The ACC , whose teams also play eight conference games ( plus Notre Dame at least once every three years ) , also considered moving to a nine-game conference schedule . However , the league opted to stay with the eight-plus-Notre Dame model , stipulating instead that teams would have to play one Power Five school in their non-league slates beginning in 2017 , which would include the Notre Dame game or other ACC schools , as will games against another FBS independent , BYU . Despite the push to increase schedule strength , some ACC coaches preferred the scheduling flexibility available with fewer permanent fixtures on a team 's slate . Opinion was split among league athletic directors on moving to a nine-game schedule prior to the vote . An SEC expansion to a nine-game schedule would limit the ACC 's opportunities to play Power Five non-conference opponents
FBS independent
NCAA Division I FBS independent schools
College Football Playoff