Thu May 08 23:40:00 UTC 2025: ## ACC’s 18-Game Schedule Could End UNC-NC State Rivalry’s Annual Home-and-Home Series
**RALEIGH, NC – May 7, 2025** – The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) announced a shift to an 18-game conference schedule for men’s basketball starting in the 2025-26 season, potentially ending the annual home-and-home series between long-time rivals UNC and NC State. The change, aimed at boosting the conference’s NCAA Tournament representation, will see each team play its permanent rival (Duke for UNC, Wake Forest for NC State) twice annually. A second opponent will also be played twice yearly, but this will vary from season to season. The remaining seven teams will be played once at home and seven once away, resulting in each team missing one conference opponent annually.
The ACC cited a need for a “better balance” of conference and non-conference games as the reason for the move. The league’s success rate in the NCAA Tournament has dipped recently, with a record low four teams making the tournament in 2025, prompting the scheduling overhaul. While the conference has a strong track record in March Madness when teams qualify (five Final Four appearances in the last four years), securing enough bids has become a challenge.
While the possibility remains for UNC and NC State to meet twice a season, the change makes it highly unlikely to be an annual occurrence. This marks a significant shift for the century-old rivalry. The ACC women’s basketball league already adopted a similar 18-game schedule, where UNC and NC State only meet once a year. The full 2025-26 schedule, including the rotating second opponent for each team, will be released at a later date.
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