Clemson football: Dan Radakovich addresses potential expanded CFB Playoff

Clemson football fans are about to see a different era of College Football unfold right before their eyes.

While nothing is official yet, the CFB Playoff Committee announced last week that it had received a recommendation to expand the playoff from a four-team field to a 12-team field that would include six automatic-qualifiers through the top-ranked six conference champions. The other six other spots would be given through at-large bids.

Dan Radakovich made an appearance on Packer & Durham and was asked about the expansion. He said that he was happy with the process, but believes they have to be careful about the amount of games and time they are placing on the football players.

"“That’s more opportunities for student-athletes to participate,” Radakovich said via The Spun. “I think we have to be really careful as we look at the student-athlete and the time and effort they’re putting into the sport. Certainly part of the process was to get more teams to participate in the College Football Playoff and broaden its reach. That was accomplished. I thought that the idea that this was done over two years with those four individuals — that was fantastic — that no one really got a whiff of it until the time when they thought the cake was fully baked.”"

Radakovich also said that the six automatic-qualifying bids should keep the workload on the CFB Playoff committee to a relative minimum as it will only have to technically select six at-large teams.

"“They’re going from choosing from four to six, because six will be conference champions. Right now conference championships are important, but they’re not automatic. So now that we have six automatic berths put into the 12, the College Football Playoff committee certainly has to continue to rank them, that’s important, but really they’re selection is the other six at-large bids.“Will it be a little bit different of a dynamic? It could be. But I don’t think it’s that big of a lift for them to move from a committee perspective from four to 12.”"

One advantage for Clemson football in the expanded playoffs will be ‘room for error’

More than anything, Clemson will be able to have some ‘room for error’ with an expanded CFB Playoff field.

The Tigers are currently in a system where they must go at least 11-1 and there are many analysts and fans who believe they’d be left out in a given year if they went anything less than 12-0 in the regular season.

If you look back at the 2018 season, there are many who would argue that Clemson football would’ve been left out had the Tigers lost to Syracuse the day that Trevor Lawrence went out with an injury and Chase Brice filled in, ultimately leading Clemson to a dramatic come-from-behind victory in Death Valley.

The one thing this new system will bring is a safety net for Clemson.

If the Tigers fall short in a regular season game, it doesn’t mean that they’re out of playoff contention. As long as they win their conference, there’s a solid chance they’ll be one of the six highest-ranking conference champions and will be in the field.