The ACC is considering different scheduling models for the approaching football season, including one that would have Notre Dame eligible to play in the conference champion video game, sources told ESPN on Friday.
Sources indicated that was just one of various scheduling designs under discussion, and modifications continue to be made to designs and proposed schedules. Any scheduling design needs approval from the ACC board of directors, comprised of all 15 chancellors and presidents.
The favored scheduling model is anticipated to be provided to them next Wednesday.
2 RelatedOfficials from the ACC and Notre Dame decreased comment.
When the season will start, in addition to fluid discussions about what the schedule will look like is the subject of. Those discussions are continuous, but like the Pac-12, the ACC is aiming to integrate in bye weeks and can play its national championship as late as Dec. 19.
One discussion would involve the 4 ACC/SEC competition video games that schools from both conferences want to secure. Currently, Notre Dame has actually 6 set up ACC video games.
Because of that, there has actually been no appetite in the ACC for a conference-only schedule, which is the route chosen by the Pac-12 and Big Ten.
For that reason, all discussions have actually fixated a conference-only model with one nonconference game. That would permit the 4 ACC schools with end-of-season rivalry video games to play them.
However Notre Dame stays the biggest question, particularly considering that the Irish are scheduled to play three groups with SEC competition video games– Clemson, Louisville and Georgia Tech. In a plus-one only design with Notre Dame as a nonconference challenger, it would be hard for those 3 to keep Notre Dame on the schedule.
The way around that is to count Notre Dame as an ACC game. As a way to keep the schedules uniform, that would indicate having Notre Dame play an ACC schedule for this season just, together with one nonconference game.
The question is whether Notre Dame wishes to do that. The Irish have had 3 games canceled, but presently have actually 9 video games set up– consisting of Navy and Arkansas. Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick informed ESPN earlier today he chooses to play in between 8 to 10 games. In the 10-plus-1 design, everyone would play 11.
Other choices have been discussed, consisting of 8- and nine-game conference schedules plus a nonconference video game. There also has actually been conversation about scrapping the department format and redoing all schedules based on area in order to minimize concerns about long-distance travel.
Moving to a conference-only, plus-one schedule also guarantees opponents have uniform coronavirus screening standards, stressing the requirement to have all teams follow the same testing and safety standards.
One discussion would include the four ACC/SEC competition video games that schools from both conferences want to protect. Presently, Notre Dame has six arranged ACC games.
The Irish have had three video games canceled, but presently have 9 games scheduled– consisting of Navy and Arkansas. Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick informed ESPN earlier this week he chooses to play in between eight to 10 video games.
