CLEMSON: Clemson coach Dabo Swinney had two major items on his mind as he met with the media for his weekly press conference Tuesday morning for the final team in the regular season. One was South Carolina and preparing for the Gamecocks. The other was the future of college athletics and how Clemson is positioned to thrive in the new environment.
Swinney had high praise for the Gamecocks and is excited about the national implications of the game. The winner might very well land a spot in the College Football Playoffs. Even with a loss, Clemson would still get in should Syracuse defeat Miami Saturday and then the Tigers defeat SMU in the ACC Championship Game.
For now, Swinney’s full attention is on winning the State Championship against a Gamecock team that has been one of the surprises of college football this season.
USC has won five straight games including three in a row over ranked teams. The Gamecocks are ranked 16th this week and the Tigers 12th making this the highest ranked rivalry game in the country this week.
This will be the 121st meeting between the teams with Clemson holding a 73-43-4 advantage. The Tigers have won eight of the last nine in the rivalry but they haven’t won at home since 2018. The teams did not play in 2020 due to Covid so that cost Clemson a home game, and USC won in Death Valley in 2022. . The Tigers are 19-11-1 against the Gamecocks at home since the first time the rivalry was played in Death Valley in 1960.
Key comments from Dabo Swinney
- Praises Beamer for what they’ve done this season, nearly a 10-1 team, impressed with Sellers and the way they execute their scheme, they’ve gotten better through their winning streak.
- USC is playing right now as well as anybody, playing at a high level and executing and playing with belief, defense is pretty much the same they faced last season, the two ends are a problem.
- USC is a good football team across the board and should be a heck of a game, great for the rivalry and state that it’s the highest ranked rivalry game in the country.
- Sellers is real dangerous when the play breaks down, cites the play he made vs Missouri, if you don’t have a quarterback like that who can make plays you’re at a disadvantage.
- Sellers is 6-2 242 pounds and is fast, he’s hard to get on the ground, and he has a very strong arm, and they have a running game and with their defense, that’s what’s made them good, it’s the same that’s made Clemson good over the years.
- OL has been an hodge-podge and they are 3-0 since having to move guys around, felt good about the depth coming into the season and it’s come through for them.
- Leigh and Tate are trending in a good spot to be able to play as of today but Tuesday and Wednesday practices will be critical for both. Woodaz is better, he was able to practice yesterday and should get better each day, not 100%.
- Having grown up in Alabama he was weened on the Auburn rivalry, came to Clemson and learned quickly that the rivalry with USC was just as big in this state, and this year’s game has national implications, two good teams having good years.
- You have to focus on things you have to do to win, two years ago they blew a fourth quarter lead due to turnovers, during five game losing streak to USC they suffered 15 turnovers, got to win the turnover margin and line of scrimmage to win this game.
- It’s a rivalry game and respects how hard all the players and the coaches work, he loves that they are playing football at the highest level, it’s a privilege to experience the highs and lows of a game like this one.
- Klubnik’s pocket awareness against the USC rush will be crucial, he’ll have to play quarterback at a high level for them to win the game; Capehart did not practice yesterday and is wait and see.
- Has known Beamer for a long time before he became coach at USC, they are good friends, he’s a good person and a great guy, he believes in himself and his people and is an optimistic guy and they both have great wives. He’s passionate about the job.
- Things the University plans to do related to NIL will help them get through this period until July when revenue sharing begins. What they’ve done will allow them to compete in the short term.
- Loves what form college sports is taking because they are keeping the scholastic side of things which is important because most players aren’t going to the NFL and they won’t become a statistic because they will get their education.
- Nobody will have more money than Clemson football when it comes to the revenue sharing , everyone is going to have the same amount and each will decide how to split it up among their programs.