How could you let this happen, Jim Phillips?

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is experiencing a nightmare this football season.

The best ACC teams are not in the conference championship game. And its best team is unlikely to be invited to the 12-school College Football Playoff.

How could this happened?

The ACC is using outdated criteria to determine its championship game participants. Virginia is going based on their conference record, despite no quality wins. Duke, with a 7-5 record including a 6-2 conference record, is headed to Charlotte. Five schools are tied for second place in the conference with an identical 6-2 conference record. The tie breaker, opponent winning percentage used is outdated, implemented when the playoffs were a four-team format. Common opponent record was not considered.

Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich, in an interview on Monday, stated the ACC should revisit its tiebreaker system to ensure the conference "puts its best foot forward" in the conference championship game.

"We've got to get a little better at that," said Radakovich. “…and I can't tell you what the answer is right now, but I think we've got to look at some different things… that might be able make sure that the league is going to put its best foot forward."

The ACC Nightmare…

The ACC is in a nightmare scenario where it may not have any team in the national playoff. More qualified teams such as SMU, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech and Miami will be sitting at home next weekend. If Duke beats Virginia, it is likely the CFP will not invite any ACC to the national playoff.

“The Buck Stops Here!”

The buck must stop at commissioner Jim Phillips. His continued lack of leadership in many critical areas of the new college landscape has resulted in the ACC becoming an increasingly irrelevant conference in the FBS.

BOTTOM LINE:

By 2030, as many as half of the ACC schools will have withdrawn from the conference. They have no choice.

“If you continue to do the same thing, you should expect the same results.”

GO CANES!