AAC commissioner Mike Aresco throws support behind Playoff expansion model, outlines obstacles
By Keith Farner
Published:
Mike Aresco is well-versed in all the issues surrounding College Football Playoff expansion, and the AAC commissioner in a letter on Monday outlined the main issues.
Aresco said his conference strongly supports the 12-team expansion model, and hopes to see it implemented as soon as it’s practical. Aresco said this proposed model creates a better playoff with a solid foundation that has fairness, integrity and equal access to help the overall health of college football.
“We are on the clock, and our window is narrowing for an agreement on a plan that could be implemented in 2024 and 2025. And although frustration has intensified, there is still hope,” he wrote.
In our view, there are two main issues. One is the ACC’s publicly-registered opposition to expanding the playoff at the current time, citing health and safety concerns as well as the uncertainty and instability of the current college sports landscape. The other is a proposal advanced relatively recently by a few conferences for a 5+1 format, which would award automatic qualification (“AQ”) to the five current NCAA autonomy conferences (“A5”), the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Big 12, PAC 12, and which would award one slot to the top-rated so-called Group of Five champion. Other issues include the position of contract bowls, including the Rose Bowl, in an expanded playoff, revenue distribution under a new plan, and the location of first and second-round games (home sites or in bowls), but there is reason to believe these other issues can be successfully addressed.
We strongly support the (12-team College Football Playoff) proposal as originally set forth by the Working Group, which we hope to see implemented as soon as practicality permits.https://t.co/Ou8tlBQidh pic.twitter.com/wnNo0z7Xju
— American Football (@American_FB) February 14, 2022
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
