The Future of Small-School Showdowns: Will Big Teams Keep Playing Little Guys?

College football is changing fast. Big schools are merging into super conferences. The playoff is growing. Players can transfer easily and get paid. These changes shake up the game. One big question is: Will big schools keep playing smaller ones? Clemson, a top team, plays Furman, a smaller school, this week. They've played 58 times before. Clemson likes these games. They give the team a break from tough opponents. Furman gets $500, 000 for the game. That's a big deal for them. It helps pay for their sports programs. But will these games last? Clemson's coach, Dabo Swinney, thinks they might not. He jokes about a future where only big schools play each other. If that happens, smaller schools lose out. They rely on these games for money. Furman's athletic director, Jason Donnelly, sees both sides. He knows big schools need easy wins sometimes. But he also knows changes are coming. No one knows what college football will look like in a few years. Some people think these games will stick around. They give big schools an easy win. Small schools get money and exposure. It's a win-win. But others worry. If big schools only play each other, small schools suffer. For now, Furman is happy to play Clemson. They see it as a big opportunity. But the future is uncertain. College football is changing. Only time will tell if these games stay.