The Pac-12 will feature its two top teams in its conference title game rather than one team per division after a ruling Wednesday that cleared the way for conferences to have more flexibility with their decisions.
The NCAA Division I Council announced that it would relax restrictions on conference title games within college football. Conferences that previously had to include two division winners in their title games no longer will be required to do so.
The Pac-12 acted quickly after the announcement, saying that its conference title games would involve the two teams with the highest winning percentage regardless of whether they played in the same division. This change will start with the 2022 season.
“Our goal is to place our two best teams in our Pac-12 Football Championship Game, which we believe will provide our conference with the best opportunity to optimize CFP invitations and ultimately win national championships,” said Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff in a news release. “Today’s decision is an important step towards that goal and immediately increases both fan interest in, and the media value of, our Football Championship Game.”
The Atlantic Coast Conference could follow suit, with changes most likely to take effect in the 2023 season.
“The two drivers to this: One, is the opportunity for our student-athletes to play every school in the ACC over a four-year period of time,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said last week. “The other piece of it is, I’ve always felt that was a local decision about how you handle your conference. You’re seeing that across multiple conferences that they’d like to dictate what their championship structure looks like, and which will lead into eventually an expanded football playoff.
“You want your two best teams to have a chance to play at the end of the year for a lot of reasons.”
–Field Level Media
De’Veon Smith’s 1-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter vaulted the Arlington Renegades to a 12-10 win over the host San Antonio Brahmas on Sunday night. Smith finished with…
The Carolina Panthers signed free agent wide receiver Adam Thielen on Sunday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The 32-year-old veteran had spent his first nine NFL seasons with…
The Tennessee Titans are signing linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair to a one-year contract, NFL Network reported Sunday. The $5 million deal includes a $3.17 million signing bonus and can rise to…
Panthers sign former Vikings WR Adam Thielen
Report: Titans signing LB Azeez Al-Shaair to one-year deal
Missouri LB Chad Bailey arrested on DWI suspicion, suspended
Dartmouth coach ‘Buddy’ Teevens in hospital following accident