Talks have surfaced lately about the NCAA expanding the College Football Playoff field from 12 teams to 24 teams.
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said on Tuesday that ACC coaches have expressed their support for the expansion, but Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal did not sound too thrilled about the 24-team playoff discussion.
“I’m not for the 24 team thing, that’s a lot. Why play a regular season then? And I’m certainly not for automatic bids,” Cristobal said during an episode of “This I Football” with Kevin Clark.
How would Mario Cristobal change the college football postseason?
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) May 13, 2026
-Finish the season earlier. One bye week then start games.
-Do NOT expand to 24 teams.
"I'm not for the 24 team thing, that's a lot. Why play a regular season then? And I'm certianly not for automatic bids." https://t.co/ChmBdEMsFt pic.twitter.com/rpxxO0tafg
Mario Cristobal also had a suggestion to change the calendar, which has been a topic due to the long layoff between the conference title games and the first round of the College Football Playoff.
This past season, Miami snuck into the 12-team Playoff field, although many thought Notre Dame should’ve earned the spot over the Hurricanes.
In the end, the Hurricanes made a run to the title game before losing to Fernando Mendoza and the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers.
For now, the 24-team College Football Playoff field is starting to gain traction, and it could be a matter of time.
