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.
Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of FSU news, notes, and opinions. Jacob Smith is a contributor for FSU Wire, part of the USA TODAY Network. You can also follow Jacob on X at @jsmith_sports.
This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Jim Phillips cites FSU, Notre Dame snub in favor of CFP expansion
