Clemson football's incredible journey to becoming Alabama's equal

Clemson football’s incredible journey to becoming Alabama’s equal

SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 07: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers celebrates his teams 44-16 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide with the trophy in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Levi's Stadium on January 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

August 31, 2013

The Georgia Bulldogs. One of the top-five programs in all of college football led by quarterback Aaron Murray and their dominant stable of backs featuring Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall. The Bulldogs and The Tigers had announced a home-and-home series several seasons prior and even though Clemson retained Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins, they were still the underdog to a team they used to call their rival throughout the 1970s.

Clemson’s win over LSU got people believing that Clemson could do something but a win over Georgia would do wonders for a program desperate for national respect.

The Tigers and their fan base entered every game with a chip on their shoulders and an underdog attitude that separated them from every other team. In one of the most thrilling games of the 2013 season, Clemson held off Georgia at home in a 38-35 victory. This victory led to Clemson taking the No. 4 spot in the AP poll and assured the nation that the LSU was no fluke victory.

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