The ACC announced the football conference opponents for the 2027 season this week. Under the scheduling model that began this season, 16 teams will play 9 conference games and at least 1 Power 4 non-conference opponent, while Clemson will play 8 league games and at least 2 Power 4 non-conference opponents. Teams will rotate who plays 8 league games through future years.
The ACC adopted this model to increase the frequency of conference matchups and to strengthen overall schedule quality for the league.
“By continuing to ensure that every team plays a minimum of 10 Power Four opponents, this model reinforces the collective strength of ACC Football, supports competitive balance across our 17 programs, and prepares our teams to compete at the highest level nationally,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said in a news release.
For Virginia, its 2027 slate features Louisville, SMU, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Tech at home. The Hoos travel to Boston College, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, and Stanford on the road. UVA last made the cross-country trip for a game at California last fall. The Cardinal came to Scott Stadium in 2025 in the first ever meeting between the programs.
Virginia already has games listed on its future schedules with Arkansas State and William & Mary for 2027 as well. The non-conference contests with Arkansas State (Aug. 28) and W&M (Oct. 16) have been set on the calendar. All other game dates will be announced at a later date.
That means the 12th and final game will need to be against a Power 4 team per ACC schedule rules. It could be at home to give the Hoos 7 games at Scott Stadium, but keep in mind that they only had 6 home games scheduled this season prior to the NC State game moving from Brazil to Charlottesville so it’s possible that a neutral site game could be in the mix as well.
So who are the options? Let’s go conference by conference to see if the list can narrow.
In the Big Ten, the teams are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, Southern California, Washington, and Wisconsin. Looking through schedules on FBSschedules.com, Illinois (at Missouri), Iowa (at Iowa State), Maryland (Baylor), Michigan (at Texas), Michigan State (Notre Dame), Minnesota (at Mississippi State), Northwestern (at Colorado), Ohio State (Alabama), Penn State (Syracuse), Purdue (at Notre Dame), Rutgers (Boston College), UCLA (California), Washington (at Washington State), and Wisconsin (Pittsburgh in Ireland) all have games scheduled against bigger conferences already.
That leaves Indiana, Nebraska, Oregon, and USC. The Hoosiers canceled a series already scheduled with UVA in 2027 and 2028 plus their schedule is full. The Ducks and Cornhuskers also have three non-con games scheduled so they’re full as well.
In the SEC, the teams are Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt. From the list above, Alabama (at Ohio State), Mississippi State (Minnesota), Missouri (Illinois), and Texas (Michigan) are out. Back to FBSschedules.com, Arkansas (Oklahoma State), Auburn (at Notre Dame), Florida (Florida State), Georgia (at Georgia Tech), Kentucky (at Louisville), LSU (at Houston), Oklahoma (at SMU), Mississippi (Oregon State), South Carolina (Clemson), Tennessee (Georgia Tech), Texas A&M (at Arizona State), and Vanderbilt (at Stanford).
That means, for now, all 16 SEC teams have bigger conference games scheduled already. UVA has future games scheduled against Vandy in 2028 (away) and 2031 (home) so the Commodores wouldn’t be in the mix anyway. Georgia Tech, by the way, is on two of those SEC schedules (Georgia and Tennessee), which comes in addition to 9 ACC games against Cal, Pitt, UVA, VT, BC, FSU, Miami, SMU, and Wake Forest. That’s a tough schedule!
In the Big 12, the teams are Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF, Utah, and West Virginia. Arizona State (Texas A&M), Baylor (at Maryland), Colorado (Northwestern), Houston (LSU), Iowa State (Iowa), and Oklahoma State (at Arkansas) are on the lists above. Arizona (at Colorado State, Washington State), BYU (Oregon State, at Notre Dame), Cincinnati (at Boston College), Kansas (at Washington State), Kansas State (at NC State), UCF (at North Carolina), and Utah (Miami in Las Vegas) all have bigger conference games scheduled.
So that leaves TCU, Texas Tech, and WVU. TCU’s schedule is full with home non-conference games against Alcorn State, North Texas, and Sam Houston plus its league slate. West Virginia is full too with Ohio, Southern Miss, and VMI.
All told, that leaves a list Southern Cal and Texas Tech as the most likely choices for the 12th game of 2027.
Southern California already has 7 home games scheduled so that makes the Trojans a possibility. They do have league games at Ohio State and Maryland, though, so that would be three coast-to-coast trips. Texas Tech has Arkansas-Pine Bluff and New Mexico at home, but the Red Raiders do have 5 Big 12 road games. So that leaves just 6 home games.
Would a neutral site be in play in either case? The inaugural Music City Kickoff in Nashville this season featured Mississippi and Louisville, while the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta had Baylor and Auburn. Both are held on Labor Day weekend and neither has announced 2027 teams. UVA has that date open currently. The Hoos have worked with Nashville organizers before (see last season’s Virginia vs. Ohio State hoops game) and they were supposed to play Georgia in an Atlanta kickoff game back in 2020 that was dropped due to the pandemic.
Going out on a guessing limb, Virginia vs. Texas Tech in Nashville? That leaves both with 6 home games but a payday to make up for it. Of course, this is all relying on future schedules put together by FBSschedules.com and schedule maneuvering can always be in play. Would you be on board with that matchup? It would be a rematch of the two teams’ only previous meeting, the 2007 Gator Bowl won by TT 31-28. Vote in the poll and then check out the weekly fan picks!
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