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Stanford, Cal and SMU may need big bumps in their travel budgets.

All those who believed that bringing the three far-away schools into the ACC would be way too expensive are feeling better as the 7-year football schedule for the new 17-team conference was released.

And we have yet to see the same thing for basketball and, the most puzzling of all, the Olympic schedules for the schools that play common sports. We look forward to how that Rubik’s Cube will work.

As for football, the new schedule may reflect just how anxious the two Pac-12 leftovers and SMU were to get into our league, no matter the cost. As we already know, Stanford and SMU have agreed to zero dollars distribution for the first few years and Cal receiving a small cut that will escalate.

Let’s use Carolina’s schedule to demonstrate how football travel for four of the next seven years will amount to a fun trip to the West Coast or Dallas once a season, which can be used as a recruiting tool rather than the detriment of having to fly across the country two or three times each season.

In four of the seven years through 2030, the Tar Heels have one road trip per season out of the existing ACC footprint. In 2024, ’26 and ‘29, they have none in a conference schedule of still 8 ACC games, plus 4 outside opponents.

For example, next season, UNC’s ACC road games are at Boston College, Duke, Florida State and Virginia and at home against Georgia Tech, NC State, Pitt and Wake Forest. That sounds and looks like nothing has changed. In 2026, same with road games to Louisville, Miami, State and Syracuse. Ditto for 2029.

In 2025, the Tar Heels travel to Berkeley to face the Cal Bears. In 2027, they visit Palo Alto to play Stanford. And in 2028, the one new road trip is to SMU in Dallas. In 2030, they go back to Cal. That’s one long plane ride in each of four years. In 2025 and ‘28, Stanford comes to Chapel Hill; Cal visits in 2029 and SMU in 2030.

Here is where it gets funny, if you are not the bursar at these three new entries who may very well have to dip into their wealthy endowments.

Using Stanford’s schedule, the Cardinal visits Clemson, State and Syracuse in 2024; Carolina, Miami, SMU and Virginia in 2025; Duke, Louisville and Wake Forest by air in 2026; BC, Clemson, SMU and Virginia Tech in 2027; Georgia Tech, Miami and UNC in ’28; Duke, FSU, Pitt and SMU in ’29; and State, Syracuse and Virginia in 2030. That’s a ton of air travel, comparatively.

The three new ACC teams play each other either home or away every season. And if any of the newbies finish first or second, the ACC championship game will remain in Charlotte through 2030. So that’s another cross-country flight.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati

Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has written and worked for WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” column runs weekly on Chapelboro.

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