I’m convinced that the key to a quality 8-ACC-game schedule is to rotate divisions every year and work the schedule through UNC. Here is how the schedule could be built:

1. New divisions every year (or every other year if you prefer back to back home and home).
2. Make a list of protected games. The more selective the better.
3. Work the schedule through UNC since they will likely have the most protected games (3: UVa, NCSt, Duke)
4. UNC will always have two protected rivals in their division and one protected rival as a crossover. (e.g. if UNC, Duke, and UVa are in the same division in a given year, NCSt must be in the other division).
5. After that, other teams are assigned to divisions based on first, protected rivalries; And second, based on when available teams have played one another last (for example, if two teams haven’t played for four years, we want to hook them up in the same division or a crossover). You could also throw into the mix “competitive balance” if you like.
6. In the above example, we have to take into consideration that UVa has to play VT and NCSt has to play Clemson. So these teams have to be assigned either as division opponents or as crossovers. Not hard or restrictive to do.
7. Lastly, teams that have been assigned to a division, but have yet to be assigned a crossover for the year will be “at-large” meaning that they will be paired with another at-large team from the other division. These at-large pairings will be based on the “don’t-be-a-stranger rule”. Which means whichever two teams whose last meeting was in the most DISTANT past, they will be paired up first. And the order at-large pairings will follow the same rule until all the schedule is complete.

For the sake of discussion let’s protect these games (but the list can easily be amended)

UNC vs. NCSt
UNC vs. Duke
UNC vs. UVa
NCSt vs. Clemson
Clemson vs. GT
UVa vs. VT
Clemson vs. FSU
FSU vs. Miami
BC vs. Syracuse

YEAR (or cycle) 1

UNC Division
-----------------------
UNC (NCSt crossover)
UVa (at-large)
VT (at-large)
Duke (at-large)
FSU (Clem crossover)
Mia (at-large)
Wake (at-large)

Non-UNC Division
-------------------------
NCSt (UNC crossover)
Clem (FSU crossover)
GT (at-large)
BC (at-large)
SYR (at-large)
Wake (at-large)
Lou (at-large)

YEAR (or cycle) 2

UNC Division
-----------------------
UNC (Duke crossover)
UVa (VT crossover)
NCState (at-large)
Clemson (FSU crossover)
GT (at-large)
Lou (at-large)
Pitt (at-large)

Non-UNC Division
-------------------------
Duke (UNC crossover)
VT (UVa Crossover)
FSU (Clemson crossover)
Miami (at-large)
BC (at-large)
SYR (at-large)
Pitt (at-large)

YEAR (or cycle) 3

Non-UNC Division
-------------------------
Mia (at-large)
FSU (at-large)
GT (at-large)
Clem (NCSt crossover)
Pitt (at-large)
UVa (UNC crossover)
VT (at-large)

UNC Division
-----------------------
NCSt (Clemson crossover)
UNC (UVa crossover)
Duke (at-large)
SYR(at-large)
BC (at-large)
Lou (at-large)
Wake (at-large)

Notes:
-Year 4, 5, 6 etc. can be slightly different than the other three years. The combinations are plenty.
-Wake, while having no protected rivals, will play at least one NC team each year and most likely two (and on rare occasion, all three).
-The teams that have no permanent rivals, such as Louisville, Pitt and Wake, will have the most flexibility and get to see the conference members most often.
-This plan does away with permanent crossovers that aren’t real rivalries like Louisville-UVa, and helps meets the main goal of playing conference opponents more often.
-If we could do this, I'd be on board with 8:2 since I like playing OOC P5 games.
-I think it's good to have divisions rather than just taking the top two records for the CG. And having new divisions every year or other year can be intriguing.
-Only playing one crossover game rather than two also makes it more likely that the CG won't be a rematch.




[Post edited by Maroon Baboon at 08/19/2016 5:09PM]