Dabo Swinney will be present at the ACC Media Days on Thursday in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Clemson coach let the ‘cat out of the bag’ Tuesday, telling local media that the Tigers are not happy with the possible 12-team College Football Playoff expansion. The CFP could triple in size, from four to twelve teams as early as the 2023 campaign. The move would make it easier for lesser known teams to get to the playoffs, but on the other hand, it could prove to be more challenging for the yearly contenders, such as Clemson.
“Our team wasn’t for it, Swinney said, according to The Athletic’s Grace Raynor. “They don’t want to play more games. And to be honest with you, I don’t think there’s 12 teams good enough.”
The thought of a 12-team playoff tournament is big news among team personnel, with three of the Power Five conferences around the country holding their media days. While the new format has been mostly embraced, it is not hard to see why Swinney wouldn’t endorse the change.
Clemson has gotten into the CFP six consecutive seasons and won two national championships in 2016 and 2018, while finishing in second place in 2015 and 2019. As presently constructed, the most time Clemson can take the field is fifteen if they are fortunate enough to make the ACC championship game. With a 12-team tournament, they would have to extend their season by two games potentially, if they weren’t selected as a top-four team that would be granted a bye week.
According to Swinney, “Maybe we should have a 40-team Premier League with a 12-team Playoff and if you stink you get relegated to the other level or something. I don’t know.”
Swinney probably will be asked to clarify his position on the probable new format changes in Charlotte this week. As of now, it is perceived that this change is going to happen if Swinney and Clemson like it or not.
“I wasn’t for the four-team (playoff),” he said, according to The Athletic. “I don’t ever get it right. … I love the college game and I loved it when it was a big deal to be top 25, top 15, top 10, go win the bowl game.”
