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In order for a conference to hold a title game in college football, it has satisfy these requirements: the conference must have at least 12 members and those members must play round-robin division schedules. Those rules have become increasingly cumbersome as conferences have grown more unwieldy thanks to expansion.
Both the ACC and Big XII have been pushing for changes to the rules, and according to CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd, they're going to get them in 2016.
The move would directly impact the Big 12 and ACC, which developed the legislation. The Big 12, which is the only Power Five league without a championship game, is merely seeking the option of staging such a contest with 10 teams. The ACC's ultimate intentions with a 14-team league in football, one which already holds a championship game, are not clear.
There is some speculation in the article that the ACC might look at realignment, perhaps going so far as to reshuffle its members into three divisions. But while the league wants more flexibility in establishing a championship format, that doesn't mean it's going to jump at the opportunity to make changes right away.
From the ACC: Their interest is in deregulating the conf. championship format, but not as a means to change their structure for football
— Joe Giglio (@jwgiglio) April 7, 2015
In short: they proposed the legislation but are pleased with the results their format has produced, in particular, the past two seasons
— Joe Giglio (@jwgiglio) April 7, 2015
As a conference, they want to have a say over the format to determine the champion, that's all
— Joe Giglio (@jwgiglio) April 7, 2015
My interpretation: Given the success the ACC has had the past two years in the postseason, they have little incentive to change
— Joe Giglio (@jwgiglio) April 7, 2015
The two-division format worked out great for the ACC last season--the league got a great title game, and its champion got into the College Football Playoff. The important thing moving forward is that they won't be stuck with such a rigid setup should it begin to feel disadvantageous to the conference.
The added flexibility could also help the ACC solve some scheduling problems--if teams aren't forced into a round-robin divisional slate, they can work their way through the entire league more frequently. You know, so we don't end up with schools going a half decade between playing each other. Annoying expansion-related stuff like that could be mitigated to some degree, if the league wanted to go that route.
But everything will remain the same in the near term; this legislation is just an example of the ACC being proactive. Which is good. I'm all for that. I wouldn't mind blowing up the current two-division setup tomorrow, though.