ACC will keep 8-game conference schedule

Because of scheduling agreement w/Notre Dame, ACC will only play 8-game conference schedule, sources told @espn— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) October 3, 2012

The addition of Notre Dame and 9 conference games would have been tricky, and somewhat unfair to ACC schools. In some seasons, FSU, Georgia Tech, and Clemson would have had to play 9 ACC games, Notre Dame and their SEC rival. That's a loaded schedule.

An 8-game schedule still has pros and cons , and I won't know if I like it until the logistics are finalized. As it stands now each team in the 12-team ACC plays 5 division games, 1 permanent cross-division rival, and rotates annually through the remaining teams in the opposite division. Will the 14-team league keep the permanent rival with 6 division games? With just one game a season, cycling through the opposite division would take a while.

Eight Conference games will allow for much more flexible non-conference scheduling.

Update: The release from the ACC has all the details.

Football

With the addition of Notre Dame playing five games annually against ACC teams, the league has determined it will play an eight-game conference schedule for 2013 and beyond. Divisions, primary crossover partners and rotating opponents from the opposite division will remain consistent to what was previously announced.

Men's and Women's Basketball

The ACC will continue to play an 18-game conference schedule with the addition of Notre Dame. The scheduling model will be based on a two-partner format.

Each year, teams will play every league opponent at least once with the two partners playing home and away annually. In addition to the four annual games against partners, the remaining 14 conference games will feature home and away games with two rotating opponents and five home-only games and five road-only games.

The two-primary-partner format preserves competitive balance and builds upon traditional rivalries while providing the opportunity to create new ones (Virginia Tech - Miami and Virginia).

What do you guys think?