The Atlantic Coast Conference has officially announced its new men’s basketball schedule format for the 2025-26 season, trimming the conference slate from 20 to 18 games in an effort to balance competition and reduce travel fatigue. But while the move has been generally well-received by coaches and administrators alike, one notable casualty of the revised structure has stirred immediate controversy among fans and analysts: Duke will not face Miami in the upcoming regular season.
That’s right — one of the ACC’s most compelling and competitive matchups in recent years is off the board.
Duke and Miami may not have the century-old rivalry of Duke–North Carolina or the historical cachet of Syracuse–Louisville, but in recent years, the Blue Devils and Hurricanes have been two of the conference’s most elite and entertaining teams. Between postseason clashes, top-25 showdowns, and high-scoring duels, the rivalry has quietly become one of the most anticipated games on the ACC calendar.
In fact, over the past four seasons, Duke vs. Miami matchups have featured ranked teams six times, drawn high TV ratings, and frequently played a role in shaping the ACC title race. Last season, the Blue Devils and Hurricanes split their home-and-home series, with Duke winning in Durham and Miami defending their turf in Coral Gables. The two also met in the ACC Tournament semifinal — a game that drew national attention and sold out in mere minutes.
So, what gives?
The ACC’s decision to scale down to 18 conference games was primarily driven by two factors: player welfare and the desire to increase non-conference flexibility. With travel and academic commitments piling up — especially for coastal and southern teams like Miami and Boston College — the conference sought a way to alleviate pressure without compromising competitive integrity.
Under the new model, each team will play two permanent rivals every year, four rotating opponents on a two-year home-and-home basis, and the remaining eight teams once per season, alternating home sites annually.
Duke’s permanent rivals? Unsurprisingly: North Carolina and NC State.
Miami? They’ll face Florida State and Virginia Tech annually — decisions made largely due to geography and historic competitiveness.
That leaves the remaining 10 matchups to be distributed based on a multi-year rotational model. Unfortunately for college hoops fans, Duke and Miami aren’t slated to face off this year.
The backlash was swift.
“This is ridiculous,” one fan posted on X (formerly Twitter). “How do you not schedule two of your top five programs against each other? This isn’t rocket science.”
Others noted the irony in attempting to create flexibility while removing one of the league’s most TV-friendly matchups.
Even ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas chimed in: “Not having Duke play Miami in the regular season? That’s a scheduling miss. This league thrives on marquee matchups — that’s how you sell your product in a crowded sports landscape.”
While neither school issued a formal statement, sources close to both programs reportedly voiced disappointment privately. Miami head coach Jim Larrañaga has long advocated for high-level competition to bolster NCAA Tournament résumés, and Duke head coach Jon Scheyer has embraced big-game atmospheres since taking over the reins.
One assistant coach at an ACC program put it bluntly: “The league should prioritize matchups that move the needle. Duke-Miami does that. It feels like a missed opportunity.”
The broader implication here is how conference realignment and changing formats are affecting traditional matchups. The ACC’s move to 18 games is not unique — both the Big Ten and SEC are also considering similar reductions or alterations in future scheduling models. But the unintended consequence is often the disappearance of matchups that fans have come to love.
TV networks, which often push for high-profile games, may also take issue with this year’s calendar. Last year, both Duke-Miami games were picked up by national networks in prime-time slots, drawing solid ratings and fan engagement. Without that matchup in 2025-26, one less marquee conference game exists for broadcasters to anchor a Saturday or Monday slate.
Ironically, the reduction in league games was partially intended to boost the number of quality non-conference contests. However, schools like Duke and Miami already load up their non-conference schedules — meaning this move may result in fewer great games overall, not more.
There is a small consolation: the new model promises that no team will go more than two years without playing any other team. That means Duke and Miami are guaranteed to meet again in the 2026-27 regular season. And, of course, a postseason clash is always on the table — if both programs are among the ACC’s elite again, another tournament showdown in Greensboro or a March meeting in Charlotte could make up for the regular-season absence.
Additionally, with just 18 league games, programs now have more control over how they shape their season — meaning neutral-site blockbusters (like Duke vs. Kentucky or Miami vs. Gonzaga) are more feasible without overloading players.
But for now, it’s hard not to view this as a loss — for the ACC, for fans, and for the sport as a whole.
College basketball lives and breathes on storylines, rivalries, and marquee showdowns. The ACC’s shift to an 18-game format may make sense from a logistical or theoretical standpoint, but its first major casualty — the loss of Duke vs. Miami in the regular season — underscores the dangers of over-engineering schedules.
Basketball fans aren’t clamoring for fewer big games. They want more of them — and when two national brands with legitimate Final Four hopes don’t get to meet, the entire sport feels it.
The ACC’s intentions may be noble. But the message from fans is clear:
