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A complete meltdown -- partial anarchy is guaranteed with the runaway train that is social media -- was averted a few weeks ago when the ACC hierarchy and its athletic directors quickly disputed the assertion from Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby that the ACC was considering expanding to three divisions in the wake of potential pending championship game deregulation. The ACC is not going to three divisions. There are no immediate plans to blow up the conference's championship structure, either. But David Teel of The (Newport News, Virginia) Daily Press brings up the idea of making a few small adjustments to the conference, which is preparing to descend upon Amelia Island, Florida, next week for spring meetings. The nine-game conference schedule that Teel endorses was voted down last year, and despite pressure from other Power 5 conferences, the ACC (and SEC) are sticking at eight conference games. Even though nonconference scheduling has becoming increasingly more challenging for athletic directors, from a College Football Playoff perspective, there hasn't been any benefit of playing a nine-game conference schedule through the playoff's infancy. A conference without divisions would alleviate some of the scheduling issues, but it could put a damper on postseason races. Division races assure at least a few compelling games every weekend deep into the season, critical for TV. Neither is a new idea, nor is flipping Georgia Tech to the Atlantic and flopping Louisville to the Coastal. It would create an annual game between Florida State and Georgia Tech, but FSU athletic director Stan Wilcox didn't sound too interested in making that rivalry a yearly occurrence when asked in March. The flip would certainly provide advantages, but FSU's desires will hold a lot of weight. Teel is right that, given the fluidity of the sport right now and the uncertainty still surrounding the playoff, all potential changes are worth discussing next week before coaches and ADs break for the beaches and golf courses.
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