Why Dabo Swinney’s Preseason Game Proposal is Needed in College Football

When discussing his decision to name redshirt junior Christopher Vizzina as the starting quarterback, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was candid.

“We can’t go any further,” he said when asked about Vizzina’s process in practice leading up to Saturday’s bout with LSU. “There’s a reason why people have preseason games at every level of football, except college football. I’m still waiting on somebody to explain that to me. I'm talking about from the 95-pound team to the NFL, there's preseason games so you can go play and not have all 22 of your guys the same on your team. There’s just certain things that need to happen – certain attributes that don't really show up until game day, especially at that position.”

This wasn’t the first time that Swinney has lamented the lack of tune-ups against other schools in a preseason format. And he’s right. There is a void that all programs face when preparing for a season opener.

In the lead-up to the 2026 college football season, there was no shortage of unanswered questions.

- Who should start at quarterback for Alabama, freshman Keelon Russell or junior Austin Mack?

- How does Miami’s defense reload after losing two first-round picks?

- What does QB Josh Hoover look like in Indiana’s offense?

Those are just a few of the questions fans around the country have lamented all offseason long. To be able to see them answered on the field helps everyone within the sport: fans, players, and programs.

My proposal for a preseason game actually tackles another nationwide issue: the lack of consistency across spring games for teams.

While some programs continue to hold spring games annually, others such as USC, Texas, and Florida State have opted to remove the game entirely. That lack of uniformity is a problem.

Power Four schools would be able to schedule each other for a game on a Saturday during March or April. It would be a home-and-home, with a return game the following season. Games would be hosted on campus, but the rules, timing, and format could be tinkered with by schools. Want to play 12-minute quarters instead of 15, or with a running clock? Whatever the head coaches prefer is what goes.

With the spring transfer portal window no longer existing, programs wouldn’t have to face the issue that led to the aforementioned cancellation of spring games: not wanting to showcase players who could leave for a better destination shortly.

The results of this system could be fruitful. Clemson’s quarterback battle is just one example of the questions that could be answered with a potential spring game against an outside opponent.

Swinney is spot-on with his comments on this issue. Some things cannot only be executed on a practice field against fellow teammates. Across the nation, programs could begin to evaluate their team against an opponent other than themselves—before that comparison begins full-time in August and September.

Enjoy our content? Make ClemsonOnSI a preferred source to see more stories from us on Google by clicking here.

Add us as a preferred source on Google