The College Football Playoff’s recent decision to expand from four to 12 teams beginning no later than the 2026 season all but guarantees the Atlantic Coast Conference a chance to annually compete for a national title moving forward.
It’s a significant move for a conference that’s long fought the perception of being one of the weaker leagues among the Power Five. Clemson is one of just two teams to represent the ACC in the playoff since its inception in 2014 (Florida State), and the Tigers are the only one that’s made multiple CFP appearances.
Pittsburgh ended Clemson’s run of six straight ACC crowns last year, but the two-loss Panthers finished 12th in final CFP rankings and missed out on the playoff. It’s the first time the ACC champion had not been included in the playoff.
But if the 12-team model, which will include the six highest-ranked conference champions and the six highest-ranked at-large teams, had been in place last season, the Panthers would’ve been in.
“It’s not necessarily guaranteed for the ACC, but one would think the ACC champion will be well positioned,” Clemson athletic director Graham Neff said.
It’s why Neff welcomed the news late last week that an expanded playoff field was unanimously voted in favor of by the CFP Board of Managers, which includes Clemson President Jim Clements. But it’s not the only reason he’s giddy about it.
As part of the new format, the top four seeds, which would go to the four highest-ranked conference champions, would receive a bye into the quarterfinal round. The first round would potentially bring playoff football to college campuses.
First-round games could also be played at a neutral site, but the higher-seeded team gets to choose the location. Neff suggested that if Clemson ever finds itself participating in the first round as the higher-seeded team, there will be no debate as to where the game is played.
Quarterfinal and semifinal matchups as well as the national championship game will continue to be played at bowls and neutral sites.
“One of things I’m most excited about is the opportunity that it could have for the Valley,” Neff said in reference to Memorial Stadium. “To have a game out here, if we’re in the 5-12 range potentially and what that could mean for our fan base, season-ticket base, community and the economic impact, that’s a new thing that gets us all really excited, particularly here in Clemson.”
Still, Neff said the benefits of an expanded playoff have to be balanced with the added physical toll it could take on the athletes playing an extra game or two. For teams that win their conference and advance to the CFP championship game under the current format, their season is already 15 games long, a concern Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and some of his players have voiced since the idea of expansion was initially proposed last year.
As part of its vote, the board approved allowing at least 12 days in between conference championship games, most of which are played the first weekend in December, and first-round games. The CFP Management Committee still has to make the final determination on a revised postseason calendar.
“We think about player safety, additional games and how we can enact more benefits to the student-athletes, so absolutely that’s going to be where the rubber is going to meet the road on how is this going to work?” Neff said. “We’re very mindful of that, and we’ve had a lot of discussions here on campus with Coach Swinney, President Clements and certainly through the league. But we’re excited about where this could go.”
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