Dabo Swinney wary of expanded CFP's 'unintended consequences' - ESPN

CLEMSON, S.C. — Dabo Swinney used to say he'd be in favor of college football returning to the BCS era for the postseason, and while he's changed his tune a bit as the sport heads into its first season with a 12-team playoff, he said he's wary of potential «unintended consequences» he foresees as a result of the increased emphasis on the playoff.

Clemson's coach said Tuesday he anticipates the shift to an expanded playoff could lead to frequent in-season opt-outs from players or teams sitting their stars if a playoff berth is already locked up.

«You'll probably see some guys, if you're 4-4 and out of the playoffs, will probably head off to Arizona and train [for the NFL],» Swinney said. «You'll see some situations like the NFL, where if the Ravens are in the playoffs and have it locked up with one more game that really means nothing, do you play Lamar [Jackson] in that game?»

Unlike the NFL's final week, however, Swinney noted a team's decision to rest stars at the college level could impact historic rivalry games.

«Maybe you're 11-0 and have a rivalry game,» Swinney said, «but you have your biggest foe the next week in a conference championship and if you win that game, you're going to get a [playoff] bye. Those are things that you'll see play out all through college football.»

Swinney said college football has become more «NFL-like» with playoff expansion from two teams to four to 12, (and, he said there's an expectation it will expand again in two years), shifting the focus from winning every game during the regular season to winning enough to make the playoff.

In Clemson's case, the Tigers open this season against Georgia in a matchup that comes with ample hype but, because of the expanded playoff, also doesn't