AMELIA ISLAND — ACC commissioner Jim Phillips is known as a listener and consensus-builder. After three days at the ACC’s Spring Meetings he heard from the league’s coaches and athletics directors and that they want the College Football Playoff to expand from 12 teams to 24 teams.

Phillips echoed FSU coach Mike Norvell's wishes. And FSU athletics director Michael Alford on Tuesday said the "more the merrier" with the CFP format.

"I think it's obviously tied to the calendar, when the games will be played, how many games would be played on campus," Phillips said. "So it will be about the intricacies there."

Phillips later admitted in follow-up questions that ESPN prefers the current 12-team model or a modest expansion to 14 or 16 teams.

The Big Ten would also like a 24-team playoff, while the SEC has pushed for 16 teams. While the CFP remains at 12 teams for 2026, commissioners are deciding on what to do for 2027 and beyond.

Phillips has seen how the ACC has been snubbed in prior years, too. FSU was left out of a four-team playoff in 2023 after going 12-0 and winning the ACC title. He pointed to the CFP committee's votes in favor of Miami over Notre Dame in December.

"When you're leaving national-championship contending teams out of the playoff, you don't have the right number," Phillips said. "We lived through it. We suffered through it with Florida State when the field was four and I know other schools have suffered for it. I said this very directly: Notre Dame was a CFP-worthy team this year.

"And you saw what happened to the last team that got invited with Miami and the first team out."

What's left unresolved are many of the key issues, but at the forefront it's the desires of the Big Ten and ACC to be at 24 teams compared to the SEC's 16-team plan, a to-be-announced Big 12 proposal and what ESPN is willing to pay for an expanded playoff. ESPN has already given up two of its quarterfinal games, producing the games instead for TNT. It's ESPN's desire to not compete with NFL games on Saturdays.

Phillips remains mindful of the partnership the ACC has with ESPN.

"They're our partner. They're our partner with the CFP," Phillips said. "Obviously, they're our full partner here as it relates to the ACC (Network) and so we'll continue to talk with them as it relates to the CFP."

The American Football Coaches Association has advocated for just one bye week and eliminating the conference title games to keep the calendar condensed and finish the season earlier in January. Nothing will change for 2026 with the calendar or format, but commissioners will need to weigh proposals for 2027 and beyond.

Phillips said he thinks an expanded playoff could lead to stronger non-conference scheduling and give more of the ACC's presidents and chancellors reasons to invest in football as they pursue a spot in the CFP.

There's also a "down the road" discussion about what to do with the ACC championship game, Phillips said, suggesting the regular season could wrap up and continue into the playoff.

Duke-Amazon deal opens door to 'creative deals'

Amazon reached a deal with the Duke men's basketball team to broadcast three neutral-site games during the 2026-27 season. Duke will play UConn in Las Vegas in November, followed by Michigan in New York and then play Gonzaga in Detroit.

The announcement from two weeks ago raised eyebrows around college athletics. Phillips said Duke worked closely with the ACC and ESPN.

"To Duke's credit, they came up with something creative and they brought it to ESPN and us," Phillips said. "... I'm happy for Duke. It's additional dollars into the conference. Obviously, it's going to Duke."

The question at the ACC Spring Meetings is whether this is the first of many future neutral-site games that a school could shop around to another network — in football or men’s basketball. It could be a revenue-generator in football as schools play look to create neutral-site matchups. For FSU, that could include a 2028 matchup with Georgia that has gone from a home-and-home series to a neutral site.

"If there's other opportunities that are out there that schools bring forward, we'll look at it," Phillips said. "... If contractually based on what we have agreed to with ESPN this fits, we were going to do it."

Ole Miss-Clemson tampering case

Linebacker Luke Ferrelli transferred from California to Clemson in January, enrolling in school and reportedly signing a lease on an apartment near campus. But just days later, Ferrelli jumped in the transfer portal on the final day and was on the move to Ole Miss.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney soon held a press conference to air the tampering in public and quoted details of texts between football staff members at Clemson and Ole Miss. Nearly four months later, Phillips reflected on the Ferrelli case, what the NCAA is reviewing and issues revolving around tampering.

"It has to be addressed. (NCAA president) Charlie Baker has promised us with his staff, and I believe him, I think very highly of Charlie, that case in particular is going to be dealt with," Phillips said. "Part of this thing, though, is there has to be repercussions for improper behavior. And until that occurs, I think the tampering piece maybe stays at the level that it's at right now."

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