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Clemson University head football coach Dabo Swinney got roasted by one of the most influential commentators in the nation this week after suggesting there could be “unintended consequences” to college football’s decision to adopt a 12-team playoff format.
The 2024 season – one of dramatic conference expansion and realignment – also marks the implementation of the NCAA’s latest attempt to refine its postseason process. After a decade of using the current College Football Playoff (CFP) model – which pitted the nation’s top four programs – this year will see the CFP welcome a twelve-team field.
How does it work? The five highest-ranked conference champions will receive automatic bids to the new playoff format, with the top four-ranked champions receiving a first-round bye. Those teams seeded fifth through twelfth will play against each other for the right to advance to a quarterfinal round.
At that point, it’s head-to-head the rest of the way with the quarterfinals and semi-finals incorporating the traditional New Year’s Six bowl games.
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Swinney expressed concern this week that this new format would lead to star players abandoning teams that were out of playoff contention – or result in them opting out of games (including refusing to play in long-standing rivalries) if they were on a team which had already secured its playoff berth.
Those worries – which are not without merit – earned Swinney the unrestrained ire of Paul Finebaum, an ESPN analyst and featured commentator on the SEC Network.
“I found it ironic that Dabo Swinney is upset about the new system,” Finebaum said. “I mean, he hasn’t been to the playoffs in four years, and he’s not going this year. So, Dabo, just get over it. You’re going to be watching it from home. Enjoy it.”
Whoa …
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.@finebaum reacts to Dabo Swinney's recent comments on the new CFP format potentially bringing about "unintended consequences" ?
— First Take (@FirstTake) July 18, 2024
"He hasn't been to the playoffs in four years, and he's not going this year. So Dabo, just get over it. You're going to be watching it from home." pic.twitter.com/CnmbpHvbYd
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“This is the best thing that’s happened to college football in a long time, and leave it to Dabo Swinney – the curmudgeon, even though he’s still in his 50s – telling all the kids to get off his lawn,” Finebaum said. “I don’t know what’s wrong with this man. He’s won a couple of championships. He’s had great teams. His dynasty and his era is over, so enjoy the $10 million a year and be quiet.”
Brutal …
But .. is the expanded playoff format Swinney is questioning really the best thing to happen to college football? Or, more accurately, is it the best thing to happen to its two “super-conferences,” the SEC and the Big Ten?
No media outlet has been harsher in its criticism of Swinney than this one. In years past, I’ve derided him as “all-hype,” and argued the key ingredient to Clemson’s recent run of success was the presence of its former defensive coordinator (and current Oklahoma head coach), Brent Venables. In fact, I think that argument still holds water considering Swinney is a solid 49-26 (.651) in games coached without Venables – but a sensational 121-17 (.874) with him on the sidelines.
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Still, the 54-year-old Birmingham, Alabama native makes some good points – and as the fourth-winningest active coach in the NCAA, he’s earned the right to make them. Also, something I’ve noticed of late is that when Swinney speaks his mind on matters related to his program, it’s difficult to argue he doesn’t have Clemson’s best interests at heart.
As for Finebaum, perhaps he’s just chaffed Clemson rebuked ESPN’s attempt to force the school to move its rivalry game with South Carolina to Black Friday? And got marching orders from the Disney brass to use his platform to exact a bit of corporate revenge?
Or perhaps he’s just been shilling for the SEC for so long such stridence toward Swinney is reflexive?
Either way, we’ll start finding out in forty-five days who is right … and who is wrong.
Clemson opens its upcoming slate on Saturday, August 31, 2024 against presumed No. 1 Georgia in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Expect the Tigers to be a heavy underdog in one of the biggest “yardstick” games of college football’s opening weekend.
BANNER: Travis Bell Columbia SC Photographers
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina and before that he was a bass guitarist and dive bar bouncer. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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1 comment
Dabo isn’t wrong.