The ACC announced Monday that it will move to a nine-game conference schedule and require each team to play at least 10 games against Power 4 opponents each season.

Commissioner Jim Phillips confirmed that athletic directors from the league’s 17 football-playing schools voted “overwhelmingly” in favor of the new format. The model follows the SEC’s move to a nine-game schedule beginning in 2026, though the ACC has not yet set a start date for its changes.

The decision means ACC programs will now have nine conference games on their schedule, plus at least one non-conference matchup against a Power 4 opponent. That could complicate future scheduling for schools with existing SEC rivalries or non-conference commitments, such as Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, and Louisville.

How Notre Dame fits into the new model also remains unclear. The Fighting Irish currently play five ACC opponents annually, but teams with established rivalries outside the league may have limited room to add Notre Dame to their schedules.

Phillips said more details will be finalized in the coming months, but called the move a major step in strengthening the league’s football positioning and ensuring tougher schedules for playoff consideration.