CHAPEL HILL — University of North Carolina Chancellor Lee Roberts is taking on a big role in intercollegiate athletics.

Roberts, who has been the university’s chancellor for two years first as interim and then as permanent, joined the College Football Playoff Board of Managers. The managers have authority over the appointment of officers, changes to the company’s purpose and approval of the annual budget.

Roberts attended his first meetings Sunday before Monday’s national championship game in Miami. He said most of the discussions were about expansion of the current 12-team format. A management committee of conference commissioners will make decisions about expansion, but that committee reports directly to the managers.

There are 11 university presidents and chancellors on the board, one representing each Football Bowl Subdivision conference plus Notre Dame. Roberts replaced retired Clemson President Jim Clements.

“I’m honored to have the chance to represent the ACC,” Roberts told WRAL on Thursday.

In a statement, he said, “I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the playoff serves student-athletes and the long-term future of college football.”

There has been some support to expand the playoff field from its current 12 teams to 14, 16 or even 24 teams. Expanding the field will require agreement between the SEC and the Big Ten, the two richest and most powerful conferences in college football.

There are also concerns about the calendar and the amount of travel required of teams and fans in the current format.

“It continues to be a significant time in college athletics, inclusive of college football, and Chancellor Roberts will provide excellent vision and guidance in this important role,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement.

Roberts’ biggest decision with athletics so far in his tenure was the hire of NFL coaching legend Bill Belichick to coach the UNC football program. Belichick’s hire brought unprecedented attention to the Tar Heels and a surge in ticket sales, donations and sponsorships. But the Tar Heels went 4-8 and were outclassed at times during Belichick’s first season.

“I think we feel great about where the football program is,” Roberts said Thursday. “The intent was to make a long-term commitment to success in football. We’re not alone in that. I don’t know who you could point to who’s not making a significant investment in football across the Power 4.”

Roberts said UNC’s peer institutions such as Michigan, Virginia, Florida, Cal and UCLA are “investing at least as much as we are in football.” And, he said, other schools such as Vanderbilt, Duke and Georgia Tech are “all trying to significantly raise their game in football.”

“That’s the environment that we are in, and we’re going to continue to invest in the football program,” Roberts said. “I think you saw a lot of attention being paid to our football program this year, and that’s what we want.”

NC State athletics director Boo Corrigan served as chairman of the selection committee for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.