The scheduling formula implemented in 2002 with realignment guarantees that all teams play each other on a regular, rotating basis.
Under the formula, every team plays 17 games as follows:
Home and away against its three division opponents (six games).
The four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (four games).
The four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (four games).
Two intraconference games and one interconference game based on the prior year’s standings (3 games). These games match a first-place team against the first-place teams in the two same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season as well as one team from the other conference. The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in a conference are matched in the same way each year.
