UNC–South Carolina football series canceled amid new scheduling rules

· Yahoo Sports

The home-and-home football series between North Carolina and South Carolina, scheduled for 2028 in Columbia and 2029 in Chapel Hill, has been canceled, the university announced.

According to TarHeel247, South Carolina canceled the series, while North Carolina had been interested in keeping it on the schedule.

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The move comes amid widespread reshuffling of future nonconference games following decisions by both the SEC and ACC to adopt nine-game conference schedules. The SEC approved its change on Aug. 21 last year, with the ACC announcing a similar move about a month later.

Under the new framework, each team is required to play at least 10 Power Four opponents per season. In simpler terms, every program must schedule at least one Power conference opponent in its nonconference slate. Those requirements, combined with expanded league schedules, have tightened available nonconference dates.

The ACC’s shift to a nine-game league schedule has been particularly complicated. With 17 member schools, the conference faces structural challenges in balancing a full round of games. The situation is further muddied by the league’s scheduling partnership with Notre Dame and several long-standing nonconference rivalry games, including Louisville-Kentucky, Clemson-South Carolina and Georgia Tech-Georgia.

Because South Carolina annually plays Clemson, that rivalry commitment likely contributed to the decision to cancel the planned home-and-home series with North Carolina.

Notre Dame, an ACC member in all sports but football, remains an independent in football. However, under its agreement with the ACC, the Fighting Irish play at least five ACC opponents per season and still count as a nonconference foe for scheduling purposes.

South Carolina, a founding member of the ACC in 1953, left the conference in 1971. North Carolina holds a 36-20-4 all-time edge in the series, though the Tar Heels have won just two of the last six meetings.

The most recent matchup came in the 2023 season opener, when quarterback Drake Maye led UNC to a 31-17 win over South Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Football: Tar Heels vs South Carolina football series canceled

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