Dabo Swinney takes his own shot at SEC, Big Ten, and Notre Dame

Dabo Swinney has never been one to shy away from sharing his opinion, and his recent comments about the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection process are striking a chord with fans who feel the system is stacked against teams in the ACC and Big 12.

Speaking on the Gramlich and Mac Lain podcast, the Tigers’ head coach didn’t mince words, calling the playoff “the SEC-Big Ten Invitational” and suggesting that Notre Dame makes “their own rules.”

“It’s been SEC, Big Ten, Notre Dame, and the rest of y’all,” Swinney said. “It’s been that way for my whole time here at Clemson. But guess what, check our records versus all of them. Check our records.”

And he’s not wrong.

Under Swinney’s leadership, Clemson has consistently proven it belongs in the national conversation. From national titles in 2016 and 2018 to a 3-1 record against Ohio State and a 4-2 record against Notre Dame, the Tigers have taken down some of the sport’s biggest programs.

Yet, despite their success, Swinney feels Clemson is often left out of the “elite” club that gets the benefit of the doubt in playoff discussions. However, one could argue that Clemson's brand has been what has propelled the Tigers to No. 12 in the nation this season.

But for Swinney, the message is clear: the Tigers will fight to earn their spot. “We go win this game and we’re 10-2, I don’t see how you can’t put us in,” Swinney said, referring to Clemson’s upcoming rivalry game against South Carolina. “We’ve been able to win at the highest level. But you’ve gotta earn it.”

And he's right.

Clemson has a great shot to sneak into the field with a win over South Carolina on Saturday. It's not a foregone conclusion, but it definitely would give the Tigers a quality win and put them at the table for an at-large bid no matter what happens in their potential quest to still get back to the ACC Championship.

Lose, though, and you're talking about a meltdown of epic proportions.

Clemson is facing a ton of pressure on Saturday as it attempts to go 10-2 with a win over its in-state rival South Carolina, who are playing as well as anyone in the country. There are plenty of discussions to be had if Clemson wins, but the conversations may be even louder — and not for a good reason — if the Tigers were to lose.

Clemson and South Carolina kickoff at 12:00 p.m. E.T. on ESPN.

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