By Will Vandervort.

By Will Vandervort

CLEMSON — Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney does not know what everyone else’s opinion is on Notre Dame being named a partial member of the ACC today, but he knows he likes it.

“I think it is a real positive,” Swinney said after Wednesday’s practice. “I’m sure somebody is going to come up with something negative, but I don’t really see a negative. I think it is a great thing for our conference. I’m not a huge Notre Dame fan, but I do have a ton of respect for their program and the tradition of their program. It is what it is.

“When you have a program like that, which chooses to join your conference, I think that isn’t anything but a positive thing. Where it goes, who knows? But they are committed to playing five games and that’s outstanding for our conference. We will see what happens down the road.”

One thing Clemson would like to see happen is the ACC’s nine-game conference schedule, which is slated to begin next year,  go back to eight now that Notre Dame is on five ACC team’s schedules . Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick said Wednesday their goal is to start playing five ACC schools each year in football by the start of the 2014 season.

The ACC is expected to have a round-robin like scheduling with ACC football members and the Irish. That means Clemson could play Notre Dame by the 2018 football season.

As for the nine-game schedule, Swinney says it would not hurt any of the football coaches’ feelings if the conference decided to go back to nine games. ACC Commissioner John Swofford confirmed ESPN and the conference are opening up TV negotiations again, and ACC athletic directors can put the nine-game schedule debate back on the table for review.

“I would love that,” Swinney said. “I don’t know if that will happen, but that would be ideal for us and Florida State in particular because our natural rivals are not in our conference. That is the problem. Otherwise it is only good when you have it at home. So you can potentially have only six home games on some years, and that is not good for Clemson.

“That is not good for our community here.”

Injury updates. Swinney said left guard David Beasley (knee) will be available to play against Furman, but he says he will be a game-time decision on whether he uses him. He also said linebacker Tig Willard’s (shoulder) playing status will also be determined on game day.

Left tackle Gifford Timothy (knee) will see action this Saturday as will linebacker Tony Steward (hamstring).