Bill Belichick isn’t hiding where he stands on the College Football Playoff conversation. If college football goes bigger, the UNC coach is ready to call it a win.
On his weekly appearance on Carolina Football Live with Jones Angell, Belichick threw his support behind the idea of a 24-team field. He said the larger setup could clear up the endless arguments over who belongs and who doesn’t.
"Sounds great to me," Belichick said. "That's probably what you need is enough teams so that there's no question about who the best team is. Some teams start fast, and other teams come on late."
That’s the heart of the pitch for expansion: more teams, fewer complaints, and a postseason that leaves less room for debate. The proposal is not finalized, but Belichick made it clear he thinks 24 teams would give more programs the chance to settle things on the field.
He also believes the format would energize the sport.
"When you have the top 24 teams, I think that will be a tremendous boost to college football," Belichick added. "It's kind of like you have in basketball, a 64-team tournament. It generates a lot of interest, so I think it would probably be the same in college football."
For North Carolina, the idea carries an obvious upside, even if the Tar Heels are not close to playoff contention right now. A bigger bracket creates a longer path, and it gives more programs a real shot at entering the discussion if they build toward it.
The broader point is pretty clear from Belichick’s comments: he’s firmly in favor of a playoff that includes more teams, and he’s not alone. As the idea gains momentum, he sounds like a coach who sees it as a natural next step for the sport.
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The timing matters, too, with UNC sitting 3-2 overall and 1-1 in ACC play as it heads into a run that includes Duke, Syracuse and Miami. The Syracuse game will also be labeled Family Football Day, but the bigger draw may be the atmosphere itself, with Tar Heels supporters finally getting the kind of prime-time setting they have been hoping to see in Chapel Hill. [Read more 🡒]