The ACC–Big Ten Challenge (or Big Ten–ACC Challenge as it was called in alternating years) was an in-season NCAA Division I men's college basketball series that matched up teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Big Ten Conference (B1G). ESPN was a key part of the creation of the challenge and held the broadcast rights to all the games. The ACC–Big Ten Challenge occurred early in the non-conference season, typically around late November or early December. Each game was hosted by one of the participating schools, with teams typically alternating home and away status in each successive year. The event was played yearly from 1999 to 2022.
The ACC held an overall record of 13–8–3 in the series and 152–127 in the games. The ACC won each of the first 10 consecutive challenges, but the B1G won 8 of the last 14. In the 24 years of the event, 17 of the Challenges were decided by a single game or ended in a tie. Six of the other seven Challenges were won by the ACC by larger margins.
The popularity of the Challenge led other conferences to form similar partnerships in which their members go head-to-head against each other. Examples include the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series (2007–2010), SEC–Big East Challenge (2007–2012), Mountain West–Missouri Valley Challenge (2009–2018), Big 12/SEC Challenge (2013–2022), Big East–Big 12 Battle (2019–present) and the Gavitt Tipoff Games between the Big East and Big Ten (2015–2022). A sister series to the Challenge featuring women's basketball called the ACC–Big Ten Women's Challenge (2007–2022) was held for all but the first eight years.
The ACC initially played a short-lived interconference basketball series called the ACC–Big East Challenge (1989–1991),ACC-Big East passes test, but won't run its course Last series opens amid ending debate, Baltimore Sun, dated December 2, 1991 and accessed January 12, 2021Faceoff in the ACC-Big East Challenge, Sports Illustrated, 1989, accessed December 1, 2015 Big East coaches such as the late Georgetown coach John Thompson voted to end the ACC–Big East Challenge in 1991, which led to the ACC immediately looking to schedule a new series with the Big Ten as its preferred partner.
On November 28, 2022, amid ESPN losing its media rights to the Big Ten, it was announced that the series would be discontinued after the 2022–23 season. ESPN arranged an ACC–SEC Challenge as a replacement beginning in the 2023–24 season.
Format Typically, match-ups are selected for their expected interest in the game. Higher profile teams are chosen to play each other to enhance television ratings for ESPN. Minnesota and Florida State have had the most matches together, with six games. Seven other pairs of teams have faced each other five times in the Challenge.
With the exception of two years (2011–12), the imbalance of the number of teams in each conference result in up to three teams not playing. Nine games were scheduled for each of the first six challenges, leaving two teams from the 11-team Big Ten without an opponent. With the expansion of the ACC to 12 teams with the addition of Boston College, Miami, and Virginia Tech, the field was expanded to 11 games in 2006, meaning that one ACC team would not play. With Nebraska joining the Big Ten in 2011, the challenge expanded to 12 games and every member from both conferences participated. In 2013, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and Notre Dame joined the ACC, leaving three ACC teams excluded from the competition. In 2014, Maryland withdrew from the ACC and joined the Big Ten along with Rutgers, giving that conference 14 teams, and Louisville joined the ACC replacing Maryland and maintaining the conference's 15-team membership. These conference realignments have led to the challenge being expanded to 14 games. When the challenge was expanded to 12 games, and later 14 games, the changes resulted in the possibility that the challenge could end in a tie. In the event of a tie, the previous year's winner retained the Commissioner's Cup. This scenario occurred when the ACC retained the Cup in 2018 based on its 11–3 win in 2017, while the Big Ten retained the Cup in both 2012 and 2013 based on its 8–4 win in 2011.
Yearly results Year Winner ACC Wins B1G Wins Series2022ACC86ACC 13–8–32021B1G68ACC 12–8–32020B1G57ACC 12–7–32019B1G68ACC 12–6–32018Tie77ACC 12–5–32017ACC113ACC 12–5–22016ACC95ACC 11–5–22015B1G68ACC 10–5–22014B1G68ACC 10–4–22013Tie66ACC 10–3–22012Tie66ACC 10–3–12011B1G48ACC 10–32010B1G56ACC 10–22009B1G56ACC 10–12008ACC65ACC 10–02007ACC83ACC 9–02006ACC83ACC 8–02005ACC65ACC 7–02004ACC72ACC 6–02003ACC72ACC 5–02002ACC54ACC 4–02001ACC53ACC 3–02000ACC54ACC 2–01999ACC54ACC 1–0Overall 152127N/A
Team records The University of Maryland, College Park has a unique record in the Challenge, having competed for both sides after switching conferences in 2014. The Terrapins established a 10–5 record representing the ACC against Big Ten teams, but had just a 2–7 record representing the Big Ten against ACC teams. Maryland's overall record is 12–12 but is listed below according to its relevant conference affiliations.
