Counting out Swinney, Clemson is a Mistake

While watching Georgia Tech stun No. 10 Florida State in last week’s season opener in Ireland, I was a little perplexed when Joe Tessitore teased this Saturday’s lineup on ABC and ESPN, which will televise the Clemson-Georgia, Miami-Florida and Notre Dame-Texas A&M games.

Tessitore just glossed over the Tigers’ and Bulldogs’ game, as if it was a forgone conclusion that Georgia was going to steamroll the hapless Tigers in the neutral-site opener for both teams. I am sure Tessitore was just following the instructions of his executive producer. But is that what the powers that be at ESPN think of Clemson’s football program these days?

I guess it explains why the four-letter network passed over the “Border War Rivalry”—which more times than not is a competitive and entertaining matchup—for its College GameDay show and picked the Notre Dame-Texas A&M game instead.

ESPN did not even trust the Associated Press Poll, as No. 14 Clemson vs. No. 1 Georgia is the highest matchup amongst AP Top 25 teams this week.

Why the distrust in Clemson?

Why does no one believe the Tigers have a chance to knock off the Bulldogs?

Part of it is because Las Vegas has Georgia listed as a 13.5-point favorite. It marks the first time since 2012 Clemson has been a double-digit underdog and just the second time in the Dabo Swinney era.

Part of it is also due to Georgia’s 42-2 record in the last three seasons. Since the last time Clemson and Georgia met, which was three years ago in Charlotte, the Bulldogs won back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022 and were 13-1 last year, including a 63-3 win over Florida State in the Orange Bowl.

The other factor – people believe the Tigers’ best days are behind them. They feel like Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has lost his touch.

They feel because Swinney has not really used the transfer portal to boost his roster that the game has passed him by, and he refuses to adjust to the changes.

Maybe it is that, maybe it is all of the above. Regardless, no one is giving Clemson a chance on Saturday, and I believe that is a mistake.

Look, Georgia is a good team, and by the end of the year, it might be a great team. They have an All-American quarterback in Carson Beck. They have offensive and defensive lines that are always full of NFL prospects.

The Bulldogs are always great at their linebacker positions and though the secondary must replace three starters, they are loaded with five-star potential.

However, I am surprised that people forget how strong the Clemson program is. Granted, the Tigers have not been the same College Football Playoff team they were when they went to six straight from 2015-2020, but it is still a strong program.

Clemson is just six years removed from winning a second national championship in three years and five years removed from playing for a national championship.

Clemson is still an elite program.

It is a program that has a lot of pride, and some darn good football players in their own right. Clemson’s defense is no slouch. It is full of blue-chip talent at every level. Granted the offense has taken a nosedive in the last three seasons, but there is talent on that side of the ball.

Clemson added two five-star receivers—Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore—to go with two former Freshman All-Americans—Antonio Williams and Tyler Brown. The quarterback (Cade Klubnik) is a former five-star, who should be a better player in year two as a starter.

Phil Mafah is considered one of the best running backs in the country.

Swinney went out and brought in a veteran offensive line coach in Matt Luke to bring toughness, smarts, and physicality to a unit that has been struggling the last few years.

Then there is Dabo Swinney himself. Swinney loves the underdog role. He has been the underdog his whole life.

He loves for people to doubt him and his team. He thrives off of it.

I do not know if Clemson is going to beat Georgia or not. It’s going to be a tough challenge. But I will say this – Clemson may not win the game, but Georgia is going to leave Atlanta knowing they played Clemson.

It should be a fun and entertaining game. It’s too bad ESPN and others think otherwise.