Clemson still overlooked? 12-0 Tigers beat drum of disrespect ahead of ACC title game
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney made it clear after Saturday’s win over South Carolina that he believe his team has been disrespected in 2019, claiming that the College Football Playoff committee was searching for a way to “get Clemson out” of the playoff.
Now one of his senior leaders is joining in on the idea that the 12-0 Tigers are being overlooked.
Clemson safety K’Von Wallace said ahead of this week’s ACC title game against Virginia that it’s “ridiculous” the way the defending national champion Tigers are being viewed from a national standpoint.
“Being ranked 3 after (we) haven’t lost since my sophomore year is the craziest thing I’ve ever been a part of,” Wallace said. “Just think about that. I haven’t lost one football game since my sophomore year, and we’re only ranked 3. That’s crazy to me.”
The Tigers are currently behind No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 LSU in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Clemson — 15-0 and national champs a season ago — entered this year ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 and coaches poll but slipped in late September after a close call against North Carolina, combined with Ohio State and LSU playing well against tougher competition.
The Tigers were No. 5 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings released in Week 10, before moving up to No. 3 when Penn State and Alabama both lost.
Clemson’s schedule has hurt the Tigers, according to CFP chair Rob Mullens, as the Tigers have yet to play a team currently ranked in the top 25. (Ohio State and LSU each has multiple wins over top 25 teams.)
“We are playing Power 5 schools. Yes, they’re not ranked, but we’re playing Power 5 schools that can beat you on any given night,” Wallace said. “We have to prepare hard for each and every week no matter who we play. I do understand LSU being highly ranked because of who they beat, like four top 10 teams, three top 10 teams, something like that. And I understand Ohio State, you know, winning a couple of good matchups.
But to sit there and stay we’re the No. 3 best team … Like I said to y’all before the season started and I’m going to continue to say it — we’re the best dern team in the country. And y’all will see it every Saturday. Stay tuned.”
In the moments after the victory Saturday over South Carolina, Swinney said the rivalry game win was big from a national standpoint.
“Obviously if we lose this game, they’re going to kick us out (of the playoff),” he said. “They don’t want us in there anyways. We’d drop to 20. Georgia loses to this very same team and the very next day it’s, ‘How do we keep Georgia in it?’ We win and it’s, ‘How do we get Clemson out?’ It’s big because they can’t vote us out.”
Swinney doubled down on those postgame comments during a Monday teleconference previewing the ACC championship, proclaiming that “I’m not going to let anybody diminish what’s been accomplished by our program, first of all, because it’s incredible.”
He appears particularly annoyed with the Tigers only having linebacker Isaiah Simmons as a finalist for a national award. Running back Travis Etienne was not named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, despite leading the nation in yards per carry.
“My job is to speak the truth and stand up for this program when I feel like it’s necessary. What’s been accomplished by this group is unbelievable. I mean, it’s incredible,” Swinney said. “They’ve won 27 games in a row, won four conference titles in a row with a chance for a fifth. They’ve been in four playoffs, won two out of the last three national championships, and have beaten the best of the best to do it, period.”
Next
Who: Clemson vs Virginia, ACC Championship Game
When: 7:30 pm Saturday
Where: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte
TV: ABC
Line: Clemson by 28.5
This story was originally published December 3, 2019 at 10:28 AM.
