It was only a matter of time until this happened. The College Football Playoff is expanding to 24 teams, with the breaking news arriving earlier this week. Let's call this what it is: a money grab for ESPN, and nothing more. With conference championship games going away, countless people aren't happy at all. The long list includes Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.
While meeting with the media during his first presser of the week, the veteran coach was, of course, asked about the expansion. To put it simply, Swinney said that while he understood why this decision was made to make the leap from 12 to 24, he's not a fan of it. Can anyone blame him for this?
Dabo: "I've been through all of it." He played in the first SEC championship game with Alabama, has coached in other SEC title games as a Bama assistant and has a 9-1 record in ACC title games at Clemson. Dabo: "But there's too many games (now). There's no way it could work" https://t.co/XMOZslE9xr
— Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) November 10, 2026
Dabo Swinney's disappointment with the College Football Playoff expanding is shared by many
"Just like anything and everything that has happened in college football, there's unintended consequences," Swinney said. "And it don't matter what you talk about, it don't matter what people say, sometimes it just has to happen before anyone will say, 'well, yup, that's what we're dealing with.' I get it, I understand it. It's just all (about) money. It's the world we're in."
Tell us how you really feel, Dabo. While 24 teams will obviously improve the Tigers' chances of reaching the CFP next season, it won't come with the same amount of pride as it would have in 2026. The more teams that are in the bracket, the easier it gets, period. Everyone is going to have to get ready for some terrible first-round matchups, but as long as more money is getting made, it doesn't matter to a lot of people.
However, it sure does to plenty of folks in Death Valley, which is why all of these changes are taking away from the game we always knew and loved. Winning a conference title used to mean something. It's also something Swinney was quite familiar with.
In total, Swinney has a 9-1 record in the ACC Championship Game, with his last win coming in 2024. That was a total thriller against SMU, with the Tigers punching their ticket to the 12-team Playoff. That was downright unforgettable, man.
With Clemson at 6-3 following the nail-biting win on the road against Syracuse, the door remains open for the Tigers to get back to Charlotte. This edition of the ACC Championship Game has extra meaning, as it's going to be the last one ever. Extra motivation for Swinney and his players to close out the season undefeated to push for one last win in a conference title game? Sure, why the heck not.
Regardless, it's a major bummer overall that college football has brought so many changes in recent years. Traditions are being killed off left and right, with players, coaches, and fans suffering the most. What's next? Clemson vs. South Carolina gets sent to the moon, too?
That likely will never happen, but who knows anymore. Swinney went on to add that all he can do moving forward is focus on the task at hand, which is now a date with Georgia Tech in Week 11. That's fine and well, but the ol' ball coach seems ticked off about the breaking news that arrived this week, and I don't blame him one bit.
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