Clemson football: Loyola boasted as banner child for expanded CFB Playoff

Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei(5) passes during football practice in Clemson, S.C. Monday, March 8, 2021.Clemson Spring Football Practice March 8
Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei(5) passes during football practice in Clemson, S.C. Monday, March 8, 2021.Clemson Spring Football Practice March 8 /
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People are tired seeing Clemson football year-in and year-out. They want an expanded CFB Playoff

The Clemson football program- along with Alabama and a small handful of other teams- has dominated the CFB Playoff era and people are growing tired of seeing the same teams at the top year-in and year-out.

Clemson football has made the CFB Playoff six-straight times- tied for most appearances with Alabama- and either the Tigers or Crimson Tide have played for the National Championship in each of the last seven seasons.

Now, an impressive run by none other than the Loyola Chicago Ramblers through the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament has people talking again of CFB Playoff expansion.

The RedditCFB account posted that Loyola was a ‘legitimate top 10 team‘ prior to the tournament and that the committee disrespected the Ramblers. Still, they got a chance to prove themselves on the court.

Unfortunately, as RedditCFB points out, that’s not the case with Group of 5 champions.

Many Clemson football fans are for playoff expansion, but let’s not pretend that it wouldn’t end with the same results

I’m not here to tell you where to stand on CFB Playoff expansion. I love football and personally am going to take as much of it as I possibly can get.

That being said, football and basketball are two different sports.

Yes, anything can happen on any given Saturday, but it’s not the same. In basketball, you can experience and will have upsets like Loyola over Illinois. You’ll have a team from a mid-major knock off a perennial power. It always seems to happen.

Could the same thing happen in football? Absolutely. But is it going to happen at the same rate? Absolutely not.

There are a handful of Group-of-5 teams who could’ve competed with teams like Oklahoma, Michigan State, Florida State and others who made the CFB Playoff in the past. But let’s also not pretend that they are legitimate contenders every single year or that UCF or Cincinnati would beat a Clemson, Alabama or Ohio State.

Still, as I said earlier: I’m not against more football.

Let’s expand the playoff to eight teams and give everyone a chance. It’ll be fun.

But don’t be mad when you end up with the same finals.

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