More teams could be added to the college football playoff format in the near future, and that's a benefit to the Orange.
According to ESPN's Andrea Adelson, Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner Jim Phillips believes more teams in a postseason tournament is important for the future.
"When you're leaving national-championship-contending teams out of the playoff, you don't have the right number," Phillips said. "We suffered through it with Florida State when the field was four, and I know other schools have suffered for it, and I've said this very directly. Notre Dame was a CFP-worthy team this year. "
Phillips, along with the Big XII conference, are in favor of expanding the current college football playoff from 12 teams to 24 teams.
When could a 24-team playoff format be put in place?
The 12-team playoff format will stay in tact for at least the upcoming college football season. The commissioners of the Power Four conferences are scheduled to meet again next month and the SEC and Big Ten commissioners would also have to agree about any potential alterations. Any changes to the 2027 format would have to be approved by Dec. 1.
What would be a potential hold up in changing the tournament size?
According to Phillips, despite the ACC being in support of an expansion to 24 schools, the tournament's television partner, ESPN, does want the field to expand past 12 or 16 teams. Why would ESPN not be for expansion?
According to The Athletic's Chris Vannini, the push back on a bigger field has to do with television rights. Vannini posted this message on X
"As we've reported for a while at @TheAthletic, ESPN doesn't want a 24-team CFP. That's partly because it means more CFP games go to market (cc Fox), but also because it gets rid of the TV-valuable conference title games and brings concerns about regular season value."
Why Syracuse fans should want a 24-team playoff format
Since joining the ACC in 2013, the Orange have had only two double-digit win seasons and two Top-25 finishes. Despite some success, Syracuse has never been selected to participate in the college football playoff.
More teams means more opportunities for schools to compete for a national championship. Since adopting the College Football Playoff format in 2024, the NCAA has used four and 12-team formats.
If the field was at 24 teams in 2018 or 2024, Syracuse would have had a chance to compete for a national title. SU and its fans should welcome the opportunity to get to do that.
The hope is that with a larger field and being a member of a Power Four conference, Syracuse's chances of getting a bid has at least increased. That possibility should keep fans engaged throughout the season and should help the program stay relevant each year.
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