Atlantic Coast Conference (13–8–3) Duke was the most successful team in either conference in Challenge competition by a large margin, holding a 20–4 record. Two other ACC schools (Virginia and Wake Forest) won more games in the Challenge than any Big Ten school. Seven ACC schools overall had winning records while two others have a .500 record. Institution Wins Loss Win Pct. Out Home wins Home losses Away wins Away losses Neutral wins Neutral losses Boston College Eagles774433400Clemson Tigers13101756500Duke Blue Devils20401016340Florida State Seminoles10140753900Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets9132643900Louisville Cardinals450410400Maryland Terrapins (1999–2013)1050514212Miami Hurricanes1063624400North Carolina Tar Heels11130653820NC State Wolfpack9121†831900Notre Dame Fighting Irish550411400Pittsburgh Panthers541223200Syracuse Orange460321400Virginia Cavaliers1480‡737500Virginia Tech Hokies793443500Wake Forest Demon Deacons1464826400 The column "Out" indicates the number of Challenges from which the team was excluded. This does not include cancellations. †North Carolina State has also had one game cancelled, in 2020. ‡Virginia has also had two games cancelled, in 2001 due to court conditions and in 2020.
Big Ten Conference (8–13–3) Purdue (13–9) was the Big Ten team with the best record in the Challenge and the only Big Ten team with an overall winning record. Four schools had a .500 record. Institution Wins Loss Win Pct. Out Home wins Home losses Away wins Away losses Neutral wins Neutral lossesIllinois Fighting Illini11130744603Indiana Hoosiers9132642910Iowa Hawkeyes10122733702Maryland Terrapins(2014 to 2022)270141300Michigan Wolverines8132†553800Michigan State Spartans9130‡831901 12120844800Nebraska Cornhuskers660333300Northwestern Wildcats10140664800Ohio State Buckeyes10122654601Penn State Nittany Lions11112655600Purdue Boilermakers1392924700Rutgers Scarlet Knights450222300Wisconsin Badgers12120744810 The column "Out" indicates the number of Challenges from which the team was excluded. This does not include cancellations. †Michigan has also had one game cancelled, in 2020. ‡Michigan State has also had two games cancelled, in 2001 due to court conditions and in 2020.
Results
2022 ACC 8–6 DateTimeACC teamB1G teamScoreLocationTelevisionAttendanceChallengeleader Nov 28 7:00p.m. 67–57 Cassell Coliseum • Blacksburg, Virginia ESPN2 7,870 ACC 1–0 9:00p.m. 87–58 Welsh–Ryan Arena • Evanston, Illinois 2,606 ACC 2–0 Nov 29 7:00p.m. 54–79 KFC Yum! Center • Louisville, Kentucky ESPN2 12,211 ACC 2–1 101–942OT Littlejohn Coliseum • Clemson, South Carolina ESPNU 5,861 ACC 3–1 7:30p.m. 44–73 State Farm Center • Champaign, Illinois ESPN 15,544 ACC 3–2 9:00p.m. 78–75 Kohl Center • Madison, Wisconsin ESPN2 14,435 ACC 4–2 65–81 Carver–Hawkeye Arena • Iowa City, Iowa ESPNU 10,450 ACC 4–3 9:30p.m. 70–68 Crisler Arena • Ann Arbor, Michigan ESPN 12,200 ACC 5–3 Nov 30 7:15p.m. 81–72 Cameron Indoor Stadium • Durham, North Carolina ESPN 9,314 ACC 6–3 69–79 Donald L. Tucker Civic Center • Tallahassee, Florida ESPN2 5,282 ACC 6–4 68–61 Watsco Center • Coral Gables, Florida ESPNU 5,668 ACC 7–4 9:15p.m. 65–77 Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall • Bloomington, Indiana ESPN 17,222 ACC 7–5 70–52 Joyce Center • South Bend, Indiana ESPN2 7,854 ACC 8–5 67–88 Pinnacle Bank Arena • Lincoln, Nebraska ESPNU 13,080 ACC 8–6 Winners are in boldGame times in ESTNC State did not play due to the ACC having one more team than the B1G.
