ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips has been tossing around some ideas to shake things up, but honestly, they sound more like desperation moves than actual solutions.
His latest suggestions? One proposal would have the second and third-place teams in the conference face off, with the regular season champion automatically securing the College Football Playoff (CFP) spot. Another idea suggests a 1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3 format, essentially restructuring the championship weekend to give more teams a shot at the CFP.
On the surface, these concepts might seem creative, but in reality, they feel like an attempt to hold the conference together with duct tape.
A 2 vs. 3 matchup to determine who gets into the CFP? A 1 vs. 4, 2 vs. 3 playoff-style showdown? We're skeptical at best. There's a reason both Clemson and Florida State have filed lawsuits against the ACC—there’s growing frustration with the conference’s inability to adapt and compete with powerhouse leagues like the SEC and Big Ten. The reality is, as the CFP continues to expand and evolve, the ACC's relevance seems to be fading fast.
Phillips' ideas raise a lot of questions. Would avoiding a true championship game really benefit the conference, or would it just further expose the conference? Take this year's ACC scenario, for example—SMU would have been handed the regular-season title without even needing to prove itself in a traditional championship matchup. Meanwhile, teams like Clemson and Miami would be left scrambling for a postseason opportunity, potentially meaning that both teams would've been left out.
It's becoming clearer by the day that the ACC is struggling to keep up. With conference realignment and media rights deals favoring other leagues, particularly the SEC and Big Ten, the ACC is falling further behind in the arms race. Phillips might think these proposals are bold, but they come off as reactionary and lack the forward-thinking leadership the conference desperately needs.
If the ACC wants to remain competitive, it needs more than just out-of-the-box ideas—it needs real change and a strategic plan to secure its future. Right now, it feels like Phillips and the ACC are simply throwing ideas at the wall, hoping one of them sticks.