Notes: Swinney weighs USC's wins vs. ACC titles

CLEMSON - Dabo Swinney tried to pay the USC rivalry its due reverence after Saturday's 34-17 defeat, reiterating its importance to Clemson's program as well as fans.

But here's betting Bob Seger never sang the words "turn the page" as many times in two days as the first-year coach, who said the No. 25 Tigers should not have a hard time regrouping for Saturday's 8 p.m. ACC title game against No. 12 Georgia Tech.

Swinney got in a dig in the process, referencing Clemson's dominance in the series as one reason why competing for the Tigers' first ACC title since 1991 should take precedence now.

"We've beaten Carolina around here many, many times," Swinney said. "They hadn't won many times here the last 10, 15 years. So we've done that.

"We hadn't won a conference here in 18 years. So these kids have an opportunity to do something here that hasn't been done in a long time. And even then, it was a nine-team league."

Swinney said that losing a rivalry game is tougher on coaches than players because resiliency diminishes with age.

But he said he has dealt with the disappointment by remembering the Tigers are 5-2 against USC since Swinney joined Clemson's staff as an assistant.

"I'm not going to let the bitterness of the two losses outweigh the great feeling of the five wins," Swinney said. "I think you have to be careful of that and keep things in perspective."

See and be seen. Clemson has taken out a full page ad in today's USA Today honoring senior running back C.J. Spiller.

The ad, paid for by IPTAY funds, comes a week before Heisman Trophy ballots are due.

Conference chatter. USC's defeat, coupled with Georgia Tech's 30-24 loss against Georgia, wasn't the advertising campaign the ACC wanted to roll out before its title game.

But Yellow Jackets coach Paul Johnson hardly believes the outcomes serve as an indictment on the league when comparing its quality to that of the SEC.

"A year ago we beat Georgia and Clemson beat South Carolina, and nobody made a big deal about the SEC being diminished," Johnson said. "You can make of it what you want."

Holding pattern. After Clemson lost to Georgia Tech 30-27 on Sept. 10, Swinney bit his tongue for several days regarding the validity of a holding call on left guard Thomas Austin that negated a 38-yard Jacoby Ford catch and would have put the Tigers in position for the go-ahead score at the Tech 18 with three minutes remaining.

Last year, with Clemson trying for the go-ahead touchdown as well, Austin was penalized for holding on a fourth-down, 27-yard Ford catch to the Tech 35 with 2:42 to go.

"I think I'm going to suspend Thomas Austin from this game," Swinney joked. "That's going to be the next move, just so we don't get a good holding call the last play of the game."

Extra points. Georgia Tech will likely be without starting defensive tackle Ben Anderson, a redshirt junior from Aiken, who injured a knee against Georgia. But quarterback Josh Nesbitt, who returned to the Georgia game after spraining an ankle, should be "all right," Johnson said. ... Da'Quan Bowers was credited with blocking a 42-yard field goal against USC, but film review determined the block belonged to defensive tackle Jarvis Jenkins. ...

While Georgia Tech A-backs coach and special teams coordinator Jeff Monken has been hired as Georgia Southern's coach, Monken will remain with the team through Saturday's game and perhaps the bowl.