Brian Kelly met the media Friday, his final availability before Saturday’s ACC Championship Game against No. 3 Clemson.
We’ll cut to the chase and let you know that Kelly was a bit feisty today and he delivered quite the blow to “The Granddaddy of them all”.
When the topic of playing potential playoff games without family members in attendance, Kelly made quite the threat.
“I’m not sure if we’ll play in the playoffs if the parents can’t be there,” Kelly said, “Where’s the flexibility? It’s the number-one topic for our guys if they’re selected.”
Kelly continued:
“Why can’t it be the Rose Bowl in Las Vegas? Why can’t it be the Rose Bowl in another town? The one thing these kids have been is incredibly flexible.”
Could the state of California soften its guidelines and allow at least parents in? It’s certainly possible I suppose but I surely wouldn’t be betting on it happening.
I’m also certain that Kelly is simply saying what I’d imagine every coach on a potential playoff team is thinking right now.
With that all said, if the game stays in Pasadena and Notre Dame is selected to play in it I would give it about a 0.0000001% chance that the Irish actually would boycott a CFP bid.
That said, we’re two weeks to the day of this game being played and although there hasn’t been news on it yet, I’d imagine if any of Dabo Swinney, Nick Saban, Ryan Day, or any other potential CFP coach say something similar, that the pressure will only grow to move the game.
Something that only makes sense considering every team that could play in it is located literally thousands of miles to the east of Pasadena.