Swinney says ACC should have two CFP teams, Ohio St. lack of games an issue |
Clemson coach
Dabo Swinney has been nothing if consistent on whether the Playoff committee should knock 2020 season late-comers in the Big Ten or Pac-12.
This week, Ohio State's maximum games dropped to six before the Dec. 20 decision day, up against a potential 11 contests from either ACC or SEC title game participant. As far as Swinney is concerned, the ACC has already locked up two bids no matter what happens in next week's ACC Championship (4 p.m. ABC broadcast on Dec. 19). And he's leaning toward the CFP being an ACC-SEC invitiational. “It’s a tough question to answer in my position because we feel like we’re definitely one of the four best teams in the country and there’s nothing in that game that’s gonna happen in that game for Clemson or Notre Dame that’s gonna change that in my opinion," Swinney said on the Rich Eisen Show. "And that’s based on data. It’s almost like you’ve got to have 120 hours to get a business degree but yet these people over here only need 60 hours to get a business degree. Any time you step in between the lines in college football there’s a lot that can happen. A lot. Heck, in 2017 we lost to a 3 or 4-win Syracuse team and still went to the Playoff. Anything can happen. Guys can get hurt. A lot. "The fact that we’re going to have 11 games as well as the SEC teams -- you look at Florida, Texas A&M and Alabama -- those teams are going to have 11 games this year? It’s incredible." Texas A&M (7-1) sits at No. 5 in the Playoff rankings behind Ohio State, but the Aggies had a third game-week cancellation that will leave them with a maximum of nine games (they finish at Tennessee next week). Florida (8-1; hosts LSU this week) and Alabama (9-0; goes to Arkansas this week) meet in next week's SEC Championship (8 p.m./CBS). Outside of the ACC and presumably Alabama, Swinney said he would favor the committee picking Texas A&M or Florida for a final Playoff spot. "I wouldn’t have an issue with it because it’s not my position to have an issue with it," Swinney said when asked if he had an issue with Ohio State's possible CFP inclusion. "My position is to coach my team regardless of whatever. And you hate it -- I just think there has to be some sort of standard. I just think if I was on a committee, it would be hard for me to leave out a 10-1 Texas A&M or an 11-game Florida team over a team that’s played six games. That would be hard for me if I was on the committee. But I’m not on the committee so it doesn’t really matter. "And that doesn’t mean they aren’t a great team. And could win the whole thing. I just think from a big picture standpoint -- I would lean toward rewarding the teams that have been all-in and it’s been an incredible challenge." Should a team playing half a normal college football season be eligible for the #CFBPlayoff?
We posed that question to #Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney: pic.twitter.com/7fgr2eCYDA
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