Dabo Swinney has ‘zero doubt’ football will be played this fall
There have been plenty of theories floated around over the past couple of weeks in regards to what will happen to the college football season in 2020.
ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit is on record as saying he would be “shocked” if the NFL or college football takes place this fall, while Brett McMurphy of Stadium recently reported that one of the possibilities being considered is playing games into next spring, with the national title game taking place in May or June of 2021.
Then there is Dabo Swinney’s opinion.
Clemson’s head coach went an entirely different route when speaking with the media Friday morning, stating that he fully expects college football to begin on time in about five months.
“My preference is to let’s get to work and let’s go play. That’s the best case scenario. I think that’s what’s going to happen. I have zero doubt that we’re going to be playing,” Swinney said. “The stands are going to be packed and the Valley’s going to be rocking. I don’t have any doubt.”
Swinney acknowledged that there are plenty of other possibilities being thrown around, just not any that he is willing to consider.
He doesn’t have “any doubt” that fall camp will start on time in August and the college football season will start on time shortly thereafter.
Swinney pointed to different accomplishments by the United States in the past as the reason for his optimism.
“I mean this is America, man. I mean we’ve stormed the beaches of Normandy. We’ve sent a car and drove around on Mars. We’ve walked on the moon. This is the greatest country and the greatest people in the history of the planet,” Swinney said. “We’ve created an iPhone that I can sit here and talk to all you people in all these different places. We’ve got the smartest people in the world. Listen, we’re gonna rise up and we’re gonna kick this thing right in the teeth and we’ll get back to our lives.”
Clemson was supposed to have its spring game this Saturday. However, it has been canceled, along with the other spring games around the country.
The Tigers are slated to open the regular season five months from this Friday with a game at Georgia Tech on Thursday, Sept. 3. It’s a game Swinney expects to go on as scheduled, even if others disagree.
“That’s a long time away, man. I mean, this is April the 3rd. I’ve got one focus and that’s getting the Tigers in camp in August and getting ready for Georgia Tech and getting in the Valley in September. And I can’t wait to celebrate with all the Tiger fans,” Swinney said. “So that’s the only mindset we’ve got. All the rest of that stuff, I’ll let all them other smart people figure out all them doomsday scenarios. I got one scenario. And that is running down the hill and and kicking it off in the Valley.”
Swinney added that his team currently has another meaning for Tigers, other than being Clemson’s mascot — “This Is Gonna End Real Soon,” he said.
FULL 2020 CLEMSON FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Kickoff times will be set at later dates
Sept. 3: at Georgia Tech (Thursday)
Sept 12: vs. Louisville
Sept. 19: vs. Akron
Sept. 26: vs. Virginia
Oct. 2: at Boston College (Friday)
Oct. 10: at Florida State
Oct. 17: vs. N.C. State
Oct. 24: vs. Syracuse
Oct. 31: Open
Nov. 7: at Notre Dame
Nov. 14: vs. The Citadel
Nov. 21: at Wake Forest
Nov. 28: vs. South Carolina
Dec. 5: ACC Championship game (Charlotte)
This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 12:05 PM.
