Virginia Tech release claims ACC is limiting FCS games, ACC says no
Has the ACC passed a rule that limits the number of games its schools can schedule vs. FCS opponents?
In a release announcing a series with BYU, Virginia Tech noted the ACC approved a rule earlier in the summer that prohibits teams in the conference from playing more than one FCS opponent.
Earlier this summer, the ACC approved a scheduling process that permits conference schools to play only one FCS opponent per season on specifically designated weekends through the 2029 season. Tech is only scheduled to face four FCS opponents – William & Mary (2018), Furman (2019), Richmond (2021) and VMI (2026) over the next 12 seasons.
In case you were wondering, BYU and Tech will play each other in 2026 and 2030. Mark your calendars.
We reached out to the ACC about the release and a conference spokesperson noted that no rule had been created. While the conference has had discussions regarding a limit on FCS opponents, there is no limit confining the games to a specific week or quantity.
North Carolina played two FCS teams on its 2015 schedules. The 11-3 Tar Heels beat both North Carolina A&T and Delaware. Scheduling two FCS teams isn’t a common practice, especially with the College Football Playoff committee looking at teams’ strength of schedule.
And if a team is clawing for bowl eligibility, it’s only allowed to count one FCS win to the minimum of six wins to get to a bowl game.
Revelation of the ACC’s discussions comes just after the Big Ten said it would allow its teams to play an FCS opponent when a Big Ten team has just four conference home games. With a nine-game conference schedule, an FCS opponent is a guaranteed home game for a Big Ten team and can appease teams who want to have seven home games.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
