ACC reportedly receives mandate to change its football scheduling

With its new ACC Network, the ACC has a choice to make: adopt a nine-game conference schedule or play two Power Five nonconference opponents per season.

The ACC has its network, and now it has to figure out the best way to fill airtime on it.

When the ACC came to an agreement with ESPN to create the ACC Network, it did so on a couple of conditions when it came to scheduling. ESPN wants the ACC to expand its conference basketball schedule from 18 to 20 games per season, and it gave the conference an option when it comes to its football schedule.

According to the Daily Press, the ACC can either increase its conference schedule from eight games to nine games per season, while continuing to schedule one Power Five nonconference game per season, or it could keep the conference schedule at eight games and schedule two Power Five nonconference games per season.

While there isn't a set timeline for the ACC to make a decision on it, ACC athletic directors will discuss their options with commissioner John Swofford during a conference call on Friday. It's possible they'll come to a decision, but it's more likely everyone will just lay the ground work for their feelings on the topic.

Personally, if I were an ACC fan, I'd prefer the nine-game conference schedule.

The idea of scheduling two Power Five nonconference games per season sounds better as an idea than it'll likely be in practice. Let's just say it won't be the Ohio States, Alabamas or Oklahomas of the world receiving the most phone calls from ACC schools looking to add another Power Five team to their schedule in the future.

So, as a fan, I'd prefer another conference game to watch as opposed to seeing Kansas come to town for a game.