Louisville's Scott Satterfield: ACC scheduling model gives conference "one true champion"

CHARLOTTE — Where the Big 12 made “One True Champion” its moniker, the ACC is taking it more to heart, according to Scott Satterfield.

Louisville’s head coach voiced his support for the ACC’s new 3-5-5 model during the ACC Kickoff on Wednesday. In the new schedule, which will be implemented in 2023, every conference team has three primary opponents to play every year then 10 teams as part of a four-year cycle.

“I was in favor of that, as far as being able to play every team in the league,” Satterfield said. “I think that's a good thing over the course of a player's career because there were times where you wouldn't even get to go or see or play anybody in the league maybe for eight years. To be able to do that, I think it's a good thing. And then also think that to be able to have a true champion of the league, the two best records to play each other for the championship. I agree with that as well.”

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The Cardinals have Virginia, Miami and Georgia Tech – all of whom are in the current Coastal Division – as its three primary opponents. In 2023, Louisville will play at Miami and Georgia Tech then will host Virginia. Because of where Louisville is in relation to the other ACC schools, the team will almost always have to travel further than many of the other conference schools. Despite Miami being the furthest away, Satterfield sees some advantages to making the trip.

“We recruit South Florida a lot and I think for us to have a presence down there and have our name every year going to be associated in that town, I think will help us in recruiting,” Satterfield said. "They're a good team, a good program, and they'll always be good and have good players, so it always be a tough game.”

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said the move to the 3-5-5 model was, in part, influenced by the College Football Playoffs. Phillips expressed the ACC’s desire for an expanded CFP and believes the new scheduling model sets the conference up well should that happen.

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“You'd like to crown your champion in a way that you have the two best teams in your conference playing for that championship game,” he said. “Prior to the passing of the recent legislation, you had to go into divisions in order to have a championship game. Now the ability for teams to line up in a singular division for there to be an opportunity to play within that singular division eight games and then we'll crown the champion based on winning percentage. It definitely had impetus for what we did.”

In the past, the ACC hasn’t had trouble getting at least one team in the CFP with Clemson being the conference representative for six straight years (2015-20) and Florida State making its appearance in 2014.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville football: Scott Satterfield agrees with new ACC scheduling