Clemson playing Wofford is so weak and it needs to stop

Clemson is playing FCS Wofford on Saturday and that’s incredibly weak and soft from the reigning national champions and it needs to stop.

Clemson is undefeated and looks poised to make another College Football Playoff where they can defend their national title from last year. Then again, the Tigers haven’t faced many challenges in the ACC or in their non-conference schedule, which includes FCS Wofford, who is the sacrificial lamb for Dabo Swinney‘s team on Saturday.

FCS vs. FBS matchups isn’t going away. They are a necessary deal in college football where money matters for this sport played by amateurs. Games like Wofford playing Clemson or Alabama playing The Citadel last year result in the smaller schools taking home a massive check, almost always north of $1 million. That’s a huge chunk of change for small-time athletic programs who need to take beatings at the hands of the very best FBS teams to stay afloat.

But is that the best way for Clemson to get ready for a defense of their national title?

No. It’s incredibly weak and soft and it needs to stop.

I know, everyone else is doing it, including teams from the mighty SEC.

Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t make it right and it doesn’t mean you have to do it either. Clemson should be better than this. Playing Wofford only does their athletic budget any good. It doesn’t help Trevor Lawrence prepare any differently or challenge him to make better throws or smarter decisions. This doesn’t help Travis Etienne prepare for tougher defenses he’ll face in the College Football Playoff. This doesn’t help anyone on the Clemson defense to have a field day against inferior athletes.

This is like playing NCAA Football (remember that game?) on Junior Varsity just to run up the score and inflate your stats so you can have your quarterback, running back and top receiver in the Heisman race. That’s all fine and well for make-believe football. But it’s terrible for real football.

The timing of this game really stands out. It would be somewhat more understandable if this was the Week 1 or Week 2 game for Clemson. It’s understandable for teams to schedule teams they have a great chance to beat. Teams view them as preseason games to get their footing before the conference schedule begins.

Clemson didn’t have the benefit of a soft entry into the season. Well, not intentionally, with Georgia Tech to open the season. Yes, it’s one of the worst teams in the Power 5, but at least it was an ACC opponent. Then, they had Texas A&M in Week 2, who at the time, was viewed as a legit test, especially after how well the Aggies played the Kelly Bryant-led Tigers last year. If Clemson played Wofford in one of the first few weeks, it would still be pretty soft, but at least it wouldn’t be in early November when teams are gearing up for the stretch run.

It would have been a better look for Clemson to just have an open week rather than playing a glorified scrimmage vs. an FCS program before the starters sit out the second half of the blowout.

Clemson is a great team, but the “they haven’t played anybody” refrain will hold true after today. Clemson has zero quality wins on their playoff resume and if they scheduled a decent FBS team rather than an FCS school, perhaps they would have an opportunity to enhance their resume.

Perhaps, then, they wouldn’t fall from No. 1 to No. 4 despite not suffering a loss. It’s clear the voters haven’t been impressed with Clemson and who and how they’re beating their opponents. That won’t change even if they beat Wofford 220-0.

This game is a whole lot of worthless and while I recognize the importance for Wofford to schedule this game, Clemson should take it upon themselves to schedule the big boys and challenge themselves with a worthwhile FBS opponent.

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