ACC Football Alignment: Time For Change

Staff writer Ben Greeson explores the possibility of realigning the teams in both of the ACC football divisions.

I was ecstatic when the ACC expanded. They basically plucked the good teams out of the Big East and created a twelve team conference. Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College was the first wave of expansion.

Louisville basically replaced Maryland when they bolted to the Big 10 and then, of course, Syracuse and Pitt came on board a few years ago as well.

I think in football terms, it’s just how I’m wired, but I’m quite certain the Cuse’ and Pitt additions were basketball minded moves. Nevertheless, it’s created a competitive conference for the most part, but it’s time for a change.

I’m not wanting to do anything crazy like invite Texas or Michigan to join, I’m simply talking about changing how the teams are placed in the respective divisions.

Here’s how the divisions in the ACC are split up now.

Coastal Division – Virginia Tech, Virginia, North Carolina, Duke, Georgia Tech, Pitt, Miami

Atlantic Division – Boston College, Clemson, NC State, Florida State, Syracuse, Wake Forest, Louisville.

And then you throw Notre Dame in the middle somewhere, out there floating in the,  Never-Never Land, maybe I’m a member, maybe I’m not conference. But that’s another story for another day.

Let’s be honest. VT and GT have dominated the Coastal. I use dominated, very loosely. Clemson and Florida State basically play the ACC Championship game every year when they play each other. It’s becoming quite stagnant.

The cross conference rivals are much less than rivals, and

there’s very little drama involved. The ACC needs VT or Miami to get back in the national spotlight, if these divisions stay intact. I suggest busting them up and starting over.

Keeping the same teams of course, but aligning the divisions differently.

Here’s how I’d like to see the ACC to be divided up.

Coastal – Florida State, VT, Miami, Duke, NC State, Wake Forest, Pitt

Atlantic – Clemson, North Carolina, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Boston College, Virginia

You can keep your natural rivalries, like VT-UVA, UNC-Duke by using the permanent cross division template like they already use.

I basically traded FSU for UNC, Wake for UVA, and GT for NC State. It’s not a major shake up, but I think the most important thing is getting Clemson and FSU on opposite sides of the conference.

Can you imagine the hype of an ACC Football Championship game between Clemson and FSU, with a College Football Playoff invitation waiting for the winner.

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The ACC is selling itself short by not re-aligning the division to create the most marketable games possible.

I understand the Clemson-FSU game is a sell out every year whether in Clemson or Tallahassee, but who remembers the GT vs Wake Forest ACC Championship game.

There may have been 27 people in the stands. And let’s not kid ourselves, if Clemson wasn’t in the game this past year, anybody else versus North Carolina would have been an empty stadium,

Clemson travels well, and there isn’t another team in the league that would have filled 70% of Bank of America Stadium like the Tiger faithful did. Now, imagine a Clemson-FSU game in that same venue. It’d be the hottest ticket on the planet.

must read: Clemson Football: Orange Britches

Since 2009, either Clemson or Florida State have won the Atlantic. Let’s give the league some more credibility, shake things up a bit, make it more marketable, more credible, and diverse.

Would you realign the divisions or would you leave it alone? You can offer your suggestions in the comments section below!