CLEMSON- Another big change for college football is on the horizon.

The House settlement is expected to be finalized at some point next year, and with it will come sweeping changes. One of those will be new rules surrounding the roster limits.

When it comes to Clemson specifically, there is one question that looms large. What happens when rosters are expanded from 85 to 105? Something that is expected to happen in time for the 2025 season.

TCI has already reported that the school has every intention on utilizing the maximum number of full scholarships, meaning when the rosters expand, the Tigers will have 20 more spots to fill. If indeed that goes into effect ahead of next season, how does Swinney choose to go about filling those open roster spots?

The settlement could be finalized as early as sometime in the spring. There are still a couple of more steps that have to be taken, including the players signing off. Looking at that kind of timing, there wouldn’t be many options when it comes to filling those spots for next season. The 2025 class will have already been signed. The only things you could really do at that point would be to go to the portal, or give out scholarships to players already on the roster that do not currently have one.

Going to the portal might not be as optimal an option as it would appear on the surface. With the NCAA looking to do away with the spring window, options could be limited at that time of year, and every school in the country will be looking fill those extra spots as well.

What might be more likely to happen is the staff attempting to address that in the 2026 class. To this point the Tigers have only handed out 36 offers, but it’s not like the coaches can start handing out offers for those extra spots before the settlement is finalized.

Looking ahead, it’s hard to imagine trying to fill all those openings without getting at least a little help from the portal. Maybe this is the change that finally forces Swinney to embrace the portal a little more openly.

We’re not talking about just filling a gap or two. We’re talking 20 more scholarships per year that will need to be utilized. Choosing to use all 20 on high school kids in the 2026 class means you’re looking at a whole lot of inexperienced freshmen on the roster that season.

Swinney has been heavily scrutinized for his portal philosophy since its inception, and while he has been hammered repeatedly for not bringing in any transfers over the offseason, the staff did actually attempt to add an offensive lineman or two. But now, instead of dipping a toe or two into those waters, it could be time to at least wade in waist-deep.

At this point, only one thing is certain. That is the fact that rosters expanding to 105 will be a massive change for the sport, particularly at Clemson, where the program takes such a methodical approach to the recruiting process. Once the changes are finalized, it should be fascinating to watch just how Swinney and his staff respond.

A limited number of signed footballs from Clemson’s 2022 class are still available.  Get yours while supplies last!  Visit Clemson Variety & Frame or purchase online!