ACC announces plan for Pitt, Syracuse

The Atlantic Coast Conference on Friday, announced major upcoming schedule and division changes for when Syracuse and Pittsburg join the conference.

ACC Commissioner John Swofford said Syracuse will join the Atlantic Division, and Pitt will join the Coastal Division.  Swofford also noted that conference schedules will go to 9 games in football, and 18 in basketball.

In football, each team wil play the other six in its division and a primary crossover partner each season. Two rotating opponents from the other division will be on a six-year cycle. 

The basketball schedule change will take place starting next season (2012-2013) for men's and women's basketball teams. The schedule is based on a three year cycle with teams playing each conference opponent at least once.

Primary partners will play home and away games each season and the other 12 teams rotate in groups of four: One year both home & away, one year home only, one year away only.

Swofford says over the three year cycle, primary partners will play a total of six times, and all other conference opponents play four times.

All 14 teams will be allowed to play in the ACC Tournament at the end of the season.  Tournament formats are still being worked on.

As for all Olympic-type sports, Swofford says each team will play all other conference teams at least once during the regular season, with baseball being the only exception.

The ACC will keep an ACC Championship event in all sports, except volleyball, and will add a championship for gymnastics.