Dan Radakovich reveals how SEC, Notre Dame, College Football Playoff impact possible 9-game ACC schedule

Later this month, a conversation is expected to take place in the SEC about expanding to a nine-game conference schedule. The league opted to table that discussion after it came up last year during its spring meetings in Destin.

If the SEC decides to expand to nine games, the question becomes whether the ACC would follow suit. To Miami athletics director Dan Radakovich, it’s a complicated question.

Radakovich pointed out the different variables when assessing the future of the conference schedule. For starters, the rotation with Notre Dame adds a power conference game. There’s also uncertainty about College Football Playoff expansion. Add in potential pressure from the SEC that could be up for conversation, and Radakovich said there are multiple factors in the equation.

"It's something that you have to balance…there's a lot of interrelated pieces here."@DanRadakovich tells @RoddyJones20 about what may go into the decision of future ACC football schedules of 8 vs. 9 league games. pic.twitter.com/CTjpqsuOZA

— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) May 12, 2025

“It could,” Radakovich told SiriusXM College’s Roddy Jones when asked whether the SEC could put pressure on the ACC. “That’s something that we’ll talk about, I’m sure. But with the Notre Dame rotation, a lot of times, you have your eight conference games, you have your Notre Dame game as nine. At some of the schools – Georgia Tech and Clemson – you would have your SEC rivals. So there’s your 10 Power Four games right there. If you go to nine in the ACC, some years, you’ll have 11 Power Four games. It’s something that you have to balance, a little bit.

“There’s a lot of inter-related pieces here. Because how does the College Football Playoff end? Does it stay at 14, does it go to 16, what are automatic berths, how are all of those managed? Those are all pieces that would help really form the discussion around whether we stay at eight or move to nine.”

Under the current College Football Playoff format – which includes berths for the five highest-ranked conference champions – the ACC received two bids in 2024. Clemson managed to jump into the bracket by taking down SMU in the conference championship, and the Mustangs stayed in the field despite the loss.

But as the Big Ten and SEC assume more control of the CFP, more questions will come about what the rest of the bracket will look like. Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported a potential 16-team CFP is gaining support around the Big Ten and SEC. It includes four bids for each of the Big Ten and SEC, two for each of the ACC and Big 12, one for the Group of 6 and three at-large spots.

The SEC is expected to discuss going to nine games at its spring meetings in Destin later this month. As teams get ready to arrive, The Athletic reported ESPN is willing to pay for a ninth league game.