The ACC is considering various programming models for the upcoming soccer season, including one that could have Notre Dame eligible to play in the conference championship game, sources told ESPN on Friday.
The sources indicated that it was only one of the various programming models under discussion, and changes are still being made to the proposed models and timelines. Any programming model needs the approval of the ACC board of directors, made up of the 15 presidents and chancellors.
It is expected that next Wednesday they will be presented with the preferred programming model.
ACC and Notre Dame officials declined to comment.
In addition to the fluid discussions about what the schedule will look like, it’s the subject of when the season will start. Those discussions are ongoing, but like the Pac-12, the ACC is looking to build in a couple of weeks and can play its championship game until Dec. 19.
Unlike the other Power 5 conferences, the ACC has several scheduling partnerships, resulting in complicated discussions about what to do with the season schedule as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. A discussion would involve the four ACC / SEC rivalry games that the schools at both conferences want to protect. Another is Notre Dame, an FBS freelancer who has an annual programming partnership with the ACC. Notre Dame currently has six ACC games scheduled.
For that reason, there has been no appetite at the ACC for a conference-only schedule, which is the route chosen by the Pac-12 and Big Ten.
Therefore, all discussions have focused on a conference-only model with non-conference play. That would allow the four ACC schools with end-of-season rivalry games to play them.
But Notre Dame remains the biggest question, especially since the Irish are slated to play three teams with SEC rivalry games: Clemson, Louisville, and Georgia Tech. In a model plus one with Notre Dame as an opponent without a conference, it would be difficult. for those three keep Notre Dame on the calendar.
The solution is to count Notre Dame as an ACC game. As a way to keep schedules consistent, that would mean Notre Dame playing an ACC schedule for this season only, along with a game without a conference.
The question is whether Notre Dame wants to do that. The Irish have canceled three games, but currently have nine games scheduled, including the Navy and Arkansas. Notre Dame sports director Jack Swarbrick told ESPN earlier this week that he prefers to play eight to 10 games. In the 10-plus-1 model, everyone would play 11.
Other options have been discussed, including eight and nine game conference times plus one non-conference game. There has also been discussion about eliminating the division format and redoing all schedules depending on the region to ease concerns about long-distance travel.
Moving to an exclusive conference time plus one also ensures that opponents have uniform guidelines for coronavirus testing, underscoring the need for all teams to meet the same testing and safety standards.
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