ACC Championship Changes?

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips alongside Coach Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers, after the Tigers ACC Championship win over SMU. (Photo Credit: Charles Mays - Tiger View Media)

According to an ESPN article written by Andrea Adelson yesterday, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said Sunday that the league will have conversations among coaches and athletic directors about whether to make changes to its conference championship game format.

Adelson went on to say, "the conversations are a result of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, and ensuring conference champions and the teams that play in the conference championship game remain important."

ACC Commissioner Phillips has a couple of ideas on how to change the ACC Championship format. One idea is to give the regular season champion a bye, which he hopes would be an automatic qualifier to the playoff. The ACC would then have the second and third seed in the conference play for the Championship. Another idea, which is even more ridiculous, would turn the last week of the season into a four-team ACC playoff, with the two winners advancing to Charlotte. Really, Jim? The latter would cause matchups such as Clemson vs. South Carolina, Florida State vs. Florida, or even Georgia Tech vs. Georgia to be moved on the schedule. Those matchups are known as Thanksgiving weekend games.

The ACC's idea to change its championship system is not only unnecessary but will actually hurt college football's spirit and excitement. Let's just say it's a bad idea that could turn one of the sport's most exciting parts into a long, boring snooze fest. Adding the top three teams to the postseason and switching to a four-game series is not only excessive but a basic misinterpretation of what makes college football unique.

College football is built on passion, intensity, and stakes. The regular season is so electrifying because every opponent, game, and play matters. Teams battle every week, knowing one misstep could cost them a chance at glory. But with this proposed format, that sense of urgency evaporates. If teams know they still have a chance to make the championship game even after losses, where’s the incentive to play with a chip on their shoulder? The grit, desperation, and determination to win—all of that risks being replaced by a more complacent approach.

Making it to the ACC Championship should mean something. It’s supposed to be a reward for excellence, a culmination of an entire season of hard work. For the teams and their schools, it’s a source of pride and excitement. I vividly remember making it to the ACC Championship and winning it for the first time in a while in 2015. Even as a little girl, it brought me so much joy, feeling the feeling my mom always talked about she felt. That is how something like the ACC Championship is supposed to make you feel—a sense of pride for a school you love and support. Players, coaches, and fans alike circle the championship game on their calendars as the moment when everything is on the line. It’s not just about crowning a champion; it’s about earning the right to compete for that title on the field. This new proposal cheapens that experience.

The idea of allowing a team to win the ACC without even playing in the championship game is outright ridiculous. For example, take the recent Clemson vs. SMU showdown. SMU was the top team in the conference standings, but they hadn’t faced Clemson in the regular season. No one knew who was truly better until they met on the field for the championship. Clemson’s victory wasn’t just about the trophy—it was a statement, proof that they were the best team when it mattered most. Under this new format, a team like SMU could conceivably claim the title without even stepping onto the field against their toughest competition. How is that fair?

College football is not the NFL, nor should it try to be. What makes college football unique is the raw, unfiltered emotion of it all. Every game matters. Every championship game feels monumental. Extending the postseason even more turns what should be a climactic event into a marathon that drags on and drains the excitement. It’s unnecessary and risks alienating fans who cherish the high-stakes, all-or-nothing nature of the sport.

There is no need for the ACC to reinvent the wheel. Showing up and winning the championship game should be the only way for a team to earn the conference title. No safety nets, no shortcuts, and no participation awards. For a team to advance to the championship game, they should have to perform at their absolute best throughout the season. The magic of college football lies in its unpredictability and its intensity. Let’s not ruin it with gimmicks that nobody asked for.