Jim Phillips calls for College Football Playoff selection committee to value conference title game, protect participants

While fans are excited to see their respective teams reach the conference championship, they’re simultaneously worried a loss would negatively affect their team’s chances of reaching the College Football Playoff. On Monday, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips addressed this concern.

“If, after tomorrow night, if you’re inside of that top 12 or so, and you’re projected to be in (the bracket), it would be very alarming for you to be moved out because you played an extra game while everyone else is sitting home,” Phillips said, per The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach. “So, I take (CFP officials) at face value.

“It’s not only for the ACC. It’s for the other conferences — you cannot and should not be penalized for having to play a 13th game after a very long season. So, we’ll see how that plays out, but l’m very confident that the committee is going to stand by what they’ve told us.”

Since the introduction of the 12-team CFP, the selection committee has claimed that teams will not be punished for losing in conference championship games. However, as conference championship weekend approaches, this potential side effect of success is continuing to bother fans around the nation.

Perhaps nobody understands this stress more than Jim Phillips. Both Clemson and SMU are on the edge of the CFP this season. In the latest CFP rankings, SMU landed at No. 9 while Clemson trailed closely behind at No. 12.

In other words, another loss would likely knock either team out of College Football Playoff contention. On Saturday, Clemson suffered such a loss, falling 17-14 to in-state rival South Carolina.

Unlike Clemson, SMU won on Saturday, closing the regular season with an 11-1 record and undefeated in conference play. Nonetheless, detractors could make an argument against SMU if it lost to Clemson in the ACC Championship due to its lack of quality victories.

SMU hasn’t defeated a team this season that is currently ranked in the AP Top 25. Phillips believes SMU shouldn’t be punished if it loses to Clemson in the ACC title game — despite any question marks surrounding the Mustangs’ strength of the schedule.

Phillips isn’t only standing up for the programs in his conference but all potential playoff contenders. After all, SMU is far from the only team on the edge of the CFP. Teams such as Georgia will also be in an unprecedented situation on Selection Sunday if it loses in its respective conference championship.