Source:
2021 Big Ten 8–6 DateTimeACC teamB1G teamScoreLocationTelevisionAttendanceChallengeleader Nov 29 7:00 p.m. 74–75 John Paul Jones Arena • Charlottesville, Virginia ESPN2 13,542 B1G 1–0 9:00 p.m. 72–82 State Farm Center • Champaign, Illinois 14,907 B1G 2–0 Nov 30 7:00 p.m. 112–1102OT Carrier Dome • Syracuse, New York ESPN2 21,330 B1G 2–1 53–54 Petersen Events Center • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ESPNU 7,736 B1G 3–1 7:30 p.m. 65–93 Mackey Arena • West Lafayette, Indiana ESPN 14,804 B1G 4–1 9:00 p.m. 64–74 Jersey Mike's Arena • Piscataway, New Jersey ESPN2 8,050 B1G 5–1 77–73 OT LJVM Coliseum • Winston-Salem, North Carolina ESPNU 3,711 B1G 5–2 9:30 p.m. 66–71 Value City Arena • Columbus, Ohio ESPN 18,809 B1G 6–2 Dec 1 7:15 p.m. 64–73 Breslin Center • East Lansing, Michigan ESPN 14,797 B1G 7–2 62–58 Xfinity Center • College Park, Maryland ESPN2 15,988 B1G 7–3 104–1004OT PNC Arena • Raleigh, North Carolina ESPNU 19,722 B1G 7–4 9:15 p.m. 72–51 Dean Smith Center • Chapel Hill, North Carolina ESPN 19,938 B1G 7–5 63–58 Bryce Jordan Center • University Park, Pennsylvania ESPNU 8,221 B1G 7–6 66–70 McCamish Pavilion • Atlanta, Georgia ESPN2 6,302 B1G 8–6 Winners are in boldGame times in ESTBoston College did not play due to the ACC having one more team than the B1G.
Source:
2020 Big Ten 7–5 DateTimeACC teamB1G teamScoreLocationTelevisionAttendanceChallengeleader Dec 8 5:00 p.m. Miami Purdue 58–54 Watsco Center • Coral Gables, Florida ESPN2 0 ACC 1–0 7:00 p.m. Boston College Minnesota 80–85OT Williams Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota ESPNU 0 Tied 1–1 7:30 p.m. No. 16 North Carolina No. 3 Iowa 80–93 Carver–Hawkeye Arena • Iowa City, Iowa ESPN 583 B1G 2–1 7:30 p.m. Notre Dame No. 22 Ohio State 85–90 Edmund P. Joyce Center • South Bend, Indiana ESPN2 156 B1G 3–1 9:00 p.m. No. 15 Virginia Tech Penn State 55–75 Cassell Coliseum • Blacksburg, Virginia ESPNU 250 B1G 4–1 9:30 p.m. No. 10 Duke No. 6 Illinois 68–83 Cameron Indoor Stadium • Durham, North Carolina ESPN 0 B1G 5–1 9:30 p.m. Syracuse No. 21 Rutgers 69–79 Rutgers Athletic Center • Piscataway, New Jersey ESPN2 0 B1G 6–1 Dec 9 5:00 p.m. Clemson Maryland 67–51 Littlejohn Coliseum • Clemson, South Carolina ESPN2 1,876 B1G 6–2 7:15 p.m. NC State Michigan Canceled Crisler Center • Ann Arbor, Michigan Canceled Canceled Canceled 7:15 p.m. Georgia Tech Nebraska 75–64 Pinnacle Bank Arena • Lincoln, Nebraska ESPNU 0 B1G 6–3 7:15 p.m. No. 20 Florida State Indiana 69–67OT Donald L. Tucker Civic Center • Tallahassee, Florida ESPN 2,956 B1G 6–4 9:15 p.m. No. 18 Virginia No. 4 Michigan State Canceled John Paul Jones Arena • Charlottesville, Virginia Canceled Canceled Canceled 9:15 p.m. Pittsburgh Northwestern 71–70 Welsh-Ryan Arena • Evanston, Illinois ESPNU 0 B1G 6–5 Dec 19 12:00 p.m. No. 23 Louisville No. 12 Wisconsin 48–85 Kohl Center • Madison, Wisconsin ESPN2 0 B1G 7–5 Winners are in boldGame times in ESTWake Forest did not play due to the ACC having one more team than the B1G.The NC State/Michigan, and Virginia/Michigan State games were canceled due to positive COVID-19 tests for NC State, and Virginia.The Louisville/Wisconsin game was postponed due to COVID-19 issues at Louisville, but the game was eventually played on December 19.
Source:
2019 Big Ten 8–6