ACC releases 2021 football schedule, will return to Atlantic/Coastal divisions

GREENSBORO, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Atlantic Coast Conference released its 2021 football schedule on Thursday, with plans to return to two divisions - Atlantic and Coastal - and a traditional slate where each team plays eight conference games and four non-conference games.

All scheduled games are contingent upon following national, state and local health guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ACC teams will play in two neutral site games in Atlanta on the opening weekend as part of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff series at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Miami faces defending national champion Alabama on Saturday, Sept. 4, and Louisville takes on Ole Miss on Monday, Sept. 6. Clemson and Georgia - two teams that finished in the top 10 last year - will meet in the Duke's Mayo Classic in Charlotte, North Carolina, at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 4.

NC State faces USF in Raleigh on Thursday, Sept. 2, and Virginia Tech will play host to North Carolina in the first conference matchup of the season on either Thursday, Sept. 2 or Friday, Sept. 3. Wake Forest plays host to Old Dominion on Friday, Sept. 3.

Rivals NC State and UNC are scheduled to play Friday, Nov. 26 in Raleigh. Duke plays UNC in Chapel Hill on Oct. 2. North Carolina and Wake Forest will meet in a non-conference game on Nov. 6.

NCSU hosts defending ACC champion Clemson on Sept. 25.

Duke starts its season at Charlotte before home games against NC A&T, Northwestern and Kansas. For team by team schedules, click here.

Notre Dame will return to its long-standing independent status and will play five non-conference games against ACC foes, including Florida State, Virginia Tech, UNC, Virginia and Georgia Tech.

The 2021 ACC Football Championship Game will return to Charlotte on Dec. 4 at Bank of America Stadium.