written at the time. At least it wasn't until recently that 17.11.6.2.1.b.1 included the phrase "(as equally balanced in number as possible)." The phrase might have been added at the same time 17.11.6.2.1.b.2 was added to the bylaws.

17.11.6.2.1 Bowl Subdivision. [FBS] In bowl subdivision football, the maximum number of football contests shall exclude the following: (Revised:
1/10/90, 11/1/07 effective 8/1/08, 10/28/10, 10/27/11 effective 4/1/12, Adopted: 8/2/12 effective 8/1/14, 1/15/16 effective 8/1/16)

(b) Conference Championship Game. One conference championship game:
(1) Between division champions of a conference that is divided into two divisions (as equally balanced in number as possible) and conducts round-robin, regular-season competition in each division; or

(2) Between the top two teams in the conference standings following full round-robin regular-season competition among all members of the conference.

Plus, the Coastal teams wouldn't have approved your proposal because only the other Atlantic teams would have gotten to play Notre Dame in football. Notre Dame wouldn't approve it for 2 reasons:

1. The ACC didn't require the other 13 teams to go 6-0 in order to qualify for the CCG. What happens if no teams go 6-0 that season?

and

2. Notre Dame would have to give up its independence because it would now be listed under the ACC Atlantic Division for standing purposes.

The proposal I'm referencing stated that Notre Dame would still be listed as a DI-FBS Independent in the standings. However, it would still have a back door to participating in the ACC Championship Game if it finished ranked higher than either the Atlantic Division Champion or the Coastal Division Champion. Plus, FWIW the MAC and SWAC are the only 2 DI conferences to be in direct violation of that bylaw and never be punished by the NCAA.
[Post edited by VTHokie2000 at 02/03/2022 9:35PM]