Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is adding to the college football debate regarding conference strength, recounting a pointed remark he shared with ESPN's Heather Dinich. “I had a coach that played Clemson last year say, ‘Put Clemson on my schedule every week compared to playing SEC teams…’” Kiffin recalled. “But there might be years that also the ACC really does have real teams.”
Kiffin acknowledged that the Atlantic Coast Conference is not without merit, stressing there are seasons when the ACC produces legitimate national contenders.
The Southeastern Conference and the Big 10 commissioner and athletic directors have held various conversations surrounding a possible change in the CFP format. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey touched on the topic. "Well, I would never give away how close we are to doing something in a meeting. I think Tony and I spoke 4 out of 5 days last week. Jim and I either talked on the phone or communicated 3 out of 5 days last week. We had a different view coming out of Destin around the notion of allocations, if you will, and I think you'll probably hear that again from our coaches. The Big Ten has a different view. That's fine. We have a 12-team playoff, five conference champions. That could stay if we can't agree."
The SEC and ACC could have some power together on the shaping of the CFP, with the Big 10 unwilling to switch to a 5+11 model as the Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is passionately pushing, unless both the SEC and ACC switch to a nine-game format, league games that is. The Southeastern Conference wraps up its Media Days on Thursday from Atlanta, while the ACC is set for its version of Media Days, known as ACC Kickoff, July 22–24 in Charlotte, NC.