On Monday, it was officially announced that the College Football Playoff would be expanding to 24 teams beginning next season.

As part of that expansion, conference championship games will cease to exist after the current season, meaning the 2026 ACC Championship Game will be the league’s last.

During his radio show Monday night, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney commented on the latest shift in the college football landscape.

“I get it. I understand it. I think it is too many, but it does not really matter what I think,” Swinney said.

“I do think the 24 is being driven by the TV and all that stuff. That is what they want and that is where it is going to go. There will be some unintended consequences. Like everything that happens, you will kind of drive the car a little bit, and you will kind of see it more like you see in pro football. It is going to affect some games. If you are a high seed in the playoff and you are already 11-0 or 10-1 and know you are already in, why would you play your starters in a rivalry game, for example? There will be some interesting situations and conversations. It is what it is.”

The longtime head coach isn’t a fan of the conference championship games going away, seeing as he’s been a part of so many, and that includes playing in the very first SEC Championship Game in 1992.

“I hate to see the conference championship games go away,” Swinney added. “I just think that is such a great thing in college football. I have been a part of all of it. When I was a player, we did not have conference championship games. You just played your games, and then there were tiebreakers and all that. They just sent you a ring and a plaque.

“My freshman year in ’89, we were SEC champs, but if you look it up, LSU was SEC champs too. So, we were both co-champs that year. Both got rings, trophies, and all that stuff. Then they expanded, brought South Carolina and Arkansas in, and I played in the first-ever SEC Championship game. Ever. The ’92 SEC Championship Game. And that was the first conference championship game ever. So, I got a unique perspective in history on it. Then I coached in it in ’93, coached in it in ’94, coached in it in ’96, coached in it in ’99, and then I come to Clemson, and I guess we have been in it 10 times. I just think it is a great experience. It is great to be able to and win your championship. Because when you do declare it, you can not play everybody in your league.”

During his time at Clemson, Swinney has led the Tigers to 10 appearances in the ACC Championship Game. After losing in his first trip to Georgia Tech back in 2009, Swinney’s teams have reeled off nine straight wins in the game, with the most recent coming in 2024, when Nolan Hauser’s walk-off 56-yard field goal propelled Clemson to a win over SMU and an appearance in the first-ever 12-team playoff.

“We have been a part of all of it,” Swinney said. “We were a part of the BCS, the final four, this 12-team deal they had, and we will look forward to being a part of the 24. Embrace it and just try and do the best we can.”