ACC Commissioner John Swofford yesterday said an eight-team College Football Playoff, “in terms of the number of teams, would probably be ideal,” according to Shawn Krest of the Durham HERALD-SUN. Speaking at the Durham Sports Club's weekly meeting, Swofford said that educational concerns "limited the initial rollout of the system to four teams." Swofford: “It has a great deal of potential. The question is asked a lot, ‘Why not eight?’ or ‘Will it become eight in a few years?’ I can tell you why not eight, right now: The presidents made the decision as to how far we can go with the playoff, and the bookends are exams in December, and the presidents don’t want football to become a two semester sport. Those concerns are education-based. So I think they’re appropriate.” But Krest notes Swofford "praised" the work of the selection committee. Swofford: "I think it’s a quality group of people. There are 230 years of college football experience on that committee, so they should know what they’re doing.” Meanwhile, Swofford "expects the major college conferences to remain stable for a while after a 'tumultuous decade' that saw many teams switch conferences, including his own league’s addition of four teams in the last three years." Swofford: “For the next 12 to 15 years, I don’t think you’ll see movement in the Power Five conferences. Unless someone grows and adds a team not currently in the Power Five, but I don’t think you’ll see any teams moving within it.” Swofford added that the ACC has been “'quietly aggressive' in working toward an ACC television channel, similar to the SEC’s venture with ESPN that debuted this year" (Durham HERALD-SUN, 11/20).
GO YOUR OWN WAY: ESPN.com's Ivan Maisel wrote Swofford "broke from the party line" with his support for eight teams, "laying responsibility for the 12-year, four-team playoff at the feet of the presidents." That "sets up the obvious trade: Swap the conference championship games for the quarterfinals." An additional playoff round would "recoup the money the conferences give up." It also is "addition by subtraction" (ESPN.com, 11/19). YAHOO SPORTS' Nick Bromberg wrote it is "not a bad bet to think expansion will happen" before '26. After all, the BCS "expanded and added a separate National Championship Game after rotating through the main bowls and Swofford is also a member of the management committee for the playoff." His words "carry some weight" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/19).
