CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is reducing its men’s basketball conference schedule from 20 to 18 games starting with the 2025–26 season, aiming to provide teams with more opportunities to schedule high-profile non-conference match-ups and enhance their NCAA Tournament prospects.
The decision, announced Wednesday, comes amid concerns over the ACC’s declining representation in the NCAA Tournament. This past season, only four ACC teams received bids—the fewest since 2013—despite some advancing deep into the tournament. Commissioner Jim Phillips stated that the change is “a direct result of our ongoing strategic review and analysis” and is intended to give programs greater control over their schedules by freeing up two slots .
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The ACC had expanded to a 20-game conference slate in the 2019–20 season to provide more content for the ACC Network. However, the new 18-game format is expected to allow schools to schedule stronger non-conference opponents, potentially improving their strength of schedule—a key factor in NCAA Tournament selection. The league hopes that by securing and winning more marquee non-conference games, its national profile and tournament bids will improve .
This adjustment will also impact the conference’s scheduling model, meaning each ACC team will not face one league member each season. Additionally, the change aligns with the ACC’s new revenue-distribution model, which factors in television viewership, offering further incentive for schools to schedule games that attract larger audiences .
The ACC’s move mirrors a similar decision by the Big 12 Conference, which announced last month that it would reduce its men’s basketball conference schedule to 18 games beginning next season, addressing concerns about the demanding nature of a 20-game conference slate .
By adjusting its scheduling approach, the ACC aims to bolster its teams’ competitiveness and visibility on the national stage.