When the ACC added Syracuse and Pittsburgh, it announced some changes to the basketball schedule, including a move to just one "primary partner" for each school. Wake Forest was designated as State's primary partner, meaning those schools would be guaranteed a home-and-home each year, but the Pack might not get two games against UNC each year.

Well, forget about all of that. Notre Dame's addition will make for additional tweaks, and now the ACC will likely go back to two permanent partners. Which of course means...

Asked by @jpgiglio whether that means a certain local rivalry will be home-and-home year in and year out again, Swofford smiled...

— Andrew Carter (@_andrewcarter) September 12, 2012

... and said, "I think that has a good chance of happening."

— Andrew Carter (@_andrewcarter) September 12, 2012

That's great news for NC State, and it makes this whole expansion business a bit less painful. So thanks, Irish, you indirectly helped preserve some Tobacco Road tradition. You guys are all right.