David Pollack doubts the ACC's chances at getting a second College Football Playoff team in 2025

The first edition of the 12-team College Football Playoff gave teams plenty to think about. For the ACC, the very real possibility that the conference could have only gotten one team into the mix stung.

The league might be in a similar situation in 2025, though. Former ESPN analyst David Pollack was recently asked if he saw the ACC getting more than one playoff bid this season and he was blunt.

“No. I think just Clemson,” Pollack said on the See Ball Get Ball podcast. “Last year we were really close to having just SMU. So think about that. It was right there a year ago. It was very close a year ago, the league not being very deep.”

Had SMU not lost in the ACC title game, the league likely would have been a one-bid league. Instead, Clemson was able to sneak into the mix as well.

But going into the 2025 season, some of the teams that were fringe contenders a year ago might not have the same kind of firepower. Miami flirted with a potential playoff bid, but now it has to replace No. 1 overall draft pick Cam Ward. That’s going to be difficult.

And Pollack pointed out one other reality. The leagues aren’t balanced quite the same way.

“Here’s the thing,” he said. “The Big Ten at the bottom is pretty bad, but the Big Ten towards the middle and the top becomes really, really good and you’ve got multiple teams that can win it. SEC, same thing. Couple bad at the bottom, but on the whole a lot of team that can be consistent that can beat you. Then the Big 12, it’s a little bit more top-heavy than it was. I think Arizona State is up there.”

The ACC is similar to the Big 12 in that regard. There’s one clear favorite — Clemson — then a bunch of potential contenders that might not have the firepower to get there.

“So it’ll be interesting to watch,” Pollack said. “The Big 12, this is why the Big 12 and the ACC are fighting with the Big Ten and the SEC about getting more bids. Because the automatic bids and what they want, this is the perceived huge difference in their scheduling vs. others.

“And listen, it’s there. It’s there. Whether we want to agree with it or not, there’s a big difference. But one (team only) and they’re not going to be happy about it. That’s not going to be a fun thing to be discussing late in the season.”