A big change could be on the horizon in the ACC as the conference could be closing in on getting rid of the use of divisions for a new scheduling format.
Changing scheduling formats would undoubtedly shake things up in the ACC, as the 3-5-5 model allows for more competition within the conference. Scraping divisions gives teams that don’t usually get an opportunity to play each other that chance.
Now what is the 3-5-5 scheduling model and why is it just now being discussed? Here’s what Andrea Adelson and David M. Hale over at ESPN had to say:
The ACC is moving closer to adopting a new football scheduling format that would scrap divisions and give teams an opportunity to play each other more frequently, starting as early as 2023.
Though no vote was taken to formally change the format, commissioner Jim Phillips and multiple athletic directors discussed a 3-5-5 scheduling model in which league teams would play three permanent opponents, then rotate through the rest over a two-year period (five one year, five the next).
Earlier this week, the NCAA Football Oversight Committee recommended conferences no longer be required to have divisions to hold a conference championship game. The Division I Council is set to vote on it later this month, when it is expected to pass.
Phillips has repeatedly said conferences should have the right to determine their conference champion, and he had been in favor of passing the required legislation to make it happen. Phillips discussed the new scheduling format with ADs and coaches during leaguewide meetings to get their feedback.
With the Division I Council voting on not requiring divisions for a conference to have a conference championship game later this month, the ACC could make this shift after this upcoming 2022 season. Not all coaches are sold on the idea, but athletic directors will vote on the direction the ACC goes.
It is an exciting idea, though I am somewhat indifferent about how I feel about the possible transition. Divisions are restrictive as far as exploring competition within the conference, but it’s a stable structure that has worked for decades.
On the other hand, a shift to the 3-5-5 could make things more exciting and make more sense. It gives programs a chance to compete with other top programs in the conference in years they may be at their most competitive, which can shift the path of that team entirely.
The issue I see with the possibility of this change is how they go about it. Choosing three teams for a team to play every season permanently could go poorly. There are a lot of factors that they’ll have to discuss when deciding which teams get stuck playing others permanently, and it will ultimately not work out well for a few programs.
Moving to the 3-5-5 model would involve some risks if and when they decide to transition, though changes in life and football is inevitable year after year.
[mm-video type=video id=01g1vwgzwvw2p2dbemxp playlist_id=01fvdd1xkgcx6zr5s5 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g1vwgzwvw2p2dbemxp/01g1vwgzwvw2p2dbemxp-297473a96b7980d2fca566d20edf4433.jpg]
[listicle id=1513]