ACC Pushes for Expansion of College Football Playoff
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is advocating for an increase in the College Football Playoff size. Following yet another debated final playoff selection, conference commissioner Jim Phillips highlighted the need for more than the present 12-team format during the Intercollegiate Athletics Forum on Wednesday.
“Currently, we’re quite disheartened by where the cut line is,” Phillips remarked. “What I mean is, if we’re excluding a team that has the potential to win a national championship from the playoffs, then clearly, we need to reconsider those numbers.”
He also pointed to two recent ACC teams that narrowly missed playoff inclusion despite possessing solid records.
“Just two seasons ago, Florida State, the only undefeated team at 13-0, didn’t qualify and was ranked fourth. Last year, it was a similar story for one of our institutions, SMU, compared to Alabama; SMU made the cut while Alabama did not. But honestly, every school on the cut line right now deserves a chance to compete.”
With the deadline for expanding next season’s playoffs looming in late January, there’s a sense of urgency in Phillips’ voice. “I truly want to avoid waiting another year, but I’m expressing this on behalf of the ACC,” he stated.
Phillips’ remarks come in the wake of Notre Dame—an ACC member for all sports except football—being left out of the playoffs, even after securing ten consecutive victories and concluding the season at 10-2.
The last at-large position was filled by Miami of the ACC, which also wrapped up its season at 10-2 but was ranked behind Notre Dame until the playoff committee’s final rankings were released earlier this week.
Phillips joins several other conference leaders who have also voiced support for expanding the playoff system.
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark previously expressed his backing for a 16-team playoff format with only five automatic bids. Meanwhile, Big Ten President Tony Pettity has shown even greater interest, suggesting a potential increase to 24 or 28 teams back in August.
