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ACC commissioner Jim Phillips shares his thoughts on CFP expansion
TL;DR
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips advocates for expanding the College Football Playoff to 24 teams, citing Florida State's exclusion after an undefeated season. He emphasizes the need for competitive balance and potential financial benefits from expanded playoff games.
Key points
- Jim Phillips supports expanding the College Football Playoff to 24 teams
- Florida State's exclusion in 2023 is a key argument for expansion
- The ACC aligns with Big Ten and Big 12 on playoff expansion
- Television contracts could provide financial incentives for more games
- SEC favors a 16-team playoff format instead of 24
Mentioned in this story
ACCCollege Football PlayoffSECBig TenBig 12
Florida StateNotre Dame
In 2023, Jim Phillips was not the most ardent opponent of the College Football Playoff committee's decision to leave Florida State out of the College Football Playoff after an undefeated regular season and an ACC Championship victory. Now in 2026, he appears to be banking on that as a point of emphasis in getting the playoffs to 24 teams.
This year's ACC spring meetings had much to talk about, particularly with respect to television rights and competitive balance. The latter of which both FSU and Notre Dame fans are now all too familiar with.
"We suffered through it with Florida State when the field was four, and I know other schools have suffered for it," he said, per Isa Schoffel of Warchant.com. "Notre Dame was a CFP-worthy team this year. They just were," he added.
It's unclear whether these ideas of an expanded CFP are implementable in their current state, though they are more than likely favored by the other Power Four conferences. Certainly, there is a lucrative incentive for more games with television contracts. The ACC appears to be aligned with the Big Ten and Big 12 in terms of expansion, with the SEC leaning towards 16 teams rather than 24.
The move for expansion is not without criticism from fans. The debate between the number of automatic qualifiers versus at-large bids is ongoing, as they argue that it would ruin the importance of conference championships and the regular season. Opting out of a conference championship game for fear of losing and subsequently missing out on a bid is a genuine fear for programs around the country.
It remains to be seen how the landscape of college football will continually evolve from the current 12-team format and beyond.
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Q&A
Why does Jim Phillips want to expand the College Football Playoff to 24 teams?
Jim Phillips believes expanding the playoff will enhance competitive balance and address issues faced by teams like Florida State that were excluded despite strong performances.
What are the potential financial implications of expanding the College Football Playoff?
Expanding the playoff could lead to more games, which may result in lucrative television contracts and increased revenue for participating conferences.
How do other Power Four conferences feel about the proposed CFP expansion?
The ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12 appear to support the expansion, while the SEC seems to prefer maintaining a 16-team structure.
