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Jim Phillips calls for 'access and fairness' in future College Football Playoff format

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz07/22/25

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ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips
Jim Phillips (Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports)

As conversations continue about the College Football Playoff’s future, the Big Ten and SEC are at the forefront. The two leagues have the bulk of control regarding the future formats, but have differing views on a model.

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips addressed where things stand Tuesday during the conference’s media days. He pointed out his emphasis on championship games, but also said he wants “access and fairness” in the bracket, as well.

Two proposed College Football Playoff formats are front and center with a Dec. 1 deadline for a decision. The SEC supports a 5-plus-11 model while the Big Ten backs a 4-4-2-2-1 format with automatic qualifiers for each power conference league and the Group of 6. Phillips said he’s open to ideas, but reiterated the importance of conference title games and access.

“I think some of my comments have been public, relative to the CFP,” Phillips said in his opening remarks. “I’ve always believed in rewarding conference champions. And if you are in a really good conference – like we have across the P4 – and you’re also part of the G6, conference championships matter. And that’s been consistent in my five years, that they should be rewarded. Fairness and access should also be part of the equation.

“We have a really good Playoff right now. It’s the 5-and-7 model. I’m open to 5-9 and 5-11. I always look to our championships to try to have as much access as possible within reason. It has to make sense.”

The 5-plus-11 model would include the five highest-ranked conference champions with 11 at-large spots. The 4-4-2-2-1, meanwhile, has four spots each for the SEC and Big Ten and two apiece for the ACC and Big 12. The Group of 6 would get one bit and there would be three at-large teams to round out the bracket.

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said he had questions about the selection committee and criteria, which he said plays into the decision to support the 4-4-2-2-1. Jim Phillips recalled his time on selection committees for men’s and women’s basketball, noting the difficulty. That said, he wants to look out not only for the ACC, but the sport as a whole.

“I know that there’s questions about selection and selection committee,” Phillips said. “I have great faith and confidence in those committee members. I’ve served on the men’s basketball selection, women’s basketball selection committees. I know how difficult that is. These are honorable, honest individuals with great integrity. I do like that we’re reviewing the protocol for selection, and I think that that will help.

“But I want to stay committed to access and fairness to all of college football – not only the ACC – and protect our AQ. So I look forward to our ongoing conversations and I understand why other leagues feel differently about positioning of the future format. I look forward to some of those ongoing conversations.”