt recruiting.
- It has been very difficult to logistically schedule the 5 Notre Dame games; adding a second set of 5 games actually makes it easier.
- By adding Navy, the ACC does not add another power in football or basketball, but does add a school with a national following. And Navy has been decent in football recently.
- Navy has the 6th lacrosse program desired to give the ACC an automatic bid.
The plan for football (implemented in 2018) is as follows:
- North: ND, Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, BC, Navy, Duke, Louisville
- South: Clemson, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Virginia, NC State, Miami, NC, Florida State
The North is the private schools, plus Louisville and Pitt. The South is the southern-most schools other than Louisville. This division allows the South to rack up scheduling strength and keep regional flavor.
9 conference games generally. ND and Navy play 7. Georgia Tech, Clemson, FSU, and one other South school would play 8 game conference seasons (the lost 4 games equaling the 4 games not played by Navy or ND). If ND and Navy increase to full-membership, the rules would change. Most important changes: (a) overall record determines standings in divisions; and (b) subject to an NCAA rule amendment, a second place division team with 11 wins could take the place of a team from another division if the second place team is in the top 6 in the polls or otherwise four spots ahead of the division winner from the other conference. Thus, if FSU is 12-0, Clemson is 11-1, and Louisville is 11-1… if Clemson is much higher in the overall standings, Clemson plays in the ACC Championship game.
The hoops divisions:
- Atlantic: Navy, Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville, Wake Forest, Boston College, Clemson, Florida State
- Coastal: Notre Dame, Duke, Virginia, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Miami
More details to come.
The Confidential 
Yes, April Fool’s folks. It is an annual Confidential tradition.
It’s not the worst idea though. Really.
How about putting the top 7 or 8 academic schools in one division?
Glade this was a joke! Im ok with Navy being a part of the ACC but i hated the rest.
I dont know if anyone else has proposed this but i like these divisions;
Fla St, Clemson, Geo Tech, BC, Pitt, NC St, & WF.
Miami, Virg Tech, Louisville, Syracuse, N Carolina, Duke & Virg.
Cross div rival games being; Fla St v Mia, Clemson v Virg T, Pitt v Syr, N Car v NC St, WF v Duke, BC v Virg & Geo T v Louisville.
Its allows everyone to play north & south at least every other year & fairly balanced. ND would fit in there with BC & Pitt & either Navy or UConn would fit in the other opposite nicely, should the ACC expand to 16. They would be their cross div rival game. Thoughts?
I was ready for the joke this year, but I’m actually kind of sad that it’s not true. I LOVE those divisions. I think that would be a pretty solid set-up for both basketball and football. Let’s make it happen.